STEP BY STEP // brushes I use

I got a lot of questions about which brushes I use, so I decided to make a little overview of the ones I like to use most at the moment!

[minor edit: I was using the beta version of max's set with the wrong names, turns out 'gouache b' was actually called 'gouache clean'! updated the text & image.]

PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES

01 // HARD ROUND // from The Loish Brushset - https://loish.school/download/ (free, but please don't share this link with others)

This is the brush I use the most. I’ve used it for sketching, painting, detailing, coloring, you name it. I feel like it’s a super versatile brush because it’s very responsive to pressure. If you press softer, you can use it to blend; if you press harder, you can use it for sharp detail. I use this brush in almost all of my digital art.

02 // MACALABS HB PENCIL // from Macalabs Sketching Photoshop Brushes - http://cbr.sh/fg8up?ref=loish ($5)

This is my favorite sketching brush. It’s one of those brushes that totally chagned my process and way of working - my sketches are much more dynamic and flowing because of this brush. As you can see, it’s great for details and sharp lines but also soft, sweeping lines that give movement and gesture to the sketch. I really couldn’t do without this brush.

03 // FLAT TEXTURE BRUSH // from Viorie’s brush set - http://cbr.sh/u3c3pw?ref=loish ($5)

I recently discovered this one while making the cloud studies, and so far it’s been a great investment, especially for speedpainting environments. It adds a bit of texture and blends in a soft way, so it’s great for softer color gradations that could use a bit of texture. The brush set as a whole is kind of chaotic with a lot of repeating brushes, but there are some gems in there.

TYPICAL PHOTOSHOP PROCESS

In this step-by-step, you can see that I always sketch with the Macalabs HB pencil first, and then use hard round for nearly everything else. Keep in mind that I’m also using gradients and feathered lasso selections to modify the colors, but when it comes to painting with a brush, it’s almost always hard round once I get past the sketching phase.

PROCREATE BRUSHES

01 // MAXU GOUACHE CLEAN // from MaxPack’s Gouache set - https://gumroad.com/l/GouacheMaxPack ($25)

This brush pack has A LOT of stuff, but I personally don’t like to switch between brushes a lot. I prefer to just stick to a small handful of brushes, otherwise the process will get too chaotic for me. My favorite brush from this set is Gouache B, which is awesome for sketching and also works well for blending. It’s pretty versatile, so I’ve been able to create entire paintings with just this brush. The flat shape and texture is what makes this one work for me.

02 // MAXU GOUACHE BRISTLE // from MaxPack’s Gouache set - https://gumroad.com/l/GouacheMaxPack ($25)

Another one from the gouache pack - this time a bristly one. I’m usually not big on dry brush effects but this one works great for getting soft color blending. It’s a good substitute for the gradient and feathered lasso in photoshop since the belding is so soft, and it adds a bit of texture too.

03 // RAZUM PRO2 BUMPO // from Brush Pack Pro II by RazumInc - http://cbr.sh/ai2y9?ref=loish ($15)

This was the first brush set I downloaded for procreate and it was what I needed at that time. I was looking for a way to replicate the hard round blending effect from photoshop, and this brush does a pretty nice job, even though it is sometimes hard to control the size and pressure. It gives a creamy painting effect and a minimal amount of texture. There’s a lot of other nice concept-arty brushes in this pack too.

TYPICAL PROCREATE PROCESS

I almost always sketch with the MaxU Gouache B brush - it’s the closest I’ve found to the Macalabs HB photoshop brush in terms of mixing softer and harder lines. When I’m adding color, the MaxU Gouache Bristle helps me to create soft color gradations, like you can see on her hair and face. In the last step, I use a mix of brushes to detail (I haven’t really found the perfect detailing brush in procreate yet) but the bumpo brush comes in handy too.

Hope you guys find this useful! Let me know if you have any questions!