Ok, extremely new to using brushes.  I have a ton of them and now want to start using them.  Problem is, they're all black and white, even though the promo pics for them showed color.  If anyone knows of any tutorials explaining how to add color to brushes, I would be forever in your debt.  I searched the forums for photoshop, but, I couldn't find anything about coloring the brushes.

Logically my mind is telling me to add a layer over the piece, add the brush where I want it and then up in the menus is where the color fairy lives (somewhere hidden, that is)....but, I can't figure out where to go from there, if I'm even in the right process of thinking.  I have Photoshop CS, by the way.

Thanks to all for any help and tips.

StevieG

Change the color of your foreground ink when using the brushes, or do as your mind told you and add the color afterwards. But changing the foreground color is the quickest way. :)

I just use the swatches tab to choose my foreground color and brush from there.  Much easier than changing later.  I also work in layers even when I'm using brushes so I can change my mind at any time.

Excellent!  Thank you both for the replies.  I've been playing around with the color and different settings...slowly, but, surely it's sinking in on how to use them.

And one last question...Will gradiants work on brushes?  What I mean is, for example, going from a blood red on the bottom of an image brush to a bright pink on the top with blending layers of color between. :glare: Hhhhmmm, does that make sense?  It sounds correct in my mind. haha

Unfortunately, the gradient tool and the brush tool are two separate items so the only answer would be two layers and blend the two.

Click on the layer with brush. Hold ALT and choose gradient adjustment layer in the bottom of the layers palette, in new dialog box check the group with previous box. Now you can play with gradient and look the changes in real time. It allow you to turn your mind upside down any time :)

Tihomir

tantarus...very cool tip...off to try it out now....thanx a gig

You wellcome

Tihomir

I asked the exact same thing (well, ok, similar..hehe...) on deviantart, when it came to working out how to add more than one colour to a brush.  Here was the reply - hope it helps someone else!

I was enquiring how she got the colouring in this image:

 "If it's over another image, make a new layer with regular settings so you don't do anything to the rest of the image. If it's just the brush, proceed as if I'm not the idiot I seem to be, lol... First, when you select the color, choose a very pretty orange color, almost gold, and make the lovely birdy have its own space on the image. Then take your dodge tool, set it for highlights at a flow of about 23%, and go around any areas you think should be highlighted. Make sure not to overdo it or you'll bleach out the gold color you're trying to achieve. I did that and not just once, lol. Then take your burn tool and set it for shadows at a flow of about 15% and go over the other areas that weren't highlighted, but be very gentle. Make sure you're using soft brushes so the burns and highlights will blend at the edges. Then take the brush itself and choose another color, say a pretty rusty red color. Pick a spot on the color gradient that you think compliments the gold and oranges you've made. Now set your brush for Color Burn with a flow of 35% and turn on the airbrush tool next to the flow drop menu. Line up your brush over the image carefully and paint the brush once over the image. Use a Gaussian Blur on a very low setting to smooth out some of the rougher colors. Now if you want to do what I did, add some Lens Flare accents at various strengths to the feathers on the firebird's tail, or leave it like it is if you prefer it that way.

As for the Bird of Paradise, she was a little more tricky. She used up about 3 different layers for her effects just because of the colors I chose to use.

Choose a base color for her (I used a pale teal color) and paint her on. Make a new layer with the effect set for Screen at a strength of 75%. Now switch brushes to a soft brush, like what you used for the burn and dodge tools for the firebird. Pick another color (I chose a shade of purple) and go along the edges of the wings to carefully catch the flight feathers and color them. Now flatten your image (Layers Menu at the bottom). Make another new layer and set it for Soft Light at full strength. Now choose a different color (I used pink) for the tail and color the whole thing until no blues show through. Now take your burn tool and burn the edges of the tail feathers, and the wings too if you would like. Flatten the image again and carefully use the dodge tool with a strength of 10% on the center of the tail to make the edges stand out more. Now if you like it, add lense flares or leave it like it is." 

Also a very cool technique...a very good thread this is

I meant to respond earlier, but, RL made it's ugly appearance.

Just wanted to thank everyone for continuing the tips for color the brushes, it has help me tremendously!!  It'll be awhile before I'm comfortable enough to post anything with my brushes, but, when I do, I'll have you peeps to thank for pushing me into a new zone for my post work. :thumbupboth:

StevieG

Can't wait to see 'em, Stevie!