How to Create a Brush in Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for creating custom graphics and shapes. In just a few steps, you can transform your drawing into a brush that you can easily access and use over and over again. Here is a simple guide to creating a brush in Illustrator.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open Illustrator and go to “File.” Select “New” and set up the new document according to your preferences.

2. Using Illustrator’s tool palette, create any custom shape or graphic that you want.

3. Using the selection tool, select the entire graphic or shapes that you want in the brush. In the brushes palette, click the arrow on the upper right corner, and select “New Brush.”

4. On the “Select a Brush Type” panel, choose “New Art Brush” and click “OK.”

5. In the “Art Brush Options” panel, open the “Colorization Method” drop-down menu, and select “Tints.” This will allow you to change the color of your brush later. Click “OK.”

6. You should now be able to see the brush in the Brushes palette.

Tips & Warnings

• Brushes are a useful way of creating custom graphics that would have taken hours to draw by hand.
• Once your brush is created, experiment with the stroke size and colors to create many different effects.