When it comes to buying kits, I don’t often go by the elements – as lovely they are, I don’t use many on a page. I’m a simple scrapper at heart and you can leave me with my papers and I’ll be perfectly happy. But, there is one folder I find myself reaching for on every layout – my beloved brushes! I am a self-confessed brush addict and have amassed quite a collection. There is nothing else that allows me to so complete control the subtlety and emphasis on my details. I can tuck a few softly blended vintage images behind my picture to add some interest. Or I can splash a bright and bold graphic tattoo on my page. With blend modes, colours and sizes, there are endless possibilities in this one little tool. I can use my brushes to completely or partially erase parts of a photo. I can use the dodge and burn tools with my brush to create a subtle effect on background papers. There is very little I can’t do with a wide variety of brushes.
In the My Mom layout below, I used a variety of Meredith Fenwick’s paintbrushes and flower brushes from Tracy Ann and Ida, combined with Manda Bean’s lovely Spiced Pumpkin Latte papers, to create a delicate and slightly grungy effect.

In 6 Months, with Christy Lyle’s beautiful Holiday Memories, I only needed one of Katie Pertiet’s Flourishes to balance my layout.

In Scottburgh, Rhonna Farrer’s Old Stamp brushes were the perfect addition to Manda Bean’s Mashed Berries papers to create this worn, vintage look.

And in Just Run, I combined Michelle Coleman’s Graphic Brushes with loads of white space, and Zoe Pearn’s 100% Boy kit, for a graphic, yet grungy look.

It’s obvious that you can achieve just about any look with your brush tool. And while there are some simply stunning brushes out there at many stores, one of the best things about brushes is that you can get so many for free. I find myself reaching for Jason Gaylor’s brushes more often than not. This very talented artist has some amazing designs available for free. I used some of his fresh foliage brushes on Growing Up, with Manda Bean’s Succotash papers.

There are loads more exceptionally creative artists out there offering there work for free. Here is a list of some sites where you can find them.
Deviant Art
Miss M
Pixel Chick
Free Brushes
Peti’s Brushes
Glitter Tramp
Some things to remember when working with brushes; it is best to stamp each brush on a new layer to allow you control over the size and position of the brush even after you have stamped it. Play around with the blend modes and opacity to expand your options. Don’t forget about the eraser tool – you can achieve some amazing effects by ‘cutting out’ designs on paper or photos. You can also use a simple design as a kind of punch. There are many ways to do this – I usually select the brush and size it as desired. I open up the paper I wish to ‘punch’ and create a new layer. I stamp the brush on the new layer and ctrl-click on the brush layer in the layers palette to select it. I then delete the brush layer and use the move tool to drag the shape onto my page (PSCS).
The best thing about brushes is the freedom they allow, so load up some new brushes and go wild! I’d love to see your results, so please link them back here so we can admire them!