How Do You Make a Stippling Brush in Photoshop?

September 8, 2023 photoshop

Are you looking to add a stippling effect to your digital artwork in Photoshop? Creating a stippling brush can be a great way to achieve that desired texture and depth. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the steps of making a stippling brush in Photoshop, so you can start adding this unique effect to your designs.

What is Stippling?

Stippling is a technique used in art and design to create textures or shading using small dots or dashes. It adds a unique visual appeal and can be used to create various effects, from subtle gradients to intricate patterns.

Step 1: Create a New Document

To begin, open Photoshop and go to File > New. Set the desired dimensions for your document. Keep in mind that the size of your document will affect the size of your stippling brush.

Step 1.1: Choose Background Color

You can choose any background color for your document by selecting the desired color from the swatches panel or by using the Paint Bucket tool (G) to fill your canvas with color.

Step 2: Create a New Layer

In the Layers panel, click on the "Create new layer" button at the bottom. This will ensure that our brush is created on a separate layer, allowing for easy editing and customization later on.

Step 3: Select Brush Tool

Select the Brush tool (B) from the toolbar on the left side of your screen. This tool allows us to paint with various brush settings, including our newly created stippling brush.

Step 3.1: Open Brush Settings

To open the Brush Settings panel, click on the "Brush Settings" button located at the top of your screen or go to Window > Brush Settings in the menu.

Step 4: Customize Brush Shape

In the Brush Settings panel, you can customize the shape and size of your brush. For a stippling effect, we want to create a round brush with a hard edge.

Step 4.1: Adjust Size and Hardness

Adjust the size of your brush using the "Size" slider. A smaller size will create finer dots, while a larger size will produce bigger dots. Set the hardness to 100% for a crisp edge.2: Enable Shape Dynamics

Enable Shape Dynamics by checking the box next to it in the Brush Settings panel. This will add variation to our stippling effect by randomly changing the size and angle of each dot.3: Adjust Scattering

To add some randomness to our stippling effect, adjust the scattering settings under Shape Dynamics. Increase the Scatter slider to disperse dots across your canvas.

Step 5: Save Your Brush

Once you are satisfied with your brush settings, click on the "New Brush Preset" button at the bottom of the Brush Settings panel. Give your brush a name and click "OK" to save it.

Step 6: Test Your Stippling Brush

Select your newly created stippling brush from the Brushes panel or by pressing B on your keyboard followed by right-clicking on your canvas. Adjust color and opacity as desired, then start painting with dots to test out your new brush.

Tips for Using Stippling Brushes

Vary Dot Size: Experiment with different sizes of dots to create depth and texture.
Change Opacity: Adjust the opacity of your brush to create subtle or bold stippling effects.
Combine Brushes: Try using multiple stippling brushes with different settings to achieve unique effects.

Now that you know how to create a stippling brush in Photoshop, you can start incorporating this technique into your digital artwork. Have fun experimenting with different settings and styles to create stunning stippled designs!