Learn How to Create GIMP Brushes to Take Control!

What does this mean?

Well, we’ll use Photoshop as an example. When you choose a brush in that program, you can set the size of it simply by hitting the [ or the ] keys on your keyboard. Doing so will shrink or enlarge the brush to your specifications.

In essence, it allows you to save time picking out the right sized brush in the brush tool bars. However, you need to set this up in GIMP yourself.

(Note: as of version 2.4 of GIMP, brushes are now scalable. If you haven’t already, upgrade to 2.4. Otherwise, use the remainder of this article as it is still useful in terms of helping you create GIMP brushes!)

1. Why create GIMP brushes?

The answer is simple when you use GIMP as your main digital art program: it can be a hassle to find the right brushes that you need. Whether you’re looking for size or shape, it is very limited in GIMP.

Another reason is that you can not edit the existing brushes! Sure, you can change the pressure sensitivity, spacing, opacity, and other fun stuff. But you are still limited by the maximum size of the default brushes.

Due to this reason, you will discover that creating your own brushes is the better method to get what you need. Plus, it’s also quite easy to do.

2. How to create GIMP brushes

Let’s get you familiar with editing and creating brushes. On your second GIMP window, where you find the layers and the main brush windows, you will see an icon that looks like a piece of paper with a pencil on it.

That will be the icon to edit existing brushes. However, like I said before, you won’t be able to edit the default brushes. You can still click on the icon to see what happens.

For the most part, you will get a new window with different brush parameters to change. Unfortunately, this will be grayed out.

This is why you need to click on the icon that looks like a piece of paper to create a new brush.

Doing so will open up the parameters so you can change the brushes that you want.

2. The brush parameters

Immediately, you will see a few parameters you can change when you go set up your new brush. Play around with the options that you do see.

For example, you can choose between a circular, square, or diamond shaped brushes. On top of that, you can change the radius, spikes, hardness, aspect ratio, angle, and spacing of the brush.

Change what you think you need, name your new brush, and then save it. You will know if it’s a new brush because it will have a blue triangle signifying that it’s an altered brush back at the main brush window.

However, what we are really concerned is the radius parameter. GIMP’s default mode will not allow you to easily change the brush radius unless you go back to the edit screen again.

But we are going to change that!

3. Creating the dynamic brush

Fortunately, there are a few steps that will help you turn your newly create brush into a dynamic brush.

To do that, you need to go to File > Preferences in your main tool bar. You will get a new set of menus.

From the left side, expand on Input Devices to select Input Controllers. After that, you will get a new set of menus on the right side of this main box.

I will get you to set up the Main Mouse Wheel as the input controller for this. Now, under events, I’m going to get you to find Scroll up (Shift) and then click on the Edit button.

You will get a new window that asks you to set the controller event action. From the list, I will get you to find Context, expand on it, and select Increase Radius from that list. Push OK to save it.

We’re almost done! I’m going to get you to do the same thing again. This time, click on Scroll down (Shift) and select Decrease Radius from the Context list. Save it!

From here on forward, you can change the radius of the new brushes you have created simply by holding shift on your keyboard and scrolling up or down on your mouse wheel!

4. Other ways to create GIMP brushes

What we have done here is letting you take control of the digital art program to suite your artistic needs.

It’s fine to create circular, square, or diamond shaped brushes from the editor. However, what will happen if you want brushes that have a unique shape not found in the editor?

Well, in that case, you will learn how to create custom brushes! I will show you how to create custom brushes in not only GIMP, but in the other digital art programs we have talked about so far.

For now, just keep on experimenting with your creations!

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