Cross disciplinary application of PS brushes: a practical guide from design to photography

The application scenarios of PS brushes are far beyond painting - in fields such as graphic design, photography post production, UI/UX design, brushes are also core tools for improving efficiency and creativity. This article will combine industry cases to analyze the practical skills of brushes in different fields.

1、 Graphic design: the finishing touch of brand vision

In brand design, brushes can be used to quickly generate background textures, decorative elements, or dynamic effects.

Background texture production:

Download the 'Retro Paper Texture Brush', create a new layer, fill it with light brown, select the brush to apply on the layer, and blend the texture into the background through the 'positive overlay' feature in the 'blending mode' to create a nostalgic feeling.

Case: In the packaging design of a certain coffee brand, a "coffee stain brush" was randomly applied on a beige background, combined with "filter>blur>Gaussian blur" (radius of 2 pixels) to make the texture more natural and enhance the brand's storytelling.

Dynamic element addition:

In poster design, use a 'light effect brush' to add halos or lighting. For example, set the opacity of the "Starlight Brush" to 70%, apply it around the title text, use the "Layer Mask" to erase excess parts, and highlight the visual focus.

Quick typesetting assistance:

Download the "Split Line Brush" or "Arrow Brush" to quickly divide areas or guide the line of sight in the layout. For example, using a "dashed brush" to draw borders at the edge of the page can increase efficiency by 80% compared to manual drawing.

2、 Photography Post Production: The Magic Wand from Restoration to Creativity

Brushes can be used for local adjustment, defect repair, or artistic processing in post production photography.

Local exposure adjustment:

Create a new "Curve" adjustment layer, use a "Soft Edge Brush" (hardness 0%) to apply to the character's face, brighten the shadow area through curves, and avoid global adjustments affecting the background.

Case: In portrait photography, use a "low transparency (20%) soft brush" to apply dark gray to the eye sockets, simulate shadows, and enhance the stereoscopic effect of the eyes.

Defect repair:

Use the "Clone Stamp Tool" (shortcut key S) combined with the "Hard Edge Brush" (size 10 pixels) to repair skin blemishes. For example, replicate the surrounding healthy skin area, cover acne or wrinkles, adjust repair strength through "opacity", and avoid mechanical sensation.

Artistic effect addition:

Download the "Watercolor Brush" or "Oil Painting Brush" to convert photos into art pieces. The steps are as follows:

Copy the original image layer, execute "Filter>Filter Library>Dry Brush" (brush size 10, brush detail 10, texture 3), simulate the oil painting base.

Create a new layer, use a "watercolor brush" to paint the subject (such as a person), blend the color with the background through "overlay" in "blending mode", adjust the "opacity" to 60%, and preserve the details of the photo.

3、 UI/UX Design: An Efficiency Accelerator for Interaction Prototypes

In UI design, brushes can be used to quickly generate icon, button states, or dynamic effects.

Icon drawing:

Using a "vector brush" (such as a "rounded rectangle brush") to draw the basic shape of the button and adjusting the rounded radius through the "path selection tool" is more efficient than manual drawing.

Case: When designing the "download button", use the "arrow brush" to add directional icons, and use the "layer style" to add "projection" (2 pixels away, expanded by 5%) to enhance the click sensation.

Button state simulation:

Use the "Gradient Brush" to quickly generate the "Normal", "Hover", and "Click" states of the button. For example, setting the gradient type of the "Linear Gradient Brush" to "Angle", transitioning from blue to cyan, simulating changes in light and shadow.

Dynamic effect preview:

In prototype design, use "animation brushes" to simulate interactive effects. For example, using a "pulse brush" to draw and load animations, setting keyframes through the "Timeline" panel to achieve color flickering or size changes.

4、 Game artwork: "Rapid prototyping" of characters and scenes

The game's original artwork requires extremely high efficiency and creativity, and brushes can help designers quickly construct conceptual sketches or refine details.

Concept sketch drawing:

Quickly outline the character's contour with a "coarse brush" (such as a "6B pencil brush"), and simulate the thickness changes of hand drawn through the "size jitter" in "shape dynamics", which is more flexible than vector tools.

Material detail addition:

Download the "Metal Texture Brush" or "Leather Texture Brush" and apply it to weapons or clothing, enhancing the texture through the "Overlay" feature in "Blend Mode". For example, adding scratches on armor with a "metal brush" and adjusting the "opacity" to 40% to avoid excessive coverage.

Creating a scene atmosphere:

Add environment elements using the "Smoke Brush" or "Light Effect Brush". For example, in a combat scene, use the "Flame Brush" to draw explosion effects, and simulate motion trajectories through "Filter>Blur>Dynamic Blur" (angle 45 degrees, distance 15 pixels).

5、 Industry Case: The Core Role of Brushes in Brand Upgrading

In a fast-moving consumer goods brand upgrade project, designers need to complete background texture updates for 50 packaging designs within 3 days. By following these steps, efficiency can be improved by 300%:

Brush library construction: Download 20 types of presets such as "Geometry Pattern Brush", "Gradient Brush", "Particle Brush" from Qiantu Network, and store them by style classification.

Automated process:

Create a new PS action and record the steps of "Fill Background>Apply Brush>Adjust Blend Mode>Add Projection".

When processing in batches, only the actions need to be played, and the brush position and parameters need to be manually adjusted, reducing the time required for a single design from 2 hours to 20 minutes.

Result verification:

The final design has a pass rate of 95%, with customer feedback stating that the texture is natural and consistent, and the brand tone has significantly improved.

Conclusion: The cross disciplinary application of PS brushes proves that they are not only painting tools, but also the "efficiency engine" of the design industry. From graphic design to game artwork, from photography post production to UI/UX, mastering practical brush techniques will help designers stand out in the competition. Whether it's rapid iteration or creative expression, brushes are essential core skills.