Grunge Brushes Tutorial
These brushes are all made using Photoshop’s default shapes and applying filters, however, they never turn out the same twice – maybe you will have to create the brush more than once to get a result you are happy with.
Brush 1
Start with a new file, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Starburst.
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 100px by 100px:
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur, set to size 1, Click OK
Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, set to Rectangular to Polar, Click OK.
Filter>Distort>Twirl, set to 286, click OK
Filter>Distort>Ripple, set to 397, click OK
Ctrl+T to select the Transform Tool, and using the top centre handle, push the design down in size. Now using one of the corner handles and holding down the Shift key, enlarge the whole design to the size required.
Return key to accept transformation.
Cut the design to leave hardly any edge, then go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, and give the brush a name, click OK.
Brush 2
Start a new file as before, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Tile 1
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 100px x 40px.
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Create a new layer and click on the canvas again to create the shape again.
Ctrl + T to select the Transform Tool, right click in the box and select Rotate 180°, then move the design to join up below the first design:
Right click on the layer in the layers palette and click on Merge Visible.
Filter>Distort>Twirl, set to 136, click OK
Filter>Stylize>Wind, set on Wind, From the Left, click OK
Filter>Distort>Wave, apply the following settings:
Filter>Distort>Twirl, set to -75, click OK
Filter>Distort>Ripple, set to 75, click OK
Filter>Blur>Motion Blur, set to -61°, Distance: 2px
Filter>Render>Fibers, set Variance to 27 and Strength to 12
Cut the design as before, go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, give the brush a name and click OK.
Brush 3
Start a new file as before, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Star
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 100px x 100px
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Filter>Distort>Twirl, set to 286, click OK
Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, set to Rectangular to Polar, click OK
Filter>Pixelate>Fragment.
Ctrl + T for the Transform Tool, right click in the box and select Rotate 90° CCW.
Cut the design as before, go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, give the brush a name and click OK.
Brush 4
Start a new file as before, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Campfire
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 100px x 100px
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Filter>Distort>Ripple, set to 256, click OK
Filter>Stylize>Wind, set to Stagger, From the Left – now erase the part of the pattern at the extreme left of the canvas.
Image>Rotate Canvas, select 90°CW
Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, set to Rectangular to Polar, click OK.
Image>Rotate Canvas, select 90°CCW
Cut the design as before, go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, give the brush a name and click OK.
Brush 5
Start a new file as before, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Registration Target 2
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 200px x 200px
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Filter>Distort>Twirl, set to 567, click OK
Filter>Stylize>Wind, select Wind, From the Right
Filter>Distort>Shear, apply the following settings:
Filter>Distort>ZigZag, set Amount to 9, Ridges to 7, Style to Around Center, click OK
Filter>Render>Fibers, set Variance to 27, Strength to 36, click OK
Ctrl + T for the Transform Tool, right click in the box and select Rotate 90°CW, then reduce the size as required.
Cut the design as before, go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, give the brush a name and click OK.
Brush 6
Start a new file as before, 500 x 500, 72px resolution, Transparent background.
Select the Shapes Tool and select Tile 5
From the options box, select Fixed Size, 200px x 120px
Click on the canvas to create the shape.
Filter>Distort>Punch, set to 100, click OK
Filter>Distort>Ripple, set to 156, click OK
Image>Rotate Canvas, select 90°CCW
Filter>Distort>Polar Coordinates, set to Rectangular to Polar, click OK
Filter>Distort>Wave, apply the following settings:
Image>Rotate Canvas, select 90°CW
Filter>Render>Fibers, set Variance to 54, Strength to 3, click OK
Cut the design as before, go to Edit>Define Brush Preset, give the brush a name and click OK.
Saving the Brush Set
To save the brush set, delete all other brushes from the palette by right clicking on each one and selecting delete.
Click on the small arrow at the top right of the palette, from the drop-down list select Save brushes.
Give the brush set a name and click OK.
The brushes will not be available as a selection until you close and re-open Photoshop.
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The image below shows each brush created 4 times, you can see that some are vastly different and some are very similar. Playing with shapes and filters will create many different results, but rarely the same result twice!
