How do I make a custom pattern brush in Clip Studio Paint?

Making a custom pattern brush in Clip Studio Paint involves registering your desired artwork as a material and then configuring it as a brush tip. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Steps to Create a Custom Pattern Brush:

1. Prepare Your Artwork:

   • Ensure your pattern is on a single layer. Flatten any groups or multiple layers into one. This layer contains the repeating element you want to use for your brush.
   • Consider the tileability of your pattern. Does it seamlessly repeat when placed side-by-side? Adjust the artwork as needed to achieve a smooth transition.

2. Register the Artwork as a Material:

   • Select the layer containing your artwork.
   • Go to Edit > Register Material > Image.

3. Configure Material Settings:

   • In the Material Property window, give your material a descriptive Name.
   • Crucially, tick the checkbox labeled "Use for brush tip shape". This tells Clip Studio Paint that this image is intended to be used as a brush tip.
   • Choose a suitable location to save your material. Select the folder where you'd like the material to be stored for easy access. You can create a custom folder for your brush tips if desired. Relevant locations include "Image material > Brush".
   • Add search tags to the material. This helps you find it later when creating or modifying brushes. For example, if you made a star pattern, you could use "star," "pattern," and "custom brush" as tags.
   • Click OK to save the material.

4. Create or Modify a Brush:

   • Select the Brush Tool from the Tool palette.
   • Choose an existing brush to modify, or create a new one. To create a new brush, duplicate an existing one by right-clicking on it in the Brush palette and selecting "Duplicate Sub Tool."
   • In the Sub Tool Detail palette (you may need to click the wrench icon at the bottom of the Tool Property palette to open this), navigate to the Brush Tip section.

5. Set Your Material as the Brush Tip:

   • Under the "Brush Tip" section, change the "Tip shape" to Material.
   • Click the Material icon (it looks like a small page). This opens the Material selection window.
   • Find the material you registered earlier by using the search tags or navigating to the folder where you saved it.
   • Select your material and click OK.

6. Adjust Brush Settings:

   • Now, refine the brush behavior to your liking. Adjust settings like:
     • Brush Size: Controls the overall size of the pattern.
     • Spacing: Adjusts the distance between each repetition of the pattern. This is crucial for creating a continuous pattern.
     • Direction of applying: Affects how the image will be applied along your stroke.
     • Angle: Allows you to rotate the pattern.
     • Repeat method: Choose the repeat method best suited for your pattern, from "Repeat," "Reverse Repeat," "One-Way Repeat", etc.
     • Color dynamics: Change the color based on pen pressure, tilt or other parameters.
     • Stroke: How the brush tip is spaced along the stroke. Affects how continuous your pattern appears.

7. Test and Refine: Experiment with the brush and adjust the settings until you achieve the desired effect. Save your custom brush with a unique name.

By following these steps, you can create custom pattern brushes in Clip Studio Paint to enhance your artwork.