Draw Mode includes a variety of brush types for creating natural, expressive strokes. Each brush type offers unique characteristics and customizable parameters.
Activating the Brush Tool
Press B to activate the Brush tool, or click the brush icon in the left toolbar. The Brush
Panel appears in the right sidebar where you can select brush types and adjust settings.
Brush Types
Round Brush
The classic brush with a circular tip. Creates smooth, consistent strokes ideal for general illustration work.
- Size - Brush diameter (1-200px)
- Hardness - Edge softness (0-100%)
- Opacity - Stroke transparency
- Flow - Paint accumulation rate
Flat Brush
A rectangular brush tip that creates strokes with varying width based on direction. Great for calligraphy and bold strokes.
- Width - Brush width
- Height - Brush height
- Angle - Rotation of the brush tip
- Roundness - Tip shape (flat to round)
Calligraphy Brush
Simulates a calligraphy pen with pressure-sensitive width variation. Perfect for lettering and artistic strokes.
- Size - Maximum stroke width
- Angle - Pen nib angle
- Pressure Sensitivity - How much pressure affects width
- Tilt Sensitivity - How stylus tilt affects angle
Scatter Brush
Scatters copies of a shape along the stroke path. Use for creating textures, foliage, or decorative elements.
- Shape - The element to scatter
- Size - Size of scattered elements
- Spacing - Distance between elements
- Scatter - Random perpendicular offset
- Rotation - Random rotation range
Art Brush
Stretches artwork along the stroke path. Apply pre-made brush shapes like ribbons, ropes, or custom designs.
- Artwork - The shape to stretch
- Width - Brush width scale
- Proportional - Maintain aspect ratio
- Flip - Mirror the artwork
Pattern Brush
Tiles patterns along the stroke, with separate tiles for sides, corners, start, and end. Perfect for borders and frames.
- Side Tile - Pattern for straight sections
- Corner Tile - Pattern for corners
- Start/End Tiles - Patterns for path ends
- Scale - Overall pattern size
Common Brush Settings
Size
Controls the brush diameter or width. Adjust with:
- Size slider in the Brush Panel
[key to decrease size]key to increase size- Right-click drag left/right on canvas
Opacity
Controls stroke transparency (0-100%). Lower opacity creates lighter, more transparent strokes.
Flow
Controls how quickly paint accumulates. Lower flow allows building up color gradually with multiple passes.
Smoothing
Stabilizes brush strokes to reduce shakiness. Higher smoothing creates smoother curves but with slight lag.
- 0% - No smoothing, direct response
- 50% - Moderate smoothing
- 100% - Maximum smoothing, very smooth curves
Use low smoothing (0-20%) for detailed work where you need precise control. Use high smoothing (50-100%) for flowing curves and calligraphy.
Pressure Sensitivity
If you have a graphics tablet, brushes respond to pen pressure:
- Size - Lighter pressure = thinner stroke
- Opacity - Lighter pressure = more transparent
- Flow - Lighter pressure = less paint
Configure which properties respond to pressure in the Brush Settings panel.
Brush Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
B |
Activate Brush tool |
[ |
Decrease brush size |
] |
Increase brush size |
Shift + [ |
Decrease brush hardness |
Shift + ] |
Increase brush hardness |
0-9 |
Set opacity (1=10%, 5=50%, 0=100%) |
Shift + X |
Swap fill and stroke colors |
Creating Custom Brushes
Create your own brushes from any vector shape:
- Select a shape or group of shapes
- Open the Brush Panel
- Click "New Brush from Selection"
- Choose brush type (Scatter, Art, or Pattern)
- Configure settings and save
Save your favorite brush configurations as presets for quick access. Custom brushes are saved with your document and can be exported for use in other projects.