So where to start? There’s a huge spectrum of brushes available, ranging from leaf designs to fabric textures, and cloud patterns to glass shatters. And while Photoshop CC<\/u><\/a> does ship with a set of brushes pre-installed, they only scratch the surface of what’s possible with the brush engine.<\/p>\n We’ve split our collection into four categories: painterly brushes (for when you want to mimic a traditional art effect), natural brushes (everything from trees and grass to smoke, fire, and skin effects), grunge brushes (for when you want a distressed or aged effect) and finally fantasy and comic brushes (including halftone brushes and sparkle effects). Use the quick links above to jump to the section you need.<\/p>\n Whether you’re using an older version of Photoshop or have joined Creative Cloud, grab the free Photoshop brush downloads below and start adding amazing design flourishes to your work.<\/p>\n Creative Nerds is offering this spray paint effect Photoshop brush set completely free. The pack includes four high-res brushes (2500px each). Use them to add a distressed effect to your paintings.<\/p>\n Restrictions: <\/strong>No redistribution.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If you’re looking to create a soft, hazy aesthetic in your work, try this free Photoshop brush from Heygrey. It is described as a ‘furry watercolour brush’, and the creator suggests using it to create hazy backgrounds. We’re especially impressed with the realistic watercolour effect that has been achieved here.<\/p>\n Limitations: <\/strong>None<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Perfect for fashion illustrations, industrial design and storyboarding, this set of 12 free brushes by Eilert Jan\u00dfen enables you to create lively imagery that looks like it’s been sketched out with marker pens. If you like what you see, Jan\u00dfen sells a set of 300 marker brushes for just $9.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Create the effect of a soft pencil sketch, but without the grubby hands and smudged paper. This pencil-effect Photoshop brush is one of the most realistic we’ve seen, and you can download it for free on DeviantArt, courtesy of professional digital artist Jon Neimeister<\/a>.<\/p>\n Limitations: <\/strong>none<\/p>\n This large-scale Photoshop brush is handy for creating a watercolour spray effect in your digital artwork. The creator has achieved an impressively authentic effect.<\/p>\n Restrictions: <\/strong>No redistribution<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If you’re going for a watercolour feel in your work then these shapes and splatters will help you get the look just right; just don’t overdo them.<\/p>\n Limitations:<\/strong> free for personal use; contact for commercial use<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Artist Kirk Wallace created these brushes at home using ink and paper, and offers them to all for free. Perfect for rough, harsh textures, Wallace uses them in his own fruit prints.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Add realistic dribbles of paint to your digital designs with these free Photoshop brushes. They’re the work of DeviantArt user LilithDemoness<\/a> and there are 14 in the set to choose from.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: Free for commercial use<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n These watercolour splatters were created with the help of professional-quality watercolour paint on cold press watercolour paper. There are 32 high-res bushes in the pack, and you can download the lot for free and use them without attribution in your work.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: None<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Aaron Griffin is a self-taught illustrator and concept artist known especially for his figure paintings (his work even graced the cover of the Anatomy special of our very own ImagineFX<\/a> magazine). He’s generously offering up the Photoshop brushes he uses to create his digital paintings, free of charge.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A set of 12 excellent brushes from Chris Spooner. These high-resolution dry brushes are fantastically detailed, bristly and texture-rich.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n Add an authentic acrylic paint effect to your work with this set of free Photoshop brushes. This is volume II \u2013 volume I proved so popular, the designers at Creative Nerds decided to expand their collection. Ideal for mimicking an impasto effect in your digital designs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Restrictions: <\/strong>No redistribution<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A beautiful set of 10 illustrative brushes in a technical-drawing theme, including wonderfully detailed cross-sectional designs.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n These 24 very hi-res brushes will provide a real-media feel to your design work. Some brushes look like paint tin marks, while others are thicker, providing lots of options within the pack.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Charcoal’s an essential part of any artist’s toolkit, but it’s undoubtedly the messiest as well. Get those soft charcoal lines \u2013 without getting charcoal all over your hands and everything else \u2013 with these excellent brushes.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n Next page: <\/strong>Natural brushes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Add a chill to your designs with a flurry of snow. This pack of free Photoshop brushes contains 15 effects, which you can mix up to create realistic variation in your scene.<\/p>\n Electrify your work with this collection of stunning lightning strikes. Tileable and available not only as Photoshop brushes but also as patterns and JPEG images, there are 18 to choose from in this set.<\/p>\n Limitations: <\/strong>none<\/p>\n Concept artist Darek Zabrocki has worked for some of the biggest projects and companies in the fantasy art world, including Assassin’s Creed, Magic: The Gathering and Halo Wars 2. He’s generously offering the set of Photoshop brushes he uses for his speedpaintings, free to download.<\/p>\n This is a really useful set of 19 different silhouettes, each featuring a different plant, ranging from trees to grasses.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Create <\/strong>realistic hair effects with this set of free Photoshop brushes. Mix them together for extra variety and to create different effects. This set comes courtesy of digital artist Lee Alex Pearce<\/a>.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Add a splash of gore to your digital paintings with this free Photoshop brush set. It includes a range of different large-scale brushes you can use to incorporate realistic blood stains into your designs.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: Requires a social interaction (tweet, Facebook Like) to download. Cannot be redistributed.<\/p>\n This massive set of free Photoshop brushes should have you covered for all your environment painting needs. All are high-res, and all are specifically suited for creating realistic natural environments in Photoshop.<\/p>\n Restrictions: <\/strong>None<\/p>\n A really useful set of dust particle brushes from WeGraphics. These can be used to add instant dirt and richness to your designs, and are ideal for creating a vintage effect.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: Cannot be redistributed<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n This set of 10 brushes is ideal for adding grassy details to your Photoshop paintings. There’s a variety of styles to choose from, so you can create everything from scrubby dry patches of grass to lush meadows. A bonus tip from the creator is that if you switch up the colours, they also make great fur.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: Do not redistribute.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Great for providing touch-ups on model photography, this set of free brushes includes detailed textured hair in a variety of falling styles. As well as straight styles, there are brushes for creating wavy hair and tight ringlets.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: Credit required.<\/p>\n A nice set of brushes that allow you to introduce tree and bush silhouettes to the edges of your composition.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: non-commercial use only<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 20 large brushes that include splashes, spills, ripples and water drops. An excellent set for backgrounds as well as foreground design elements. The designer of these free Photoshop brushes has released \u2013 as you may have gathered \u2013 three other popular sets of water effect brushes, so if you can’t find what you want in this pack, check out the others.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: None<\/p>\n Straightforward fabric textures, great for backgrounds in both print and web designs as they’re high resolution.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n This is a really useful set of 17 brushes, each of which features a different cloud design that can easily be used to add interest to your images.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n This pack contains eight different cloud brushes, all high-res. Use them to add some weather effects to your digital artworks. There’s a commercial licence included so you can use them in your marketing materials if you so wish.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: None<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Great for creating organic textured background, this set features seven isolated leaf images with intricate details and textures.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A total of 12 individual brushes, each of which includes a stand-alone piece of artwork ranging from detailed feather illustrations, to whimsical birds-on-a-branch.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: attribution under some circumstances<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Digital artist Ni\u00f1o Batitis has been very kind in releasing 13 high-quality Photoshop fire brushes for free. Perfect for your design projects, these will allow you to experiment with flames, characters and landscapes.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Marta Dahlig<\/u><\/a> has been creating digital brushes for years now, and as she specialises in portraits, her set of skin brushes is an amazing boost to any digital artist’s armory.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: None<\/p>\n Next page: <\/strong>Grunge, sci-fi and comic brushes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n These rough paint strokes are ideal for suggesting a rundown building or half-finished paint job. This high-res Photoshop brush is free to download and can be used for personal and commercial work.\u00a0<\/p>\n Limitations: <\/strong>Do not redistribute<\/p>\n This set consists of 12 free, high-resolution and high-quality Photoshop brushes. They’re easy to customise \u2013 edit the opacity, blending modes or mask out different parts of the brushes to suit your particular needs.<\/p>\n Limitations:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If you can’t decide between a distressed brush stroke and a halftone brush stroke, why not have both? This set of 21 brushes is perfect for adding a vintage, worn or retro effect to your work.<\/p>\n Limitations<\/strong>: none<\/p>\nPainterly brushes<\/h3>\n
01. Spray paint<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Spray](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/y3k4B6yRGwmzABHXSVBp8R.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n02. Furry watercolour brush<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Furry](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/xj3trne7VEAcSsXus6dUPK.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>03. Real markers<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Real](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/tckhmdNh3dw3e8gAUK3sfH.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>04. Pencil brush<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Pencil](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8uWhgRXFMdmst92mTgDvhV.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>05. Watercolour paint spray<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Watercolour](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/em4GAxBjrVHWnweLCCftKk.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n06. Watercolour shapes and splatters<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Watercolour](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/mKHc8zTXeWmmPSPJq3ZanY.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>07. Dry brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Dry](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/195383db625f8b67cde3a69477359e1f.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>08. Dripping paint brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Dripping](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/uLqywmSMpbLKfDLwPuKYUj.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>09. Watercolour splatters<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Watercolour](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/wAbywEpBQoBVRamJJ2QmSM.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>10. Artist brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Artist](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/ujqhGa5SRyGaaAHtBk9MBW.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>11. Dry brush strokes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Dry](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/4b57fbd0080a36737bb7237809906658.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>12. Thick acrylic paint strokes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Thick](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/umwKBaAq3Kq5hPGoWQDkgP.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n13. Technical brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Technical](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/ac4847937806e49c6362fb6ba52353db.png?w=900\")
<\/p>14. Paint lines<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Paint](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/05827ee0befabbfee5327c5ccfa5ff53.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>15. Realistic charcoal brush<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Realistic](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/BTtVfPbJamSKD6NXoMzLqm.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>16. Snow<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Snow](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/3csvKKdbnGMsrAdnSU8tK5.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>17. Lightning strikes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Lightning](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/AVk4EAmabpuQR7ykgXiwvM.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n18. Speedpainting set<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Speedpainting](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JfQRQMkuM72zi5JtrHpovG.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n19. Nature silhouettes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Nature](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/YdsrcaSXwGfLZBZpVR7t2a.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>20. Hair brush set<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Hair](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/igvJufCAoiwAnuTm3MkD83.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>21. Blood stains<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Blood](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/UW2kMmar6YaNXooFixHf4Q.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>22. Environment brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Environment](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/CKcXwikBKWQKRrqT2BzZhX.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n23. Dust particle brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Dust](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/88e577849d966dc159de58d39ae16ef1.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>24. Grass or fur brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Grass](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/g4vdYkz3bVW89hEYndEGkT.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>25. Hair brushes set 1<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Hair](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/PMrg3tVH4cX82U89GfJHd5.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>26. Tree borders brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Tree](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/4bc870b7c8a12b37600c83e3f9c7c900.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>27. Water brushes vol. 4<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Water](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/ufKxHo2kZA453kZqVXnD2i.jpeg?w=900\")
<\/p>28. Simple fabric brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Simple](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/6d61cfd4ad0db25150d5850ebb4c8f0e.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>29. Clouds<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Cloud](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/b23d87e6d1272b1287f95ada8c60cc6f.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>30. Cloud brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Cloud](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/ohZvVECoqMaj6ygV4EYgfR.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>31. Leaf brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Leaf](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/bc9cc79366d8ecf69b3a822aa5aa7546.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>32. Feathers and birds<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Feathers](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8f57f28ab123db92438d887b03e4ebc0.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>33. Fire brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Fire](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/QbS5a5AhTZirVgoNDmXau8.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>34. Skin brushes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Skin](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/38b49cd696b055950161bf05fbbd9f01.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>35. Rough paint strokes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Rough](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Q5h74haEQFjgJCis5AggMT.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>\n36. Shattered glass<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Shattered](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Mrbi7Y3xVamtuQfV8kf3Wi.png?w=900\")
<\/p>\n37. Distressed halftone brush strokes<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Distressed](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/M4tP64PaMiUXLt9Hwfvpqm.jpg?w=900\")
<\/p>