How to Create a Realistic Watercolor Photoshop Brushes From Scratch

In this tutorial, we will create realistic watercolor brushes for Photoshop
from scanned paper using watercolor strokes and washes.

I created aCreative Masking Kitwith more than 100 brusheswith the same method for myGraphicRiverportfolio.

Tutorial Assets

You will need the following in order to complete this tutorial:

• a sheet of
  watercolor paper
• any medium-sized
  brush
• a small jar with
  water
• any set
  ofwatercolor paints
• a scanner that
  has the ability to scan A4-sizepaper

1.How to Create the Strokes on Watercolor
Paper

Step 1

Prepare your brush, paper, and paints, and then pour the water into the jar.

Step 2

Put a small amount of water on the paper with your brush.

Step 3

Start adding paint to the water on the paper using the edge of your brush.

Step 4

Continue to add paint until your stroke looks like the picture below.

Step 5

Now let's create a second watercolor stroke. Draw a long stroke with one
horizontal movement.

Step 6

To create the last one, use sharp movements by holding the brush by the
tip.

Step 7

Now we need to wait a while for it all to dry.

2.How to Scan the Paper

Step 1

We need to prepare the scanner glassto avoid stains or unwanted
elements on your brushes. You can use a wet wipe to clean the glass.

Step 2

Once you have cleaned the scanner glass, put your paper inside the scanner.

Step 3

Set the following settings in your scanner preferences:A4 paper
size, 300 dpi. Then start scanning. The color of our scanned paper can be
different from the color of our strokes, but it is much more important for us
to preserve the structure.

3.How to Create the Strokes on Watercolor
Paper

Step 1

UseControl-Nto create a new document and use
thefollowing settings:1500 x 1000 px; 300 dpi.

Step 2

Go toFile>Placeand put your scanned paper
inside the document.

Step 3

Resize your scanned paper to the borders of the document, so one of the
brushes will be placed in the center, and clickEnter.

Step 4

Select your layer and use theShift-Control-Alt-Bkey
combination and set the following settings:Reds: 40%; Yellows: 60%;
Greens: 40%; Cyans: -25%; Blues: -25%; Magentas: 80%.

Step 5

Go toImage>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrastand
use the following settings:Brightness: 35; Contrast: 25.

Step 6

Right-clickon the layer and
then selectDuplicate Layer.

Step 7

Create two more duplicates of your layer usingRight-click>Duplicate.

Step 8

Make all scan layers asInvisible except the first.

Step 9

Select your first layer, go toSelect > Color Range,and
click on the white area on your image. ClickOK.

Step 10

Now the white background of your image is selected. Delete it using theDeletebutton.

Step 11

Then click on any part of your document toDeselect thepreviousselection
and select your stroke using theLasso Tool.

Step 12

Go toEdit > Define Brush Preset, select any name
you want to use for your brush, and hit theOKbutton.

Step 13

Our first brush is almost ready to use. SelectBrush Instrumentand
then select your watercolor stoke. After that, hit theBrush
Settingsicon.

Step 14

Put ticksonShape Dynamics, Color Dynamics,andTransfer.

Step 15

Go to theShape Dynamicspanel and setSize Jitterto90%andAngle
Jitterto50%.

Step 16

Go to theTransferpanel and setOpacity Jitterto25%.

Now our brush will create realistic looking washes:

Step 17

Now we need to cut the second stroke from the background as we did
before, and after that go toEdit > Define Brush Presetand
createWatercolor Brush 02.

Step 18

Open the brush settings and go toDual Brushandthenselect
your first brush. SetModetoMultiply;Sizeto450
px;Spacingto72%.

This way, we can combine the brushes and add grunge scrapes to our brush
texture.

Step 19

Now we need to cut the second stroke from the background as we did before, and after that go toEdit > Define Brush Presetand createWatercolor
Brush 03.

Step 20

Open the brush settings and go toShape Dynamics,and
setSize Jitterto100%andAngle
Jitterto75%.

With these brush settings, we can create ink splashes.

Awesome Work, You're Now Done!

Using these methods, we can create different types of watercolor brushes
for Photoshop using a scanner, watercolor paper, and paints.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! Feel free to contact me for any help
with the tutorial. You can also check myCreative Masking Kitin my portfolio onGraphicRiver.