Art+History+Brush

=Art History Brush=
 * The 'Art History Brush' **

               <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you are arriving at this page as a 'starting point' and you're uncertain about using 'History', it's options and the general operation of the 'History Brush', please click this link to the introductory page: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**[|History Brush]** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Many people experiment with the 'Art history Brush' only to find it somewhat wayward and difficult to use. I hope these notes will encourage you to discover more about this interesting, creative and expressive tool. If you are interested in purely factual 'record' styles photography then this tool will probably not be for you. However if you enjoy experimenting and creating very different, expressive, non-figurative and painterly types of pictures, then this brush will introduce you to a new range of options. The following notes are a basic guide to using the 'Art History Brush', as very soon you will discover that the imagery created very much depends upon how it is mixed, blended, merged and generally managed between successive 'painterly layers' and/or with the original image. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The suggestions that follow include references to features such as 'Layer Masks', 'Adjustment Layers' and 'Blending Modes'. If you are unfamiliar with any of these features, it would be advisable to discover more about how they operate.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Using the Art History Brush Open the chosen image, make any basic tonal adjustments, cloning, etc then in the History Palette click on the 'state' that you wish to use as the 'source' for the 'Art History Brush'. By clicking in the small box next to the 'eye' on the layer, the History Brush icon will appear. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Locating the Art History Brush** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From the Tool Bar, select the Art History Brush - it's combined with the 'History Brush' Tool <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">What follows is a sequence of work to provide an 'artistic effect' - one that will separate the image from photographic reality and imbue it with a personal expression of mood and texture. However, please remember that results are dependent upon factors such as, image size, brush size, opacity, blend, layer order, stroke direction, brush type and how the brush is 'edited' - not forgetting your own personal visualisation of the scene! You'll need a good range of brushes to choose from so if the range appears a little restricted go to the Options Bar and click on the downward arrow to the right of the word 'Brush' and from the list that appears choose more ranges of brushes. This same drop-down menu allows you to choose how you display the brushes to aid your choice. Hovering over a brush icon reveals its name. See the two 'screen-grabs' below <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The principals involved in working with this image will help with your use and appreciation of the 'Art History Brush' ||
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">[[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/art-hist-brush/brushes.jpg width="788" height="566" align="left"]] ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Above & Below - Two ways of displaying the range of Brushes ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">[[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/art-hist-brush/brushes-2.jpg width="357" height="631" align="left"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For this 'worked' example I'm going to start with the image below ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/art-hist-brush/collioure-wave-orig.jpg width="778" height="552" align="center"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My intent is for a mild artistic rendering which leaves a romantic photographic impression rather than a stridently 'arty' appearance. Close-up views in following pages will illustrate the brushwork in greater detail.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My intent is for a mild artistic rendering which leaves a romantic photographic impression rather than a stridently 'arty' appearance. Close-up views in following pages will illustrate the brushwork in greater detail.

Create a 'New', empty Layer Select the first brush (in this worked example, I chose 'Plastic Wrap') In the Brushes Palette I suggest that you 'tick' 'Other Dynamics'. Next, click on the words 'Other Dynamics' and if you're using a graphic pen and tablet combination (and you'll work a lot better with one), set 'Opacity Jitter', 'Control' to 'Pen Pressure'. If you're using a 'mouse' this operation is unnecessary I also suggest that you 'un-tick' the various settings except 'Other Dynamics',' Texture' (many brushes require this) and 'Smoothing'. You'll probably need to do this for each brush you choose. Leaving some of the boxes 'ticked' - such as 'Dual Brush' or 'Colour Dynamics'' can be very exciting (?) - and weird at times! Certainly experiment with the settings and edits - such as, 'Texture', 'Wet Edges', etc but I'm keeping things simple, as this is intended as a 'starting point'. On the Options Bar, go to 'Style', click the downward arrow and from the list that appears, choose 'Dab'. This is a very manageable brush style; certainly experiment with the others for wilder effects! Some are pretty weird! || Choose another brush, say, 'Splatter'. Create another new, empty, layer and proceed to paint in this layer with brush strokes appropriate to image content and your intent. Choose yet another brush, this time, try 'Comb 1'. Create another new, empty, layer and once again proceed to paint in this layer brush strokes appropriate to the image content and your intent. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 'Art History Brush' **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Continued ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Return to the image:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Return to the image:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/brush-styles.jpg width="139" height="192"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Begin 'painting' with the Art History Brush on this first new layer. Paint over as much of the image as you feel you need using this brush.
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/arthist-hist.jpg width="394" height="538"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At any point, the brush may be edited, in particular by altering both 'size' and 'direction'. Create yet more 'New Layers' to paint into as appropriate to the image 'direction' and 'feel'. ||
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">[[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/arthist-brush-edit.jpg width="363" height="516"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/brushes-wave.jpg width="788" height="533" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/brushes-wave.jpg width="788" height="533" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/brushes-wave.jpg width="788" height="533" align="center"]] ||

Continue to add Layer Masks to each 'Art History Brush' painterly layer until the picture is more or less as you require. The image below shows the more artistic version we now have. || If necessary, add Adjustment Layers to improve tonality, Hue & Saturation, etc as required. The 'screen-grab' below illustrates the 'Layer Order' for the above image. || When 'painting' with the Art History Brush, experiment by trying different 'Blending Modes' by clicking on the 'Mode' option on the options Bar for this brush. Have fun with this tool - many exciting, artistic, creations beckon! ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 'Art History Brush'[[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/arthist-icon.jpg width="28" height="24"]] ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Managing and Editing the Numerous Layers** Switch off all the layers except for the 'Background' and the first layer (Layer 1) you began painting on. Apply a Layer Mask to Layer 1, and using a 'normal' brush set to a 'normal' circular tip shape' or 'arty shape', if you prefer, and erase and restore sections of the 'Art History Brush Layer 1' by swapping between black and white as the Foreground colour (Tip: the 'X' key makes the swap easy). When you are happy with the result, switch on the second 'Art History Brush Layer (Layer 2) and repeat the procedure.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Managing and Editing the Numerous Layers** Switch off all the layers except for the 'Background' and the first layer (Layer 1) you began painting on. Apply a Layer Mask to Layer 1, and using a 'normal' brush set to a 'normal' circular tip shape' or 'arty shape', if you prefer, and erase and restore sections of the 'Art History Brush Layer 1' by swapping between black and white as the Foreground colour (Tip: the 'X' key makes the swap easy). When you are happy with the result, switch on the second 'Art History Brush Layer (Layer 2) and repeat the procedure.
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-wave-arty.jpg width="778" height="552" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-detail1.jpg width="788" height="537"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Above & Below:**
 * Details from the above picture illustrating brushwork - Note changes in brush 'style', 'direction' and 'size' to suit different parts of the image and underlying texture.** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-detail2.jpg width="788" height="539"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**Make a 'Layer Group'** To do this, Ctrl + Click each 'Art History Brush Layer' and when they are all 'highlighted', drag the set of them onto the 'Create New Group' icon at the base of the layers Palette, it looks like a 'Folder'. Doing this will neatly tidy away the stack of 'Art History Layers'. They can be revealed and hidden by clicking on the Group Layer 'arrow'. One great advantage in making layers into a 'group' is that a 'Layer Mask' can be applied to the 'Group Layer' and by this means the whole 'Group' can be treated as a single layer with all the usual advantages of layer masking. And what's more, the individual Layers within the Group remain editable - individual 'masks' included.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**Make a 'Layer Group'** To do this, Ctrl + Click each 'Art History Brush Layer' and when they are all 'highlighted', drag the set of them onto the 'Create New Group' icon at the base of the layers Palette, it looks like a 'Folder'. Doing this will neatly tidy away the stack of 'Art History Layers'. They can be revealed and hidden by clicking on the Group Layer 'arrow'. One great advantage in making layers into a 'group' is that a 'Layer Mask' can be applied to the 'Group Layer' and by this means the whole 'Group' can be treated as a single layer with all the usual advantages of layer masking. And what's more, the individual Layers within the Group remain editable - individual 'masks' included.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**Make a 'Layer Group'** To do this, Ctrl + Click each 'Art History Brush Layer' and when they are all 'highlighted', drag the set of them onto the 'Create New Group' icon at the base of the layers Palette, it looks like a 'Folder'. Doing this will neatly tidy away the stack of 'Art History Layers'. They can be revealed and hidden by clicking on the Group Layer 'arrow'. One great advantage in making layers into a 'group' is that a 'Layer Mask' can be applied to the 'Group Layer' and by this means the whole 'Group' can be treated as a single layer with all the usual advantages of layer masking. And what's more, the individual Layers within the Group remain editable - individual 'masks' included.
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/wave-layers.jpg width="635" height="442" align="absMiddle"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Blending Modes - an Option Experiment by using different Blending modes for the 'Group' layer or individual layers.
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Blending Modes - an Option Experiment by using different Blending modes for the 'Group' layer or individual layers.
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Blending Modes - an Option Experiment by using different Blending modes for the 'Group' layer or individual layers.

Open Adobe Photoshop. =Here Are Some Examples of the Art History Brush:=
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">**Here are three pictures as 'before & after' examples - plus a 'bonus option'** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-orig.jpg width="750" height="505" align="center"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Above & below: 'Collioure Harbour'** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-arty.jpg width="778" height="545" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-stormy-orig.jpg width="778" height="603" align="absMiddle"]] ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">**Above & below 'Stormy Collioure'** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/collioure-stormy-arty.jpg width="778" height="603" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/brushes-stormy.jpg width="788" height="339" align="center"]] ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Above: Brushes used to create the artistic version of 'Stormy Collioure' ** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-orig.jpg width="778" height="534" align="center"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Above & below 'Windmill'** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-arty1.jpg width="778" height="534" align="absMiddle"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-arty2.jpg width="778" height="534" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-orig.jpg width="778" height="534" align="center"]] ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Above & below 'Windmill'** ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-arty1.jpg width="778" height="534" align="absMiddle"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-arty2.jpg width="778" height="534" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:http://www.crhfoto.co.uk/crh/Projects/art-hist-brush/windmill-arty2.jpg width="778" height="534" align="center"]] ||
 * Open the picture of your choosing that you would like to use,
 * Once you have selected the effect of your choosing, select the "Art History Brush" tool on the left tool bar.
 * Cick the little white box in front of the word paste in the history box to the right of your Adobe Photoshop project.
 * Once that white box has been selected, go back to the main focused point in the photo, and trace over it with the "Art History Brush"
 * The History Brush should be re-painting the picture and making it look like what it was before.
 * When you think you are done, save it

=Before...=

This is what it should look like before you use the History Brush... =‍= =After...=

= =