The shift from layering 30 brushes to using 3 on one piece

I used to think a digital painting needed like 20 different brush textures to look good. Back in 2022 I would open a canvas and spend 45 minutes just picking brushes before I even started drawing. Honestly it was a mess, I had way too many layers and the file would lag. Then last summer I watched a timelapse from an artist I follow and noticed they only swapped between a hard round and a soft round brush the whole time. Tbh that changed how I think about digital art completely. Now I almost always start with just a basic sketch brush and a blending one, and I finish work way faster with a cleaner style. Has anyone else cut down their brush library and felt like it actually helped your art?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_paul1mo agoMost Upvoted

Nah you're giving up too much variety, each brush can give a totally different texture and feel that you can't replicate with just the round ones. I'd rather my file lag and take extra time than lose that hand-painted look.

sagew501mo ago

Totally agree, each brush has its own personality and that texture is worth every lag.