Previewing brushes

[cheska99]

I'm using Photoshop CS4 and am in a state of constant annoyance about getting grounded in the brushes menu. I think I've heard there's a software especially for viewing, organizing brushes. And very likely there is a way to enlarge my view of the brushes in the brushes panel, and I'll bet there are people reading this blog who know all about organizing and previewing brushes. Please, if you know something, share it now and we'll try to advance each other's know-how in ways to best use the brush tool in Photoshop and maybe PSE too.

[sarahorton]

The name of the brush viewer software I use is ".abr viewer" hosted at sourceforge.
The author of the software is Luigi Bellanca and it's free.

I believe that ACDSee photo manager lets you see/organize brushes too. Hopefully an ACDSee user will be along shortly to let you know more about that software.

[cheska99]

I hope the answer isn't going to be ACDC because I thought long and hard about getting another program and then committed myself to using Adobe Bridge, which I already owned and which I love. But I don't think you can preview .abr files in it. I'm off to double-check. And also to check on this .abr viewer you mention. Thanks!

[Monique1971]

I also use the .abr viewer. It was a free download at http://abrviewer.sourceforge.net.

Greetings Monique from the Netherlands

[1gr8muggle]

When you're in the brushes palette (or just the options bar for the brush tool) you can change the view to "Large Thumbnail."

I just have a folder for my DD Brushes where I put the thumbnail of the preview image. Then I can just go there to see all the brushes before I decide which to load.

This is a shot of the options bar for the brush tool:

[Amy L]

Cassie the folder idea is great. Will have to try it. I am always loading brushes just imagining what they're going to look like!

[cheska99]

LOVE the larger thumbnails. Thanks!

[LisaD]

I have an ABRviewer program by Robert Redwood. You can preview brushes not installed in PS. Also free.
Wondering if I got the wrong one??

[iUma]

Try this which was mentioned on another thread here at DD

http://brushviewer.sourceforge.net/

Really sweet viewer for Mac finder quick look.

[ptknox]

Only for Windows...and not free...but I use the PresetViewer from Tumasoft and absolutely love it. It can be used to view brushes, patterns, shapes, swatches and styles outside Photoshop. You can browse presets (without starting Photoshop) by keyword, export to abr and png format, and see them all in colors of your swatches.

[iUma]

Yes, Pattie. This is the best. I have begged him to make one for MAC but he's not biting. I regretted having to give that up for the Mac.

[cheekymonkey]

Thank you for mentioning that .abr viewer ladies! I am in heaven now that I can see all of my brushes in preview!!!!

[droseball]

Is that .abr viewer only for the PC or does it also work on the Mac?

[dugarner]

Lisa, that's the one I have. I cannot get ABRViewer to run anymore; it doesn't work. I think they're about the same as far as performance. If it works, I wouldn't change it!

[Debbyo]

I've had trouble with the .abr viewer as well and finally took it off my computer. It really bogged things down. So I decided to stay with viewing the brushes inside a folder that I made for them and in categories so that it makes it easier to preview the one I want before I load them into PSE...much like Cassie's description.

[iUma]

I have all my brushes in one folder(as well as in the file structure where they belong by designer or kit)which is organized by designer ..ie..in my master brush file I have a subfile for Anna's brushes, Katies brushes, etc. Using the BrushViewer mentioned above I can flip through with Quicklook and see an image of what's in each file. This method is for the MAC with OS 10.5.
There are so many options for sorting, organizing and viewing that each of us seems to just work out something that functions for their own style. I have to remind myself often that I am not a librarian of digi supplies but a creator of pages!!LOL!

ETA: Just discovered the easiest yet. combo Finder-Viewer...Just open your DD master file, Spotlight search for .abr, then click file type to focus just on the brushes, then file name to get each designer's brushes sorted, then change to thumbnail, then use BrushViewer. Sounds like a lot but only takes a second. OK, FINDER rules for the MAC. Cassie is always right.

[Chris]

Sorry if someone mentioned this before, but a hint especially for slower and older computers. Don't keep so many brushes in Photoshop at one time, it slows it down like crazy. I also used to make sure the brushes weren't in large thumbnails before putting it to bed.

This goes for all your presets. Also keep your extra brushes in a separate folder. I don't have to worry so much now I'm on a speedy machine but a few weeks ago, Photoshop started slowing down on me, so I trimmed my presets down and it made a difference.

And I discovered I had a nice binder with thumbnail prints that I printed a few years ago and forgot! it's so neat to look at all the brushes I have and many I made that I forgot about! I pulled them all into my mac from the old machine.

[oldvwblues]

I had trouble too with the ABRviewer, it stopped working. Going to check out the program Pattie mentioned..would be great to view everything else too!