Featured Article

Mastering Illustrator: Boost Your Brush Palette

Cynthia Jul 13, 2026

Getting more brushes in Adobe Illustrator can greatly expand your design toolkit, allowing you to create a wider range of artwork with diverse styles. So, if you're curious about how to acquire more brushes, you've come to the right place. Let's dive into various methods to help you grow your brush collection.

Free Adobe Illustrator Brushes – Ready to Download and Use Now!
Free Adobe Illustrator Brushes – Ready to Download and Use Now!

Before we start, it's essential to understand that Illustrator doesn't have an in-built feature to simply generate more brushes. However, there are numerous creative and resourceful ways to get them. Now, let's explore these methods.

a hand holding a pencil with the words easy texture brush
a hand holding a pencil with the words easy texture brush

Built-in Brushes in Adobe Illustrator

Unlike some other design software, Illustrator doesn't come with a massive library of brushes. However, the ones it offers are high-quality and versatile. To access them, follow these steps:

How to Save Brushes in Illustrator (Step-By-Step)
How to Save Brushes in Illustrator (Step-By-Step)

1. Open Illustrator and start a new document. 2. In the toolbar, click on the Brush tool. 3. In the Brushes panel (Window > Brushes), you'll find various categories like Artistic, Calligraphic, Scatter, etc.

Customizing Built-in Brushes

How to use Brushes in Adobe Illustrator CC - Tutorial
How to use Brushes in Adobe Illustrator CC - Tutorial

Before you go searching for more brushes, why not explore the customization possibilities of the ones you already have? You can alter the size, spacing, and other attributes to create entirely new looks. Here's how:

1. Select a brush you like. 2. In the Control panel or the options bar, adjust the settings to your preference. 3. To save your customized brush, click on the ‘New Brush’ icon at the bottom of the Brushes panel.

Creating Your Own Brushes

a woman sitting at a table with an adobe logo above her head and the words creating a grain scatter brush in adobe illustrator
a woman sitting at a table with an adobe logo above her head and the words creating a grain scatter brush in adobe illustrator

Did you know you can create your own brushes from shapes or paths? This is an excellent way to get unique brushes that no one else has. Here's a simple guide:

1. Draw a shape or path that you want to turn into a brush. 2. Select the shape or path and go to the Brushes panel. 3. Click on the ‘New Brush’ icon. 4. In the dialogue box that appears, choose the type of brush you want to create and follow the prompts.

Third-party Brush Resources

how to create a seamless pattern brush in illustrator
how to create a seamless pattern brush in illustrator

If you're looking for more variety, there are many websites offering free and paid Adobe Illustrator brushes. Here are a few trustworthy sources:

1. Creative Market: They offer a variety of high-quality brushes for purchase. They also have a weekly freebie section. 2. Brusheezy: A popular resource for free and premium Illustrator brushes. 3. Vectorstock: Apart from vectors, they also offer a range of brushes.

Adobe Illustrator 2025 Tips - How to Master Brush Tricks for Beginners
Adobe Illustrator 2025 Tips - How to Master Brush Tricks for Beginners
the cover of an article about how to create this quick texture brush with adobe illustrator
the cover of an article about how to create this quick texture brush with adobe illustrator
a woman sitting in front of a laptop computer with pretzel on the screen
a woman sitting in front of a laptop computer with pretzel on the screen
a black and yellow book cover with the words custom art brush in adobe illustration on it
a black and yellow book cover with the words custom art brush in adobe illustration on it
three different colors of paint brushes with the words beginner and pro on each side
three different colors of paint brushes with the words beginner and pro on each side
How to Make Calligraphic Brushes in Adobe Illustrator | Envato Tuts+
How to Make Calligraphic Brushes in Adobe Illustrator | Envato Tuts+
3 ways to create a hand drawn effect in Adobe Illustrator
3 ways to create a hand drawn effect in Adobe Illustrator
CUSTOM BRUSH. ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR. How to Make a Smooth Vector Brush
CUSTOM BRUSH. ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR. How to Make a Smooth Vector Brush
How to make custom brushes in Illustrator
How to make custom brushes in Illustrator

Lorem ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer nec odio. Praesent libero.otlinam eget magna. Maecenas ac metus. Cras ferro. Nulla facer sit amet vulputate. Morbi fermentum galisum mauris. Sed fringilla mauris sit amet nibh. In congue sapien...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. At sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis...

Always Backup Your Brushes

To prevent losing your custom brushes, make sure to backup your brush library regularly. You can find the library in [your username]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator CS6/Presets/Brushes.

Remember, backup your brushes to a preferred location, and Adobe Illustrator will automatically revert to the default library of brushes during installation.

As your brush collection grows, so will your design capabilities. Keep exploring, creating, and customizing. Happy designing!