Master fundamental digital painting techniques — custom brush creation, pressure sensitivity with Wacom tablets, and shape-based illustration methods.

Step 1: Custom Brush Setup

Edit > Preset Manager to review defaults. Create new brush: 30px, Shape Dynamics with Size Jitter 50%, Angle Jitter 10%, Scattering 120%. Save as "Shape Painter".

Step 2: Shape-Based Blocking

Draw basic forms with the Lasso Tool — circles, triangles, rectangles. Fill each on separate layers. This shape-based approach builds structure before detail.

Step 3: Pressure-Sensitive Strokes

With a tablet, paint on a new layer using pen pressure for opacity and size. Build up values gradually — start at 20% opacity, increase on subsequent passes.

Step 4: Blending and Smudging

Use the Mixer Brush Tool or Smudge Tool (Strength 30%) to blend color transitions. Sample colors with Alt+click while painting for smooth gradients between shapes.

Step 5: Final Polish

Add a texture overlay (paper or canvas scan) at 15% Soft Light. Flatten or group layers. Adjust overall contrast with a Curves adjustment layer.

That's it! You've completed this tutorial. Experiment with the techniques and share your results with the Designstacks community.