Category: Tutorials

Water drops are one of the most ubiquitous of naturally occurring elements. They are like tiny liquid prisms that can capture light and reflections. The very fact that they are so common and so small does nothing to detract from the inherent majestic beauty of a single drop of water. 

For something so simple in nature, they are remarkably difficult to accurately reproduce in digital artwork. Instead of trying to reproduce the shape and randomness of them, it’s much easier to capture the effect and use it as an assortment of custom brushes in Adobe Photoshop. This water drop brush Photoshop tutorial will show you exactly how to do that.

If you’re looking for the best water drop brush Photoshop sets, scroll down after this tutorial and find our selection of premium Photoshop brushes from Envato Elements.

What You’ll Learn in This Adobe Photoshop Brush Tutorial

• How to make your own water drop brush in Photoshop 
• How to use your water drop brush
• How to add water droplets to photos

1. How to Capture the Water Drop Effect

Step 1

The materials required for this project are very simple: 

• a small pane of glass (I removed this one from a medium-sized picture frame) 
• a method of holding the glass, like a spring clamp
• a simple glass of water

Step 2

First, be sure the glass is clean of any dust or oils. Avoid touching the glass with your fingers, as the smudges will be visible in the photos. Use the clamp to hold the edge of the glass, making sure the grip is firm so the glass doesn’t slide out!

Step 3

In my experience through several tests, the best way to achieve clean images of water drops is to shoot outside against the sky. The problem with trying to shoot in a studio setting with controllable light is that the reflections are nearly impossible to eliminate: not only reflections off the glass surface, but also in the water drops themselves.

A much easier solution is to wait for a day when the sky is all the same color, either heavy cloud cover or perfectly clear, and find a way to rig the clamp to hold the glass above you so you can shoot up through it. I used a light stand that extends nice and high. 

Step 4

A common tendency is to use a spray bottle to generate the water drops. I found that creates more of a mist with small droplets. I prefer big, fat, juicy drops of water that can be easily seen. So my recommendation is to just dip your fingers in the water and flick the water onto the pane.

Step 5

Now it’s time to shoot the drops. Try to frame the shots so the background is clear, and make sure you pay attention to the focus point on the camera. For my camera and lighting, I found that f/5.3 with a shutter speed of 1/1000 worked really well. Take several shots focusing on different water drops. Then clean the glass and do it all over again!

2. How to Process the Photos

Step 1

Open one of the photos and add a Curves Adjustment Layer. Move the outside curve points inwards to meet the edges of the histogram. Then add a central curve point and move it downward slightly until the drops have a good degree of contrast.

Step 2

Click on the Lock icon next to the Background layer to unlock it. Then select both layers and go to Layers > Group Layers. Rename the group to be Water Drops.

Step 3

Use the Quick Selection Tool (W) to create a selection around the largest, best defined drops. 

Step 4

Click the Refine Edge button and adjust the selection edge. For our image here, the selection required a small Radius setting of 1.0, Smooth of 9, Feather of 1.4 px, and Contrast of 31%. It’s important to set the Output to Layer Mask so the selection will add a mask at the group level.

Step 5

Add a new layer underneath the water drop group and fill it with white. This should show the water drops in sharp contrast.

Step 6

When we added the curves adjustment layer, it was needed to increase contrast with the background. Now we will change it to smooth out the tones within the drops. Open the curves Properties panel and adjust the central point of the curve to give a more even transition of tones within the drops.

Step 7

Click on either the photo layer or the white background layer to make them active and go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. Photoshop asks for a brush name, and when you press OK, this new brush is added to your list of Brush Presets.

3. How to Use Our Water Drop Brush Photoshop Set

I fully encourage you to create practical effect brushes on your own. It’s not a very difficult task, and it is incredibly rewarding. Cultivating the skill to transition a visual effect from practical to digital will open up new possibilities for your digital designs. But if you don’t have the time or capability to create these brushes on your own, I’ve included mine here for you to use.

Download the attached file for this tutorial, CustomWaterDrops.abr. Then go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager. In the Brushes section, use the Load button to navigate to the downloaded file.

This will add five new Water Drop brushes to your list of Brush Presets.

Your Water Drop Brush Photoshop Effect Is Ready

Congratulations! You’ve completed our tutorial on how to add water droplets to photos. Go be amazing! Use these water drop brushes to add an interesting natural element to your digital artwork.

4 Best Water Brush Photoshop Packs From Envato Elements 

In this tutorial, you’ve learned how to create your own water drop brush in Photoshop and how to add water droplets to photos.

Now, to save you some time and still achieve professional results, check out these premium water brush Photoshop sets. 

Get all of them and enjoy unlimited downloads of Photoshop brushes with our Envato Elements monthly subscription.

1. Water Drop Photoshop Brush Set (ABR)

You’ve got to try this water drop brush Photoshop pack. With 50 water brushes included, your final result will never be the same. Enjoy the high-resolution water drop brush Photoshop set, and easily add water droplets to photos.

2. Rain Brush Photoshop Pack (ABR)

This rain brush Photoshop set will give your images a realistic look. These water brushes come in high resolution (5000×5000 pixels).

You can use the rain brush Photoshop pack in many ways. Duplicate the layers to make the effect more intense. The sharpen filter will make the rain look sharper. On the contrary, apply the blur filter to get the opposite effect. Have fun with this water brush Photoshop set!

3. Water Splash Brush Photoshop Set (ABR)

A water splash brush Photoshop pack can be a great addition to your collection. There are 30 water brushes in high resolution. Use this water brush Photoshop set to add photo overlays and interesting visual effects.

4. Photoshop Water Ripple Brush Pack (ABR)

This Photoshop water ripple brush set is a great tool if you’re a graphic designer. The water brush Photoshop pack comes with 45 brushes in high resolution (2500×2500 pixels). You can use the water brushes for any project, and they’re compatible with any Photoshop version.

Discover More Photoshop Brush Tutorials and Resources

I hope you’ve enjoyed this water drop brush Photoshop tutorial and the selection of water brush Photoshop sets. 

Now, if you’re wondering where can you get more Photoshop brush content, I’ve got you covered. Check out these useful resources and tutorials:

• 
  Brushes
  Photoshop Brush Tool: A Basic Guide
  Alvaro Guzman

• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  50+ Free Photoshop Brushes to Download Now!
  Melody Nieves

• 
  Photoshop Templates
  1,000+ Best Photoshop Textures From Envato Elements (Textures, Overlays, Brushes)
  Nona Blackman

• 
  Photoshop Brushes
  How to Create a Dust Brush in Photoshop
  Marko Kožokar

• 
  Brushes
  How to Make a Cloud Brush in Photoshop
  Monika Zagrobelna

• 
  Brushes
  How to Create a Sakura Petals Brush in Photoshop
  Abbey Esparza

• 
  Watercolor
  How to Create Realistic Watercolor Photoshop Brushes From Scratch
  Ivan Gromov

• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  How to Create a Lightning Brush in Photoshop
  Abbey Esparza

• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  How to Make a Tree Brush in Photoshop
  Abbey Esparza

• 
  Brushes
  How to Make a Sparkle Brush in Photoshop
  Monika Zagrobelna

Create Your Water Drop Brush Photoshop Effect Today! 

Can’t get enough custom creative brushes in Photoshop? Remember to check out the massive library of Photoshop brushes, actions and presets, and all the creative digital resources available on Envato Elements!

Creating your own library of digital resources pulled from real-world practical effects is a skill that will pay off exponentially in the future. Instead of searching stock sites for interesting textures, try creating some for yourself! I’d love to see them in the comments below.

Your designs aren’t complete without the perfect font! Find amazing script styles in this collection for 2021.

There’s nothing more satisfying than pairing the right script font with a design. It’s a simple yet effective trick to take your work to the next level.

And script typefaces are a perfect mix of elegance and style. So are you feeling a bouncy baseline with flirty characters? Or a fun experimentation in grunge and textured letters?

Designers are always on the hunt for the best script fonts inspired by the latest trends. So today, we bring you 30+ incredible modern script styles with enough flair and uniqueness to choose from.

Where to Get the Best Script Fonts in 2021 (With Unlimited Use)

Do you need a cool and modern script font for your creative projects? Are you a graphic designer looking for the best digital assets? Then Envato Elements is the best place to go. 

For a low monthly fee, download as many modern script fonts as you wish. On Envato Elements, you can also download the best graphic templates, actions and presets, royalty-free photos, and more.

20+ Best Modern Script Fonts From Envato Elements

Check out this curated collection of the best modern script fonts from Envato Elements.

1. Mallicot Modern Script Font (OTF, WOFF)

Mallicot is a modern script font that will look fantastic on your projects. This beautiful typeface stands out with its clean design. Use this script font for logos, signatures, invitations, labels, and more. 

2. Sophia Script Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Pretty and sophisticated, this lovely, handmade font could be a great fit for a variety of projects, from packaging to posters and from tea to T-shirts. This script even has 115 alternate characters to work with!

3. Qunanty | Paztapeface Script Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Check out this fun and quirky script font! It has unique shapes and such a playful aesthetic. Aside from the pasta association, its plump twists and curves make for a merry aesthetic, perfect for your next sunny project. 

4. Beloved Teacher Script Font (OTF, TTF, EPS)

Looking for a cheerful, welcoming script font for your next project? Well, look no further—Beloved Teacher is a sweet and versatile font! This font would be great for projects that would benefit from the welcoming vibe of a hand-drawn look and feel.

5. Honeycomb Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Isn’t this a beautiful font? Honeycomb has international language support and also includes 24 gold foil patterns—awesome! This font has so much potential for classy and organic projects. It would make a great addition to anyone’s font collection. 

6. Britney Modern Script Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

With multi-language support, Britney Modern is a fun and energetic font. It’s got alternate characters and ligatures, all ready to go. Use it in your branding, packaging, print work, and much more! 

7. Madelis Script (OTF, WOFF)

What a sophisticated font! With beautiful swoops and loops, Madelis would be right at home on packaging, branding, invitations, or even as a headline on your next publication! This one has so many possibilities.

8. Rossmore Script Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Check out this beautiful font! It has such an elegant, hand-drawn feel, perfect for projects that would benefit from that organic, personal touch. Definitely best suited to display and points of emphasis, this could be a great addition to your font library. 

9. Rising Star Font (OTF, TTF)

This is such a fun typeface with so many possibilities. It’s got a little bit of retro flair, but is versatile enough to work in many situations. Try it out on your next packaging project, or use it to create emphasis in your next layout design!

10. Petter And Sons – Romantic Beauty Script (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

This font is so romantic; from its beautiful strokes to its elegant lines, Petter and Sons would look amazing on your invitations, in branding, on a T-shirt, or even on a very special love letter! 

11. Amora Script (OTF, TTF)

This lovely script has 12 different styles to experiment with, so there’s plenty to see and try! Check out the pretty swirls and elegant strokes. It’s so easy to see this one on packaging, posters, T-shirts, and more!

12. Sottafles Typeface (OTF, TTF)

The opportunities are limitless with the Sottafles typeface. A handwritten font with angled script characters, this typeface is quirky and unique. Enjoy a full set of standard letters and numbers, as well as multilingual support. Great for logos and headlines!

13. Kania Script Typeface (OTF, TTF)

Most scripts are dainty and thin, but Kania stands out from the rest. Create bold headlines and titles with the Kania script typeface. Featuring script letters in a wide cursive script, this font packs a punch with its wide letters. Try it out on websites and stationery!

14. Zenith Script (OTF, TTF)

The Zenith script is a handmade typeface which combines regular and alternate characters for a unique result. Create the ideal logo with bold, brush letters that appear as crisp as the real thing. Enjoy access to a full set of letters, numbers, and punctuation. 

15. Magehand Script (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Whether you need a clean, modern script for your logo or website, the Magehand typeface will do just the trick. Check out the phenomenal, professional design, which includes excellent curves and pristine characters. Download it today to get access to multilingual characters and more.

16. Amnesty – Handwritten Font Duo (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Set the scene for your movies, trailers, or stories with the Amnesty font duo. A handwritten pack of amazing script fonts, this set is powerful and expressive. Check out the different brush styles to explore more options. You’ll love the realistic grunge finish!

17. Itaki – Calligraphic Typeface (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Design brands with powerful messages using the Itaki font. A calligraphic typeface with stunning textural accents, this font paints gorgeous letters that look authentically handwritten and full of deep meanings. Test it on stationery, posters, and even store signs.

18. Wonder Sunshine Typeface (OTF, TTF)

Bring a bright energy to any design with the Wonder Sunshine typeface. Combining a mixture of classic vintage styles with modern script fonts, this typeface is whimsical and fun. Enable additional stylistic alternates using any major design program. 

19. Heats Script Font (OTF, TTF)

Add a little tension to your headline or title with the Heats script font. A handmade script font with casually drawn letters, this typeface is perfectly suited for branding projects and more. Design a laidback style that suits many creative projects. Check it out!

20. Easy Brush Font (OTF, TTF)

Need a bold font that’s full of energy and expression? Then check out the Easy Brush font. A grunge-inspired typeface with realistic brush textures, this script font is bold and super cool. Make any ordinary design stand out with this pack of authentic handmade fonts. 

21. Goliath Script Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Create confident designs with the Goliath script font. A handwritten font pack with two amazing styles, this pack is versatile and well designed. Enjoy the original regular version or combine it with exceptional alternate characters for a different feel. Give it a try!

22. Trendy Script Font Duo (OTF, TTF)

Another great font duo pack is this trendy script set. This pack includes one elegant script alongside a bold display font. Mix and match each style for the best result. Also included in this download is multilingual support and a list of stylistic alternates. Check it out!

10+ Top Script Fonts From GraphicRiver

If you don’t like subscriptions and just need a single script font, visit our marketplace. Browse through the library of premium script fonts from GraphicRiver and get the one you like the most.

There are thousands of script fonts to choose from on Envato Market. Here’s a hand-picked selection of the best ones: 

1. Thirthy Font (OTF, TTF)

Be bold with a chunky script font! This font works great on T-shirts and more. Update any poster with handwritten letters for that authentic look! Whether you love modern or vintage design, this versatile font is suitable for various occasions. Get a full set of letters, numbers, and punctuation in this download.

2. Wild Ones Script (OTF, TTF)

Take an incredible journey to new heights with this script font. A handwritten typeface with modern, cursive letters, this font is cool and multipurpose. Customize your invites, packages, and logos with this modern calligraphy style that is easy to use. 

3. Zattoya Signature Typeface (OTF, TTF)

What if your signature became a popular typeface? The Zattoya font does just the trick for improving any contemporary design. It features tall capital letters balanced out by a mixture of short and long lowercase characters. Use it for your website or logo!

4. Geraldyne Script (OTF, TTF)

Made by combining various alternatives together, the Geraldyne script features fluid, curvy letters that are each so eye-catching. Try it out with fashion, design, or wedding themes to complete your latest projects. It also includes multilingual support and alternate glyphs for more variations.

5. John Davidson Script (OTF, TTF)

Sign your letters and documents with an impressive script font. The John Davidson script is classy and effortless. Enjoy the wide loops and subtle dips created to look like real handwriting. Test it out for your email signatures, postcards, or personal stationery. 

6. Daisies of Our Lives (OTF, TTF)

Write out the story of your life with a dramatic typeface. The lovely Daisies of Our Lives font is super pretty and clever. Add a feminine touch to any project with this slanted script typeface that’s great for posters, book covers, and so much more. Add it to your collection!

7. Naycila Script Font (OTF, TTF)

Created with a bouncy baseline and a natural, handwritten feel, the Naycila script font is a stunner! Pair it with elegant metal textures or subtle gradients for an amazing result. This download includes a full set of upper and lowercase letters as well as fun swash alternates.

8. Seirra Script and Serif Font (OTF, TTF)

Make your next logo with the gorgeous Seirra font. This script and serif font pack features two handcrafted typefaces to satisfy your minimalist needs. Add creative script accents using the original script, or go for something more bold with the serif version. Try it out on stationery, apparel, or other merchandise. 

9. Serrona Script Font Duo (OTF, TTF)

Design stylish ads for your luxury brand with the Serrona script. Perfectly suited for logos, stationery, and more, this font features an authentic, handcrafted feel with three styles included. Get access to regular, sans, and outlined versions in one quick download!

10. Violaceous – Brush Script (OTF, TTF)

Brush scripts, like the Violaceous font, give your work that instant handmade feel! Get inspired by your favorite writers to create stunning typographic posters with style and texture. Check out this full pack of letters, numbers, and punctuation for more options. 

11. Wilgaty Script Font (OTF, TTF)

Font packs are one of the best ways to get several stunning fonts in one convenient download. The Wilgaty font pack features both smooth and rough styles to complement many occasions. Also included in this set is a thin pen style that’s chic and sophisticated. Check it out!

Discover More Font Inspiration

Script fonts are the chameleons of typography. They blend into almost any design or theme with perfect precision. So grab a few from this collection for the ultimate design pack!

For further recommendations, check out our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:

Want more amazing script fonts? Try the new selection of free script fonts over on Envato Elements. Or check out these collections:

• 
  Fonts
  30 Best Stylish Cursive Fonts
  Melody Nieves

• 
  Fonts
  35 Best Calligraphy Fonts
  Melody Nieves

Love fonts and typography? Check out some of these type tutorials to help up your typography game!

• 
  Fonts
  How to Create Your Own Font
  Yulia Sokolova

• 
  Figma
  New Course: Advanced Typography Design in Figma
  Andrew Blackman

• 
  Figma
  New Course: Web Typography Basics in Figma
  Andrew Blackman

• 
  Typography
  The Ultimate Guide to Basic Typography
  Laura Keung

• 
  Web Typography
  What Your Web Typography Says About You
  Joanna Ngai

• 
  Fonts
  36 Old Style Fonts (Old Style Typefaces to Download Now)
  Daisy Ein

• 
  Fonts
  34 Best Modern Didone Typefaces (Fonts Similar to Bodoni & Didot)
  Daisy Ein

• 
  Fonts
  34 Best Slab Serif Fonts (Ready to Download Now)
  Daisy Ein

• 
  Typography
  Fonts Similar to Myriad Pro & Best Font Pairings
  Daisy Ein

• 
  Fonts
  What Fonts Are Trending Now and Font Trends for 2021
  Grace Fussell

Get Your Modern Script Font Today!

Tried any of these assets? Let us know! Tell us your favorite script fonts in the comments below.

This has been a selection of premium resources perfect for the avid designer. For more modern script fonts, check out Envato Market and Envato Elements, or enlist the help of our talented professionals at Envato Studio. Happy designing!

Illustrator brushes help you create complex designs and speed up your design creation process. Often, designers create their own brushes. And sometimes, you just want to quickly get an effect or style for your design.

That’s the value of having Illustrator brushes ready to download. If you don’t know how to add brushes to Illustrator, don’t worry. Let’s break down how to install and use brushes to make the most of this fantastic feature!

What You Will Learn in This Adobe Illustrator Brush Tutorial

• How to install brushes in Illustrator
• How to open and save the brush library in Illustrator
• How to edit brushes in Illustrator
• How to use brushes in Illustrator

Follow along with us over on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:

Tutorial Assets

To complete the tutorial, I used the following assets:

• Rope Brush Illustrator Set

If you’re looking for the best Illustrator texture brushes, scroll down after this tutorial and find our selection of premium Illustrator brushes from Envato Elements.

1. How to Extract the Brush File

Step 1

Let’s start with a freshly downloaded zip folder. Locate your download on your machine and Extract its contents. Do so on a Mac by double-clicking. Do so on a Windows machine by right-clicking and hitting Extract All.

Your brush files may vary, but these have files for both Adobe Illustrator CS5 and higher and Adobe Illustrator CC and higher. In the case of this file, the brushes are in an .AI file.

Step 2

Open the .AI file in Adobe Illustrator CC. Open the Brushes panel, and you’ll find your new brushes are already loaded and ready for use. 

Step 3

Draw a path with the Ellipse Tool (L) and apply one of the brushes from the Brushes panel to check out the brush pack. Take the Paintbrush Tool (B) for a spin too, and see how the brush handles a variety of angled and curved paths. 

If you want to use these brushes in other documents, you’ll have to save the brushes file. Let’s do that now!

2. How to Save the Brush Library

Step 1

Under Options in the Brushes panel, select Save Brush Library… You’ll be able to save your brush library anywhere on your machine. I like to keep things organized, and rather than saving it in the default hidden folder, let’s navigate to our preset brushes folder.

If you’re on a Mac, you’ll want to head over to Applications/Adobe Illustrator CC 2015/Presets/Brushes/, and if you’re on a Windows machine, you’ll want to head over to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CC 2015\Presets\en_US\Brushes\New Brushes. These are the default preset folder locations. If you’ve made changes to where and how Adobe files are stored on your computer, your locations may differ.

Step 2

Create a New Folder in your preset brushes folder. Mine is named New Brushes, and this is where I’ll be saving my brush libraries for easy navigation and retrieval in the future.

Step 3

Now, when you select Open Brush Library from the Brushes panel options, you’ll see your new folder amongst the other preset folders and can load that brush library into any of your documents. You can also save brush libraries in any of the other preset folders. How you organize your program, files, and computer is entirely up to you.

3. How to Edit the Brushes

Step 1

Draw a shape or path with a drawing tool from the Toolbar and apply one of the brushes from your Brushes panel. 

Step 2

Select any of your paths and change the Stroke color in the Color panel. Much like changing the stroke color of any simple stroked path, you can also double-click on the Stroke in the Toolbar in order to open up the Color Picker and change the color from there.

Step 3

For more complex brushes, you can use the Recolor Artwork option. Select your path and go to Edit > Edit Colors > Recolor Artwork. Depending on how complex your brush’s artwork is, you’ll have the option of changing the current colors to whatever you want.

Step 4

Another quick and easy change is Stroke Weight. You can do this in the Stroke panel. Note the difference in this brush in 1 pt, 2 pt, and 3 pt weights.

Step 5

Finally, for further editing, Expand the brush stroke under Object > Expand to easily apply gradients and other effects to the brush as an object. In order to more easily apply the Radial Gradient seen below, I also United the newly expanded objects in the Pathfinder panel in order to create a compound object.

Great Job, You’re Done!

Well done! In this quick tutorial, we downloaded and loaded up a brush library file. We also learned how to organize our brush library and how to edit brushes within Adobe Illustrator. With these simple instructions, you’ll be able to use and modify any brush library you may be using, whether it’s something you made yourself or not.

5 Top Illustrator Brushes to Download From Envato Elements

You’ve learned how to add brushes to Illustrator and how to edit brushes. Now, let me show you a hand-picked selection of the best Illustrator texture brushes from Envato Elements.

For a low monthly fee, you can enjoy unlimited downloads of premium Illustrator brushes and more digital assets, like actions and presets, graphic templates, and more.

If you’re a graphic designer looking to expand your Illustrator brush library, here’s a great selection for you:

1. Rope Brush Illustrator Set With Anchor Letters (AI, EPS)

Are you looking for a rope brush Illustrator set? These Illustrator texture brushes are a great option. The pack comes with 11 high-quality rope brushes and 28 anchors with a rope alphabet. 

2. Watercolor & Black Pattern Brushes (AI)

A pattern brush Illustrator set is always helpful. This watercolor pattern brush Illustrator pack will give your designs a trendy look. You’ll get 42 watercolor handmade brushes in vector format for Adobe Illustrator. Additionally, the pack comes with 42 black pattern brushes.

3. Big Illustrator Brushes Pack (AI, EPS)

This is the ultimate Illustrator texture brushes pack. You’ll get 56 varied illustrator brushes, including stipple brushes, chalk and pastel, ink, flourish, pattern brush Illustrator files, and more. The set also includes four distressed stipple seamless vector swatches, an Illustrator swatch file, and EPS CS4 files.

4. Shader Brushes for Illustrator (AI, EPS, PNG)

This spraypaint brush Illustrator set comes with 28 brushes divided into four groups. And that’s not all. In this pack of Illustrator texture brushes, you’ll also get 12 textures as a bonus to wrap up your composition. See what you’ll get:

• 7 shader brushes
• 7 noise brushes
• 7 hatch brushes
• 7 edge brushes
• 12 textures

5. Chain and Barbed Wire Pattern Brush Illustrator (AI, EPS)

Do you need a chain brush Illustrator set for your next design? This pack comes with ten brushes, so why not give your design an industrial look with this chain brush Illustrator set. These are great pattern brushes for Illustrator.

Explore More Illustrator Brushes Resources

I hope you liked this selection of rope brush Illustrator sets, spraypaint brush Illustrator packs, and Illustrator texture brushes. Learn more about Illustrator brushes with these tutorials and resources:

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Make a Brush in Illustrator
  Andrei Stefan

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Make a Watercolor Brush in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Stefan

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  A Huge Compilation of 39 Free Illustrator Brushes
  Sonali Vora

• 
  Text Effects
  Use a Pattern Rope Brush to Create a Rope Text Effect in Illustrator
  Andrei Marius

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Create a Pencils Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius

• 
  Pattern Brush
  How to Create a Rainbow Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius

• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a Rocket Fireworks Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius

• 
  Brushes
  Quick Tip: How to Create a Pencil Pattern Brush in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Make, Use, and Manipulate a Calligraphic Brush in Adobe Illustrator
  Mary Winkler

• 
  Brushes
  How to Create a Confetti Brush in Adobe Illustrator
  Sharon Archer-Thomas

Moodboards are a great way of organizing your ideas for a design project. You can simply use a moodboard as a personal creative aid, providing inspiration and direction for tackling a brief.

Moodboards are also fantastic methods of communicating your creative ideas to a client. A polished, beautiful board can give your client an immediate understanding of your style and intentions for a project, and can help to get them on board (no pun intended!) with your ideas much quicker than verbal communications could do alone.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a moodboard in InDesign and look at how you can combine images, color, textures, and typography to give the board a unified, professional look. 

We’ll focus on how you can best communicate your intended moodboard color palette and textures for a design project, making this kind of board relevant for all sorts of design projects—across graphic design, branding design, photography, textile design, and interior design.

And if you’re in a time crunch, I’ve gathered aesthetic moodboard templates from Placeit. With Placeit, you can create a photo collage online in just a few clicks!

As mentioned earlier, you’ll need Adobe InDesign for this tutorial. Access to Adobe Bridge would be a bonus, though not essential.

If you’re ready, let’s dive into this moodboard InDesign tutorial!

1. Organize Your Ideas

Step 1

Imagine this scenario: a client has given you a brief to give their brand a design refresh. 

Before you even think about tackling the details of the refresh—for example, a new logo, brand guidelines, a new website, etc.—a first step is to communicate to the client the mood of the refreshed designs. How do you want the consumer to feel when they come into contact with your client’s brand? How do you want the client to feel about their own brand? 

A moodboard needs to emotionally connect to the viewer. Your selection of images, colors, textures, and typography will come together to give an emotional undertone to the board. This may sound difficult and a bit deep, but don’t worry—have a think about what you want your designs to communicate in simple terms. 

In this example, I’ve designed for a fictional retail company. I want their customers to feel calm and relaxed when they visit the brand’s stores. I then thought about how to connect that emotion with what the brand actually offers—which in this (fictional!) case, is organic and fair-trade fashion and lifestyle products.

Step 2

The next step is to get inspired! Browse Google Images, Pinterest, or stock image sites like Envato Elements and PhotoDune. Save any images you feel connect in some way to your ideas for tackling the brief. Try to pick a range of images: some with people, some without, some landscapes, and some with plain textures or simple patterns that catch your eye. You can find some great choices on Envato Elements, or use the “collections” feature on Twenty20 to build a curated selection of images on a particular topic or theme.

Save all your chosen images in one folder on your computer. If you have access to Adobe Bridge, open it up and navigate to your folder of images. If not, no problem: simply browse through your images directly in your Finder (Mac OS) or Windows Explorer. 

Can you spot any common color trends across your selection of images? More generally, have you picked more cool (blues, greens) or warm (reds, oranges, pinks) colors? Do you have a predominant color, as well as lesser-used complementary colors? It’s fine to have a little bit of range, as long as they work well together.

In my selection, I can see that blue is a prominent color across many of the images, with dusky purples and earthy greens also making an appearance. Warmer paper and wood textures help to balance out the coolness of the blues in your moodboard color palette. 

Take note of the colors you think commonly appear. If you have some images that don’t fit the general trend and stick out like a sore thumb, be disciplined and delete them!

2. Create the Grid for Your Board in InDesign

Step 1

Now you have your set of images prepared, you can start to prepare the layout of your moodboard. 

For this, we’ll need to move over to InDesign. Open InDesign and go to File > New > Document to open the New Document window.

Keep the Intent as Print (you can export the moodboard as a digital PDF file later if you’d prefer to share it online or on email), and Uncheck Facing Pages.

Select A3 from the Page Size drop-down menu and switch the Orientation to Landscape. 

Increase the Number of Columns to 6 and reduce the Gutter of the Columns to 0 mm. Set the Margins on all sides to 4 mm and the Bleed on all sides to 3 mm.

Click OK.

Step 2

Open the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and double-click on the default Layer 1 name in the panel to open the Layer Options window. Rename the layer as Images and click OK.

Back in the Layers panel, select New Layer from the panel’s drop-down menu, or click on the Create New Layer square icon at the bottom right of the panel.

Name this second layer Transparent Overlay and click OK. Repeat this process five more times to create a total of seven layers in the following order: Typography, Border, Square Grid, Diagonal Strokes and finally Circle, at the top.

Click in the blank space to the right of the ‘eye’ icon in the Layers panel, to the left of each layer’s name, to lock all the layers except Border. Click on the layer name to activate it.

Step 3

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) from the Tools panel running along the left side of your screen and drag to create a rectangle that sits along the edge of the page (the trim edge). Set the Weight of the Stroke to 7 mm. You can keep it as [Black] for now—we’ll change the color later in the tutorial.

Step 4

Lock the Border layer and Unlock the Square Grid layer.

We want to divide the page into a series of square sections. The vertical columns have been marked out for us already, so let’s use the rulers to build up a series of horizontal rows. Drag a guide down from the top ruler (View > Show Rulers) to the center point of the page, at 148.5 mm.

Drag a second guide down to 74.25 mm (a quarter of the way down the page), and a third to 222.75 mm.

Step 5

Remaining on the Square Grid layer, select the Line Tool (\) from the Tools panel and, holding down Shift, drag from left to right to create a perfectly straight horizontal line. 

Extend the length of the line so that it sits on the left edge of the page, and extends across to the right side of the page. Position the line so that it runs along one of the guides you created in the previous step. 

Increase the Weight of the Stroke to 2 mm.

Select the line and Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste, positioning this second line along another guide. Repeat one more time, so you have three horizontal lines crossing the page.

Select one of the lines and Right-Click (Windows) or Control-Click (Mac OS) > Transform > Rotate 90 Degrees CW to create a vertical line. Position along the edge of one of the columns.

Select the vertical line and Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste four times, positioning each new line along a column border, as shown, until you have a grid of 24 squares.

3. Drop in Your Images

Step 1

Lock the Square Grid layer and Unlock the Images layer at the bottom of the Layers panel.

If you have Mini Bridge (versions CS5, CS6 and CC of InDesign), go to Window > Mini Bridge to open it in InDesign. Mini Bridge is a super useful little tool for browsing and dropping images into your InDesign documents. But if you don’t have Mini Bridge, you can simply use the File > Place function for inserting your images.

Select the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) and drag to create a square frame that fits neatly within one of the grid sections. 

Set the Mini Bridge panel alongside the document. Select an image and click and drag it from the panel, dropping it on the image frame you have prepared.

Create a second new frame using the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) as before and drop in a different image. Try to group more similarly colored images together to create ‘groups’ of color on the board.

Create a third frame two square sections in height and drop in a third image from Mini Bridge.

Step 2

Continue to create new image frames, some a single square in diameter, some two squares in length or in height, and drop in more images from Bridge.

Position across the page, fitting each within the spaces allocated by the grid.

Don’t be afraid to repeat images across the board, particularly if you want to draw attention to a particular image, color or texture.

Leave a couple of squares blank, scattered at different points on the board.

4. Lifting and Applying Color

Your images are looking great! Now we can start to pull out the color from the images into moodboard color swatches to give the board some extra clarity.

Step 1

Open the Swatches panel (Window > Color > Swatches [F5]). 

Now select the Eyedropper Tool (I) from the Tools panel and hover over one of the images on your board.

Click once to pick up the color from the image. The eyedropper cursor icon will fill, and the color will appear in the Fill or Stroke squares at the bottom of the Tools panel.

To add the color to the Swatches panel, select New Color Swatch from the Swatches panel’s drop-down menu. 

The picked-up color automatically flashes up in the moodboard color swatches window. Adjust the Color Mode to CMYK, then click Add and finally, click Done.

The new swatch has been added to your Swatches panel. You can repeat the process for other colors, using the Eyedropper Tool (I) to pick them up from your images. Try to build up a palette of about five swatches to give you plenty of color options to play with.

The CMYK swatches I have used here are:

Step 2

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and drag to create a square; position it in one of the blank spaces on the board. Set the Fill to one of your selected colors, preferably one that was lifted from one of the adjacent pictures.

Create a second square using the Rectangle Tool (M) and set the Fill to a different color.

Step 3

Lock the Images layer and Unlock the Border and Square Grid layers. Drag your mouse across the whole page to select the border and all the black lines on the page. Then adjust the Stroke Color to [Paper].

Step 4

Remaining on the Square Grid layer, note where the white lines cross through the center of the larger images, cutting them in half. We want the lines to frame the outside of each image, but not dissect them. 

Pull back the edges of the lines, using the Scissors Tool (C) if you need to cut lines to create separate sections, until you have created borders around each image, as shown.

5. Introduce Shapes and Transparencies

Step 1

Lock the Border and Square Grid layers and Unlock the top layer, Circles.

Select the Ellipse Frame Tool from the Tools panel and, holding Shift, drag to create a perfect circle about 65 mm in diameter. Set the Stroke Color to [Paper] and the Stroke Weight to 2 mm, to match the grid lines.

Position the circle on the join of four of the grid squares in the top-right corner of the page, and set the Fill to another of your swatches from the Swatches panel. 

Edit > Copy and Edit > Paste the circle, positioning this second circle in the bottom-left quarter of the page. Set the Fill to [None] and drop in an image from the Mini Bridge panel. Plain textures or simple patterns will work best. Here I’ve chosen a papery image.

Step 2

Lock the Circles layer and Unlock the Transparent Overlay layer.

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and drag to create a square that fits within one of the grid squares, as you did earlier when you created your image frames in Part 3 of the tutorial. 

Give the square a Fill Color from your Swatches selection, but no Stroke Color. 

Take the Scissors Tool (C) and snip two of the opposite corners of the square to create two triangle sections.

With one of the triangle sections selected, go to Object > Effects > Transparency. Set the Mode to Normal and reduce the Opacity to 60%. Click OK. 

Place the triangle over one of the square images, fitting the edge in the corner, snug against the white grid lines. Try and match the Fill Color of the triangle to the dominant color of the image.

You can Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste the triangle a few times, varying the Fill Color, the position and rotation (Right-Click (Windows) or Control-Click (Mac OS) > Transform > Rotate…). To place triangle shapes over taller images, pull up on the top edge of the triangle to stretch it out.

Step 3

Return to the Layers panel and Lock the Transparent Overlay layer. Unlock the Diagonal Strokes layer, a few layers above.

Take the Line Tool (\) and hover over one of the triangle shapes. Drag your mouse down across the diagonal edge of the triangle, from corner to corner. Set the Stroke Weight to 2 mm and the Stroke Color to [Paper] to again match the grid lines.

Repeat for the other triangle shapes, so that each transparent triangle appears bordered on all sides by a white line.

6. Add Typography

Some limited text can enhance your moodboard. You can introduce fonts and type weights that complement your images and colors, and use ‘buzz words’ that tie the images together.

Introducing typography is optional, and in some cases it may not be necessary. But let’s go through the process of how I introduced typography onto this moodboard design.

Step 1

Lock the Diagonal Strokes layer and Unlock the Typography layer.

In this design, I’m using two different free-to-download fonts: Lekea Type, a classic serif, and De La Fuente, which is a retro-inspired sans serif typeface.

Take the Type Tool (T) and zoom in on the top left section of the board. Drag to create a small text frame that extends across the width of one of the square sections, and position it towards the top of one of the squares. Type something that sums up the color trend of the section; here I’ve typed ‘Cool Blues’.

Set the Font to De La Fuente, Size 36 pt, All Caps, Align Center, and set the Font Color to a pale swatch, e.g. [Paper].

Step 2

Create a second text frame and type a single letter into the frame. Here I’ve typed ‘B’ (for ‘Blue’). Set the Font to Lekea, Size 250 pt, and Font Color to a contrasting swatch. Here I’ve used a dark blue.

You can apply a transparency to the text to make it more subtle, by first selecting the text frame, then going to Object > Effects > Transparency. Set the Mode to Multiply and reduce the Opacity to 60%.

Be sparing with introducing more text frames across the board, but a couple here and there will really help to tie together your design.

Your Board Is Complete!

Fantastic work—your moodboard is finished, and it looks great! 

You can export your board to PDF format for print (File > Export > Adobe PDF [Print]) or digital circulation (File > Export > Adobe PDF [Interactive]); or export the file as a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF image (File > Export).

Let’s recap the lessons we’ve covered in this tutorial. These tips and tricks can easily be applied to your own moodboard designs:

• Consider your project brief and try to connect your ideas with an emotional response (for the consumer and/or client).
• Try to spot dominant color trends across your images, and arrange the images in rough groups.
• Use the Eyedropper Tool in InDesign to lift color from your images and create a color palette for your moodboard.
• Create a simple grid layout for your moodboard first, and place different elements of the board on separate layers to keep it organized and easily editable.
• Use Adobe Bridge (via the Mini Bridge panel) to easily drop images onto your board.
• Introduce different shapes, transparencies, and typography to add interest to your board.

Create a Photo Collage Online With Moodboard Templates From Placeit

Learning how to make a photo collage on Mac or PC with InDesign is a good skill if you have the time. But if you want to make a moodboard online quickly and without software, then head to Placeit. Here are just some of the options available on the easy moodboard maker website.

1. Moodboard Mockup Featuring Beachy Souvenirs

This aesthetic moodboard maker gives off a chic, beachy vibe. The coral and shell souvenirs frame the image placeholder. Add the design you like to complete this seaside look. If you’re looking to change the moodboard color palette, you can manage it in a couple of clicks.

2. Moodboard Mockup Featuring a Picture and Dry Leaves

Try out this software-free alternative to a moodboard InDesign template. Quickly upload your image to tie together this look. If you like the layout but want to customize the colors, you can do that too! Use this option if you want to make your moodboard online.

3. Mockup of a Moodboard Featuring Three Different Size Pictures

Here’s a minimal photo grid collage maker. Upload three designs and images to inspire your projects and your audience. The colour palette of this moodboard is completely customizable, and you can even add text. After a couple of clicks, you’ll see how easy it is to make a moodboard online.

4. Moodboard Mockup Featuring Lines and Textures

Featuring wonderful lines and textures, this option is one of the best photo grid collage makers you can pick. Experiment with the background colour palette of this moodboard, as well as with the look of the brush stroke. Try it if you want an easy-to-use, online aesthetic moodboard template.

5. Moodboard Mockup Featuring Copper Colored Ornaments

We wrap up our list with this aesthetic moodboard maker. It features cool copper colors and ornaments. There are four image placeholders of different sizes to showcase your photos and relevant designs. Like the other photo collage PNGs featured here, the colors are editable.

Have Fun Designing!

Now that you know how to make a moodboard on InDesign, you can decide whether to make one from scratch or use an aesthetic moodboard maker from Placeit. Are you looking for more photo collage and color moodboard resources? Then stay right here on Envato Tuts+! Our instructors have some great lessons for you to continue your learning journey.

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