Create Your Own Glitter Brush: a Photoshop Elements Tutorial

Are you ready for some sparkle and shine in the New Year?
Shine up your world with this DIY Photoshop Elements Glitter Brush!

You get to turn the pages of a new 365 page book and fill it with awesome new choices!

It’s like looking through just-cleaned windows and seeing sunshine sparkling off raindrops that just polished the world.  Yes, we got rain on New Year’s Day, and today looks just like that!  (Only my windows aren’t cleaned, because I love the look of Glittle’s hand-prints on my windows.  They just left after their Christmas visit, so I’ll wait a week or so to wash them off.  I’m kind of weird that way.)

So with all the thoughts of sparkle and glitter and new

I thought I’d dive into Photoshop Elements and create a new how-to.

Want to go along?

It’s not even hard when you do it the beginner way.  Which is my way.

Photoshop Elements lessons to try:

If you’re new to Photoshop Elements you may want to follow these lessons first.

Top 10 Keys to Photoshop Elements, Part 1
Top 10 Keys to Photoshop Elements: Tutorial Part 2
Paint Brushes: A Beginner’s Photoshop Elements Tutorial
DIY Graphics: A Beginner’s PhotoShop Tutorial
Vintage Easter Tag Tutorial Using Photoshop and Cricut

How to create a Glitter Brush on PsElements

Open PsElements and create a 2″ x 2″ new blank file, with 300 pixels per inch.

1. Create a new layer.
2. Pick a size 40 hard round brush.
3. Paint color is black.
4. Scatter about 5 black dots on the new layer.
5. Change the brush size to 30 and the color to a gray.
6. Scatter 5 or 6 of these dots on the same layer.
7. Go to Edit, click on Define Brush and a box pops up to name your brush. I called mine glitter brush!
8. When you move your glitter brush around on the design screen, you’ll see these dots moving around like a brush. It’s that easy.

Refine the Glitter Brush

Using the brush as is would be perfectly okay.  There are a few steps you can take to make it more realistic and do magic things like scatter the dots and jitter the hues.

1. You can see a sample of your new brush beside the word Brush:  Now we’ll change that view.
2. Open Brush Settings.
3. Toggle Hue Jitter to 10%.
4. Another toggle with Scatter to 10% (These numbers can be played with later if you wish.)
5. Toggle Roundness to about 95%, because falling glitter would appear oblong.
6. The sample brush view will now look more like what you see in the screen shot.

Paint with your new Glitter Brush

Now the fun begins.  You can stay with the 2″ square, or you can open a new file with a bigger design space.  I used the 2″ square, then copied it to the design I’ll show you later.

1. Create a new layer, and hide the black/gray dot layer.
2. Pick Color.  I used C091000 (gold) for my darkest dot, then randomly picked a lighter gold hue for the second color.
3. Place the brush size at around 300.
4. Play around.  Paint, erase, paint, erase, until you get a look you like.
5. To create more depth to your end design, create a new layer.
6. Pick two more gold Colors.
7. Paint more glitter.
8. Add layers or colors or glitter until you like your design.
9. Flatten the layers, select the design and copy.
10. Paste into a new design, such as this one:

Dandelion Dreams Planner Calendar

This is the planner I made for this year.  I don’t do very detailed planning.  I mostly make suggestions to myself, or “purpose” to do things.  Because in my life, I have to be very flexible.

Very few days follow my plans, because

I have glittles whom I love dearly and see as often as their mommy and daddy bring them.

And I have a daughter on the spectrum who needs me more at some times than others.

We have a church family whom I love, and when someone has a need, I like to help.

I have a group of close friends, and our events can often be penciled in.  But not always.  One of my friends is selling house and moving, and I don’t know the dates she’ll need me to help pack/clean/say goodbye.  🙁

So, this works for me.

With your new glitter brush, you can glitter and sparkle your way to your own planner, or

you can download this one if you like it.  The download form for all 12 months is below.

You can find more planner downloads here.

Enjoy your Glitter Brush to add sparkle and shine to every day of your New Year!