Are you new to Adobe Photoshop? The program is huge, and powerful but often scary to new users. Knowing how to create your own brushes is a handy trick; it helps you to personalize your images and other creations.

Photoshop brushes are easy to create, and if you save your new brush, you can use it in many of your projects.

1. Why Create Your Own Photoshop Brushes?

The primary reason to save something as a Photoshop brush is so that you can use the item again at a click.

The item you want to reuse could be as simple as a digital signature, or a watermark which you want to add to your images before you post them online, so that you display ownership.

Perhaps you're creating a website design, and want to create a brush from a business's stylized logo. You can use your new brush in the site design to add coherence.

You'll find lots of uses for your own brushes if you're a hobbyist. Whether you just want to add some pizazz and flair to your images, or create a complete design for stationery or a photo album.

If you're into scrapbooking, creating your own brushes lets you create outstanding original designs which will give you great pleasure and will draw lots of compliments.

2. Create a New Brush in Minutes

You can create new brushes from scratch, or you can create them from images you've already designed. (If you're using others' images, be sure that you have the rights to do this.)

To create a brush, create a new document, and create the image you want to use as a brush. Your image must be in black, on a white background.

Drag a marquee selection around the image, and choose Define Brush Preset from the Edit menu. Type a name for your new brush, and you're done. Now check your brushes palette -- your new brush will appear at the end.