Newbie Needs Advice On Installing Brushes, Etc. In Pse

[chattycat89]

Hi everyone, I've finally (FINALLY!) taken a PSE class & watched two different Scrap Girls tutorial video sets that I bought a few years ago and I am having fun learning to play with about 4 years worth of freebies that I've collected plus all the one's I've bought this summer (a lot!) However, when unzipping folders & organizing my supplies over the years, I always just put the brush (ABR) files, styles, patterns, actions & all the other types that need to be installed in PSE, all in the same folders as the PNG files that usually come with them because I didn't know what else to do with them at the time. I'm looking for advice then on how/when would be best to actually install the many (many) files that need installed? I've not even tried it yet so I'm wondering if it's something best done one at a time, as I want to use them or is it easy enough that I can sit down, go through all my folders & just start installing them a few at a time, until I am all caught up? Thanks for any suggestions!

[AnnBK]

What version of PSE are you using? The installation process is different for each one. And welcome to Scrap Girls!

[Belle]

I have PSE11. I don't install my brushes. Instead I have a folder on my desktop with the png's as well as the brush file. Often I can't remember what the brush can do by just the name. I also have them sorted into sub folders: eg. Dyn Brushes, Words, Decorative, Edges and masks etc, and so on. It just makes something easier to find. With PSE11 I just drag the brush onto my work space and it appears under the Default Brushes. It does not save them there and once you have closed and reopened PSE you will have to do it again. I prefer this way. The ones I use a lot like Syndee's Water colors and the stitches I have saved to my brushes.

[MariJ]

Hi and welcome to ScrapGirls!
Ann is right, we need to know what version of software you are working in and if you use a PC or Mac before any installing advice!

I used to install all my brushes, but now do more as Belle said and file them in their folder with the png files and then if I want to use them, I just import. However, brushes that I use a lot I do import into PSE so they are there.

 

Do you have the free ebook available in the Boutique? It's invaluable for installation instructions and other things.

Good luck and let us know!

 

ScrapSimple Handbook

[chattycat89]

Thanks for the replies. I have PSE 8 and yes, I have the Scrapgirls Handbook and the Scrapgirls video tutorials Photoshop Elements Secrets and the one that followed it, More Secrets. I've also printed all the instructions for how to install them & I'm sure I'll get that figured out okay, but because I have SO many to install (because I didn't know how/what to do with them at the time I was unzipping them) I just wasn't sure if I should sit down for a couple weeks (like I did this summer to unzip about 2 years worth of downloads) and do it all at once or just as I came across them. I do have all my supplies organized like Ro suggested in the ebook or video (can't remember which) so my backgrounds are broken down into subfolders by color, embellishment by category (flowers, fasteners, words, etc.) and so on. (Brushes, styles, actions, etc. are currently filed with their PNG's so that I, too, would know what they heck they were. Haha!) It sounds like a few of you just leave the brushes in your subfolders which sounds like it would work for me and I love the idea of just dragging them into PSE 11. Not sure if PSE 8 will let me do that (probably not, I suppose) but now I'm thinking that for that reason alone, it might be worth upgrading to version 11 BEFORE I get used to 8 (which like I said, I bought almost 4 years ago but only recently committed to really learning! LOL!)

 

Thanks again scrappers!

[jhbren]

 

You seem to have received good advice.

Two thoughts:

I save the marketing image for a brush (actually, for all products) at the top of the folder so I can easily click on it to remind me what the brush, etc. looks like. Sometimes the images come with the download file; sometimes I copy them from the boutique when I purchase them.

 

I use PSE10. I don't install brushes, nor do I drag them onto a page - don't know how that works for a brush. I so load them as needed, using the drop down choices. Once I've used them, and returned to default brushes, they disappear until the next time I need them.

 

Hope this helps!

[teecee]

I've copied and pasted some info below from an older post about brushes that may be helpful to you. The instructions below are for PSE 11, but except for the path, the instructions should be the same.

The path you need for PSE 8 should be (C:)>Program Files>Adobe>Photoshop Elements 8>Presets>Brushes

 

To install brushes (.abr) files: With PSE 11 closed, Go to where you have your .abr files on your computer, right click on the .abr file you want to install, and choose Copy
(If you want to install more than one at a time, hover over each icon, click in the little box at the top left of the icon to highlight/select it, then repeat for the other one(s) you want to install. Don't click anyplace else or you will de-select the one(s) you have already highlighted. With the ones you have chosen to install highlighted, right click on one of them and choose Copy.)
Next, go to (C:)>Program Files(x86)>Adobe>Photoshop Elements 11>Presets>Brushes. Right click in the window and choose Paste. Now when you open PSE 11, the files should be there and ready to use.

One other thing you may want to remember is you can also Load a brush if you only want to use it temporarily. If you load a brush, it will only stay in the brushes palette temporarily. If you install a brush into the presets folder it will stay in the brushes palette.
To load a brush, click on the brush preset picker and click on the little icon at the top right (a tiny down arrow next to 4 tiny lines) to open a flyout menu. Choose Load Brushes. Navigate to the .abr file you want, select it and click Load

I normally only install the the ones I know I'm going to use quite often and I also install dynamic brushes. I usually just load other brushes as I need them or sometimes even use the png files.

 

Keep in mind, there is a difference between loading and installing the files. When you load the brush, it will only be available under the brush menu temporarily. If you want the brush to remain permanently in the brush menu, you need to install the .abr file.

 

HTH

[chattycat89]

Thanks girls. The explanation of the difference between loading & installing is definitely helpful & I think I'll follow the general consensus to only install the one's I'll use most often & temporarily load the others as I need them.

 

You've all been very helpful...glad I asked!

 

CK

[Smiles]

I install my dynamic brushes, but leave the others in their files. I'm more likely to use the png files, anyway. But that's just how my brain works. Just figure out how you would look for them, and set your files up that way. For instance, I have all my Scrap Simple 4x6 items in one folder.