Mastering Custom Brushes in Adobe Fresco: Create Your Unique Tool Today!
Victoria Pavlov
19 Nov, 2024
Adobe Fresco comes with an incredible collection of brushes right out of the box. Plus, you can expand your toolkit by downloading brushes from Adobe’s website or even importing your favorite Photoshop brushes into Fresco.
But let’s be honest—sometimes, as artists, we’re looking for that one perfect brush to bring our vision to life (I know the struggle—I’m one of those artists!). So, can you create a custom brush in Adobe Fresco? Absolutely, and I’m here to show you how.
Here is the image I painted in Adobe Fresco just a few days ago.
For my custom brush, I’ll merge all layers except for the shadow layers beneath the fruit. I’ll bring the size of the fruit down.
From the Basic library (Pixel Brushes), select the Hard Round brush
Increase the size of the brush and select the Eyedropper tool. Tap on the Multicolor icon to enable it. Hover the Eyedropper tool over the fruit, and just like that, you’ve created a new brush!
Now, let’s customize the brush! Open the Brush Settings and adjust the options to suit your preferences. Below, you can see how I’ve customized the brush settings for my specific needs.
Time to save your new brush! To do this, tap on the three dots next to the brush name and select Save a New Brush.
Give your new brush a meaningful name that reflects its purpose or style.
Specify whether you want the brush to include the color or not. Finally, choose the library where you want your new brush to be saved.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a new brush in Adobe Fresco!
Art Community
Victoria Pavlov
18 Nov, 2024
Hello, everyone!
This blog post is a bit different from my usual ones. As this year comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on the many conversations I’ve had with so many of you. With that in mind, I’ve decided to make a few changes to how I approach social media.
While I truly enjoy social media, I value meaningful interactions over fleeting engagements. My goal is to connect with people who genuinely want to engage in conversations—not just because my posts happen to pop up in their feeds during a quick scroll.
I want to build a community rooted in our shared passions for art, photography, design, and the exciting possibilities of AI. After thinking long and hard about where to focus, I’ve chosen Instagram as the platform to bring us together.
If you’re not already following me on Instagram, now’s the perfect time! Follow me, send me a message there, and as a thank-you, I’ll share a free download of holiday-themed Adobe Fresco sketches and some of my custom adjustments for Photoshop.But that’s not all—each month, I’ll be offering exclusive free downloads for my Instagram followers. Together, we can create a unique and inspiring art community where creativity thrives.
Let’s connect, collaborate, and build something extraordinary on Instagram!
Unlocking Creativity: How Technology Helps Everyone Bring Their Artistic Vision to Life
Victoria Pavlov
28 Oct, 2024
Digital imaging is my profession, and I use every available tool in my workflows, including AI. I love working with AI tools and can’t imagine my professional life without them. But I’ve always been curious to hear from people who don’t work with digital imaging or visual tools daily—people who can’t paint or have tried many times and, feeling dissatisfied with the results, put their dream of expressing themselves through visual art on hold.
So, I sat down with a professional musician and introduced her to Adobe Firefly. She experimented with different prompts, styles, and more to bring her vision to life. After over an hour with Firefly, I asked her a few questions. Below, you can read the questions I posed and her responses.
Q: What drew you to explore AI for creating visual art, especially as someone who’s always focused on music? A: I have always wanted to paint.
Q: Can you share a bit about your previous experiences trying to create visual art? What challenges did you face that made it difficult? A: I struggle with painting using traditional tools like paints and pencils.
Q: How has using AI changed your ability to express yourself visually? Has it opened up new ways to tell your story? A:AI helps me bring my dreams to life.
Q: What do you feel when you see your AI-generated artwork? Does it evoke similar emotions to what you experience with music? A:It inspires me, especially when combined with music.
Q: In what ways has AI allowed you to overcome some of the struggles you faced with traditional visual art? A: It doesn’t require the professional skills that traditional artists have.
Q: Do you feel that AI “understands” you in a creative way, or does it feel more like a tool that you guide? A:AI understands me, but I can also control it and adjust many things.
Q: How has creating visual art through AI helped you cope with the difficulties you’re facing now? A:It creates a creative atmosphere for me and amplifies my positive emotions.
Q: What role does AI play in your life now that you can create visual art? Has it impacted your relationship with music? A: AI helped me create artwork for interior spaces. I want to hold an exhibition of my paintings where I can play piano music surrounded by my artwork.
Q: What are your thoughts on the intersection of AI and creativity? Do you think AI can truly be creative? A:Maybe, but live art is priceless.
Q: If you could share one piece of advice with other musicians or artists interested in using AI to create art, what would it be? A: Try everything new; it will certainly expand your potential as a person, artist, and experimenter.
The responses were exactly as I’d hoped, highlighting how AI tools can bring the joy of making the world more vibrant and colorful to everyone. I was thrilled to hear that she dreams of holding an exhibition, playing music while surrounded by the artworks she created with Adobe Firefly.
Conclusion: We’re living in an extraordinary time, with countless tools at our fingertips to bring our emotions and visions to life. While not all of us work in visual imaging professionally, we all have a desire to express ourselves and our emotions through art. Now, with tools like AI, that possibility is open to everyone. So make your voice heard, tell your story, and paint the world with beautiful splashes of color—using any tools you have, including AI.
We’re celebrating five incredible years of Adobe Fresco, the ultimate drawing app! I’ve been using Fresco since day one, and from that moment on, it has become an essential part of my daily creative workflow. Fresco allows me to bring my imagination to life, tell my story, and make my artistic voice heard. With its combination of powerful tools, a beautifully designed interface, a vast collection of brushes, and animation features, creating art has never been easier.
Whether you’re a hobbyist, professional artist, or just starting your journey in digital painting, you’ll find your favorite tools in Fresco and be impressed by how effortlessly it brings your ideas to life—from simple sketches to complex projects. Did you know Fresco offers vector brushes, live brushes, and yes—vector brushes! It’s true! Fresco is designed for everyone.
One of my personal joys is watching the perfect blending of watercolor in Fresco. It’s like magic! And yes, you can create vector art using freehand drawing. Oil painting? You can do that too! If you have your own custom brushes, you can even import them into Fresco seamlessly.
As both an artist and educator, I use Fresco daily in my professional and personal projects. I’ve had the privilege of teaching Fresco since its release to audiences of all ages and skill levels—professionals, beginners, art teachers, and more. Every time I hear a “WOW” from the audience, it reminds me of how extraordinary this tool is. That “WOW” never gets old because, as an artist and educator, my mission is to bring art into every household—and Fresco is the perfect platform to do just that.
One of the best features? You can create from anywhere. You no longer have to wait until you’re back at your desk. With Fresco, your creativity is mobile, allowing you to turn your imagination into reality anytime, anywhere.
And now, here’s the exciting news: starting yesterday, Adobe Fresco is completely FREE for everyone, including premium features! So whether you’re a seasoned artist or just beginning your creative journey, download Fresco now and bring splashes of color to life wherever you are!
Empowering Creativity: Blending Art and Technology with Adobe Fresco
Victoria Pavlov
19 Sep, 2024
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that digital painting is at the heart of digital imaging for me. Like any other form of art, painting is an expression of our passions, emotions, and a way of communicating with the world around us. While not everyone makes art a part of their daily work, and not everyone can create art effortlessly, I believe that each of us is born with a deep hunger for creativity.
Art—whether traditional or digital—should be accessible to everyone. I believe with all my heart that anyone can create art, express themselves through it, and connect with the world and their community. Art doesn’t need to be perfect. There is only one true rule in art: be who you are, create how you feel, share your emotions, and tell your story.
With that said, I believe—and I know—that all children have a natural desire to create. Whether it’s painting, working with clay, coloring in books, singing, or dancing, kids have an innate urge to express themselves artistically. Today, we live in a time where technology plays a huge role in children’s lives, and to be honest, they love using it!
We can harness technology as a tool to help children express themselves creatively. Adobe Fresco is a fantastic way to blend the love for technology with the joy of art. With Adobe Fresco on an iPad, children can paint their magical worlds, color in pages, and improve their lettering skills. They can unleash their creativity from anywhere, at any time! Kids can even create their own stickers in Adobe Fresco, print them, and proudly share them with friends and family.
Families can also spend valuable time together making special pieces of art that will hang on their walls for generations to come. Through art and technology, we can help children tell their stories and make lasting memories.
Art is not just about what we create—it’s about the stories we tell, the emotions we express, and the connections we build. Whether through traditional mediums or the latest digital tools like Adobe Fresco, creativity has no limits. Let’s continue to nurture the natural artistic instincts within our children and ourselves, embracing both the joy of making and the possibilities technology offers. In doing so, we ensure that the magic of art, in all its forms, continues to inspire and connect us across generations.
Adobe Express Templates
Victoria Pavlov
11 Jun, 2024
Many of you have contacted me asking if I can share the templates I use in Adobe Express. First of all, thank you for all the questions you sent my way. You, guys, are the best! So, instead of responding individually, I have decided to share my templates for the month of June here. I hope you find them useful (feel free to use them as they are or remix them). If you do, please share your creations with me on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Threads.
Five Real-World Examples of How Adobe Generative Fill Can Benefit Photographers
Victoria Pavlov
16 May, 2024
1: Generative Expand
As photographers, we strive to tell stories through our photographs. Often, this involves drawing the viewer’s attention to a specific part of the image, which may require cropping the image very tightly. But what if, after the photo session is done, we wish that a particular image hadn’t been cropped so much in camera? Yes, we could set up another photo session (if possible) or ‘fix’ the image in Photoshop (where, as we all know, nothing is impossible). However, both options require a significant amount of time, and honestly, we never have enough of it. This is where Generative Expand comes to the rescue, solving the problem in no time.
Use the ‘Crop tool’ to expand the image the you want it to be expanded. In the Options bar, select ‘Generative Expand’ and click OK. Generative Expand will extend the image to the specified size and generate three different results. Choose the one you like the most
2: Generative Fiil
Sometimes, we need to add an ‘extra detail’ to a photo to enhance the story. Often, this ‘little extra touch’ is not easy to incorporate. Why? Because we might have taken the photo at a location while traveling, or the ‘extra touch’ we want to add does not exist in real life. By using Generative Fill in Photoshop, we can generate that ‘extra touch’ and help the photo better convey our story.
Select the part of the image where you want to add an element to. You can use any selection tool you want. In the Contextual Task Bar, type your prompt in the text area and click on “Generate”. Generative Fill will generate three different results. Choose the one you like the most.
3: Structure Reference (Photoshop Beta)
We all encounter situations where we want to change an outfit in a photo for many reasons:
My client did not like the outfit they were wearing during our photo session and asked me if I could change the outfit in post-production. Alternatively, my client did not have that one ‘dream outfit’ but really wanted to wear it in a photo
And a few extra
I didn’t like the outfit I wore in the photo.
I want to try a different style to decide on my next wardrobe change.
I’m making party invitations and want to add a funny outfit to my pets.
I’m working in the modeling industry and want to show my new wardrobe collection sketches on a person.
Select the part of the image you want to exchange. In the Contextual Task Bar, type your prompt in the text area, click on ‘Reference Image,’ and use the image you want as a reference. Click on ‘Generate,’ and that’s all you need to do!
4: Adding custom details to the advertising campaign.
Working in the advertising industry is both exciting and stressful. Using Generative Fill could help us elevate the excitement to a higher level and reduce stress.
Let’s add some flowers to the skincare campaign I photographed. After the photo session was completed, my client asked if I could add some flowers to it. Now, with Generative Fill, I can do it quickly.
Select the part(s) of the image where you want to add flowers. In the Contextual Task Bar, type the prompt and click “Generate.”
5: Creating a new background
Yes, we’ve all needed at some point to add or exchange a background of a photo. And yes, we could do it in Photoshop long before Generative Fill. But it’s the 21st century, and we can do our job faster and be more creative with Generative Fill.
Select the subject. In the Contextual Task Bar, click on ‘Invert’ to select the background. Type your prompt and click on ‘Generate.’
Photoshop is the app for everyone who loves working with digital imaging, whether professionally or as a hobby. The best part of Photoshop is that it provides multiple ways to accomplish tasks, allowing us to choose our own preferred method. With the introduction of Generative Fill, Photoshop has given us yet another tool to make our workflows more productive, faster, and more enjoyable.
I started working with Photoshop from version 1.0 and Generative Fill has definitely brought my workflow to another level, and I really enjoy working with it.
Paint By Numbers
Victoria Pavlov
12 Apr, 2024
It’s a sunny early spring day outside the window: green grass, blue sky, and the promise of fresh fruits bring a sense of joy. What better way to capture this springtime spirit than by creating a vibrant still life?
I’ve put together a delightful still life featuring one of my all-time favorite fruits – the apple (who can resist its charm?). And here’s the best part – it’s a paint-by-numbers kit! Now, why did I choose paint- by-numbers for this project?
Paint-by-numbers art is wonderfully positive because it’s easy, and anyone can do it. You follow the numbers and colors provided, turning painting into a relaxing and enjoyable experience. It helps you focus and be present with each stroke, creating a sense of accomplishment when you see your finished masterpiece. Whether you’re new to art or a pro, paint-by-numbers welcomes everyone to join in the fun. It’s a great way to feel inspired, relax your mind, and share the joy of creativity with others.
Download the sketch from my Patreon and use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to enjoy! You can also use it for traditional painting with your favorite medium.
Please don’t forget to share your finished art with me On IG or X
Adobe’s NEW Structure Reference
Victoria Pavlov
4 Apr, 2024
Use Adobe’s NEW Structure Reference to realize your vision with Firefly.
I will start this blog post differently from my usual. Before we dive deep into a new Structure Reference feature, I would like to share a story.
For more than a few decades, many people have told me that they want to express their feelings through art, but they can’t paint. They’ve tried, but they feel like they can’t. They don’t necessarily want to paint professionally; they just want to express themselves and bring their art to life. These individuals feel a sense of emptiness because of this inability.
Recently, someone very close to me experienced profound grief due to the loss of several family members. It was a frightening time as we tried to help her find solid ground and begin to heal as much as possible, given the circumstances. One of the things that brought a smile to her face was pencils and paper. However, she became disheartened because she tried to express her inner feelings through painting, but she couldn’t quite capture them. So, I introduced her to Adobe Firefly and she loved it so much. Every morning, I would send her images I generated in Adobe Firefly to brighten her day. Now, with the help of Adobe Firefly, she can and will express her feelings through art.
The point I am trying to convey is this: we all have a desire to express ourselves through art. But not all of us can paint. Feeling like we can’t express ourselves in the way we desire sometimes leads us to stop trying. I always say that art is for everyone. Art should not be judged by its technical correctness or the medium we use. It is a universal language through which we can communicate with each other. Art makes the world better and brighter.
Now, with immense excitement, I’m thrilled to introduce you to the remarkable new feature in Adobe Firefly – Structure Reference. This innovative addition assists you in guiding Firefly on the structure of the generative image it creates based on your prompt. Allow me to demonstrate how you can utilize it.
1: Type the prompt you want Firefly to use summer day, countryside, beautiful, oil painting
2: Click on “Upload Image” in the Structure Reference panel.
3: Select the image you want to use as a reference image. It could be a few brush strokes, a simple sketch with a few lines, or a more complex image.
Firefly will check the image for Content Credentials
4: Now, with the reference image uploaded, you can slide the “strength” slider all the way to the right. This slider indicates how closely Firefly will adhere to the structure of the reference image. A higher number instructs Firefly to follow the structure of the reference image more closely.
5: Now, click on “Generate” and get ready to witness the magic.
Tip: Choose a style from the “Style” reference library or use your own style reference to enhance the image. Once you’ve selected the style, click on “Generate” again to create a series of four images with the specified style applied.
I hope you’ll create stunning images using Adobe’s NEW Structure Reference feature, whether you use your own reference image or mine. If you do, please share the results with me on IG or X, and let’s keep the conversation going.
Apple Vision Pro: what I love and what I don't
Victoria Pavlov
7 Feb, 2024
I decided to pre-order the Apple Vision Pro when Apple introduced it. I love working with technology, and as a big fan of Apple, I decided to try it. Was I sure I would love the Vision Pro or be willing to use it and integrate it into my work and daily workflow? No, I wasn’t sure. In this blog post, I will share with you what I like, what I love, what I don’t like, or what I wish to have in the Apple Vision Pro.
Note: As with any great technology, we will see some individuals misusing the Apple Vision Pro. This blog post is not for those people but for those who intend to use any technology properly.
Design: Apple Vision Pro’s design did not disappoint. Once again, Apple has masterfully combined elegance, beauty, and spatial computing. Featuring a curved 3D laminated glass display on the front, an aluminum frame on the sides, and a flexible cushion along the side, plus a removable (and adjustable) headband, the Vision Pro looks elegant. It’s also easy to put on/off and adjustable for comfort. You switch between the single loop band and the optional dual loop band, which Apple included in the package.
Specifications: Multiple sensors, microphones, and cameras make the entire experience seamless and will make you say “WOW” so many times (believe me, while you’re using the Apple Vision Pro, you WILL say “WOW” more than once). When you put on the Apple Vision Pro, you will blend your digital world with the physical one. You communicate with the digital world using your eyes, hand gestures, and voice. Yes, spatial computing has arrived. You select anything simply by looking at it, and your hand becomes your ‘mouse click.’ Combining your eyes, hands, and voice makes everything seamless and makes you feel like you are in the future.
Apps: As of today, the Apple Vision Pro has 600 native apps designed specifically for it, along with an impressive number of apps compatible for use with the Vision Pro. Six hundred native apps might not sound like a lot, but it’s just the beginning, and I am sure we will have more than ‘enough’ Vision Pro apps. For me, it’s important to combine work and have ‘mental relaxation time’ in my daily routine. The Apple Vision Pro makes it easier for me: I use scenery from the environment as my digital workspace, and I display my ‘workspace.’
I love taking breaks to meditate with one of my favorite Apple Fitness coaches, Christian.
The beautiful scenery, sound, and digital workspace make my work more enjoyable and less stressful and give me a positive mental boost. You can open multiple windows and display them all around you. You can make each of them bigger, smaller, closer, or farther away. You can customize your space in a way you like and feel comfortable.
If you know me, you know that the first thing I did was download Adobe apps. As of today, I have downloaded Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Fresco, Adobe Behance, and Adobe Firefly (Adobe Firefly is a native Vison Pro App).
Did I enjoy using these apps with the Vision Pro? Yes, I LOVED using Firefly, Behance, and Lightroom on the Vision Pro. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I also liked using Adobe Fresco, but it’s a bit challenging for now (maybe it’s because Fresco is not a native app for Vision Pro, it’s the iPad version) if you want to use brushes. Working with shapes and colors is easy and enjoyable.
I downloaded a few more apps (Sky Guide, Illustrated, Disney+, and more), and I enjoyed every second of using them.
Now let’s summarize:
Design and Confort: I LOVE everything about the design. It’s an incredible piece of technology with a beautiful and elegant style. Vision Pro is a little heavy (not exceptionally so), but it is noticeable. Does it make it difficult or painful to wear? No, it doesn’t. As mentioned above, you can change the straps to adjust the comfort of wearing the Vision Pro. If you wear glasses, submit your VALID glasses prescription to Apple during the ordering process so that ZEISS can make ‘Optical Inserts’ for your Vision Pro. You can upload the prescription at the same time you are placing your Vision Pro order.
The Apple Vision Pro works best in an environment with some light. If you are in a dark room without any light, the cameras in the Vision Pro may have trouble seeing your hands. In such cases, the Vision Pro will suggest bringing more light into your physical space.
Productivity: I am incredibly impressed and wowed by all that I can do (as of today) with the Vision Pro. It’s easy and enjoyable to navigate. The Apple ecosystem makes everything seamless. The ability to blend physical and digital spaces brings your entire experience to a completely different level and makes you say ‘WOW’ so many times. All sensors, cameras, and microphones support your effortless navigation using only your eyes, hands, and voice, and this makes you say, “Yes, the era of spatial computing is here!”
You can connect your wireless Bluetooth keyboard if you prefer a physical keyboard instead of the Vision Pro’s digital keyboard (which I love).
If you prefer the ‘physical touch,’ you can connect an Apple Magic Trackpad via Bluetooth. You can connect AirPods or Beats headphones to Vison Pro as well. If you love games, you can connect controllers (MFi, Xbox, PlayStation, or any controller that works with iPadOS).
I can extend my MacBook screen by connecting it to the Vision Pro. Now, I can be anywhere without the limitation of my MacBook’s screen size. I can make my screen bigger or smaller and completely redesign my digital space in a way I like.
Note: Because I am a digital artist, I received a lot of ‘advice’ to connect a drawing tablet to the Vision Pro to paint instead of using my eyes, hands, and voice. Here is my response to it: I am not planning to connect any tablet or anything else, except maybe a Magic Trackpad or keyboard (as of today), to my Vision Pro. Why?
1:I don’t feel the necessity of doing it.
2:I didn’t buy spatial computing technology to convert it into something else. I want to enjoy the wonderful spatial computing feature of the Apple Vision Pro.
3:If I want to paint (digitally), I will use my Mac Studio or MacBook Pro with a tablet connected to it.
Face Time: Vision Pro will scan your face (easy-to-follow instructions will be provided) to create your ‘Persona.’ When you use FaceTime, people will see your 3D persona. The persona will mimic all your facial expressions along with physical gestures. P.S. It’s a great feature (beta for now), but there’s room for improvement.
Apps: I would love to have more scenery in the ‘environment’ section. When purchasing apps, I would greatly appreciate it if Apple did not require my password every single time (currently, Apple gives you the choice not to require a password for free downloads). When you put on the Vision Pro, Apple uses Optic ID, which provides secure authentication that utilizes the uniqueness of your iris. So why does Apple require an Apple ID password whenever I try to purchase something?
3D part of the Vision Pro: It’s out of this world. It’s simply exceptional. I can talk about it for a long time how great it is but I will stop here.
Price: It’s not cheap. But as always, quality comes with the price. It starts at $3,500.
Should you buy it: It’s your personal decision to make. It’s a professional piece of technology that is not cheap. You need to ask yourself: ‘Will I use it every day, once a week, or once a month?’ You know if your answer is ‘every day’ or ‘every other day’ and you can afford the price. The Vision Pro is not about 3D, movies, games, or any other specific feature. It’s all combined together, making it the best piece of technology (as of today).
Am I happy with my decision to purchase the Vision Pro? Yes, I absolutely am.
I’ve worked with technology for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never experienced anything like this. You can call me ‘overly sensitive,’ but when a butterfly landed on my finger (while using the “Encounter Dinosaurs” app), my heart skipped a beat. I had NEVER experienced anything like that before. I finally understood the meaning of a ‘magical moment,’ and I experienced it.
And this is only the beginning of spatial computing, and I can’t wait to see what is coming next!
