Modifying existing brushes


    You can modify existing brushes. When you change the options of a brush, you can apply the changes to brush strokes already drawn in the artwork with the brush, or apply the changes to new strokes only. You can also change the brush stroke options of a selected object without affecting other objects in the artwork and without changing the brush's attributes.

To modify an existing brush:

  1. Double-click the brush in the Brushes palette, or select the brush and choose Brush Options from the palette menu.
  2. In the Brush Options dialog box, change the desired options and click OK.
  3. For more information on specific options, see Creating a calligraphic brush, Creating a scatter brush, Creating an art brush, Creating a pattern brush, or Choosing a colorization method.

  4. If the current document contains brushed paths that use the modified brush, a message appears:
    • Click Apply To Strokes to change pre-existing strokes. (The modified brush will be applied to new strokes as well.)
    • Click Leave Strokes to leave pre-existing strokes unchanged, and apply the modified brush to new strokes only.

To change options of a selected path without changing the brush attributes for all objects:

  1. Select a brushed path.
  2. Choose Options of Selected Object from the Brushes palette menu, or click the Options of Selected Object button Options of Selected Object button in the palette.
  3. Change the options, and click OK. The new options are applied only to the selected path. Any other objects in the artwork that were painted with the brush retain the original brush attributes. Attributes of the brush are not affected; the next time you use the brush, it uses the original attributes.
  4. Note: To reset changed objects to the original brush options, select the objects, apply a different brush to them, and then reapply the original brush.

To modify scatter, art, and pattern brushes by dragging into your artwork:

  1. Select a scatter, art, or pattern brush from the Brushes palette.
  2. Drag the brush into your artwork, and make the changes you want.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • To create a new brush, drag the modified brush into the Brushes palette.
    • To redefine the existing brush, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the modified brush into the Brushes palette.