Using brush libraries


    Illustrator comes with a wide variety of preset brushes. These are organized in collections called brush libraries. You can open multiple brush libraries to browse through their contents and select brushes. You can also create new brush libraries.

    When you open a brush library, it appears in a new palette. You select, sort, and view brushes in a brush library the same as you do in the Brushes palette. (See Using the Brushes palette.)

    Displaying brush libraries

    Do any of the following:

    • Choose Window > Brush Libraries, and choose a library from the submenu.
    • Choose Open Brush Library from the Brushes palette menu, and choose a library from the submenu.
    • Choose Other Library from the submenu to import brushes from another document or to locate a library not stored in the default folder.
    • To automatically open a brush library when you start Illustrator, choose Persistent from the brush library's palette menu.

    Adding preset brushes to the Brushes palette

    To add a single brush, select it in a brush library. To add multiple brushes, select them in a brush library. Then drag the brushes to the Brushes palette or choose Add To Brushes from the brush library's palette menu.

    Creating new brush libraries

    Add the brushes you want to the Brushes palette, and delete any brushes you don't want. (See Using the Brushes palette and Creating and editing brushes.) Then choose Save Brush Library from the Brushes palette menu.

    You can save the library anywhere. If you place the library file in the Presets/Brushes folder inside the Illustrator application folder, the library name will appear in the Brush Libraries submenu and the Open Brush Library submenu when you restart Illustrator.