Creating a scatter brush


    You use artwork from an illustration to define the scatter brush.You can change the size, spacing, scatter pattern, and rotation of objects painted on a path with scatter brushes.

    Tip iconFor better performance when creating a brush from art that contains multiple overlapping paths filled with the same color and with no stroke, use the Add filter in the Pathfinder palette before you create the brush.

To create a scatter brush:

  1. Select the artwork to be used as a scatter brush.
  2. Click the New Brush button New Brush button in the Brushes palette, or choose New Brush from the palette menu. Select New Scatter Brush and click OK.
  3. In the Name text box, enter a name for the brush (up to 30 characters).
  4. Enter a value in each leftmost text box for the brush's size, spacing, scattering, and angle of rotation:
    • Size controls the size of the objects.
    • Spacing controls the amount of space between objects.
    • Scatter controls how closely objects follow the path independently on each side of the path. The higher the value, the farther the objects are from the path.
    • Rotation controls the angle of rotation of the objects.
  5. From each pop-up menu, choose the way in which you want to control variations in the size, spacing, scattering, and rotation:
    • Fixed to use the value in the associated text box. For example, when the Scatter value is 50%, Fixed always uses 50% to scatter objects along the path.
    • Random to use a random value. When you choose Random, you also need to enter a value in the rightmost text box to specify the range by which the brush characteristic can vary. For each stroke, Random uses any value between the Minimum and the Maximum value. For example, when the Minimum value is 50% and the Maximum value is 100% for Size, the objects' sizes can be 50%, or 100%, or any size in between.
    • Pressure (available only if you use the brush with a graphics tablet) to use a value determined by the pressure of your stylus. When you choose Pressure, you also need to enter a value in the rightmost text box, or use the Maximum slider. Pressure uses the Minimum value for the lightest tablet pressure and the Maximum value for the heaviest pressure. The heavier the stroke, the larger the objects.

    Note: To keep the same range of values between the two sliders, Shift-drag the sliders. To move the sliders an equal value apart or together, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) them.

  6. Choose an orientation from the Rotation Relative To pop-up menu:
    • Page to set the angle of rotation of scattered objects relative to the page. For example, at 0° of rotation, objects point to the top of the page.
    • Path to set the angle of rotation of scattered objects relative to the path. For example, at 0° of rotation, objects are tangent to the path.
  7. Choose a method of colorization from the Method pop-up menu. (See Choosing a colorization method.)
  8. Click OK.