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Hot take: I stopped using custom brushes for everything and my work got better
Everyone in my local art group swears by downloading hundreds of custom brushes to get a 'unique' style. I spent maybe $50 on brush packs over a year, but my art just looked messy and inconsistent. About 3 months ago, I forced myself to use only the basic round and flat brushes in Clip Studio Paint for a whole project. It made me focus on actual shapes and values instead of hiding behind texture. The final piece was way cleaner and I finished it in half the time. Has anyone else gone back to basics and been surprised by the results?
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aaron_perry1mo ago
Honestly, I used to think more brushes meant better art too.
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willowg881mo ago
Completely agree with your hot take. I went through the same phase of collecting brushes hoping for a magic fix. It just made my workflow cluttered and my art look overworked. Limiting myself to a hard round and a soft round brush forced me to learn proper pressure control and how to actually paint forms. The fancy brushes often do the thinking for you, which stops real skill growth. My work got much stronger when the tool became an extension of my hand, not a crutch for my lack of basics.
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jamieb801mo ago
My buddy spent a fortune on those fancy brush packs, convinced it was the secret. His paintings just ended up looking messy, like five different artists worked on them. He finally ditched everything but a basic round brush for a whole month. Said it was painful at first, but now his shapes and shadows actually look solid, you know?
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