Using GIMP: Correcting and Touching Up Your Images - GIMP 2.6 for Photographers: Image Editing with Open Source Software - page 141

2.7.2 Creating New Brush Pointers in GIMP
and Importing Adobe Photoshop Brushes

To create new brush pointers for future use, just select the Brushes dialog from
the dock or access it from the Windows > Dockable Dialogs > Brushes menu
option.

Figure 2.64
The Brushes selection
window with ready-made
brushes. By clicking the little
button at the top right, you
can access a menu that will
let you select the size and
alignment of the symbols and
layout for this window.

In the Brushes window, click the New Brush button (second button from
the left in figure 2.64). The Brush Editor window appears.
Begin by selecting a shape for the new brush (figure 2.65): circle , square ,
or diamond .
Use the Radius option to define the radius between the center and the
edge of the new brush. However, the resulting brush size will always be
slightly bigger than twice the indicated radius.
Spikes has an effect only on squares and diamonds. The selected value
indicates the amount of corners the shape has. A square is then changed into
a polygon, a diamond into a star.
Hardness defines the amount of feathering that will occur. A value
between 0.00 and 0.50 is recommended for soft, wide feathering.
If you want to create a calligraphic effect, you can use the Angle option to
build a nicely angled brush. An aspect ratio greater than 1.0 is also required.
Leave the value for Angle at 0.0 and for Aspect ratio at 1.0. A round, even
brush is most suitable for working with the Clone tool. Give your new brush
a name with the size and properties in the text field for future reference—for
example, Circle Fuzzy (65).
Spacing is the setting for the distance between two points, set by the
brush while drawing. A brush stroke in an image manipulating program is not
continuous, but a line of dots at a certain distance. Depending on the size of
the brush pointer, you have to reduce the default setting of 20 to 10 or less to
get a smooth, continuous line, otherwise the line will look dotted. (You could

Figure 2.65
Clicking the New button in
the Brushes window opens
the Brush Editor window.