The 60 best free Photoshop brushes

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Photoshop brushes are a fantastic time-saver as they enable you to quickly create rich artwork without having to draw all the individual design elements.

There's a huge spectrum of brushes available, ranging from leaf designs to fabric textures, and cloud patterns to typography. And while Photoshop CC does ship with a set of brushes pre-installed, they only scratch the surface of what's possible with the brush engine.

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So whether you're using CS3 or have joined Creative Cloud, grab the free Photoshop brush downloads below and start adding amazing design flourishes to your work.

Painterly brushes

01. 25 watercolour brushes 

This set of 25 watercolour brushes is a great way to create natural-looking work in Photoshop; use them to better effect by combining them with a realistic paper texture.

Limitations: none

02. Real markers

These amazingly realistic marker brushes are completely free

Perfect for fashion illustrations, industrial design and storyboarding, this set of 12 free brushes by Eilert Janßen enables you to create lively imagery that looks like it's been sketched out with marker pens. If you like what you see, Eilert sells a set of 300 marker brushes for just $9. 

 Limitations: none 

03. Ultimate Paint

Make a mess with these hi-res paint splatters

Jonas Stoltz created this set of 30 Photoshop brushes in the best possible way: by simply splashing paint onto white boards and scanning the results in high resolution. The results are lovely and splattery – perfect for adding a bit of imperfection (or a full-on Jackson Pollock vibe) to your work.

Limitations: none

04. Watercolour shapes and splatters

Get that watercolour look with these free brushes

If you're going for a watercolour feel in your work then these shapes and splatters will help you get the look just right; just don't overdo them.

Limitations: free for personal use; contact for commercial use

05. Dry brushes

These dry brushes are great for rough, harsh textures

Artist Kirk Wallace created these brushes at home using ink and paper, and offers them to all for free. Perfect for rough, harsh textures, Wallace uses them in his own fruit prints. 

Limitations: none

06. Photoshop brush set

For textured brush strokes, look no further

This cool set of Photoshop brushes was created by designer Matt Heath, who used an 8B Staedtler pencil and custom settings to give a natural feel and wide variety of textures.

Limitations: none

07. Splashes of paint

These splashes of paint have been vectored and modified in high-resolution

A collection of 30 big brushes, this set features spray paint patterns suitable for generating dirty backgrounds and textures. For use with Photoshop CS2 and above.

Limitations: none

08. Doodle brushes

There are 30 different doodle brushes in this free Photoshop set

This free brush pack features a collection of 30 random scribbles, suitable for projects such as greeting cards, web page headers and more.

Limitations: none

09. Dry brush strokes

This free pack of Photoshop brushes features 12 bristly dry brush strokes

A set of 12 excellent brushes from Chris Spooner. These high-resolution dry brushes are fantastically detailed, bristly and texture-rich.

Limitations: none

10. Technical brushes

These brushes were made from old technical drawings

A beautiful set of 10 illustrative brushes in a technical-drawing theme, including wonderfully detailed cross-sectional designs.

Limitations: none

11. Paint lines

Details are no problem with this very high-res brush set

These 24 very hi-res brushes will provide a real-media feel to your design work. Some brushes look like paint tin marks, while others are thicker, providing lots of options within the pack.

Limitations: none

 Natural brushes 

12. Realistic charcoal brush

All the great looks of charcoal, without the mess

Charcoal's an essential part of any artist's toolkit, but it's undoubtedly the messiest as well. Get those soft charcoal lines - without getting charcoal all over your hands and everything else - with these excellent brushes.

Limitations: none

13. Plant brushes

These are ideal if you need a load of plants in a hurry

If you need to quickly add some greenery to a project, this set of 23 high resolution plant brushes will let you do just that with the minimum of effort.

Limitations: none

14. Lightning strikes

Electrify your work with this collection of stunning lightning strikes. Tileable and available not only as Photoshop brushes but also as patterns and JPEG images, there are 18 to choose from in this set.

Limitations: none

15. Nature silhouettes

There are 19 free nature Photoshop brushes in this pack

This is a really useful set of 19 different silhouettes, each featuring a different plant, ranging from trees to grasses.

Limitations: none

16. Coffee stain brushes

These coffee stain brushes have an abstract feel to them

These excellent brushes are intended to mimic coffee or tea drips, but would pass equally well for daubs of ink. These stain marks add a nice degree of life-wear to your images, instantly ageing them.

Limitations: none

17. Vintage wooden brush

Create stunning vintage wooden textures with this brush set

This simple brush offered by Creative Nerds brings a wonderful, rich flaking wood texture to your brush arsenal.

Limitations: cannot be redistributed

18. Dust particle brushes

This free dust particle Photoshop brush set is stunning

A really useful set of dust particle brushes from WeGraphics that add instant dirt and richness.

Limitations: cannot be redistributed

19. Grass and plant brushes

Create realistic nature imagery with this free Photoshop brush set

10 different brushes each featuring different grass and plant designs and ranging in size from 500px to 2500px.

Limitations: attribution under some circumstances

20. Ornamental butterflies 2

There's a total of 35 brushes in this stylish set

A beautiful set of butterflies and other plant-based ornamentation that can add a sophisticated touch to corners and borders.

Limitations: none

21. Hair brushes set 1

These brushes don't work in PS7 or lower

Great for providing touch-ups on model photography, this set of free brushes includes detailed textured hair in a variety of falling styles.

Limitations: attribution necessary under some cirumstances

22. Tree borders brushes

These brushes are perfect for trees

A nice set of brushes that allow you to introduce tree and bush silhouettes to the edges of your composition.

Limitations: non-commercial use only

23. GreenPack random brushes

These free Photoshop brushes were inspired by the Whole Foods Market

Four green-themed brushes that are mainly worth the download for the excellent tree illustration that's included!

Limitations: none

24. Water brushes vol. 2

These brushes are fantastic for all sorts of design projects, from brochures to Twitter backgrounds

12 large brushes that include splashes, ripples and water drops. An excellent set for backgrounds as well as foreground design elements.

Limitations: none

25. Five simple fabric brushes

Add some natural surfacing to your work

Straightforward fabric textures, great for backgrounds in both print and web designs as they're high resolution.

Limitations: none

26. Floral swirls

These swirls are compatible with Photoshop 7 and up

Useful set of floral swirl brushes ideal for building up rich borders and textures in both print and web designs.

Limitations: none

27. Fabric Textures

These brushes were created from a collection of fabrics

A useful selection of nine different fabrics that show off the weave and pattern of the material with a scratchy realism.

28. Hi-res clouds

Add cosmic and nebulae elements to your designs with this brush set

This is a really useful set of 17 brushes, each of which features a different cloud design that can easily be used to add interest to your images

Limitations: none

29. Cloud brushes

There are 24 different cloud Photoshop brushes in this free pack

Here are 24 cloud brushes, at quite impressive sizes, all from artist by Mila Vasileva. "Mushroom cloud included."

Limitations: none

30. Moon brushes

There are 10 moon brushes in this set

This excellent set provides 10 different phases of the moon in brush format!

Limitations: none

31. Leaf brushes

These leaf brushes are stunning

Great for creating organic textured background, this set features seven isolated leaf images with intricate details and textures.

Limitations: none

32. Fractal brushes

12 fractal brushes, all in different shapes

An excellent selection of fractal-based brushes that look futuristic – great for web design.

Limitations: none

33. Feathers and birds

These feather brushes are fantastic

A total of 12 individual brushes, each of which includes a stand-alone piece of artwork ranging from detailed feather illustrations, to whimsical birds-on-a-branch.

Limitations: attribution under some circumstances

Next page: Grunge, sci-fi and fantasy brushes

Grunge brushes

34. Distressed halftone brush strokes 

Get the best of both worlds with these brushes

If you can't decide between a distressed brush stroke and a halftone brush stroke, why not have both? This set of 21 brushes is perfect for adding a vintage, worn or retro effect to your work.

Limitations: none

35. Mixergraph Grunge Brushes

Nail that 90s look with these rocking grunge brushes

Handmade, digitised and individually edited by Marc Pallàs, this set of five grunge brushes will transform your illustrations and designs with a gloriously rough-and-ready look, making them seem like they're hot off the photocopier.

 Limitations: none 

36. Gritty and grunge

Roughen your typography and illustrations with this brush set

Seven useful brushes that instantly add a grimy background to your work, featuring useful specks and splatters as well as areas of grit.

Limitations: none

37. Speckle brushes

Five toast brushes for your perusal

This superb set of five Photoshop brushes were made using a piece of toast. No, seriously.

Limitations: none

38. Grimey brushes

Add some grime to your designs with this free Photoshop brush set

Useful for adding a bit of dirt to your images, this collection of five brushes from Mattox Shuler is understated but incredibly versatile.

Limitations: none

39. Sponge party

Create great sponge effects with this set of free Photoshop brushes

Some beautiful textures make up this collection of eight high-quality brushes, including some excellent sponge brush marks, great for adding timbre to collage work.

Limitations: none

40. Scorched and burned

Create a scorched and burned effect with this brush set

Another great set of brushes from WeGraphics that feature realistic scorch and burn effects in 10 different designs.

Limitations: cannot be redistributed

41. AP brushes: scar face

Look no further for scars...

Ideal if you want to introduce some scarring to portraits or simply generate beautifully textured background elements.

Limitations: none

42. Grunge and smooth floral brushes

You'll find some grunge floral brushes in this set

A great set of mixed media brushes along a grunge and floral theme.

Limitations: non-commercial use only

43. Antique postcards

Use these six hi-res antique postcard Photoshop brushes

This wonderful collection of six antique postcard designs provides an excellent background for further design work. Each card brush features text and a delightful patina.

Limitations: none

44. Spray splatter

These 12 free Photoshop brushes are excellent for grunge and dirty effects

A lovely collection of 12 brushes covering up to 2500px each. This set features a range of spray patterns suitable for generating dirty backgrounds and textures, or highlighting typography.

Limitations: none

 Sci-fi and fantasy brushes 

45. Star brushes

Add a twinkle with these free Photoshop star brushes

Here are six high-resolution star brushes from artist Austin Pickrell. "Just have fun," says the artist. "I would love to see what people do with them... and if you make millions from your piece, I want a helicopter."

Limitations: none

46. TC magic spells: moon

These moon brushes are the result of a collaboration at Treehouse Charms

A quirky set of 21 brushes, each related to the overall moon theme, and featuring a mythological bias. Great for adding some whimsy, or accenting original illustrations.

Limitations: none

47. Fairy tales brush set

Quickly create fantasy backgrounds with this brush set

A useful collection of fractal renders at up to 2500px, gathered together under the theme of fairy tales due to their other-worldly appearance.

Limitations: none

48. Heads up display pack

Get creative with these Heads Up Display Photoshop Brushes

A set of 30 high-resolution brushes that provide all the elements of a HUD in the style of Iron Man. Includes brilliant details such as exploded diagrams and topographical renderings.

Limitations: non-commercial only

49. Dynamic light special FX brushes

Create stunning light special effects with these free Photoshop brushes

Create special lighting effects by using these brushes in combination with layer blending modes such as screen or vivid light.

Limitations: none

50. Night sky brushes

13 large brushes represent the night sky in this set

This set of brushes includes 13 different night sky elements, including space dust, stars and moons.

Limitations: none

51. Glitter and sparkles brushes

Glittery swirls and individual sparkles are included in this pack

A nice and simple brush that adds a sprinkle of diffused light orbs to bring a Disney-esque magic sparkle to your work.

Limitations: none

52. Starfield

Four brushes from StarwaltDesign

Four brushes, each at 2500px square, allowing you to quickly create detailed star patterns and celestial dust clouds.

Limitations: personal use only; cannot be redistributed

Next page: Special effect brushes

53. Skin brushes

Create perfect looking skin with these brushes

Marta Dahlig has been creating digital brushes for years now, and as she specialises in portraits, her set of skin brushes is an amazing boost to any digital artist's armory.

Limitations: none

54. Fire brushes

Niño Batitis relights the fire in Photoshop

Digital artist Niño Batitis has been very kind in releasing 13 high-quality Photoshop fire brushes for free. Perfect for your design projects, these will allow you to experiment with flames, characters and landscapes.

Limitations: none

55. Bokeh brushes

Use this collection of free Bokeh brushes for free in your next photo-editing projects and more

The term Bokeh is of Japanese origin and refers to the appearance or feel of the out-of-focus areas of a photograph. Add this cool effect to your imagery with this free set of high quality Bokeh brushes

Limitations: none

56. Photorealistic explosions

Add fire to your photo manipulations with these explosion brushes

A useful set of 16 explosion images, each saved as a standard image, but easily used as a brush. Perfect for compositing or adding impact to your designs.

Limitations: none

57. Gradient shapes

These gradient shape brushes are free for personal and commercial use

A nice set of simple swishes that incorporate gradient colours to provide a modern, soft-edged finesse to any graphic design project.

Limitations: none

58. 3D Halftone

There are 16 brushes in this free set

A really nice set of halftone images arranged in 3D with perspective to create interesting patterns that add depth to designs.

Limitations: non-commercial use only

59. Funky paisley brushes

There are both fancy brushes and some plain ones in this set

A rich set of brushes each featuring a paisley design element. Also includes the original PNG files the designer used to create the brushes.

Limitations: non-commercial use only

60. VectorPack brushes

Create confident shapes with this free set of brushes

A nice range of circular brushes that are clean and modern.

Limitations: none

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