Dynamic Brushwork by Matt Kohr

Beginner digital painters often need help in mastering dynamic brush strokes. Learning how to create smooth, precise renderings using the basic three brushes can be a straightforward process. However, transitioning to more active and dynamic strokes can be intimidating. This is where the latest addition to the Ctrl+Paint store, Dynamic Brushwork, comes in. This resource does not aim to leave you floundering with your stylus, instead, it aims to provide a clear framework to achieve expressive results.

As the method can be somewhat abstract, I have included three practical examples to provide context for the workflow. Each example starts with a partially finished painting and demonstrates how to incorporate elements into the composition using the dynamic brushwork technique. If you’d like to practice along, the PSD files are included for you to use.

The key to the success of this method is the use of custom brushes. To that end, I have included a set of nine brushes (six of which mimic natural media) for you to use. These are the same brushes I will use in the video demonstrations. It can be daunting to use brushes created by another artist, so I have included a 15-minute video to explain the intended use of each brush. However, I’d like to encourage you to build upon this ‘starter pack’ of natural media brushes and experiment with creating your own.