Creating a custom stamp brush can be incredibly useful for making image libraries, cycles and even teaching tools. The following steps will help you create your own custom Stamp preset.
Step 1: Create artwork for the new stamp
- Select an empty drawing layer or create one by using the hotkey Alt + Shift + R, or by using the Timeline dropdown menu.
- Create the stamp artwork on a drawing layer in the Timeline view. Make sure to do the following for the best results:
- Each drawing in the stamp will need to be on its own frame if you want them to stamp one after the other and not all at once.
- Keep the frames in the order that you would like them to cycle when using the stamp.
- Make sure that each one has at least one frame of exposure.
TIP: Putting each stamp drawing in the same position will create a more consistent effect when painting with the Stamp tool. Use the Onion Skin tool to position the drawings accurately. Spacing can always be adjusted with the stamp settings after creating the stamp. See Step 3 for more. |
Step 2: Create the custom stamp preset
- In the Timeline view, select the frames of the artwork that you want to include in the new stamp.
- In the Tools toolbar, and select the Stamp
tool.
- In the Tool Properties view, in the Presets section, click on the New Brush Preset
button.
- The New Preset window will appear. Type in the name of the new Stamp and press OK.
- At the bottom of the Preset list, the new stamp will appear.
- The new preset will be stamped with default settings. If you’d like to adjust how the stamp behaves, continue to Step 3.
Step 3: Edit the stamp properties
The following instructions will outline how to adjust your stamp’s settings.
- In the Stamp
tool Tool Properties view, to the right of the Image Preview, click on the large arrow.
- The Stamp Properties dialog box appears:
- Adjust the following settings as needed:
- Maximum/Minimum Scale: The biggest and smallest size the stamp can be. Affected by drawing tablet pressure.
- Proportional to Camera: When checked, the size of the stamp will be adjusted according to the position of the camera keyframes on the z-axis.
- Roundness & Angle: Squashes/stretches the stamp and rotates the angle.
- Spacing: How far apart each stamp image is in the cycle.
- Random Size, Angle and Spacing: Applies a random size, angle and/or spacing to each drawing in the stamp.
- Cycle: A drop down menu that determines the order for stamps that contain multiple images.
- Reset Cycle for Each Stroke: When checked, each new stroke you draw with the Stamp tool will always start with the first drawing in the cycle.
- Once done, save the updated settings by doing one of the following:
- Click the New Brush Preset
button to create a new, separate Stamp Preset.
- Click the Update Brush Preset
button to apply the changes to the current Stamp Preset.
- Click the New Brush Preset
Q&A
Question:
Some of the artwork I created is missing from my Stamp?
Answers:
- Double check all the drawings are exposed on the Timeline view when creating the stamp.
- Make sure all the relevant frames are selected when creating the stamp.
Question:
I edited the properties of an existing stamp and created a new one, but it’s not at the bottom of the Preset list?
Answer:
If you edit and create a new stamp from a pre-existing stamp, the new stamp will be saved directly underneath the original one. Only new stamps created from frames will be placed at the bottom of the list.