How to Create a Pencil-Style Brush

In our previous article, Vol.4: Various Uses! How to Create an Original Pressure-Sensitive Brush, we introduced the basics of creating pressure-sensitive brushes in Photoshop.
This time, we will build on that and actually create a pencil-style brush.
Having a pencil-style brush makes it much easier to achieve a hand-drawn texture all at once.

For this tutorial, we aim to create a pencil-like texture suited for sketches and croquis, with a slightly rough feel.
First, select a jagged-edged brush such as “Chalk 11 pixels,” then adjust the brush settings in the Brush panel.
Refer to the “Basic Setup Method” in Vol.4: Various Uses! How to Create an Original Pressure-Sensitive Brush to achieve lines that can be drawn with a sense of speed.
Set the “Minimum Diameter” to a low value.

Refer to the “Hand-drawn Brush Settings” section in Vol.4 and adjust scattering and count to make the outline even rougher and more textured.

It already looks quite like a pencil, but here we will set the texture.
Applying a texture creates unevenness in the thicker parts of the line.
In this example, we used a “charcoal paper” texture, but you can change it depending on the type of paper you want to simulate for a more natural result.
Finally, check “Smoothing” under “Other” to refine the drawing feel and complete the brush.

Since this pencil brush is designed to have a rough texture, it is not well suited for drawing fine lines.
It is useful to create a separate thin brush for finer lines.
In the Brush Tip Shape settings, reduce the “Diameter” to make the brush tip thinner.
Then reduce scattering and weaken the texture settings as well.
Feel free to try this out yourself.