Yet Another Brush Proposal

[Matthew Woehlke]

Valerie wrote:
>> NoooooO! Ok, let me try to explain. In PS, *all brushes* are stored in 
>> the user data area, which is how I would do things in Krita. So... try 
>> to load the user brushes. If the file does not exist, instead load a 
>> well-known set of brushes from the install directory. As soon as changes
>> are made, save everything to the user data area; the stock brushes are 
>> never (automatically) read again.
> 
> Got it! 
> Loading =
> if brushes do not exist in user directory then install/copy one to 
>  there from install directory, then load from user directory
> if brushes do exist then load from user directory
> 
> Install directory = you have no permissions over.

(unless you installed in $HOME, or otherwise have permissions :-), but yes)

> User directory = you do have permissions over.
> But you're only copying from the install directory anyway.
> 
> Sounds awesome to me! If more features are added to the website, then
> there could be an option for people to load brush sets like plugins!

Exactly :-). Of course, HotNewStuff brushes (ooh, /there's/ an idea ;-) 
) would go in a user directory, but maybe (preferaably?) not the same 
one that 'export' defaults to.

>> Yes, something like that. I'm aiming for my tool selection to work like 
>> real life. "I want, hmm, the #5 camelhair round brush, with some 
>> watercolor paint, 75% water, and <some color>. And I'll paint with the 
>> bezier tool." All the "CG knobs" should be available, but hidden behind 
>> good presets (even better if they can be hidden behind "simple" 
>> adjustments, but that's harder). Sort of like Painter; you can configure
>> things up the wazoo, but in practice you'll end up with a few presets 
>> you like and rarely fiddle with them.
> 
> Well, I haven't really ever extensively used Painter. I'd say that
> what CG artists do is actually have a few good presets, and fiddle
> with just one or two parameters often. Ex.: size + fade distance,
> or size + grain density. :)

Yup :-). I'm thinking the ideal interface might be one where you can 
choose what parameters to display 'always', but have the full set 
available at a click or two. And good presets :-).

> In any case, I'd suggest "traditional" workspaces and "CG"
> workspaces. Believe it or not, some people are actually more familiar
> with the semi-technical terms than the actual painter terms. :P
> (camelhair and color mixer what? And which tool behaves like 
> "multiply"?)

Oh, I think I can believe that :-). Personally, I think I'd find the 
"real" terms more convenient, but I'd certainly understand all the 
technical ones.

(In fact, I only know "camel hair" from Painter; I couldn't tell you 
what properties that has different from other bristle types ;-).)

-- 
Matthew
Yesterday, I thought of the best .sig that has ever been contemplated. 
Alas, I forgot it before I could write it down.