ArtRAge 5--BRUSH technical issues----Please help

[camaro]

My issues are:
Importing photoshop brushes---CS6 and CC---ones I have just created. I saved them as .bmp --.psd--.png . I am constantly getting this error on import

Bad parameter has been passed.
The version of the preset you tried to load is invalid, this version of ArtRage cannot understand its contents. You may need to update the application to the latest version.
Artrage version---just purchased is 5.0.4 64 bit

So how does one get their photoshop brushes imported withoutusing the sticker spray? I bought artrage 5 because it created new brushes and claims it imports photoshop brushes. Well my earlier version did not import photoshop brushes either. Yet they claim it does???????

Windows 10.

So if I am doing something wrong , would you please give me step by step on how to properly import asap, thank you to anyone that can help.

[markw]

Hello camaro and welcome to the ArtRage forums:)
Well, it’s good news and bad news I’m afraid for you:(
ArtRage can import PS brushes and it’s the .abr file you need to import.
What I feel will be the bad news for you is;
1: It’s only the brush head image that was used by the PS brush that gets imported. None of the settings.
2: And yes, it’s the Sticker Spray tool that will import and use the brush head.
So some work is needed in AR to setup a brush to function how it would in Photoshop. But as PS and AR use some different parameters for their brushes it may not be possible to have the new brush work exactly as it would in PS.
More info about the Sticker Spray tool here: https://www.artrage.com/?s=Sticker+Spray&post_type=incsub_wiki

Another option is to create your own brush from scratch with the Custom Brush tool. In this case you will need a Black & White version of the image used by the original PS brush.
At the bottom of the page in the link bellow to using the Custom Brush are additional links relating to setting up; Head, Colour and Stroke in the Custom Brush: https://www.artrage.com/manuals/customizable-brushes/custom-brush/

[HwyStar]

Thanks for the reply Mark! Perfectly stated to my knowledge.

While PS uses the main image (head) to paint with, don't forget to give some thought to the grain that goes along with the brush. This feature that ArtRage has allows the ArtRage brush to take advantage of properties that PS does not have by using two images as the brush. Head and grain of the brush.

[camaro]

Thank Mark and HwyStar for responding. I went to the Sticker Spray and tried importing my brush, I get this error:
The file accessed is invalid.
ArtRage encountered an error trying to load the selected file, the file may
be damaged or unsupported format.

My brush is a .psd or .bmp or .png and I can not get the Sticker Spray to
recognize any of these formats

What am I doing wrong? Again they were just made in CS6.

ArtRage touts this: Work easily with common file typesArtRage 5 fully supports PSD files, and able to export and import the following file types:


BMP
GIF
JPG
PNG
TIFF



Well it does not do this for me!

Well I guess I will need to go back to Photoshop, at least my brushes work there. I really like ArtRage, and most of its tools, however I need my brushes to work. I guess I wasted my money on this program.
Will appreciate any and all advice.

[markw]

You need to point ArtRage to a Photoshop .abr file to import.
.ABR Files:
The .abr files have to be imported from within ArtRage (meaning, there's no way to simply drop the .abr file into a folder, and have the brushes appear in ArtRage). Here's a video tutorial on how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izXHicUy5F8

I'm afraid I'm not going to be online now for a day or two but I wish you good fortune:) Others here will help you I'm sure:cool:

[MattRage]

The information in this thread adds to the information in the support request I've been handling but I think I answered it in my last mail. MarkW is correct - The ABR file is the only file that can be imported when importing Photoshop brushes.

However, the Custom Brush tool is better suited for supporting custom brush heads if you have a PSD or other bitmap version of the head available. We're going to look at importing ABR files to the custom brush head collection as well to make this easier.

[camaro]

Well I have spent several days trying to import any type of photoshop brush into artrage and I keep getting various errors.

Yes I can not even get them imported using the Sticker spray import a photoshop brush.
Nothing works on any of these files---bitmap--psd--jpeg--tiff--png artrage just will not IMPORT any of these. I am sooooo frustrated. This sucks!
So if any of you can help, I could sure use it.

[Enug]

As has been pointed out in several posts, you have to import the PS brush in .abr format - it is the only format accepted for importing PS brushes into AR.

I don't use Photoshop but I understand that when you save your .png as a brush in Photoshop it will be saved with the .abr file extension. "Edit/Define Brush Preset and then name your brush." That is the file needed to import the brush.

[camaro]

Thanks to all
However let me clarify---I am in photoshop----I create my brush---I Define my brush---I save brush set-----I open ArtRage--select Sticker spray--Import photoshop brush----NOTHING
just errors as mentioned above. I realize it must be an .abr file, it is an .abr file.
I mention the other file formats because I even tried to import those since ArtRage 5 would not accept my .abr files.
Again I can not get it to import my .abr brushes without errors.
Totally frustrated!

[markw]

Hello again,
The problem may be in your generated .abr files perhaps?
If you could provide a link to an example file, others here could maybe try and load it.
Along those lines, have you tried loading .abr files from other artists?
Here is a link to a free .abr file from DeviantArt member ‘midnightstouch’ that loads fine for me. Can you load it?


Breaking News!
OK, so I might be getting somewhere with this.
I have some .abr files I’ve bought from artist Aaron Blais who provide two versions of the same brush; one for use in PS6 and Up the other for use in PS5 or lower.
With the v6 and Up file I get the same error message as you.
The v5 and lower .abr file however loads as expected in ArtRage.

Now I've never created a Photoshop brush, but do you get to choose what versions of PS it should be compatible with before exporting it?

[camaro]

markw, I just tried to resave set to test, no I do not get a choice in CS6 photoshop to save higher or lower photoshop. It's just a save or close option.

[camaro]

markw I also did what you had asked, which was to see if ArtRage 5 would import your bat brushes-------Yes it did. Still so confused about my brushes.

[markw]

Hello camaro
I did a quick internet search and looks like you should be able to find out how to make your brushes backwards compatible.
Search Link: https://www.google.es/search?q=how+to+make+photoshop+brush+compatible+wi th+older+versions&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=VGxTWbnIMenBXp2EuIAG#q=how+to+make+photoshop+cs 6+brush+compatible+with+older+versions

It might be worth also noting that the brushes from Aaron Blais that load are I think designated as ps7 abr formate brushes.

[MattRage]

We've been working through this in email - The ABR file is in a newer format that Adobe don't publish publicly so we're unable to support it directly. The converters in the search you mention would probably help with that.