8+ Fractal Brushes
As a graphic designer, you just need a little extra something to make your projects pop, something to bring an added visual interest to your design, such as fractal brushes in Photoshop. A fractal is an infinitely complex pattern derived from mathematical equations and is self-similar across different scales. It is a perfect tool to give your artwork that extra quality to make it unique but without steering the attention away from the main subject.
Fractals generate funky designs that are great for backgrounds or special effects. They are usually used to create a futuristic feeling of knowledge and exploration, making them the perfect addition to any industrial, scientific, or technical theme. So, check out our collection of fractal Photoshop brushes below that you can download and use for free, though you may have to double-check its restrictions for commercial use.
Photoshop Fractal Brushes
RadFractical Fractal Brushes
Elegant Fractal Brush Set
Free Fractal Brushes
Fractal Swirl Photoshop Brushes
Fractal Features
Fractals are exquisite structures that can be found anywhere, in architecture, or even in nature. They can be hiding in plain sight, but the list of features below will help you identify a fractal.
- Infinite intricacy. Although patterns are usually made from uniform elements, fractals are made from a completely new type of symmetry that isn’t found in ordinary shapes and shows not just a higher degree but a different level of complexity as it is infinite.
- Zoom symmetry. No matter how a fractal shape is magnified, the small region of fractal that you were zooming in will leave you looking at the same shape you started with. This means that even the tiniest bit of fractal will look exactly the same as the whole.
- Complexity from simplicity. The geometry of fractal shapes has a very simple origin even if it’s infinitely complex. The shape of a fractal can be described through mappings, which describe how the small copies are arranged to form the whole fractal.
- Fractional dimensions. Fractals have neither one, two, or three dimensions as they are somewhere in between. In other words, a fractal shape fills up more space than a two-dimensional object but not as much space as a three-dimensional one.
Lightning is one example of a fractal shape found in nature. If you examine closely, it has the features mentioned above. You can take a look at our lightning brushes to prove this.
Fractal Swirl Brushes
Fractal Lines Brushes
Abstract Fractal Brushes
Fractal Brushes Set
How to Adjust Your Photoshop Brush Settings
You may need some of these brush settings to use your fractal brushes well.
- Size and hardness. Size refers to the diameter of the brush, in this case, the size of your fractal element; while hardness refers to the sharpness of the edges of your brush.
- Opacity and flow. These have to do with translucency and buildability of color, in case you want to layer a couple of different or the same brushes.
- Spacing. This refers to the visibility of the space left by the brush tips when you color, forming a jittery-looking line. You may need to adjust it to form a smooth-edged line.
- Brush tip shape. The shape of the tip of your brush can create different effects on your lines and curves. With fractal brushes, you do not need to use other brush shapes.
- Pressure sensitivity. Instead of drawing uniformly dense lines, adjusting the pressure sensitivity allows you to create various density on you fractal brushes.
Don’t forget to see other Photoshop brushes available on the site, such as our compilation of swirl brushes, for more design ideas.
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