How to make Lace in Photoshop

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I thought I’d try to make some lace in Photoshop and then define it as a brush preset so that I can stroke a path around some material to make a lace edge. I’m using Photoshop CS5.

Open a new Document – File → New Document and set the workspace to 270 x 270 px.

Next, select the Custom Shape Tool

In the options bar, click the Polygon options menu and check smooth corners, star and smooth indents boxes. Change the indent sides by to 10% and the number of sides to 12.

Set the foreground color to black and then drag your mouse so that the polygon shape fits within the document.

Polygon Shape
Polygon Shape

Pick the Ellipse tool and ensure that paths is selected on the options bar. Draw an elliptical path inside the polygon shape.

Select the brush tool and pick a hard round brush. Set it’s size to 20 px and its spacing to 180%.

Create a new layer above the polygon layer. Set the foreground color to white. Select the ellipse tool and click on the Paths tab. Drop down the pop out menu and select stroke path. Choose Brush from the menu and the simulate pressure box remains unchecked. Click OK and you should now see the following image.

After stroking the path you should now have a circle of white dots.
After stroking the path you should now have a circle of white dots.

Check that the ellipse tool is still selected and draw a smaller path in the middle of the polygon. Select the brush tool again and change the size to 7 px. Spacing should be set to 150%. In the preview you should see a smaller chain of dots.


 

Select the ellipse tool again. Click on the Paths tab. Drop down the pop out menu and select stroke path. Choose Brush from the menu and the simulate pressure box remains unchecked. Click OK and you should now see the following image.

Simple Lace Pattern - this is just one that will be used to define the brush.
Simple Lace Pattern – this is just one that will be used to define the brush.

Click the eye next to the background layer to turn it off.

Now you can define the brush by clicking on Edit → Define Brush Preset. Name the brush lace.

Now you can select the new lace brush from the brush tab. If you change the size and spacing as follows you should see a nice lace pattern in the preview which you can use to stroke a path on material and other items your make.

By changing a few options in the brush menu you can make a nice lace pattern to add to clothing, material and other objects you design in Photoshop.
By changing a few options in the brush menu you can make a nice lace pattern to add to clothing, material and other objects you design in Photoshop.

If you enjoyed this you may also be interested in How To Make Realistic Rivets in Photoshop

 

 

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