The Brush Filter is designed to give a brushed fabric effect on layers. When used on a tonal layer, the effect is much softer and more realistic than on a solid layer.
Instructions
- Open the Filter Browser, and add a new filter set using the small + icon located in the middle of the window. This will create a new ‘untitled’ filter set for you. This will appear in the top section of the Filter Browser. If you already have filter sets created, clicking the + button will duplicate the selected filter set.
- Select Brush… from the list of available filters in the lower section of the Filter Browser
- Double click on the name of the new filter set in the top section of the browser, and name it appropriately
Note: We recommend you call this filter something other than Brush, as this may cause confusion with the default Brush setting in the Brushes Library.
- Edit the variables to achieve the result you need. Long, Medium or Short brush strokes can be set and vertical strokes (top to bottom and bottom to top) and horizontal strokes can also be set. This enables multi directional brushing, and it is possible to create some very interesting textured effects using this filter.
A great cross hatch effect can be created for example, by making a filter set which uses both a horizontal and a vertical brush. Do this by clicking the + button next to the Brush Filter to add a second filter to the set.
In the image below, the filtered effect is shown on the left, with the original information shown on the right. 
Applying the filter
There are several ways to apply a filter:
- Click Apply - this will apply the filter to the active layer(s), and within a selection if there is one present in your file
- Click Make Layer - this will make a new layer in your file containing the filtered effect, leaving the original layer untouched
-
Apply the filter using the Brush Tool - when you have finished building your filter set, simply close the Filter Browser. Then, open the Brushes Library, and select the filter you have just made from the drop down menu shown in the snapshot below. You can now paint with your filter.
Note: The default setting for the Brush Tool is ‘Brush”, located at the top of this drop down menu. To prevent you from becoming confused between the default setting and a filter setting, do not name any filters ‘Brush’. When you have finished painting with your filter, set the drop down menu back to the Brush setting, otherwise the Brush Tool may not behave as you would expect later on.
Applying the filter over the repeat join
Some of the filters do not work correctly across repeat joins when used in the normal way. Therefore it is important to follow this method to make sure the filter works correctly and doesn’t affect the join. Your design must repeat correctly before you do this.
- Open the design you wish to apply the filter to.
- Open the Selections Palette from the Window Menu.
- Press Offset Repeat. If you are not already viewing multiple repeats of your design, AVA will automatically put your design into s 2×2 repeat when you press this. A selection the size of a single repeat will appear in your file, offset to the first repeat.
- Activate the layer / image you want run the filter on.
- Open the Filter Browser.
- Apply your filter, and it will work correctly in repeat, with no obvious repeat joins.
Note: In the image above, the vertical line indicates the repeat join.