Brush parameter control (size, opacity, flow, pressure sensitivity)

Set brush size, opacity, flow, and pressure sensitivity so strokes produce controlled, repeatable results.

What it is

Adjust brush size, opacity, flow, and pressure curves while painting. Use size for broad passes, edges, and accents. Use opacity and flow to control paint buildup and stroke strength.

Set pressure sensitivity so light pressure produces gentle, transparent paint and heavier pressure produces stronger coverage. Lock or change settings for tasks such as blocking in, glazing color, creating atmosphere, or building texture.

Keep brush behavior predictable by identifying whether an unwanted stroke came from your hand or from the current settings.

Why it matters

Brush parameter control helps you manage edges, values, texture, and paint coverage. Weak control can produce uneven edges, muddy values, patchy buildup, or strokes that do not match the intended result.

You can check it when

• ✓Demonstrate how changing size, opacity, flow, and pressure affects a stroke on a blank canvas.
• ✓Adjust brush settings to correct a stroke that is too streaky, flat, or patchy.
• ✓Produce a light glaze, firm edge, and solid fill with settings that give predictable results.

Related skills

• Brush vocabulary (hard, soft, textured, dry-brush)
• Blending judgment (blend when necessary, avoid overblending, maintain painterly marks)
• Brush management (custom brushes, organization)
• The edge spectrum (hard, soft, lost, found)
• Transitions (soft vs. hard; lost and found edges)
• Detail control (hierarchy, suggestion over literal detail, controlled density)