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Express Oil Tool Properties

Express Oils are based on oils but aimed for fast sketching. Use them to prepare underlying painting, concept design, or when you need to quickly cover large areas of the paint with one color.

Activate the tool by choosing it in the Tools panel or by tapping the Shift + A shortcut.

The Size, Loading, and Oiliness of the express oils brushes are set in the Properties panel. The detailed mechanics that define the brush are set in the Brush Creator panel.

Size - Determines the size of the brush as a percentage (1 to 100) of the brush's maximum size (set in the Brush Creator panel).

Loading - Determines the amount of color (i.e., oil paint) applied by the brush as a percentage (1 to 100) of the brush's maximum opacity (set in the Brush Creator panel).

Oiliness - Determines the oiliness of the color applied by the brush (1 to 100). Lower settings define a drier brush, and higher settings a more oily, smudgy brush.

Pressure - Determines the pressure applied to the brush (1 to 100). This slider is provided for those using a mouse or a stylus that is not pressure-sensitive.

Length - Determines the length of the stroke (1 to 100). At the lower settings, the brush "runs out of" paint quickly, with the highest '100' setting, the paint on the brush is infinite.

Note

The Pressure and Length sliders are hidden by default. You can view it anytime by selecting 'Pressure' and 'Length' in the Properties panel menu > Show Sliders.

You can also change the size or loading of the brushes without using the Properties panel. To do so, hold Ctrl (or Cmd) key on the keyboard while dragging the mouse or stylus:

  • Drag to the left to decrease brush size.

  • Drag to the right to increase brush size.

  • Drag down to decrease the loading of the brush.

  • Drag up to increase the loading of the brush.

When you engage in this process, the on-screen representation of the brush (the brush pointer) will first appear in its Resize Color along with the info window with the current volumes' values. The brush pointer will then change in size or loading depending on which direction you drag it and the info window will update accordingly.

Tip

The brush Resize Color of the brush pointer can be changed in the Preferences panel > Tools > Painting Cursor.

Brush Creator - Opens the Brush Creator with many more settings for brush customization.

'Express Oils' Tool Modes

This tool has several different modes that determine how each brush applies, blends, or removes color from the canvas.

Paint - Sets the brush to apply the selected color without mixing it into any other color it encounters on the canvas (previously called Permanent Brush in Rebelle 3). Paint Mode can also be engaged by tapping or holding 1 on the keyboard.

Paint & Mix - Sets the brush to apply the selected color and to mix it into any colors it encounters on the canvas (previously called Normal Brush in Rebelle 3). It starts with painting. After you lower the pen pressure you start to mix the colors. With higher pressure, you paint again. Paint & Mix Mode can also be engaged by tapping or holding 2 on the keyboard.

Paint & Blend - Sets the brush to apply the selected color and to blend it into any colors it encounters on the canvas. With lower pen pressure you blend the colors and with higher pressure, you paint. Paint & Blend Mode can also be engaged by tapping or holding 3 on the keyboard.

Blend - Sets the brush to blend and smudge any colors it encounters on the canvas. In this paint mode the brush does not apply any color of its own. Blending decreases and smudging increases with stylus pressure. Blend Mode is engaged by tapping or holding 4 on the keyboard.

Erase Brush - Sets the brush to erase any colors it encounters on the canvas. Erase Mode can also be engaged by tapping or holding 5 on the keyboard.

Tip

Each paint mode has a keyboard shortcut (as noted above). By tapping the shortcut, the paint mode is set until it is next changed. By holding the shortcut, the mode is engaged only until the key is released.

Tip

You can switch between Paint modes and Blend mode by tapping or holding the V shortcut.

Tip

You can make the brush automatically switch to Blend mode after using Paint, Paint & Mix, or Paint & Blend mode for wet media when the brush runs out of paint - enable this option in Preferences > Tools.

Video tutorial

Learn more about Rebelle's Express Oils in this video: Oils, Acrylics and Express Oils.