SpaceRanger Brush Kit and Tutorial Pack for Adobe Photoshop

Create authentic mid-century inspired illustrations (and more) using this set of professional-grade Photoshop brushes and tutorial 3-pack by Brad Woodard of Brave the Woods

• 20 SpaceRanger Photoshop Brush Presets including technical pencils, form builders, standard pencils, conté crayon, print textures and more.
• 3 step-by-step SpaceRanger tutorial videos by illustrator Brad Woodard.
• SpaceRanger Brush "Quick Reference" sheet to quickly see how each brush looks.
• Quick and easy installation instructions (with pictures).
• RetroSupply Better-Than-Money-Back Guarantee

Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 and above

Hardware: 2.4ghz processor or higher

Memory: 16gb RAM or higher

Storage: 47.2 MB

If you're an illustrator I'm willing to bet you love illustration work from the '50s and '60s.

There's just something about classic illustrations from that era.

Sketching with real pencils, building up dry brush work, using masking fluid, and adding text by taping on typed sheet.

It added soul and character to the work. 

But technology has made it REALLY hard to bring hand crafted elements into illustration work

Programs like Photoshop and Illustrator save us a ton of time. But they also make it hard to capture the subtle nuances of traditional illustration techniques. 

Today if you want to bring those subtle nuances to your work you have to work pretty hard. 

Most illustrators and designers have developed their own unique process. It typically involves some mix of Illustrator, Photoshop, searching through tutorial websites, scanning, Photoshop brushes, filters and a little luck.

Some designers get amazing results this way. But when you're on a deadline (or just want to have fun and not think too much) it can be overwhelming.

So we decided to make a brush and tutorial pack that makes it easier and more enjoyable to draw...

My friend Brad Woodard and I thought it would be cool if there was a product that took some of the work out of the process.

So we decided to make a natural media brush and tutorial pack (so you can get everything you need to make natural looking illustrations in one place).

Here's how we did it:

Step 1. Spent a ton of time collecting and sharing illustration work we loved

We used Pinterest to build a collection of illustrations we loved. This included a lot of 1950s children's book illustrations. It also included work from current designers that achieve a great looking hand drawn look in their illustrations. 

Step 2. Create 100+ brush presets and test them with Brad

I'll be the first to admit I'm not the best illustrator. But Brad Woodard is one of my favorites. What I love so much about his work is that it seamlessly mixes mid-century inspired illustration with modern touches.

So we spent hours on Skype working together. I'd make brushes, try them myself and then send them over to Brad via Skype chat.

He'd try them in his illustration work. Then give me feedback (for example, "This brush sucks, Dustin. Don't ever make one like that again").

After early a dozen hours working, refining and testing we had a set of 20 brushes we both loved. For every one we kept, we threw away 5.

Step 3. Create a set of tutorials to compliment the brushes

Early on in our conversations Brad mentioned something really interesting to me. Normally, when you buy brushes you're kind of left hanging. You have to download them and just start messing around. Eventually you might find a few you like. 

We thought it made more sense to include tutorials with a REAL project. That way, you can download the brushes, install them and start working on something right away. 

That way you get way more value. Not only do you have the tools, but you also have someone helping you get the most out of them.

Step 4. Add lots of little touches to make the pack as awesome as possible

It would be easy to make a pack of brushes, put it in a ZIP file and offer it for sale.

But if you've bought RetroSupply products before you know we never do that. We want to make the products as friendly and enjoyable to use as possible. 

So we did what we always do with RetroSupply products. We thought out the little details to make the product the best it could be.

Here's some of the little details we added:

• Broke the tutorial up into bite-sized pieces (so it doesn't feel intimidating)
• Added a Brush Quick Reference Sheet (so you can preview a brush without opening it and scribbling on your canvas)
• Added easy to follow instructions with pictures
• Made the tutorial videos available to watch online (or download if you prefer)

The result is a brush/tutorial pack that we're both proud of. It's helps you improve your illustration work with great tools and great tutorials. 

We called it the SpaceRanger Brush and Tutorial Pack 

This pack is the first in a series of "dream brush" packs that Brad and I are making together.

Each one explores a different style of mid-century illustration work. This first pack is all about illustrations that use pencils and dry brushes. 

Here's what's included in the SpaceRanger Pack:

• 20 super-realistic Photoshop Brush Presets (AKA crazy powerful Photoshop brushes).
• Includes brushes for sketching, shading, form building and adding subtle print textures to your work.
• 3 step-by-step tutorials by best-selling online teacher Brad Woodard (over 33,000 students served).
• Tutorials include: Setting the Scene, Adding Line Work, and Adding Dimension.
• Watch the videos online or download them and watch 'em anywhere.
• Easy 30 second Photoshop Brush Preset installation instructions.
• SpaceRanger Brush Quick Reference Sheet (so you can see what each brush looks like without trying every single one in the middle of a project).
• SpaceRanger Photoshop File (so you can inspect each layer and get an even deeper understanding of how to create these types of illustrations).

All of This for a Fraction of the Price of a Community College Class

If you were to take a class and get supplies to learn this kind of stuff at a real school (even an affordable community college) you'd be set back over $100. And that's low-balling it. 

But with the SpaceRanger Brush and Tutorial pack you acquire some incredible tools and skills for about the price of a take-and-bake pizza. Plus, you don't have to drive across town for 12 weeks taking the classes.

The only way we could make this easier is if you could download the knowledge into your head (and that technology simply doesn't exist yet).

Specifications

The SpaceRanger Brush Pack requires Adobe Photoshop CS4+ as well as a pressure sensitive tablet (for example, a Wacom Cintiq). File size is approximately 19.5 MB.

Product includes:

• 20 Photoshop Brush Presets (including technical pencils, #2 pencils, conté crayons, print textures and more). 
• 3 SpaceRanger video tutorials by Brad Woodard (including Setting the Scene, Adding Line Work and Adding Dimension).
• A fast progression video of the entire illustration.
• SpaceRanger Quick Reference Sheet with samples of each brush (including it's use as a single line and shading).
• Quick and easy Photoshop Brush Preset installation instructions.
• Instant and secure download.

Brave the Woods is a renowned illustration agency with an impressive client list that includes USPS, Simon & Schuster, Uniqlo, HP, Honda, Target, and many more.

Founded by Brad Woodard, Brave the Woods embodies the spirit of adventure, exploration, and collaboration in their creative process. Brad consistently delivers captivating, classic American artwork that has earned the studio a stellar reputation in the industry.

With a strong belief in the power of community and a commitment to education, Brave the Woods is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the world of illustration.