In today’s tutorial, we will create a realistic brush using layer styles, a clipping mask, and other Photoshop tools.
Materials for the lesson:
Step 1. Create a new document with a size of 2400×2175 px. Draw a simple sketch of the brush.
Step 2. In this step, I created two rectangles to help me draw stubble.
Step 3. Before you start drawing, create a new group “Bristles”. In the group create a new layer “Bristles” and apply several layer styles to it.
Step 4. Duplicate (CTRL + J) this empty layer 5 times. Since we need to draw a lot of bristles, we will do it on five separate layers. If you draw everything on one layer, all the strokes will blend and the whole effect that we created using layer styles will spoil. Activate the bottom layer in the group and draw a line with a small brush.
Step 5. We continue to draw bristles on the other four layers, adjusting their length and thickness. If necessary, you can add more layers.
Step 6. When finished, you will notice a lot of unfilled gaps that you need to get rid of. Create a new “Black Background” layer under the Bristles group and draw in dark gray (# 1B1919) to fill the voids.
Step 7. Next we have to add paint to the bristles. To do this, create a new layer “Inner paint” under the group “Bristles”. Then use Brush tool 
(Brush) (B) to add a drop of paint on the tip of the brush.
Step 8. Now we activate Smudge tool
(Finger) (R) (100%) and draw on the paint in the directions indicated by the arrows.
Step 9. Now we can add paint over the bristles. Create a new group “External paint” above the group “Bristles”, use the brush (B) to draw a drop of paint of the same color. Then use Smudge tool (Finger) (R) and the technique described above, to smudge the paint on the bristles.
Step 10. Apply layer styles to paint. Eraser
(E) size 1 px erase lines on the paint. This will give realism.
Step 11. Now we have to combine the effects of the layer with the layer itself. To do this, right-click on the effects of the “Paint” layer and select Create layers (Create layers) (after that they will be located on separate layers). Then select the required layers and press CTRL + E.
Step 12. We use Dodge 
(Clarifier) and Burn
(Dimmer) (O) to add shadows and highlights. We work with tools in the direction of the bristles.
Step 13. Next we have to create a strip of paint. Create a new layer “band”. We use Brush tool (Brush) (B) to paint a strip using the same color as the paint on the brush.
Step 14. We use Dodge (Brightener) and Burn (Dimmer) (O) to add shadows and highlights to the strip. When finished, merge this layer with the “Paint” layer.
Step 15. Now we give the paint the effect of “moisture”. To begin with, create a new layer “Light 1” and transform it into a clipping mask using the CTRL + ALT + G key combination or by clicking between layers with ALT clamped.
Step 16. Now paint the highlights in white, as shown below. Then set the Opacity of the layer to 11%.
Step 17. Go to the layer styles and adjust the parameter. Blend if: Underlying Layer (Overlay if: Underlay).
Step 18. Let’s do the same with dark color. Create a new layer “Shadows” and transform it into a clipping mask. Use dark red to highlight shaded areas.
Step 19. Set the Opacity of the layer to 72% and open the layer styles to adjust the parameter Blend if (Overlay if).
Step 20. We continue to use this technique to add highlights and adjust them with Blend if (Overlay if) to create the effect of “moisture”.
Step 21 Now that we’re done with the bristles and paint, we can start creating the rest of the brush. Hide all layers with bristles and paint. Then create a new group “Handle”. Inside the group create two new groups “Metal” and “Holder”.
Step 22 In the group “Metal” create a new layer “Metal Ring”. Using a sketch, we create the basic shape of the metal part of the brush on which the bristles are attached.
Step 23 Create a new layer “Chamfer” and draw a few narrow strips on the ring. You can use Pen tool
(Feather) (P) or Brush tool (Brush) (B).
Step 24 We load the selection of the “Chamfer” layer (we press CTRL and click on the layer thumbnail). Go to the “Metal Ring” layer and press CTRL + X to remove the selected area. Also cut two holes for rivets.
Step 25. Apply Layer Styles Layer – Layer Style (Layer – Layer Styles) for “Metal Ring”.
Then apply the layer styles for the Bevel layer.
We get this result.
Step 26. Next, create a new layer “Rivets”. Draw small circles in place of the holes and apply layer styles.
Now the image should look like this.
Step 27. Now, to make the next step simple, we merge the Rivet and Chamfer layers. Then we merge the “Metal Ring” layer with its layer styles, as we did in step 11.
Step 28. Create a new layer “Reflection” above the layer with the ring and transform it into a clipping mask. Use dark color to draw lines to give a reflection effect.
Step 29. Create another layer of “Glare 1” and transform it into a clipping mask. Using a light color, paint the highlights. Then using Burn tool (Dimmer) (O) dim them a little and instrument Blur tool
(Blur) (R) make the edges softer.
Step 30. Create a new layer “Glare 2” and transform it into a clipping mask. Use the technique from the previous step to add new more blurry highlights. For convenience, you can temporarily hide the “Glare 1” layer.
We get this result.
Step 31 Now use the same method and add highlights and reflections on the rims of the ring. When finished, add a few more shadows and highlights, as shown below.
Step 32 Create a new layer “Holder” inside the group of the same name. We draw the basic shape and fill it with black. Apply filter Filter – Noise – Add Noise (Filter – Noise – Add Noise) (10%).
Step 33 Before continuing work, let’s rotate and transform the group “Handle” with the help of free transformation (CTRL + T). For convenience, we make visible again the layer with the draft and the Bristle group.
Step 34 Now we will start texturing the pen. Create a new layer above the “Holder” layer and transform it into a clipping mask, then use a soft brush to paint the holder in white, as shown below. Reduce the Opacity of the layer to 3%.
Step 35 Create a new clipping layer and draw narrow white stripes on the holder. Decrease Opacity (Opacity) up to 23%. Open layer styles and adjust the parameter. Blend if (Overlay if).
Step 36 I would like to add scratches on the handle to give realism. To do this, create a new document and brush draw a narrow strip. Select it and go Edit – Define Brush Preset (Edit – Define a brush) to create a new brush.
Step 37. Open the brushes panel and adjust the parameters of the new brush.
Step 38 We return to the main document. Create a clipping layer, then use the created brush to paint black scratches on the handle.
Step 39. Create another clipping layer and add more scratches, this time in white. Adjust the opacity of both layers so that they are barely visible. This is how the result should look like.
Step 40. This is an optional step. Go to the “Metal Ring” layer and use the brush created to add scratches to the metal.
Step 41 Go back to the “Pen” group, on the new clipping layer with a brush (B) draw soft highlights (make sure that you do not use a brush with scratches). Adjust the parameter Blend if (Overlap if) and reduce the Opacity to 80%.
Step 42 On the new clipping layer draw another, narrower, highlight above the previous one. Install Blend If (Overlay if), as in the previous step, and reduce the Opacity to 12%.
Step 43 On the new clipping layer, draw an oval and fill it with white. Turn it and hide the lower part with a mask. Adjust Blend if (Overlap if) and change the blending mode to Overlay.
Step 44. We use Brush tool (Brush) (B) to add a narrow highlight on the edge of the oval. Then using Blur tool(Blur) (R) Blur it a little.
Step 45. Add the final details, adjustments.
Step 46 Make all the hidden layers visible and we are done. If you want, you can add texture to the handle. I decided to create a wood texture.
Final image
