abrMate

Art covers various forms, and can’t really be defined. Nowadays, even computer applications can be used to create art, at least when it comes to visuals, and Adobe Photoshop is one example in this regard. Needless to say its brushes are saved as file, and if you want to view or manage them, then you need abrMate.

It takes a little while to get the application installed, and before you know it, the set of features is at your disposal. However, the application was built in the .NET Framework environment, so you also need to make sure it’s on the computer you use, even though recent Windows iterations come with this specific service bundled.

As the name suggests, the application works with ABR files, which represent the format Adobe Photoshop uses to store its brushes. Since a brush set can also be found online, it’s good to have a method of checking them out before they’re used. Keep in mind that Photoshop doesn’t need to be installed for abrMate to work, and corresponding files suffice for the task.

The application stores all of its features in a simple interface that doesn’t pose any accommodation problems. A side panel lets you perform load and save operations, browse through opened sets, while content is then shown in the rest of the space. Dragging files over the main window has no effect, so you need to use the built-in dialog to open brushes.

All textures are immediately shown, and a mouse click is enough to bring up a large view, to closely inspect all details. This gives you a chance to figure out what types of projects best benefit from each brush type.

Sadly, the application isn’t fitted with any kind of editing options, so you need to look for alternatives in this regard. On the other hand, individual brushes can be exported as image files, in case you want to include a large preview when distributing your own brush set.

To end with, abrMate might not be equipped with too many features, while having none for editing, but it does come in handy for analysis of Photoshop brush sets, as well as exporting them to serve as a preview for custom packages. It’s simple, easy to use, and doesn’t require much effort.