Zigzag brushes or patterns can be utilized across Adobe Photoshop, Corel PaintShop Pro (PSP), and Corel Painter by taking advantage of distinct methods tailored to each software’s underlying paint engine.
While Illustrator relies natively on vector pattern brushes, raster programs use customized brush tip spacing, distortion filters, or expression dynamics to achieve a zigzag effect. 1. Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop creates zigzags using either Brush Engine spacing or the Wave Filter method for perfectly geometric lines. Method A: Custom Brush Spacing (For Freehand Painting)
Create the Tip: Draw a single “V” shape or a square rotated 45 degrees on a blank canvas. Define Brush: Go to Edit > Define Brush Preset and name it. Open Settings: Press F5 to open the Brush Settings panel.
Adjust Spacing: Under Brush Tip Shape, increase the Spacing slider until the stamped shapes align tip-to-tip, forming a continuous zigzag line.
Set Direction: Go to Shape Dynamics, find Angle Jitter, and change the Control drop-down menu to Direction. The zigzag will now automatically turn and follow your brush stroke. Method B: The Wave Filter (For Perfect Paths)
Draw a Line: Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a long, thin horizontal line on a new layer.
Convert Layer: Right-click the layer and select Convert to Smart Object (allowing you to edit the zigzag scale later). Apply Filter: Go to Filter > Distort > Wave. Configure Settings:
Set Type to Triangle (Crucial: Sine creates wavy lines, Triangle creates crisp zigzags). Set Number of Generators to 1.
Move the Wavelength and Amplitude sliders to control the width and height of the zigzag peaks. 2. Corel PaintShop Pro (PSP)
PSP relies heavily on its Brush Variance palette and custom brush tips to control stamp behaviors. Photoshop CC – Zig Zag, Wavy Lines & Rick Rack
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