UPDATED: Brush Pilot Review and Giveaway – Winner Announced
Have you ever heard the expression, ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’? Or if you haven’t heard the phrase, have you at least heard the song? Well, today I discovered a new phrase that came to me in that same tone. Today I discovered I didn’t know what I was missing until I got it! If you had asked me yesterday, how could I live without an awesome Photoshop brush browser? I would have answered very simply ‘Because I have no need for whatever that is that you just mentioned there.’ Today, however, my answer would be quite different. My answer today would be, ‘Because I had never tried out Brush Pilot before!’
Brush Pilot is an amazing new application from Jay Hilgert over at Bittbox, that allows for simple brush management on your Mac! How simple? Let’s just say, Rob can do it, so that should be a strong indicator right there. I was really amazed at the simplicity of the program, but much more so at it’s virtual weightlessness. With everything that this compact little firecracker can do, I really expected a heavier strain on my system resources, or at least a moment or two of the spinning color wheel of death to cycle through while the app was in full-on run mode, but that never happened. Ever! (You may be more impressed by that statement if you only knew how bogged down I keep my MacBook, and how often it runs a bit sluggish with the multi-tasking…or singular tasking that I demand of it.)
The Specs
The program, as I already mentioned, is amazingly light weight, so you do not have to worry about what you have running in the background, this app will not disturb or slow your system. (you might slow down your workflow, simply because you will be playing with this app and exploring its usefulness for hours rather than focusing, but that’s half the fun of any new app…or am I doing that wrong?) Part of Brush Pilot not being a resource hog, means that it allows for lightning speed maneuvering through the app while it is in use.
More than just a brush browser, the program has contextual menu commands throughout for each of its designated functions, and keyboard shortcuts for even more ease of use. Upon starting the program, it scours through your entire machine, searching for all brush files that stored there, you do not even have to send it searching by location. (Not that you do not have that option as well, for any external drives you may be networked to, as in my case, you can simply point the program in the right place for finding other brushes you can access.) Once it gets down hunting down your brushes, it displays them all in the Finder. From there things get even more exciting.
By clicking on the individual brush files, be they 8bit or 16bit, you get a preview of each set opened up in a window where you can easily scan through the different brushes that are included. The previewer also allows you to quickly and easily adjust the size of the previews using a slider bar beneath it, with five different size options to choose from. So don’t worry about missing out on the details of the brush because of a minuscule preview image, Brush Pilot’s got you covered!
From the finder, you also have the options that really complete the package, in my humble opinion. From a right click on the brush, you can reveal the brushes location on your hard drive (for any of those misplaced downloads that got you just couldn’t track down), you can delete the brush altogether from your system, or you can simply click to have the brush installed straight away into Photoshop. And earlier when I mentioned the lightning speed, you may have thought I was exaggerating, but the installation of the brushes happens instantly without delay or any s.c.w.o.d. hesitation at all! So it was not me being all poetical or ‘hype’rsensitive. Get it? Hype…nevermind. In fact, the only downside I discovered at all to this process, was the inability to select multiple brushes to be installed or deleted at once. To me, that many pros to one con, makes Brush Pilot an overall smashing success!
The Giveaway
We are so excited to have the opportunity to share this awesome Mac application with one lucky reader of the blog. Unfortunately, this is strictly for Mac users, so if you have a Mac and would like the chance to get a free copy of Brush Pilot, then simply comment below to make it happen. I know there will only be one winner of the contest, but rest assured, the app is modestly priced at only $15.00 so if you do not win, it is still not that far out of reach.
And as I said, you may not think you need a brush browser, but if you are Photoshop’ing graphic designer, this little ditty is that rare gem that you won’t understand how you ever did without it after you run it for the first time!
So leave a comment below, and the winner will be announced on July 20th! Check back to see if it’s you!
An Added Word of Thanks!
If you like this post and the other great content from Fuel Your Creativity then make sure you thank Elegant Themes for all of their support. Elegant Themes is a site created by Nick Roach, dedicated to creating premium WordPress themes for the online community. With so many beautifully crafted themes for all site-types and tastes! Nick’s unwavering support of the creative online community is as inspiring as the designs he creates! Thank you, Nick.
Winner Announced
Lisa T
Rob is the talented author and graphic designer, celebrated podcaster and poet, who is now the co-editor and imaginative co-contributor of Fuel Your Creativity. With a background working through most areas of the arts, Rob works from a creative wellspring that shows no signs of running dry.
Grab the Feed
really great app… I want to win it!
Wow… that looks like a great app. Could come in very handy!
It certainly looks rather spiffy !
I´ve been searching for a app like this one!
My brushes are many and not organized…. at all! ;)
We’ve been waiting for this for so many years! Got hundreds of brushsets i never use because i forget them.
It’s a MUST!!!
Very nice indeed.
Seems to be a must have app if you work a lot with brushes. I want to win.
Looks cool – would love to win it.
This is a much needed app for me. Thanks for the review.
Nice little app, would come in handy.
Great app! For sure a must have one.
When will a Windows version be available?
I want it¡¡¡¡¡
sweet! another giveaway!
Oh I so want this one! I have looked for an app like this forever! I have a large collection of brushes that seem untamable.
Finally a full review of the app. I heard about it before, but it’s nice to get some more detailed info. Would love to give it a try myself :) Count me in for the giveaway!
nice!
and me me me me
and me
please!
maybe I will use brushes more often if I this! hehe! ;)
Heck yes I want to PS Brush preview app. This is great!
You’re totally right about the concept, at first you’re like I don’t need this but definitely could see how it would come in handy.
It would be nice if it somehow integrated on a per-brush level. So you’re not installing a pack of 100 when you really only wanted the 1 brush. Would also be nice if it didn’t “install” rather than just activate like a font manager.
Either way, I’m checking it out!
I too have so many brushes that I just can’t remember where they are. Great idea!
thats a damn tasty looking app, gimme gimme
wow! this is a loooong awaited program … so many brushes on my computers…. constantly struggling to find the one i need … switching back and forth my finder and photoshop .. it would be a real life saver …and it would be absolutely great if i would win the license dor this brush pilot ! :) thanks for this wonderful oportunity!
ohh i like!
Sounds brilliant! I’m in. Thanks for posting!
Saw this posted up when Jay finished the product. Looks cool, I’d love to try it out.
That would be super handy to have around!
woohhaaa looks like i really need this tool. :-)
This is a fantastic contest for PS users on Macs. I think that even though you dont win, you should get it! Good luck to everyone!
Looks cool. I hate opening Photoshop just to see what kind of brush I just downloaded. Thank you very much!
Woah! Crossing my fingers on winning this one!
Sounds like a pretty cool app!!
What a great review of Brush Pilot. I’d love to get my hands on a copy. It’d make my Photoshopped life so much easier.
–
if i don’t win, i’ll have no hope to ever differentiate my brushes.
THE HORROR!
I tried to win it off the BittBox site last week, hopefully I can get it on this one!
Great program. Makes finding the correct brushes quite easy.
Most useful application of 2009. Me please! :)
I can’t believe no one thought of this before, I want it!
Pick Me! Pick Me! I am a total brush whore!
Great app! Makes you wonder why Adobe never thought of it before….
Looks like a pretty awesome app. I’m sure it makes managing brushes so easy!
Gimme. Gimme. I need. I need …
i would love to win this i have soooooo many brushes
Very slick! An excellent price-point on an elegant, niche app.
I was amazed when I saw this app. on bittbox and entered to win there but with no luck. I said it once before and now, for a graphic artist/designer who uses photoshop and brushes like crazy and has a rather large brush library this app is a blessing and is actually probably worth more to me than 15 dollars but of course I think it is a great price. I was actually thinking of buying it when I saw the tweet about the giveaway I figured it was worth another try. I would love to add this app to my arsenal of design tools, so I hope I win. Thanks.
This looks sweet
just what i was looking for!! just amazing!! =)
Throw me in the hat too. I would love to win this AWESOME app.
This seems pretty fantastic. I’d be stoked to win this– great for organization and everything.
Add me to the raffle~
Would love to win this app!
Nice giveaway.