These artists not only create beautiful pieces of work using SAI but also create many brushes and texture templates to help other artists.
If you are an avid SAI user or even a budding one, you might be on the lookout for such assets to breathe new life into your work.
But as with any other open community, you might have realized that finding the right thing is an incredibly time-consuming thing. And finding good quality free assets is even more tedious.
So, to help you and many other artists like you, we have traveled throughout the internet to find the best paint tool SAI brushes and textures.
Don’t keep yourself waiting and give it a read!
Best Paint Tool SAI Brushes and Textures
Here is the list of the 20 best Paint Tool SAI brushes and textures that you can use to create stunning, digital artwork.
1. Blotmap Set VIII - Best for Unique Artwork
If you are looking for brushes to give a new flavor to your artwork, this is a really good place to start.
Blotmap Set VIII is a set of unique blot-style brushes that are designed by DA user K-OG.
The brush set is primarily categorized into three types, namely, Dark, Walt, and Grainy.
These brushes provide an incredibly unique look to any kind of artwork you might be doing. And even newcomers to this platform have raved high praises about this brush set.
So, in case, if you haven’t already tried it and are looking for an interesting change of looks, then you must test it out.
By: K-OG | No. of Brushes: 3
2. Brush Supplement #2 - Best for Comprehensive Variety
If you are new to trying out custom brush sets in SAI, then this is one of the biggest and most comprehensive free brush sets that you can try.
DeviantArt user DarlingMionette has created one of the most complete brush sets that we have ever witnessed with about 15 different kinds of strokes, namely, Rough crayon, Marker, Chalky, Airbrush, Watercolor, etc.
Being about 6 megabytes in size for the entire set, it is one of the largest sets we have ever seen.
But we also absolutely love it and recommend it to any SAI artist because of the sheer variety.
By: DarlingMionette | No. of Brushes: 25
3. 40 Brush Settings - Best for New Avenues
DeviantArt user DocWedigo created this superb set of brushes and textures that is an absolute treat for each and every SAI user.
The 40 free brush settings are absolutely amazing and open up a lot of new avenues for a budding SAI artist.
And they accompanied texture pack is nothing but an absolute delight for any artist, whether it be a new SAI user or a veteran.
So, don’t keep yourself waiting, test it out and make it a part of your workflow right away.
By: DocWedigo | No. of Brushes: 40
4. Easy Paint Tool Sai Brushes - Best for New Users
If you are absolutely new to this platform, then you might be looking for something easier to comprehend and make you more familiar with SAI.
There are several easy starter brush kits that you can try out but this particular one we found out is one of the easiest, safest, and complete brush sets out there.
The site even has a tutorial that explains every nook and cranny of the tool to the minutest detail.
So, if you are a little intimated by this vast community of artists and the accompanying plethora of tools, this will be an easy start for you.
By: QTMelon | No. of Brushes: N/A
5. Grass Brush - Best for Detailed Natural Elements
The name might trick you into thinking that is a brush stamp that looks like grass leaves, but that is indeed not the case.
On this platform, you’ll rarely find stamp or pattern brushes, and this isn’t one either. So, you might need to get more familiar with drawing digitally before you plan on to use this brush set without getting frustrated.
The strokes are very smooth and form curves without any hassle. For that reason, the brush set is also incredibly useful for drawing objects other than grasses, bushes, and leaves.
There is a huge number of possibilities with this brush set, that’s why, if you are an intermediate or experienced SAI artist, you must try it out!
By: ChildOfMoonlight | No. of Brushes: N/A
6. SAI Textures
This simple and straightforward SAI texture pack from DeviantArt user Piromanova is extremely helpful.
The free texture pack contains 17 unique and interesting textures that are all meant to be used for brushes.
Each individual is also highly flexible and modular in terms of opacity, shape, etc. So, you can kill a lot of time just playing around with these textures.
The set is definitely worthy of high praise and if you are looking for something interesting for your next project, giving this a try is a really good idea.
By: Piromanova | No. of Brushes: 17
7. Colorful Texture Pack
If you have scrounged through the conventional assets and find yourself bored, then you might want to take a look at this.
This pack brings some free colorful and delightful textures that are of satisfying quality. Each texture is 2000x3000 pixels large and it works perfectly at 300 DPI, which is excellent for print.
There are only 5 textures in the set but you can use Photoshop to alter them and give yourself a variety of options to choose from, and you can even increase your options by using them with various brush options.
It’s a rather large package, sizing at about 38 megabytes but is totally worth the effort.
By: AF-studios | No. of Brushes: 5
8. Artist Textures
If you are looking for something easy yet interesting, then this Artist Texture Pack is bound to satisfy your needs.
The free unique-looking textures are really easy to play around with and can serve to be extremely helpful, maybe, some more than others.
But since there’s quite a variety of textures, you’ll find at least something that you’d love about this set. From basic patterns to paper and cardboard textures, you’ve got it all.
If you are an experienced user, there’s good news for you. The textures used in this set are completely open-sourced and are from Creative Commons photos or public domain photos. This means that you can freely alter and redistribute these assets without any backlash or legal consequences.
So, don’t wait anymore! Go ahead and play with it!
By: aheria | No. of Brushes: 32
9. Electroslime SAI Brushes
Electroslime, a Gumroad user, has created this splendid pack of brushes for artists that can be used for a huge variety of projects.
The pack has cloud-style brushes that are suitable for both pens and brushes, and the best part is that you’ll always find some use of it no matter what your project is about.
For the same reason, it’s an excellent option for beginners and new artists as well, and veterans of the platform might already have it in their arsenal.
In the end, you can download this brush pack for yourself no matter your expertise because of its handiness.
By: Electroslime | No. of Brushes: 4
10. Nintendo ARMS Brush Pack
Based on the art style and graphic design of the game Nintendo ARMS, creator PhantomZ2 has blessed us with this interesting brush pack.
The style of the brush pack is a clear mimic of the designs used in the game but the look is so unique and stylish that you can surely make it a part of your own work without a hitch.
You’ll find it even more useful if you happen to work on Manga and cell-shaded artworks, but no matter what your preferences are, we are sure that you can find some use for it.
So, if you love the design principles that are used in the art style of Nintendo ARMS, then this brush pack will surely steal your heart.
By: PhantomZ2 | No. of Brushes: N/A
11. Custom SAI Brushes
If you are a graphic designer who frequently works with illustrations and custom effects, then this brush set will surely pique your interest.
DeviantArt user DigiKat04 has created this wonderful brush set with unique patterns for the pleasure of the entire community.
In the pack, you get about 12 free brushes that have a huge variety including styles like Flat, Lace, Scale, and Flake brushes.
The best part is that even digital painters can spice up their creations by using these varied brushes together in unique combinations.
All and all, this interesting brush pack is great for any SAI user according to use and if you don’t like it, after all, you still have nothing to lose. It’s free!
By: DigiKat04 | No. of Brushes: 12
12. LoZ Breath of The Wild Brush Pack
We don’t think that Nintendo’s blockbuster title Legend of Zelda needs any introduction. And if you are in love with the art style and design choices, you’d be delighted to know about this splendid pack from Gumroad user PhantomZ2.
For obvious reasons, if you create art for video games, you’ll find this pack to be extra lovely. And considering that such a unique and recognizable art style is available to free, you have no reason to skip this one.
So, if you are planning to do your own concept art from scratch or happen to work as a graphic designer for a gaming company, then be sure to try it out because it’s good and it’s absolutely free.
By: PhantomZ2 | No. of Brushes: N/A
13. SAI Brushes by Isihock
To be honest with you, there’s not a lot of “specialty” with this brush pack, and with that, you might even be wondering why are we even discussing it then.
The reason is that these brushes are perfectly balanced. DeviantArt user Isihock has created a collection of 7 brushes that are born from the very precise needs of an experienced artist.
And it can be used by other SAI artists to ease up their work as well. The pack includes a Painting Brush, 2 Marker tools that are completely different, a Pencil tool, an Acrylic tool, a Fur tool, and a Water tool.
All of these brushes fulfill extremely specific use cases that are very frankly discussed by the artist on the page. But there’s a strong possibility that you can use them in your own unique way.
All and all, the pack is extremely compact and incredibly useful. So, don’t forget to try these out!
By: Isihock | No. of Brushes: 7
14. Paint Tool SAI Brushes
These fancy and incredibly interesting brushes by DeviantArt user Ayazuea are extremely useful for a digital painter.
If you are into creating concept arts that are more on the realistic side, you’ll love the feel of these brushes and the way they flow on the screen.
One of the nicest brushes that we used from this set is the one that are meant for smudging. It creates an extremely realistic blend of colors and shades that are pleasing to look at.
For some reason, it’s unlike any other brush we have used before that is meant for a similar purpose.
You might even fall in love with the brushes that are designed for creating shadows because you might have experienced how difficult it is to create thin and real-looking shadows.
Overall, it’s a compact brush set of only 6 brushes but all of them are so highly specific and useful that there’s no way to not love these.
By: Ayazuea | No. of Brushes: 6
15. SAI Brushes 2
DeviantArt user ToadsDontExist has created this updated and extended brush pack after the success of his first brush pack SAI Brushes.
There is no one way to describe all of the brushes but if you are an avid user of the platform, you can’t live without these brushes.
All of these brushes are unique and extremely useful. If you have these brushes, you’d never have to halt while working just because you don’t have the right brush for the job.
So, no matter what kind of expertise you have with the platform, if you download these, you’ll often find yourself using brushes from this specific brush pack.
And even if you encounter problems with some of the brushes, don’t worry because the creator has SAI Brushes 3 rolling out soon.
By: ToadsDontExist | No. of Brushes: N/A
16. Paint Tool SAI Brushes Credit 01
This brush pack is a collection of unique brush styles that were originally created by different artists. They are collected and repacked by DeviantArt user itachiXOXOkisame.
But, in any case, the brush collection has some of the most strange, yet extremely useful brushes that we have ever witnessed ourselves.
The brushes are primarily categorized into 6 different groups, square, manga, skin, glitter, zebra, and tweed.
The best part is that all of the brushes are completely unique and interesting, so, no matter what your use case is, you are bound to enjoy these brushes.
And some of the brushes are so unique and helpful that we wonder why no one else has designed something similar yet.
So, go ahead and try these out and we are sure that you’ll love them as much as we do if not more.
By: itachiXOXOkisame | No. of Brushes: 6
17. Paint Tool SAI Brushes
Creator Matysia from DeviantArt has made these incredibly good brushes for the benefit of all SAI users.
These 12 brushes include styles of a pen, Copic marker, brush, hair, rough brush, cloud, dirt, watercolor, and blur.
All of these brushes are very well designed and serve their respective purpose in an incredibly neat fashion.
The thing to love about these brushes is how useful they are for a manga or concept artist because of how good they are achieving at their respective effect.
For example, the blur and the watercolor brushes might seem to serve a similar effect but an actual watercolor artist will be able to tell the difference and appreciate the design with a single stroke.
And added to that, you also get rare brush patterns like the dirt brush for absolutely free. So, what’s there not to love about this brush set, right?
By: Matysia | No. of Brushes: 12
18. SAI Brushes by H4NDS0M3-J4CK
If you are incredibly new on this platform and are inspired by the excellent examples that are set by the rest of the community, these brushes are bound to satisfy your ambitions.
The primary reason is that the brushes are incredibly smooth and graceful, and are closest to the experience that you’ll have on paper or other good-quality digital tablets.
For some fortunate reason, shading and lighting with these brushes is an absolute pleasure. And these brushes will help you with a variety of work.
Even if you are a veteran of the platform, you might still want to try these out because you may just find out something you love.
Overall, these brushes are unique, good quality, and absolutely free. So, go ahead and make them yours.
By: H4NDS0M3-J4CK | No. of Brushes: N/A
19. SAI Brushes by Mutealice
These amazing brushes from Mutealice offer amazing versatility to the artist who is not just into but into creating full-blown concept art.
Out of the 9 brushes, 7 brushes can be used for creating watercolor-like soft blends. Of course, the degree of softness varies depending on the brushes you choose.
Besides that, the other 2 brushes are a little less wide and can be used for sketching. One of the brushes, out of the remaining 2 brush strokes, has soft and feathered edges which provides a unique experience.
Overall, these brushes are extremely good for concept artists because of the kind of blends they can produce.
By: Mutealice | No. of Brushes: 9
20. #08 Paint Tool Sai Brushes by CatBrushes
CatBrushes’ creation brings you a set of 6 brushes that have a unique profile, to say the least. One of the brushes produces medium-thickness strokes with rough edges, and although interesting, there is limited use to it.
2 of the brushes have a dry stroke pattern that looks extremely interesting if you are interested in creating artworks on Sai.
There is one brush for doing soft coloring. It has a texture resembling that of dry chalk and looks extremely pretty.
And the remaining 2 brushes are, technically, for blending. But the blends are extremely unique in our opinion.
One of them resembles the feeling of using watercolor markers with a slanted tip and the other one creates rough blends that look like you have used round-tip watercolor pens with diluted ink.
Anyway, the brushes are extremely unique and since we have not witnessed anything quite like it, we, at least, recommend you give it a try.
By: CatBrushes | No. of Brushes: 6
Best Paint Tool SAI Brushes and Textures Comparison Table
| SAI | By | No. of Brushes |
|---|---|---|
| Blotmap Set VIII | K-OG | 3 |
| Brush Supplement #2 | DarlingMionette | 25 |
| 40 Brush Settings | DocWedigo | 40 |
| Easy Paint Tool Sai Brushes | QTMelon | N/A |
| Grass Brush | ChildOfMoonlight | N/A |
| SAI Textures | Piromanova | 17 |
| Colorful Texture Pack | AF-studios | 5 |
| Artist Textures | aheria | 32 |
| Electroslime SAI Brushes | Electroslime | 4 |
| Nintendo ARMS Brush Pack | PhantomZ2 | N/A |
| Custom SAI Brushes | DigiKat04 | 12 |
| LoZ Breath of The Wild Brush Pack | PhantomZ2 | N/A |
| IsihockSAI Brushes | Isihock | 7 |
| Paint Tool SAI Brushes | Ayazuea | 6 |
| SAI Brushes 2 | ToadsDontExist | N/A |
| Paint Tool SAI Brushes Credit 01 | itachiXOXOkisame | 6 |
| Paint Tool SAI Brushes | Matysia | 12 |
| H4NDS0M3-J4CK SAI Brushes | H4NDS0M3-J4CK | N/A |
| Mutealice SAI Brushes | Mutealice | 9 |
| #08 Paint Tool Sai Brushes | CatBrushes | 6 |
How do I install new brushes in Paint Tool SAI? To install new brushes, download the desired brush set and place the files into your “brushes” folder (typically found in your Paint Tool SAI installation directory). Restart the program for them to appear in your tool palette. Can I use custom brushes from other programs in Paint Tool SAI? While some brushes might be compatible with multiple programs, custom brushes created specifically for other editing programs might not work with SAI. Look for brushes that are specifically designed for Paint Tool SAI for optimal results. How can I create my own brushes in Paint Tool SAI? To create a custom brush, head to the “Tool” panel, select an existing brush and modify its settings like density, blending, and texture. Save the settings as a new brush for future use. How do I add textures to brushes in Paint Tool SAI? To add textures, first, add the texture file to SAI’s “papertext” folder. Then, within the program, select the desired brush, click on “Texture” in the settings panel, and choose the texture from the dropdown menu. How do I change the hardness or density of a brush in Paint Tool SAI? To adjust the hardness or density, select the brush you want to modify and use the “Density” slider in the settings panel. A lower percentage creates a softer brush, while a higher percentage creates a harder brush. How can I find more high-quality SAI textures? Expand your collection by searching online for SAI textures created by others or make your own using a graphics tablet and Paint Tool SAI’s built-in functions and tools.Paint Tool SAI Brushes and Textures FAQs
Conclusion
Navigating the world of Paint Tool SAI brushes and textures can be daunting, especially with the myriad of options available. By understanding each brush set's unique qualities and purposes, you can elevate your digital artwork and streamline your creative process.
From the above 20 best Paint Tool SAI brushes and textures, here are the top three expert recommendations.
For those seeking to create unique artwork, Blotmap Set VIII by K-OG is an ideal option with its distinctive blot-style brushes.
Artists looking for a comprehensive variety in their brush set will find Brush Supplement #2 by DarlingMionette is a good choice, offering 25 diverse brushes ranging from rough crayon to watercolor.
Lastly, for those wanting to explore new avenues in their art, the 40 Brush Settings by DocWedigo is the right choice, providing an extensive selection of brushes and textures that cater to both beginners and experienced SAI users.
Whichever brush set you choose, remember that practice and experimentation are key to mastering your craft and unlocking your full artistic potential. Happy creating!
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