fresh food? you grew it and harvested it and all that??? dang. come make me dinner.
and i agree with you to an extent. banning these prefab brushes aren't going to help anything though, more so hinder things.
you've commented a few times on my use of brushes, and generally not been rude about my choice of usage. so thats cool.
but banning them all together is ridiculous.

notice you didn't acknowledge your use of texture. hmm. wanna know something really funny about that certain texture? i have bird brushes that look exactly like the birds used to make that texture. bet you didn't ask how the person who made the texture got the birds?

Stop yakking so much! I'm not talking about BANNING prefab brushes, just chosing to punish those who so badly misuse them by voting low on their obviously lazy and crappy images. Nowhere in my posts have I suggested banning premade brushes. Does that make things a bit more clear? If you (or anyone) wants to use prefab brushes, and they're an eyesore IMHO, you get a low vote. It's really simple. I hope I have used small words so you will be sure to understand.

grow some VP

Wow. Well be a jerk then. Was I rude or belittling to you? Gosh no.
You choose to lash out and treat me like I don't comprehend your dribble, and I find it insulting.
Whatever the case, I will "yak" as much as I want in a forum and state my opinion the same as you have the right to do. Freedom of speech. I suppose if you don't like it you can ignore it and move on. Insulting me proves only one thing, and that is of course your lack of maturity. I do hold a lot of respect for artists here, no matter my personal opinion of them. And again...I wasn't trying to insult you. Vote how you wish. You are one little person with whatever vp you have, and since this is my hobby, winning or loosing isn't my life or death in any matter.

Perhaps my "yaking" was too much for your brain to process. Next time ask for a summary. Id gladly dumb it down a bit if you need.

Wow.

I'm afraid I have to repsond to Jadedink (well im not afrad but, because you've said the most! lol)

i'm defending blood splatter that adds to an image but doesn't make an image. again, not something i've been able to reproduce myself by painting freehand, and i've not had the time to splatter paint and take pictures and make my own brushes out of

Why do you need to resort to using a brush for such a thing?... the amount of time it took you to look for a blood splatter brush... you could have found the original image and used that!

It's not a question of time... it's a question of principle!, maybe it's a question of not having the beginner contests anymore... however... its how things are now that I'm focussing on!...
you mention that beginners use brushes or are atleast more likely to use brushes which we all seem to have a problem with... OK... This is a community of artists. one that encourages and helps others wouldn't you agree?... it's where beginners and us more experienced users can learn and improve (I'm not sure if you were including me in that statement) The problem is, how can you help someone that makes their entry out of brushes they've downloaded or got free from a magazine?... or out of something that could easily have been made from a stock image has been substituted for a brush instead!.
Atleast if the person has tried and failed with some dodgy blending or something else fundamental to their entry, us experienced users can help to advise and encourage improvement. How can you do the same if someone used brushes for their entry... simply put... you can't!...

The harsh reality is... as with all things... you need to start from the beginning and do it poorly if you have any chance of improving. It's better to try and get votes for trying than to think you can learn from relying on brushes.

I'd also like to add, that I wouldn't have even improved half as much were it not for the harsh advice of some of these experienced users when I first joined back in photoshoptalent.com days... wont give names as I think they know who they are!?!... lol - advice I wouldn't have got if I just used brushes!

and i'm happy that you've all the time to make amazing brushes and effects like that

F5 (very overlooked i think)- brushes pallette - play with some settings spacing/jitter and the rest and you're done. it doesn't take all day to make a brush, and it's certainly not as time consuming as searching for them.

maybe for some people, the random cloud and lightening bolt and flame brush takes alot of their "talent' to arrange properly and even make a decent image out of anyway

That's alot like hard work to me to be honest. would much rather work with stock than get a brush with less definition and options.

are you guys making a ton of money here that makes it so you can spend all your time making first place entries? as for me, this isn't my "job" this is a hobby. when a hobby stops being fun, well..then it isn't a hobby anymore. i wish you guys could just let it be fun again

LOL I wish I was! seriously... then I would be a happy chappy!... This isnt' my Job either, I only have a few entries, compared to most - I generally spend a day on an entry depending on what needs to be done and what im bringing into it. most of the time I'm looking at tutorials hence the reason I haven't popped out 215 entries...
We are keeping it fun, but there's also a learning curve to the site... if you want to showcase brush work and not learn from the other members... post it somewhere else! (not you jadedink - not you personally)!...
On the other hand... if it ends up that the brush work continues... who is it fun for?... certainly not the ones who put the effort in to their entry!... amd not fun for those able to critique the work!...

i've nothing more to say or add to this conversation. thanks for addressing my thoughts, obviously vacant ones at that.

i say just place your vote and comment accordingly. if you don't like someones work because of brushes, reflect that there.

when i grow up, i wanna be JUST like you guys.

This just leads to more censure.
Photoshop is a lifetime of learning.
Let people chop and vote how you see it!!!
If you were working for a graphics company and made from scratch every little thing, you would not last a week.
Those places are about production, most of them.
My god let these folks chop and quit nitpicking their asses for every little thing on what you think this site should be.
As long as the chop is clean, the idea is grand, and maybe you get some wow in there, I for one vote on creativity more then methods used to achieve a fine work.
Technical is a big factor in my vote.
But a well placed brush or filter is not what I would consider lazy or cheap.
It is Photoshop!!!
Now pick my ass apart!
As said before I could give a ratts ass about elitest fodder. In photog or chopp.
There should be a place for everyone here, and they should feel welcome.

I feel alot of sexual tension in this debate .... that was until Dawg invited us to " pick his ass apart" not the image I wanted to goto bed with Craig lol, but your still my hero you hairy dawg!

You are great geex.

Thanks buddy