Things You'll Need
Instructions
Photoshop
Open the file for the image you want to make into a brush in Photoshop and size the image so that the widest side is 2500 pixels or less for versions CS2 or CS3. If you are using an older version, the widest side should be no larger than 1000 pixels. Change the resolution to 72 dpi (dots per inch).
Go to the "Image" menu and select "Adjustments." Change the image to black and white. Adjust the brightness and contrast to make the lines of the image darker. This makes for a crisp, opaque brush. Shades of gray in the brush will be degrees of transparent.
Select the "Edit" menu and go to "Define Brush Preset." Type a name for your custom brush in the text window that pops up and hit "OK."
Paint Shop Pro
Open the image in Paint Shop Pro. Choose the rectangle selection tool and click and drag it against the edges of the image and go to "Image" and then "Crop to Selection." Change the size of the image to no more than 500 pixels on the largest side.
Go to the "Adjust" menu and select "Hue and Saturation" to change the image to black and white. Choose "Brightness and Contrast" from the same menu and adjust the image to make it darker in the spots where you want the brush to be opaque.
Click on the "Paintbrush" tool in the toolbox to open the paintbrush dialogue box and hit the "Custom Brush" button in the upper right corner. Type a name for the brush and select "Create" to complete your custom brush.
GIMP
Open the image in GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) that you want to turn into the layout brush. Select the "Rectangle Selection" tool and crop the image to remove excess blank space from around the image. Determine how large you want the brush to be and adjust the image size.
Choose the "Magic Wand" selection tool and click the area left around the image. Hit "Delete" to remove the area completely so that the brush will only consist of the image.
Go to "File" and then "Save As." Open the "Gimp" folder on your hard drive and then the "Brushes" folder. Type the name for the brush and save it in the brushes folder with the ".GIH" extension. The brush will now appear in the brush dialogue box, ready to be used. If the brush dialogue box is open and you don't see your new brush, hit the "Refresh" button.