Modify brushes

Last updated on Sep 11, 2025

Learn how to change brush options and update brush artwork using the Brushes panel.

Modify different types of brushes in Adobe Illustrator, including calligraphic, scatter, art, pattern, and bristle brushes.

Change brush options

Select Brushes in panels. If you don’t find the Brushes in panels, select Window > Brushes.

The Brushes panel is highlighted in the panel dock, showing different brush options available for modifying strokes in Illustrator.
Open the Brushes panel to modify your strokes.

Double-click the brush in the Brushes panel.

Set the desired brush options in the dialog box that appears, and then select OK.

To modify a brush already in use in the document, follow the onscreen instructions, and do one of the following:

  • Select Apply to Strokes to update all existing strokes.
  • Select Leave Strokes to keep existing strokes unchanged and apply changes only to new strokes.

Modify artwork used in a scatter, art, or pattern brush

Drag the brush from the Brushes panel into your artwork, and edit the artwork as required.

Double-click the brush in the Brushes panel.

Select the artwork with the Direct Selection tool, and then Altdrag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) the modified brush onto the original brush in the Brushes panel.

Tip

To modify a brushed path without updating the corresponding brush, select the path and Options of Selected Object.