Sign In
Register
Help
As an owner of TwistedBrush can I use TwistedBrush Pro Studio?
Yes, all TwistedBrush owners may download and use TwistedBrush Pro Studio. It's the new name for TwistedBrush. Your existing TwistedBrush license will continue to be valid for TwistedBrush Pro Studio.
Is TwistedBrush Open Studio really free?
Yes, really! TwistedBrush Open Studio has most of the great features of TwistedBrush Pro Studio but just a handful of very fine brushes and no ability to edit brushes.
How much does TwistedBrush Pro Studio cost?
Visit the Pixarra Online Store to see the current prices.
How do I purchase TwistedBrush Pro Studio?
Visit the Pixarra Online Store and select a product.
Can you explain the different licenses that are available or were previously available?
- Perpetual with free upgrades for current major version:
The software will never expire. Free updates are available for the
current major version (15.x) for example. Upgrades to the next major
version will be available for a fee. This is the standard way most
consumer software is sold.
- Perpetual with free upgrades for the life of the product:
This license is no longer available for purchase. Existing customers of
this license will, of course, still get free upgrades. The software
will never expire.
- 6 Month license: This
license is no longer available for purchase. Software will be usable
for 6 months, during which time updates are free. After 6 months, a new
license must be purchased to continue to use the software.
- 1 Year license: This license is no longer available for purchase. Software will be usable for 1 year, during which time updates are free. After 1 year, a new license must be purchased to continue to use this software.
You will receive a license key at your supplied email address, usually within minutes of purchasing the product. When you get your license key, use it to fully activate your TwistedBrush software. This can be TwistedBrush software that you have already installed as a trial or you can download and install the latest version.
I have my license key. Where do I download my TwistedBrush software?
You can download the latest version of the product that you purchased from the Pixarra website at:
http://www.pixarra.com/download.html
Is there an upgrade path from TwistedBrush Essentials to TwistedBrush Pro Studio?
A discount of 30% is available for previous owners of TwistedBrush Essentials who wish to purchase TwistedBrush Pro Studio. Request your discount information from support@pixarra.com.
Is there an upgrade path from a 6-month or 1-year license to TwistedBrush Pro Studio?
A discount of 30% is available for previous owners of TwistedBrush 6 month license and 50% for TwistedBrush 1 year licenses who wish to purchase TwistedBrush Pro Studio. Request your discount information from support@pixarra.com.
How do I purchase TwistedBrush as a gift for someone else?
To purchase TwistedBrush as a gift for someone else, go through the standard order process. After you receive your purchase confirmation, email Pixarra support via email at:
support@pixarra.com
In this email, indicate that a recent purchase is intended to be a gift and include the recipient's full name. A license key in his or her name will be returned to you via email. At that point, you can present the license key as a gift in any way you like. You may wish, for example, to include the license number and the link to download the new software in a traditional greeting card or in an email.
Can I just send you my credit card information in email?
No. Please use the order page at the Pixarra Online Store. From there, once you select the product you wish to purchase, you will find numerous purchase options. These are all handled by the payment processing center, Plimus.
What payment options are available?
These payment options are available: secure online credit card, phone-in credit card, fax, mailed money order, mailed check, wire transfer, purchase order, or PayPal.
Can I have a CD mailed to me for my purchase?
We don't offer this option because our frequent updates would likely make the CD version out of date before it reaches you. We're vigilant about keeping the download size of the application small. Currently, the full download of TwistedBrush is about 12mb. TwistedBrush Essentials is even smaller.
TwistedBrush Editions
What are the different editions of TwistedBrush that are available?
Currently there are 2 editions available, TwistedBrush Pro Studio and TwistedBrush Open Studio. TwistedBrush Pro Studio is everything, all features and all brushes (over 5000 at this point). TwistedBrush Open Studio is a free version of TwistedBrush with most of the feature of Pro Studio but just a handful of very fine brushes with the ability to purchase additional brushes.
Is TwistedBrush Open Studio really free?
Yes really!
Why did Pixarra include so many great features in a free version of TwistedBrush?
It is our hope that more and more people will use TwistedBrush and that a very feature packed free version will accomplish this. Of course beyond that we would hope those users will be inspired to purchase additional brushes or more up to Pro Studio.
If I already have purchased TwistedBrush Pro Studio is there any reason to install or use TwistedBrush Open Studio?
Not really, TwistedBrush Pro Studio includes everything that TwistedBrush has to offer plus all the brushes and the ability to edit and install user created brushes.
Should I buy TwistedBrush Pro Studio or TwistedBrush Open Studio and some of the brush collections?
You really can't go wrong either way. TwistedBrush Open Studio has a lower starting cost - free, plus small incremental costs if you decide to purchase additional brushes. The brushes purchased for TwistedBrush Open Studio will not expire. If in the long run you want to edit brushes or import user created brushes then TwistedBrush Pro Studio is the way to go. It really depends on your budget and needs.
Can I install TwistedBrush Pro Studio brushes into TwistedBrush Open Studio?
TwistedBrush Pro Studio ArtSets and user created brushes and ArtSets will not work in TwistedBrush Open Studio.
How is TwistedBrush Open Studio different than TwistedBrush Free Edition that used to be available?
There are major differences. Whereas the previous Free Edition was very limited, Open Studio has a wealth of features. For example Open Studio can import images, all TwistedBrush filters are available, all the tools (to many to list are available), layers, masks, etc are available all of which were not available in the previous Free Edition.
TwistedBrush Help and Features
Is there a free trial of TwistedBrush?
Yes, a TwistedBrush Pro Studio has a free, fully featured 15-day trial.
How do I use a specific feature?
Use the TwistedBrush User Guide in this online manual and the Pixarra forum to learn how a specific feature is used. Visit the Pixarra forum at:
http://pixarra.invisionzone.com/
I couldn't find information in your forum or User Guide about how to do something. Where should I go for help?
Posting a new topic in the forum often leads to the best and fastest response to your question. If you are wondering about something, chances are good that other people are wondering the same thing. You are doing them a service to ask and you all benefit from the helpful answers you'll get.
How do I suggest a new feature or a feature enhancement to TwistedBrush?
The best place to suggest a feature is in the Feature Request section of the forum.
Is there a Mac version of TwistedBrush?
Right now, TwistedBrush is a Windows-only product. It is possible to run Windows programs on more recent Macs by using bootcamp.
Are drawing tablets supported in TwistedBrush?
Yes. Tablets that conform to the Wintab tablet specification are supported in TwistedBrush. This means that most drawing tablets are supported.
What new features are coming up in a future release?
We usually don't announce features ahead of time. However, if a feature or fix is completed and just not released yet, it will likely appear in the Online Revision History.
Are tutorials for videos available?
Yes. They can be found in the Videos pages on the forum here and here.
There used to be video tutorials for a much older version of TwistedBrush. Are those still available?
Yes. They can be found here.
TwistedBrush Uses
Is it possible to convert a photo into a painting or sketch with TwistedBrush?
Yes, there are a number of options available to enhance photos and turn them into paintings or sketches.
- Using image filters from the Filters > Artistic menu. For charcoals, oils etc. This is a single click result.
- There
are 100's of cloning brushes which give a wider variety of results then
the first option but requires more effort but artist skill isn't
required.
- Combining, filters and brushes from the Process -
Photo Retouch and Process - Special Effects ArtSets you can get a wide
variety of artistic results.
- Additional brushes, tools and filters through-out TwistedBrush can achieve great results for example the Blending brushes, Texturize Bump Filter for apply a canvas texture or Bristle brushes for adding a brush strokes textures.
I've run into a problem with the TwistedBrush software. Where should I report the problem?
The best place to report a problem with your TwistedBrush software is in the Problem Report section of the forum.
When I report a problem with TwistedBrush, what information should I include?
The more information that you include about how the problem occurred is very helpful. Describing the exact steps you took to get the problem to occur helps a great deal. In your report, please state the version of Windows that are you using. The version of TwistedBrush and the edition of TwistedBrush (TwistedBrush or TwistedBrush Essentials) that you are using should also be listed. If it seems appropriate, include a screen shot of the problem. If it's a crash, post the log.txt file that is found in the TwistedBrush directory.
I was using TwistedBrush just fine for a while, but then things starting moving slowly. What's happening?
It is possible that your PC is running low on memory. This can happen if you are using a lot of layers and working on large-sized pages.
I seem to be running low on memory when running TwistedBrush. Is there anything I can do to improve this situation?
Yes. There are a number of things that can be done to improve this situation in the short-term. There are ways to try to keep it from happening in the future, too. For short-term improvement:
- Close other applications that are open and not being used.
- Merge layers that are no longer needed to be separate.
- Clear the undo information from the menu if you don't need to undo any current steps through the menu Control > Clear Stored Undo Steps.
- Move to a new page and return to your current page.
- Use a smaller brush size.
- Exit from TwistedBrush and start it back up if you are still having problems.
If you continually run low on memory while using TwistedBrush, you can:
- Purchase more memory for your computer.
- Work on smaller page sizes in TwistedBrush.
- Set the Max Undo Levels to a smaller number through the menu Edit > Preferences.
If you still need access to more memory you can run Vista 64 bit Editions and this will give TwistedBrush up to 4GB of memory, assuming you have the physical memory available on your computer in TwistedBrush versions 16.01 and later.
My drawing cursor doesn't match up with paint strokes when I'm using my drawing tablet. Is there a way to adjust this?
Yes. Make sure that your pointing device is set up for absolute position. This position is sometimes called Pen mode. Either way, you should be able to access this setting in the Control Panel application that was installed with your tablet. You can also turn on Tablet Compatibility Mode in TwistedBrush. This can be found in the Preferences dialog. Access the Preferences dialog from the menu Edit > Preferences.
Installation and Upgrades
Can I install TwistedBrush on a second computer?
Your TwistedBrush license key lets you install the program on one or two computers, as long as the program runs on only one of these computers at a time by the purchaser of the software.
Can I install both TwistedBrush Essentials and TwistedBrush on the same computer?
Yes. These two editions of TwistedBrush are completely independent and
install by default into different locations. They use different
licenses.
How do I uninstall TwistedBrush?
Use the standard Windows uninstall procedure. From Windows Control
Panel, select Add or Remove Programs. There, select TwistedBrush.
If I uninstall TwistedBrush what happens to my artwork?
If you uninstall TwistedBrush, your artwork remains on your computer.
All artwork that you create in TwistedBrush is stored in folders under
the main TwistedBrush folder. These folders are labeled Book1, Book2,
Book3 et cetera and correspond to the books within TwistedBrush. Files
for each page are stored within these folders, including the .TBR file,
which is the TwistedBrush specific-image format. A BMP file for each
page is also included, so you have a file version that can be loaded
into virtually any other Windows art program.
Do I have to install every update that is released?
No. You may skip any number of updates if you wish and install an
update only when you are ready. Each release includes the latest
additions and fixes from all previous updates.
How do I know if a new release is available?
New release announcements are sent by email to all Pixarra forum
members. In addition, a topic is posted in the Company News section of
the Pixarra forum. The download page on the Pixarra website shows the latest version.
Where do I download the updates?
The latest version of TwistedBrush can always be downloaded from the Pixarra download page at http://www.pixarra.com/download.html
After a new release of TwistedBrush, can I use it as a trial again?
The trial-expired indication is not reset on new releases of
TwistedBrush. From time to time, the extended trial key will be changed
to give those who have already evaluated the software another
opportunity to evaluate it. When the extended trial key is updated, an
email is sent to all forum members.
How often are updates released?
At the time of this writing, updates are released about every 2 or 3 weeks.
I understand there is an extended trial available for an extra 30 days. How do I get this extended trial?
This is correct. In the Members Only
forum section, an extended trial key is available to TwistedBrush and
TwistedBrush Essentials. They are different for each edition of
TwistedBrush, so make sure you use the trial key that matches the
edition of TwistedBrush that you wish to extend the trial on. You must
be a forum member to gain access to the Members Only section of the
forum.
I've installed the latest version of TwistedBrush over my previous version and I don't see the new brushes?
If you edit a standard TwistedBrush ArtSet on Vista the ArtSet file
is copied to the Virtual Store which is a Vista security measure. Now
you have the edited ArtSet in the Virtual Store and the original ArtSet
in the TwistedBrush\ArtSet folder. When an update installation occurs
the original Artset is updated however Vista will only point to the
edited ArtSet in the Virtual Store. To remedy this situation you can
manually delete the ArtSet file in question from the following location.
\desktop\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Pixarra\TwistedBrush\ArtSet
Note if you are running the 64bit version is Vista the location will be
\desktop\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Pixarra\TwistedBrush\ArtSet
I've
installed the next major release of TwistedBrush without purchasing an
upgraded and now my license key says it's expired, what can I do?
You will have a number of days to try out the latest version at
which point you can either purchase the upgrade or download the
previous major version from the Pixarra website. If you don't wish to
upgrade and install the old version you may need to request a
replacement license key that was disabled during the upgrade to the new
version. You can request the replacement key from support@pixarra.com.
License Key
What is a license key?
The license key is a special key generated at the time of purchase.
It is tied to your name, is used to fully activate TwistedBrush, and
allows continued usage of the software.
Where do I get my license key?
Normally, you will receive your license key by email within minutes of
your purchase. Make sure you use a correct email address when you place
your order.
What does a license key look like?
This nonfunctional sample shows what a license key looks like:
Your Name
3A56-8B1F-B210-D233-981B-575B-44DE-80CA-1C11-F283
That's a long license key. How do I enter that?
Highlight (select) the license key right in your email. Then, to
insert it in the key-entry dialog in your TwistedBrush program, use the
Windows copy-and-paste functionality--Ctrl+c to copy and Ctrl+v to
paste. Make sure you enter your first and last name exactly as they
were listed in your purchase order. They must match for the license key
to work.
Where do I enter the license key?
When you start a trial mode of TwistedBrush, you will be presented
with a dailog box that has an option to Enter Key. If you are currently
running TwistedBrush, you can enter the license key from the menu File
> Enter License.
What's the difference between a license key, activation code, serial number, and registration key?
There is no difference. They all are the same thing.
My license key didn't work. Now what?
Make sure you have installed the edition of TwistedBrush that you
purchased. If you purchased TwistedBrush Essentials, for example, the
license key will only work in TwistedBrush Essentials and not in
TwistedBrush. Also, make sure the name that's
entered exactly matches the name used during purchase. Use the Windows
copy-and paste functionality to insert the key into the entry field to
reduce the chance of errors. Finally also make sure you have downloaded
and installed the latest version of TwistedBrush.
Can I continue to use TwistedBrush after my 6-month or 1-year license expires?
After your license expires, you will not be able to run TwistedBrush until the license is renewed.
After my license expires, how do I get to my artwork if I don't renew my license?
All artwork that you create in TwistedBrush is stored in folders under
the main TwistedBrush folder. These folders are labeled Book1, Book2,
Book3 et cetera and correspond to the books within TwistedBrush. Files
for each page are stored within these folders, including the .TBR file,
which is the TwistedBrush specific-image format. A BMP file for each
page is also included, so you have a file version that can be loaded
into virtually any other Windows'art program.
My computer crashed and I have to install Windows and all of my software. I don't have my license key anymore. Now what?
It is always best to keep a backup or printed copy of your license key in case you have to re-enter it. If you can't locate it, you can use the automated support options below.
For purchases after 03/2007
http://home.plimus.c.../buyers-support
For purchases before 04/2007
http://shopper.esell...asp?deptID=5620
Forum and Gallery
Where is the TwistedBrush forum?
The forum is located at http://pixarra.invisionzone.com
Do I have to purchase TwistedBrush to register and be active in the forum?
No. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to visit and join the forum.
Where is the gallery?
The gallery is part of the forum and can be accessed from the
Gallery link near the top of the forum pages. Here is the direct link
to the gallery: http://pixarra.invis...;module=gallery
How do I register for the forum?
When you visit the forum, there is a link near the top called Register.
Once you click on it, you will be guided in how to complete your
registration.
Why can't I post in the forum or gallery?
Normally, this will be because you are not registered in the forum or
you aren't currently logged in. Posting in any form in the forum and
gallery requires that you be logged in.
When tried to upload my painting into the gallery, I got an error. Why?
This could be happening for a few reasons. First, make sure you are
logged in. Then, make sure you are trying to upload with a JPEG or PNG
file type. Make sure the size of the image is less than 1mb.
Where do I post a TwistedBrush Art Competition entry?
There is a category in the gallery called TwistedBrush Competition entries. Post your entry within that category.
Are there special rules for the TwistedBrush art competitions?
Each month, the rules correspond to the current competition. These rules are always posted in the Open Art Competition section of the forum. Be sure to review and follow them before entering a competition.
How do I create a personal album in the gallery?
New personal albums are no longer allowed in the gallery. Please post your paintings in one of the existing categories.
Is there a way to hide the Human Form or Pinup albums within the gallery?
If you do not wish to see these categories of the gallery, please email
support@pixarra indicating that you would like to have the Pinup and
Human Form categories hidden to just the Pinup category. Please include
your forum name in your email.
I don't remember my password for the forum. How do I login now?
Follow this link: http://pixarra.invis...?...Reg&CODE=10
How do I unsubscribe from the forum?
Visit your email preferences: (http://pixarra.invis...?...rCP&CODE=02)
There, make sure that the box for 'Send me any updates sent by the board administrator' is unchecked and submit the form.
Compatibility
Is TwistedBrush compatible with Windows Vista?
Yes. If you encounter an issue starting TwistedBrush, make sure your have administrator rights on your computer.
I'm getting a DEP (Data Execution Protection) error when I run TwistedBrush on Windows Vista, how do I correct this?
Set DEP to only manage Windows services and internal programs. Here is a link with information on changing the DEP settings.
Alternately you can keep the setting for DEP on for all programs and add tbrush.exe to the list of exceptions.
Click the [Add] button and browse to tbrush.exe, usually in "C:\Program
Files\Pixarra\TwistedBrush" and say Open, double check that it is now
in the list and checked, and then say OK
TwistedBrush is not starting on my Windows Vista system.
See topic above for adjusting your DEP settings.
TwistedBrush is not starting after the splash screen, what's wrong?
One
possible problem is that PC Tablet service is running. You may need to manually
stop the PC Tablet service.
What is the optimal way to setup Windows Vista Tablet Edition for use with TwistedBrush?
For details please visit the forum topic here.
When I open up the Tablet PC Input Panel in Vista or Windows 7 TwistedBrush closes, why?
There is a compatibility issue with the Tablet PC Input Panel and TwistedBrush that can result in this behavior. Note, installing a Wacom tablet will also enable the Tablet PC Input Panel in case you don't have a keyboard. To reduce the chance of accidentally opening the Tablet PC Input Panel which is docked on the side of your desktop, you can disable it.
Where are my images (pages and books) stored on Vista?
TwistedBrush creates folders named Book1, Book2, etc under the
TwistedBrush folder. On Vista these are stored elsewhere by the
operating sytsems and tagged as Compatiblity files. Here's a link with
further information on seeing this files: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2124519,00.asp
On Vista you should find the files created from within TwistedBrush in the Virtual Store. For example this would be at
c:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Pixarra\TwistedBrush\
Vista places files that are created in a secure location not within the real Program Files. Note in the path above replace username with whatever your user name is on your system.
Can I keep my pages and custom ArtSets stored in the TwistedBrush installation folder when running Vista?
Yes, you can choose to run TwistedBrush as an administrator in which
case the pages in your books and custom ArtSets will be stored under
the installation location for TwistedBrush. Just like they do on
Windows XP.
Right click the TwistedBrush shortcut on your desktop and choose Properties and set Compatability to Run as Administrator
When running a program with administrator rights in Vista the default
to to prompt for your approval each time that program starts. It is
possible to disable that as well by during off User Account Control for
the user account in question. But this isn't required and turns off one
of the security features of Vista.
Will TwistedBrush run properly on an UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC)?
Yes, TwistedBrush is fully functional and will dynamically adjust
the user interfcea for systems with screen resolutions as low as
1024x600.
Will TwistedBrush run properly on a my netbook computer?
Yes, TwistedBrush is fully functional and will dynamically adjust
the user interfcea for systems with screen resolutions as low as
1024x600. Further information for this can be found in the forum topic here.
How do I get TwistedBrush to work with Windows XP Tablet Edition?
For details, please visit the forum topic here.
When I start TwistedBrush in Windows Vista I get a warning that the color scheme needs to change, is this normal?
Windows Vista AERO scheme is not compatiable with all Windows
applications. When Vista detects this it changes the color scheme to
the standard color scheme until TwistedBrush exits. This does not
impact the proper function of TwistedBrush or other applications
running on Vista.
Every time I select an item from a list in the Brush Select dialog I
hear a beep (ding) when using Vista, how do I stop the dings?
This is a Vista issue. Here is the link to the Microsoft knowledge base
article with information on correcting it on your system by edting the
registry.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/944150
When exiting TwistedBrush on my Vista 64 bit system I get an error that says "Wrong Thread", will this cause any problem?
This has been addressed in TwistedBrush 15.75 and later.
When I start TwistedBrush on my Vista Tablet PC I see the splash screen but then TwistedBrush never starts, what is wrong?
There are a couple of possible things that could result in this.
1. There is a compatibility problem with the Vista Tablet PC Input
Panel software. If that is running when TwistedBrush is started it will
result in TwistedBrush exiting. Close the Tablet PC Input Panel. We
will continue to research a solution to this issue.
2. On a small percentage of Vista systems the auto switching from Aero
to Vista Basic color themes doesn't work. This is purely a Windows
function, TwistedBrush isn't doing or actually even requesting it but
Windows determines it needs to be done based on the features of the OS
that TwistedBrush uses. Manually switch from the Aero theme to the
Vista Basic theme before starting TwistedBrush to see if that is the
problem.
Artwork
Do I have full owership of images that I create in TwistedBrush?
Yes. The images you create in TwistedBrush are owned by you.
Where can I share my artwork online?
Here's a forum topic with a good selection of online sites where you can post your TwistedBrush creations.
Reviews and Links
Can I include a link to the Pixarra home page or the forum?
Yes. Please do!
Can I include the box shot or banner for TwistedBrush on my website?
Yes. Here's a forum topic
that has attached a number of images that may be be used on your
website. This topic doesn't currently have the latest TwistedBrush box
shot, but the latest box shot can be captured from the Pixarra webpage
and used.
Are there reviews of TwistedBrush that I can read?
Links to some reviews are on the Reviews page of the Pixarra website.
Are there user reviews of TwistedBrush that I can read?
The largest source of user reviews of TwistedBrush can be found on
download.com. Use these links to the items pages within download.com:
download.com link for TwistedBrush.
download.com link for TwistedBrush Essentials
download.com link for TwistedBrush Free Edition
I want to post a review of TwistedBrush. Where are some places I can post this?
Download.com is a reasonable location to post user reviews of
TwistedBrush. Use these links to the items pages within download.com:
download.com link for TwistedBrush.
download.com link for TwistedBrush Essentials
download.com link for TwistedBrush Free Edition