ABrush Review: AI Image Generation and Editing Inside Photoshop

Artificial intelligence has changed the way digital images are created, edited, and refined. However, one problem still remains for many professional designers and artists: having to move between different applications to complete a single project. You may generate an image with one AI service, download it, open Photoshop, edit it, return to another tool, and repeat the process several times.

ABrush takes a different approach. Instead of functioning as another standalone AI image website, ABrush is designed as an AI-powered studio that works directly inside Adobe Photoshop. It allows artists to generate images, modify existing artwork, upscale images, remove backgrounds, work with references, and refine results without leaving their familiar Photoshop environment.

This makes ABrush particularly interesting for photographers, digital artists, concept artists, illustrators, game designers, graphic designers, and other creative professionals who already rely on Photoshop.

What Makes ABrush Different?

The biggest idea behind ABrush is simple: keep the AI inside Photoshop instead of moving the creative workflow to another website.

According to ABrush, the plugin is built for artists and is intended to work as an intelligent creative companion rather than replace the artist. Its workflow focuses on giving users control over the generation process while allowing them to make final adjustments manually inside Photoshop.

With ABrush, users can generate multiple variations, select the most useful result, edit only a specific part of an image, refine the result manually, and save generation history and presets for future projects.

The official website currently highlights 23+ AI models, five main AI modes, ControlNet support, IP-Adapter/reference support, generation history, presets, preset sharing, and LoRA styles.

For Photoshop users, this combination can make the workflow considerably more convenient.

ABrush's Five Main AI Modes

Rather than offering a single AI generation button, ABrush organizes its creative tools into several modes. Each mode is designed for a different type of image workflow. The five major modes are Edit, Txt2Img, Img2Img, Upscale, and Actions.

1. Edit Mode

Edit is designed for changing an existing image through natural-language instructions.

Instead of manually performing every modification, you can describe the change you want. For example, you could ask the AI to change an outfit, add an object, remove something from an image, or modify another specific part of the composition.

One useful aspect of Edit mode is its ability to work with multiple images. The main canvas can be used together with additional reference images, allowing instructions that relate elements from different sources.

For example, a user could provide one image containing a character and another image containing a hat, then instruct the AI to use the hat from the second image on the character in the first image. ABrush documentation explains that Edit mode can work with up to three additional references alongside the main image.

Edit mode can therefore be useful for:

• Object removal

• Outfit changes

• Character variations

• Image retouching

• Background modifications

• Creative alterations

• Sketch-to-art workflows

2. Txt2Img

Txt2Img is the classic text-to-image workflow.

You enter a description of what you want to create, and the AI generates a new image based on the prompt. Because the generation happens inside Photoshop, the resulting artwork can become part of the existing Photoshop project rather than requiring a separate download-and-import process.

ABrush supports different AI models, and the available model selection can change depending on the selected mode. The platform lists models such as Stable Diffusion, Flux, and Gwen Image among its supported options.

Txt2Img can be useful when creating:

• Concept art

• Backgrounds

• Props

• Game assets

• Illustrations

• Creative compositions

• Visual references

• Early design concepts

The ability to generate several variations also allows artists to explore different ideas before selecting one to refine.

3. Img2Img for More Creative Control

Img2Img is aimed at users who want more control over how an existing image is transformed.

Instead of completely regenerating an image, the user can start with existing visual information and guide the AI toward a new result.

One of the important controls is the denoise slider. Lower settings generally keep the result closer to the original image, while higher values allow the AI to reinterpret more of the image. ABrush documentation explains that the denoise range can be used from subtle modifications to much stronger transformations.

ABrush also supports structural controls such as:

• Outline – helps preserve line structure

• Depth – helps maintain spatial relationships

• Pose – helps preserve a character's body position

• Image – uses the original image as an anchor

These controls are particularly useful for artists who want AI assistance without giving up control over the underlying composition.

Turning Rough Sketches Into Finished Artwork

One of the more interesting uses of ABrush is sketch-to-art generation.

An artist can start with a rough drawing and use AI to help transform the basic structure into a more finished visual. ABrush's documentation describes using Img2Img with Outline control to preserve the structure of a sketch while allowing AI to add details, colors, lighting, and rendering.

This could be useful for concept artists who want to maintain their original creative idea while reducing the amount of repetitive rendering work.

For example, an artist might sketch:

• A character pose

• A building

• A fantasy environment

• A vehicle

• A creature

• A game object

The sketch becomes the structural foundation, while AI helps develop the visual presentation.

This approach is important because the artist remains responsible for the original idea and composition rather than simply accepting a completely random AI-generated result.

4. AI Upscaling

Image quality is another area where ABrush can be useful.

The Upscale mode is designed to increase image resolution, improve detail, and reduce unwanted noise. This can be useful when working with images that are too small or soft for professional output.

For photographers, designers, and digital artists, upscaling can be useful when preparing images for:

• Print projects

• Posters

• Marketing graphics

• Product images

• Large-format designs

• High-resolution presentations

Instead of moving the image to a separate upscaling service, ABrush keeps the workflow within Photoshop.

5. Actions: Simplifying Complex AI Workflows

Not every Photoshop user wants to adjust technical AI parameters.

This is where Actions become useful.

ABrush describes Actions as pre-configured workflows that hide more complicated combinations of models, prompts, and control settings behind simpler buttons.

Some of the highlighted actions include:

Render It!

This can transform a rough sketch or collage into a more finished visual without requiring the user to manually configure every AI parameter.

Character Sheet

Character Sheet can generate a three-view character turnaround showing front, side, and back perspectives. This can be especially useful for animation, game development, and character design.

Emotions Sheet

This action generates a collection of facial expressions for a character. ABrush describes a nine-expression grid that can be used for game interfaces, cutscenes, documentation, and character development.

Outpaint

Outpaint expands an existing image beyond its original boundaries and attempts to create matching scenery around the original composition.

This can be useful when a photograph or illustration needs a wider composition.

Remove Background

The Remove Background action is designed to isolate the main subject and produce a transparent background. ABrush documentation also explains that the tool can work from a selected area and sample across multiple layers.

Professional Controls for Advanced Users

ABrush isn't only designed for beginners.

Advanced users can access additional controls such as ControlNet, IP-Adapter references, LoRA styles, presets, generation history, and model selection.

This matters because experienced artists often need more than a simple prompt box.

For example, an artist may want to preserve a pose, maintain a particular visual reference, apply a specific style, or experiment with different AI models. ABrush provides controls intended for those kinds of workflows.

The plugin's reference system can also use content from an active Photoshop layer or a selected area as an additional visual reference.

Useful Workflows for Different Creators

ABrush can fit into several types of creative projects.

Photographers

A photographer can use Edit mode for small retouching tasks, Remove Background for product or portrait work, and Upscale for improving image resolution.

This can reduce the need to move photographs between different AI services.

E-commerce Designers

Online stores frequently require products to appear on clean backgrounds.

ABrush's background-removal workflow can help isolate products and prepare them for catalog or marketplace graphics.

Concept Artists

Concept artists can use sketches as a foundation and combine Img2Img with structural controls such as Outline, Depth, or Pose.

This allows the artist to explore finished visual directions while keeping control over the basic concept.

Game Designers

Character Sheet and Emotions Sheet can be useful during character development. Instead of manually preparing every reference from scratch, artists can use AI-assisted workflows to create starting points for character turnarounds and expressions.

Graphic Designers

Graphic designers can use Txt2Img to create initial visual assets and then continue editing the results manually inside Photoshop.

This can be useful for advertisements, social media graphics, concept visuals, posters, and other digital content.

Generation History and Presets

Another practical feature is the ability to save generation history and use presets.

Creative projects often involve repeated experiments. You may find a prompt and set of parameters that work particularly well for a specific style. Having the ability to preserve those settings means you don't necessarily have to rebuild the workflow from scratch later.

Preset sharing can also be useful for teams where multiple artists need to follow a similar workflow.

Privacy and Commercial Projects

Privacy is an important consideration when using AI tools for professional work.

ABrush currently states that users own the images they generate and that their data is not used for model training. The company also highlights privacy for commercial projects.

However, anyone using an AI service for confidential commercial projects should still review the provider's current terms, privacy policy, and licensing conditions before uploading sensitive material.

Is ABrush Easy to Use?

The basic concept is relatively straightforward.

The main workflow is essentially:

Select an area → choose a mode → enter instructions or settings → generate → review variations → insert/refine the result.

The ABrush interface includes controls for selecting models, entering prompts, uploading references, using masks, adjusting denoise strength, selecting the number of variants, previewing results, and inserting a generated result into the active Photoshop document.

This means beginners can start with simpler tools such as Txt2Img or Actions, while experienced users can gradually explore Img2Img, ControlNet, IP-Adapter, LoRA, and other advanced options.

Advantages of ABrush

There are several reasons ABrush could be attractive to Photoshop users:

1. Photoshop integration
The biggest advantage is that the AI workflow happens inside Photoshop rather than in a completely separate application.

2. Multiple AI models
Users can work with different models rather than being locked into a single generation engine.

3. Multiple creative modes
Edit, Txt2Img, Img2Img, Upscale, and Actions cover a wide range of image workflows.

4. Advanced controls
ControlNet, IP-Adapter, LoRA, references, presets, and generation history give advanced users additional flexibility.

5. Useful automated actions
Actions make complicated workflows easier for users who don't want to manually configure every parameter.

6. Human-controlled workflow
ABrush positions AI as an assistant for the artist rather than a replacement for the creative process.

Things to Consider Before Using ABrush

ABrush is powerful, but it may not be necessary for everyone.

If you rarely use Photoshop, a standalone AI image generator may be simpler.

Similarly, users who want a completely automatic image-generation experience may prefer tools that require little manual intervention.

ABrush is most interesting for people who already work inside Photoshop and want AI capabilities integrated into their existing creative process.

Another important consideration is learning. While Actions and simple generation modes are accessible, advanced controls such as ControlNet, IP-Adapter, LoRA, denoise settings, and references can take time to understand.

Final Verdict

ABrush is an interesting AI Photoshop plugin for creators who want AI generation and editing without constantly leaving Photoshop.

Its strongest advantage is not simply that it can generate images. Many AI tools can do that. The more important feature is the way ABrush combines generation, editing, references, upscaling, background removal, sketch rendering, and specialized actions inside the same Photoshop workflow.

For photographers, concept artists, game designers, illustrators, graphic designers, and Photoshop-heavy creators, this can make AI much more practical.

The five main modes give beginners a relatively simple starting point, while advanced features such as ControlNet, IP-Adapter, LoRA styles, and reference controls provide room for more sophisticated workflows.

Most importantly, ABrush follows a creator-first philosophy: AI handles parts of the repetitive process, while the artist remains in control of the final result.

If you already spend a lot of time in Adobe Photoshop and want to experiment with AI-assisted image creation, editing, upscaling, and creative production, ABrush is definitely a tool worth exploring.