Adobe digitally recreated Keith Haring’s paint brushes and tools

Iconic artist Keith Haring helped shape street art as most people know it today. He was both an artist and an activist, and he embraced the idea that “art is for everybody.” With that motto in mind, Adobe has digitally recreated 37 brushes inspired by Haring’s toolset. Each brush can be downloaded for free through Adobe Fresco and is available in Photoshop.

The brushes represent tools ranging from chalk to markers, sumi ink, felt tip pens, acrylic paint, spray paint and dripping paint. To make the tools as accurate as possible, Adobe teamed up with the Keith Haring Foundation and Photoshop brushmaker and illustrator Kyle T. Webster. The team considered everything from the surfaces Haring would have worked on to the speed at which he worked, which often led to wet materials and paint drips.

“This was no easy feat – recreating Keith’s brush strokes, as they would have acted when he himself was making art, came with technical challenges – but we are proud of the end result and can’t wait to see what you are able to create,” Adobe said in a blog post.

In addition to giving Fresco and Photoshop users new brushes, the project will likely help more people learn about Haring’s legacy. To raise awareness for the project, Adobe is hosting an art contest. To participate, anyone can use the new brushes to create art that draws attention to an important issue, like the environment, equality or education. Participants can submit their entries via social media, and eight winners will receive $5,000 plus a one-year Creative Cloud membership.