Plugin used: Alphamask Import by Illnab 1024
This will be the endresult

Example of how i used it

Note: in this tutorial i give exact numbers of the opacity of the layers, blurs and colors, which are my personal preferences, they are no strickt rules, just play around with it
Open a new image 800 x 600 with the default white background.
add a new layer and use the linetool (set to 5 pixel) to create the shape of a banana, rough edges can be corrected with the white linetool.

Use the wandtool, tolerance set to 72, (the toolbar appears in the left corner of the toolbarsection above your image as soon as you click the wandtool) and select the outside of the banana,
Go to edit > invert selection

Add a new layer and use the paintbucket to fill the selection with black.
Flatten the image. This is your alpha map, you can copy it to your clipboard or save it (I always do).

Add a new layer fill it with white
Add a new layer and fill it with a yelow, (i chose FDDC65)

keep the yellow layer selected, go to effects > Alphamask (check invert mask and paste from clipboard and ok)
You should have the shape in yellow now

Add a new layer and use the linetool (2 pixel) to make a line acros the banana where the fold should be

Add a new layer and fill it with a few shades darker yellow (E2C14A) and alphamask it, (check invert mask, and paste from clipboard) (if its not on your clipboard select the alphamask again and copy it again or use the saved file. (When using your saved file, uncheck paste from clipboard)
Go to your foldline layer and select the right area with your wandtool (tolerance 50) and go to edit > invert selection.

Now select your dark yellow layer and push delete

Change the opacity of the layer to 86.
With only the white, yellow and darker yellow layer selected it should look like this now.

Now we going to add more color
Add a new layer and use the paintbrush (about 40 pixel) and paint some green (i used 9B9608) around the left edge of the banana

Go to effects > blur > Gaussian blur and set the radius to 67. you can move the layer around so the green color just covers the edge.

Change the opacity off the layer to 180
Alphamask the layer ( check invert mask, mix alpha and paste from clipboard)

Add a new layer and do the same for the stalk from the banana: use the paintbrush in the same color green and paint across the stalk.

Apply a gausianblur (radius 30). move the layer so that its just overlaps a bit where the stalk should end and the banana begins.

Adjust the layers opacity to 146.
Alphamask the layer ( same settings)

Duplicate that layer and use the gradientool set to transparant (the toolbar appears in the left corner of the toolbarsection above your image as soon as you click the gradienttool) and make a gradient from the left edge from the stalk to where the the fold would be.

Add a new layer and use the linetool set to white ( 16 pixel) and make a line accros the ligher yellow part of the banana covering a bit of the lower green aswell

Apply a gausian blur to the same layer ( radius 33).

Add a new layer and use the linetool set to black 16 (pixel) and make a line across the lower side of the banana.

Apply a gausian blur to the layer (radius 38). change the opacity of the layer to 116. Alphamask the layer. ( same settings as before)

Add a new layer, use the paintbrush set to red brown color (7F3300) and paint across the upper end of the stalk.

Apply a gausian blur (radius 55)

Alphamask it

Save your image at this point
Now uncheck the white background layer and the alphamap layer. Flatten the image an apply a gaussian blur ( 2 pixels)
Select the image and copy it. Then push undo (so you get your layers back) and paste the image into an new layer on top off all the other layers
Alpha mask the pasted image.

Uncheck all the layers under it except the white layer which we still need as background
Add a new layer and use the paintbrush ( 2 pixel) with a dark brown color (2A1B1B) to draw a rough circel , it does not have to be precise just kriggel it a bit ( i am not sure if that is a word hehe)
Use the paintbucket to fill the circel with a lighter grayish brown. (82613E). Then paint another darker grayishbrown (1E1A1B) rough circel in it.

You could use layer > rotate zoom, to put it more sideways, but that is not really necesesary

use the paintbrush to add some brown spots along the foldline. duplicate the layer and apply a gausisian blur (radius 2)

The image is now actualy finished, and you could leave it as it is and flatten the image, ( uncheck the white background if you want to use it later with a different background) but i am not happy with the shape and i have decided to include this in the tutorial
Add a new layer above the image. use the white linetool an correct the shape to your likings.

Merge this layer on your Alphamask layer. Copy the new alphamask to your clipboard and alphamask the banana layer.This way you can still use a different background instead of the white one.
You can flatten the image now ( again: uncheck the white background if you want to use it later on a different background)
Finished!

I hope you liked this tutorial and show me your results
Edited by Rockandroll, 28 March 2012 - 08:51 AM.
























