Palm Leaf -- Basic Beginners -- Moderate difficulty.

[oma]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download it

Beginners tut moderate skill levels. It seems very long as I've put in many pictures of even basic steps.

Very Very strongly suggest if you are absolute begginer you read and watch this first viewtopic.php?f=15&t=21605

I will say this you must already know how to add plugins and how to add layers, merge layers, and use the move pixels tools. Selecting and deselecting items using the wand and control + i. you will also use a gradiant so if you need to brush up on that F1 while you are in the paint.net program should direct you to the appropriate section for a quick review.

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these would be added plugins required for this little tut along with the link on how to add plugins.

here is the topic dealing with adding plugins ]

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2023

read thru the whole topic page 1 to the end (all of the pages!.) and all questions re adding plugins will be answered.

then go to these to download the plugins.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=22701&hilit=powerstretch

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=22819&hilit=bevel

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=21706

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this is all pretty basic, with a few moderately advanced steps. I made a palm leaf here but the same basics apply to making almost any leaf. for a roundish leaf when you draw the triangle use the nubs along the each side and adjust width of leaf etc.

so lets get you started

start with a 800 x 600 transparent canvas (lost already? your screen opened with a white canvas! just add a layer, the button looks like this :AddNewLayer: and then highlight the white layer and hit the little x button . you should now have that checkerboard background. OR on the very first screen the white one Edit>select all and delete , you should now have that checkerboard background. OR for those who are the shortcut type on the very first white layer its control + A and delete. you should now have that checkerboard background.

you have now your first tip...... in Paint.Net there is always more than one method.

draw a triangle. do the short bit last so you can pull up the centre section a bit. Just looks better after you join the stems later in the tut.

make sure that triangle is solid all around -- no gaps. . then wand outside the triangle anywhere and control + i

add a layer

I used these two colors primary 138227 and 71BC6D as secondary.

make a linear gradiant from bottom edge of leaf up to the stem area.

add another transparent layer still leave selection active (marching ants)

set primary color to 1DC138 secondary color 8EEA88

under effects>render>gradiant bars.

leave all the defaults except the angle. depending on how you drew your triangle this will change but you want the lines running down the leaf ....look at mine in the picture .. . see how they go from one end to the other that's what you want.

set the layer 3 blend mode to color burn

now under image>flatten you should still have an active selection around that leaf ! if you by mistake have deselected it now would be a good time to wand outside the leaf anywhere and control + i

make a duplicate layer of this leaf

on the bottom layer now effects>releif if you have done this correctly you won't see any change.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE IF YOU DIDN'T DO IT CORRECTLY IS

A GREEN LEAF ON A BLACK BACKGROUND. don't panic just hit the back button make sure its your leaf as the active selection . REMEMBER wand outside the leaf and control + i

now go to the top layer your duplicated merged leaf and set the layer properties again to color burn. the color of the leaf should get darker.

Image>flatten

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now you need to draw the centre vein of the leaf

add a new layer

set your primary color to a medium shade of green I used 387727 here

draw you centre vein of the leaf and use the nubs to give it a bit of a curve I ended up using a size 3 brush width for the line .. you will have to judge for yourself depending on how big you made that original leaf

wand anywhere on the outside of the centre leaf vein and control + i

add a transparent layer

Effects>Selection>Bevel change th depth to 2 and use highlight color a light shade of green (I used R 139 G 206 B 130) and shadow darker green (I used R 26 G 112 B 42)

again flatten the image.

Image>flatten

this should now be releifed again. same as last time now.

duplicate the layer make sure the leaf is selected on the bottom layer not the whole layer. (hint wand outside leaf control + i) under effects>Stylize>releif

this time set the top layer properties to multiply and change the opacity down to 180

Image>flatten

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Setting up the individual leafs along the centre stem

now you decide how many leaves will be on your stem. Palm leafs are attached one each side of the centre stem so say you decide there are 5 leaves down each side you need to make 5 duplicate layers and one for the point. you will be making another set after you resize the leafs.

did you push that duplicate layer button note my layers I numbered them 1 on the bottom going up 2, 3, 4, 5, and then end point.

this would be a great time to expand your canvas size.

Image> canvas size click the by percentage button and type in 200% anchor middle

this part seems long but beleive me once you get used to the moving pixels you breeze thru it. It took me longer to type out this line than to do the actual steps.

so

layer 1 leave this alone

layer 2 lets make this leaf a bit smaller so use the move tool click anywhere on the screen and just grab the top left nub hold your shift key down at same time and pull in a little bit

continue on each layer going up just making the size of the leaf a tiny bit smaller as you go along. some of them I used the right mouse key and rotated.

NOTE a hint before you do each layer hit the deselect button and then the move button. that way you don't accidentally cut off a portion of a leaf

now you have to make duplicates of all the layers except the point one. you will be using Layer>flip horizontal on all of the duplicate layers then the move tool to get them lined up.

NOTE you are probably asking why I do it this way and not just use a brush system think about it. there isn't a twisting action in the brush system yet, you'd still have to manually twist them around to position. by adjusting the leave positions and bends and twists on individual layers you get to pick out where you want them shaded and highligted. ( I usually do some other steps for shading at this point, holes in leaves etc. but I'm keeping it simple for you. Also when I add the joining portion of the centre leaf vein to the stem a tiny bit of dark shading at some spots only, agin I left that out on this basic tut. I also find by having individual leaves on each layer they can be twisted and bent with more precision, overlaped better etc. So there you have it that's why I don't use a brush! .

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so lets bend a few of them leaves ...not too many just about 3 to 4 max.

I'm doing 2 just to show you two different ways.

I chose leaf number duplicate of 4 to do first

here is one method

next lets do one on the other side

I chose to just do the tip of number 2

here is another method to distort and bend

there are other methods using other plugins but those two are real good basics .

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time to make the stem.

add another trasparent layer

I made my primary color 006800 brush size 20 (this varies by the amount of space you left when you arranged the leaves) make sure you leave a bit of space for the joiner stems now use the line tool. give it a bend.

change the brush size down I used #9 and drew lines in from the leaf to join the stem. try to match these lines up with the veins running down the centre of the leaf . on the tip point leaf you need to draw in a "V" shap using a few lines to simulate the stem coming to a point to join the point leaf.

do you not think that stem looks a bit flat, aren't they usually rounded. wand anywhere outside the stem and control + i

add another transparent layer

Effects.>Selection> Bevel Selection I did default depending on size of brush you used for stem adjust depth up or down. you need it to look like there is a ridge

now merge down this bevel layer to the stem layer. did you forget how to merge?

this is the button :MergeDown: remember it merges down so you should be on the bevel layer merging down to the main stem layer.!

the next step is to get those two merged layers all the way down to the bottom under all the leaves. highlight your layer (the merged one) and use the blue arrow, until it is down at the bottom. refer to the picture. you need to end up with that merged layer under all the leaves.

Now you can

Image>flatten

Last step Image > resize> by percentage 25%

EDIT

So I was asked by 007Nab (post below) to add a full size picture. I had flattened and resized at this point the original (used it for the title on this tut, up top those two leaves with shadow) So I just went ahead followed the tut, didn't do any of my other extra tweeks, other than doing a few more leaves, and adding a shadow and a background. If you wish to look at that one it is on my DA gallery here is the link

http://omagrandmother.deviantart.com/art/leaf-98350845

I'll also be putting a copy of the big version in my gallery here at Paint.Net (after I have my morning coffee )++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Code_Ember]

Wow, this will come in useful! *2 thumbs up* :o

[oma]

thanks , I expect to see your leaf real soon posted here or in your gallery. :wink:

[HITMAN-X-]

Nice oma, Well though out and very detailed.

[007 Nab]

I like the effect - it uses more artistic thinking than plugin "ok" button mashing, like you see with some other tutorials.

Could you link to a finished product as your last step? I haven't had a chance to try it yet (I'm not on a PDNized computer) and I'd like to see a really nice 'big' version of the image.

Thanks a lot - very cool leaves!

[oma]

thank you HitmanX and 007 Nab.

Nab the one I worked on for the tut I used as the title. it was 25% reduced. So I just made another quick one following the tut directions no add ins other than a shadow and a background. I've posted on my DA

http://omagrandmother.deviantart.com/art/leaf-98350845

ciao

[cazaron]

*gapes* oma, that's incredible! wow! it looks very much realistic, and it isnt a "just apply this effect then this then this" tutorial. wow! ill give it a go when i get back on a computer with PDN.

[DRILL]

nice!

[D3z]

Thank You!

Now I can do it myself!

[oma]

*gapes* oma, that's incredible! wow! it looks very much realistic, and it isnt a "just apply this effect then this then this" tutorial. wow! ill give it a go when i get back on a computer with PDN.

thanks I think its the use of textures that makes it look real. Those push this button tuts are very valuable to learn what happens when I use this, they teach you the different functions of each control within a plug in. This just makes you apply the use of a plugin to something specific. I'll be watching for your picture.

nice!

thanks Drill

Thank You!

Now I can do it myself!

you are welcome .... thanks for asking for a tut, I need the experience writing them.

modify to suit your picture.

[cazaron]

*gapes* oma, that's incredible! wow! it looks very much realistic, and it isnt a "just apply this effect then this then this" tutorial. wow! ill give it a go when i get back on a computer with PDN.

thanks I think its the use of textures that makes it look real. Those push this button tuts are very valuable to learn what happens when I use this, they teach you the different functions of each control within a plug in. This just makes you apply the use of a plugin to something specific. I'll be watching for your picture.

yeah. definitely the use of textures. nice use of gradient bars, would never have even crossed my mind.

EDIT: took mine a different way. i kinda ruined the stem, but hey, i tried. its the best way to learn!

could make pineapples out of this, if only i could find a way to make the body...

[ncfan51]

:shock:

When I first saw this tutorial I thought the result picture on the top was a reference photo.

[oma]

EDIT: took mine a different way. i kinda ruined the stem, but hey, i tried. its the best way to learn!

could make pineapples out of this, if only i could find a way to make the body...

hope that's not a hint :!: :wink: think of the shapes pineapple = oval pineapple skin= a lot of little ovals within the main one, color = yellowish brown (hint I always try to use 4 shades within the same color family. ) you have to have lots of texture what gives nubby? rough? use releif ?

ahh, when you made those leaves I see you missed the little note to deselect before moving the leaves around on the next layer, that is most likely why the tips look like they are moved over a bit from the original. not sure what you did on the stem. just go back an try it withouth the leaves. draw line, wand outside line, control +i, add a layer, bevel selection.

I can't tell for sure but you may have done the wand part wrong.

:shock:

When I first saw this tutorial I thought the result picture on the top was a reference photo.

@ncfan51 you did? well that indeed is a complement. simple techniques and a bit of patience pays off.

wow! thanks

ciao all I'm off to the daughters for birthday cake and icecream!

[cazaron]

EDIT: took mine a different way. i kinda ruined the stem, but hey, i tried. its the best way to learn!

could make pineapples out of this, if only i could find a way to make the body...

hope that's not a hint :!: :wink: think of the shapes pineapple = oval pineapple skin= a lot of little ovals within the main one, color = yellowish brown (hint I always try to use 4 shades within the same color family. ) you have to have lots of texture what gives nubby? rough? use releif ?

ahh, when you made those leaves I see you missed the little note to deselect before moving the leaves around on the next layer, that is most likely why the tips look like they are moved over a bit from the original. not sure what you did on the stem. just go back an try it withouth the leaves. draw line, wand outside line, control +i, add a layer, bevel selection.

I can't tell for sure but you may have done the wand part wrong.

aaah. so THATS why it didnt quite work. i did indeed miss that note to deselect. yeah, the stem went weird. lol. ill give it another go later.

[LFC4EVER]

oma, this is a fantastic tut - especially for beginners who feel they've grasped the basics of PDN and want to get onto making something realistic, its a great foundation for them. Well, i tried the tut to a certain extent. After gradient bars on the leaves i used crystalize and made it raised slightly to give that more realistic leafy texture. Then i just use S3D to make a flower. The stem isn't too good, but i didn't spend much time on it.

[cazaron]

LFC, thats awesome! looks very realistic!

[oma]

LFC wonderful extension of this tut. I'll have to remember that crystalize that has such a nice texture addition. Nice composition by the way on that picture. lovely.

[LJXD]

Great tut good work

[HELEN]

Neat work once again, Oma. I don't think I can post my results, but your tut is printed out and I will constantly refer to it. Thank you soooo much! 8)

[BoltBait]

Nice tutorial!

I give it two thumbs up... because it uses one of my effects.

[cazaron]

boltbait, you have so many awesome effects, that its hard to make a good tut WITHOUT using one or more of your effects... i am very thankful.

[oma]

Nice tutorial!

I give it two thumbs up... because it uses one of my effects.

wow! the God's have spoken! a mod posted here.! actually you should like my pineapple as well and my lettuce they use your plugin. bet you can't guess which one?

when I refine those pictures and get them down to beginners levels steps I'll consider doing as some tuts. But that has to wait...too much to refine...and need to do some other things this month.

ciao

[Leif]

This is a very interesting tutorial. I haven’t tried it yet. I am afraid it is one of those that can keep me busy for a long time. :wink:

[Pluberus]

Excellent guide! Thanks for posting this awesome tut.

[Goonfella]

I tried this tut but my Gradient Bars is totally different to the one used in it-

I am using PDN 3.36 so I am up to date.

Where could I get the same one? I cannot angle the bars very well in mine but yours seems much more configurable. Apologies if this is the wrong place to be asking this type of question, but I wasn`t sure.