Jump to content

How to make a realistic banana


Rockandroll

Recommended Posts

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

 

HOW TO MAKE A REALISTIC BANANA

Plugin used: Alphamask Import by Illnab 1024

This will be the endresult

1

Example of how i used it

2

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.

3

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

4

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).

5

Add a new layer fill it with white

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

6

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

7

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

8

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.

9

Now select your dark yellow layer and push delete

10

Change the opacity of the layer to 86.

With only the white, yellow and darker yellow layer selected it should look like this now.

11

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

12

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.

13

Change the opacity off the layer to 180

Alpha mask the layer ( check invert mask, mix alpha and paste from clipboard)

14

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.

15

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

16

Adjust the layers opacity to 146.

Alphamask the layer ( same settings)

17

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.

18

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

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

Apply a gausian blur (radius 55)

24

Alphamask it

25

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.

26

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.

27

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

28

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

29

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.

30

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!

1

I hope you liked this tutorial and show me your results :)

  • Upvote 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done :star: , - Glad you sorted out your thumb-nail code (I was interested in that thread because I always get it wrong!).

Thanks for the work you've put into this - I, for one, was curious to see how you got those smooth gradients - Gaussian blur and alpha mask seem to be your tools of choice. A very methodical approach - I'd bet you're a good watercolour painter too :).

It may be worth adding a link to the Alphamask plugin (hope that's right) and rechecking for typo's - but still a very informative and understandable tutorial - Thank you!

- Looking forward to seeing more of your 'paintings'. ;)

 

Red ochre Plugin pack.............. Diabolical Drawings ................Real Paintings

 

PdnForumSig2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm astonished with your result! That banana looks edible diagona.032.pngdiagona.032.png

Great job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well written and great result, I like your technique of using the alpha mask almost in every step, the method actually works very well on similar objects,

I have tried it on the squash and got a good result, although the stalk and texture were a bit a challenge to me, and you can tell they are not good,

but I am satisfied with the result very much. Thank you very much for taking the time and write this great tutorial, I really appreciate it.

th_squash2.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, this is my first tutorial so was kind of nervous about it

@ red ogre: It took a while to figure out to how to insert links but finally fixed it. I have never done a watercolour painting, maybe i should give it a try hehe

@ yellowman: I like the squash very much, but i see what you mean. In all fairness, the texture and stalk are a bit more complicated as my "simple" banana. With your talent i am sure you get it right after a few tries.

Edited by Rockandroll
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clear,precise and well written tutorial.This technique will have endless uses.I think it deserves to be stickied.If nothing else everyone should know the power of the alpha mask.Well done Rockandroll. :)

Sorry for the double post,my mouse is jumping all over the place and giving me a hard time.

Edited by dug
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ igaboo:, nice attempt, i like it :)

@ Welshblue: i am glad you found it useful "old dog", i cant wait to see the result of oma's and my tutorial. knowing your work it will be awsome i am sure

@ Dug: Am flattered that you want my tutorial to be stickied, since this is my first tutorial. thanks for for the compliment

...took me a while before i realised that you mean a real mouse hehe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

@ aislin: thanks Aislin. Alphamask is a great help for images as you make. I am glad i could help.

Superb result. Really well written tut. Just one question - did you make the grapes as well?

Thanks goonfella. Yes, i did the grapes as well. its 100 procent paint.net, no stocks were used.

Edited by Rockandroll
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I'm not trying to be a clown or anything of the sort, but instead of going through the alpha mask, couldn't you have done the outline in the yellow you used and then filled the area with the same color, or is the alpha mask doing something more that I just don't realize?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not trying to be a clown or anything of the sort, but instead of going through the alpha mask, couldn't you have done the outline in the yellow you used and then filled the area with the same color, or is the alpha mask doing something more that I just don't realize?

The alpha mask is used on multiple layers. But if you wanted a 2D banana you could do that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

Barbieq, Thanks for the compliment and fave. :biggrin: 

 

@Toe-head, Red ochre, Eli, Ishi and Lloyd. Everybody must like bananas. Thank you all for the faves. :mrred:

 



 

SloppySig.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...