A Tree

DO NOT REMOVE MINE PLEASE

We are just learning how to do the tree. I will do a tutorial for a full scene later. We are making a large tree, by the way. You can click the scene above to see the tree full sized...

This is the color palette I am using. You are welcomed to use it too for the purpose of this tutorial :)

You will need to start a new image any size you want but I am making a big one.. 500 wide by 500 high. Good size for layout trees :)

Use color #1 of the trunk palette and draw a slightly squiggly line like below.. Make your line as exaggerated as you wish, trees are the epitome of magic and whimsy after all...

Now draw another slightly squiggly line..

Now lets start defining the limbs....

A center limb...

To make coloring in the trunk easier lets close off the limbs...

Oh almost forgot to add the "roots" Just draw a slightly curving upward line from the tip of one root to the tip of the other.

Now use color #2 to fill the tree in ...

Use color #1 to draw in some swirls..

Now draw lines in following the shapes already draw into the trunk...

Now use color #3 to shade your tree.. Try to imagine where the shadow would be, spots where the tree is thicker than others etc..

Now use color #4 to add highlights ( mind you I recolored mine lol but I recolored it to the colors in the palette )

( Click to view in actual size )

Merge all of the layers of your tree trunk if you have been working in layers...

Add a new layer and draw in some leaves ( or paste in your line art etc.. ) I have some leaves line art here

It is important that the leaves are organized into a generally circular shape like below...

Color accordingly ( I have a tutorial for coloring autumn leaves here )

Add a new layer, drag it underneath the leaf layer ( or go to LAYERS >> ARRANGE >> MOVE DOWN ) With color #1 of the leaf palette draw an outline around the leaves in the same relative shape of the leaves... Then fill it with a shade lighter green.

Now copy and paste each individual leaf on a new layer. Use the transformation tool to rotate the leaves here and there ... ( Put your mouse over the square ( the one to your right ) in the center of the leaf and an indicator will pop up showing you that you can rotate )

Make sure you dont have any of the leaves that have been rotated going over the outline of the larger green background if you need this tree to work well with transparency. If they do go over, you will have to go in and delete all the semitransparent pixels of the leaves in order to keep from having white spots around the tree..

Now go down to the layer with the big green outline and start shading the same way you did your leaves.

Now make the layer with the tree trunk invisible and merge the leaf layers...

Now duplicate the leaf layer over and over and move the different leaf clusters to different areas of the top of the tree.

And keep doing that until you have the "front" area of the top of the tree relatively full looking...

Now duplicat a leaf layer, and drag it under the trunk layer.

You can use Brightness Contrast, HSL or Gamma Correction. I am using Gamma Correction, to make the leaves that will be in the back of the tree darker...

Now duplicate that dark leaf over and over until you have a full leafed tree you are content with :)

Click to see the full version :)

Hope you had fun :) See you next time ;)

~Link Hearts Enchanted~

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