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How To Make A Realistic Background Vs. 1
Welcome, and
Thank You for coming to check out my tutorial.
For this tutorial you will need Paint Shop Pro (preferably version 7),
one already made Line Art, and a Tablet is recommended but not
required. This site is image intensive, as there are a number of screen
captures provided for you. Each screen capture has been resized to a
smaller format. However, if you desire to see larger detail, please
click on the image for a full sized version. I will also try my best to
make this tutorial simple and understandable. So lets go over some of
the basics of Paint Shop Pro 7.
-JNFerrigno
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First step is to always create a new layer, make sure your line art is
transparent, and make sure the new layer created is under the line art.
Step 1:
This
step will be repeated three times, and throughout the rest of the
tutorial.
Tool:
Geometric Selector (rectangle selection tool)
Mentally divide the new layer created
into three different parts, they do not need to be equal. Select the
first part of your image (starting at the top) with the selection tool.
While the image is still highlighted, select a light blue from your
color palette and then select the fill tool. Click inside the selected
area and watch the rectangle fill with blue.
To deselect the image, RIGHT
click anywhere outside the selected area.
Repeat the step above two more times on
the same layer using green, and tan. This helps establish a horizon
line and layout for your background to be.
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To Make a Fence (pay
close
attention)
...you will need many layers, because the posts need to be equal in
width and height.
...create a new layer
...gauge where you want to have the fence, and how much depth you wish
to show
...using the selection tool, select a long rectangle the size and shape
of a fence post
...fill the selection with an off white (or wood color if you want)
...copy that image [Ctrl] + [C] on windows keyboards
...layer that image [Ctrl] + [L] on windows keyboards
...drag (by left clicking and holding down) and drop the image where
you want it
...repeat this process till all your fence posts are in line
...go to your layer palette and hide the line art, and the background
by toggling off the visibility of those layers
...only the fence posts should be showing
...merge visible layers, do not merge all layers (if you are unsure
how, check the universal language section)
...repeat these processes for the horizontal rails
...DO NOT merge the horizontal rails with the vertical posts
Congratulations on your post and rail
fence! Ready to move on to the
more complicated parts?
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To make Diagonal Rails (optional)
...using the selection tool, select part of one of the horizontal
rails, and copy [Ctrl] + [C]
...paste it as a new layer [Ctrl] + [L]
...click on your Image tool bar option up at the top, scroll down to
the Rotate tool
...make sure the box that says all layers is not selected
...select freehand rotation (depending on how you spaced your bars will
depend on what angle you need, should be less then a 45% angle I
believe)
...once you get the angle you want, drag and drop the image
...it should be touching from one corner to the other corner
...copy and paste this image for the rest of the cross rails (going in
one direction)
...hide all other layers like before, EXCEPT for the diagonal rails
...select merge visible
To Change
Direction
of a Rail
...paste a new diagonal rail [Ctrl] + [L]
...click on your Image tool bar option up at the top, scroll down to
the mirror image tool
...it should only flip the selected layer
...continue on to paste, drag, and drop the diagonal rails that go in
the opposite direction
...hide all other layers like before, EXCEPT for the diagonal rails
(going in the opposite direction)
...select merge visible
If your mirror image tool is flipping
your entire image, copy and paste the rail into a new window, and then
use the mirror image tool. Copy and paste that back onto your canvas.
You SHOULD have 4 different fence layers
if you are doing diagonal rails in the middle. If you are not doing
diagonals then you should only have 2 layers.
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All this layering and merging, and the reason for having four separate
layers is so I can show you realistic shadowing on your fences. I like
to have the posts in the foreground of the other rails. But it doesn’t
matter as long as the diagonal rails are behind the other rails. To
demonstrate better, your layers should look something like this:
Layer 6: Line Art
Layer 5: Post rails
Layer 4: Horizontal rails
Layer 3: Diagonal rails (left)
Layer 2: Diagonal rails (Right)
Layer 1: 3-color background
To Add Shadows
to
the Rails (on the diagonal)
...create a new layer, drag and drop it between Layer 2 and Layer 3,
this will be your diagonal rail shadows
...take a small round brush (no larger then 5) and select a grey blue
color, carefully apply your shadows
...blend or soften as needed with the blending tool. Don’t worry if
it’s to dark
...do this to all the diagonals
To Add Shadows
to
the Rails (on the posts)
...create a new layer, drag and drop it between Layer 5 and Layer 4,
this will be your post rail shadows
...take a small round brush (no larger then 5) and select a grey blue
color, carefully apply your shadows
...blend or soften as needed with the blending tool. Don’t worry if
it’s to dark
...do this to all the posts, so that they reflect a shadow on the rails
and the diagonals
Clean up your
shadows and then you can continue.
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Applying Wood Grain Texture
All of your layers should look like this now:
Layer 8: Line Art
Layer 7: Post rails
Layer 6: Shadow
Layer 5: Horizontal rails
Layer 4: Diagonal rails (left)
Layer 3: Shadow
Layer 2: Diagonal rails (Right)
Layer 1: 3-color background
Now you will end up creating 4 more new
layers, these layers will all have texture for the wood grain, and the
layers should now look like this:
Layer 12: Line Art
Layer 11: Texture
Layer 10: Post rails
Layer 9: Shadow
Layer 8: Texture
Layer 7: Horizontal rails
Layer 6: Texture
Layer 5: Diagonal rails (left)
Layer 4: Shadow
Layer 3: Texture
Layer 2: Diagonal rails (Right)
Layer 1: 3-color background
The way I created the wood grain
texture, was with one of the PSP specialty brushes (one of them that
has a bunch of dots). Under the tool options, if you set the Step
option to 1, it will draw a continuous line. From there you just streak
the texture on as you please. Follow my example as shown in these
images, and utilize the selection, rotation, and mirror tools you
learned before.
When it’s all done and finished, now you
can merge all your fence layers together (layers 2-11).
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How to Make a Realistic
Sky
...first step is make the sky have some gradation to it
...create a new layer, and nest this behind the fence, but in front of
the background
...use your color selector to choose a lighter sky blue then on the
background
...apply the color with a round brush, no larger then 50, start from
the bottom of the horizon and up, make sure it’s set to pressure
sensitivity on opacity only
...do not cover the top, only go about half way
...select the blending tool and blend and smooth it till it looks like
what you see to your left
How to Make
Clouds
...round brush, size 20 or smaller
...pressure sensitivity on for opacity and size
...opacity set at 60-70%
...start building up your clouds by makings small circles with your
brush, don’t use consistent pressure
Repeat these steps on the same layer or in new layers. You don’t want
to use pure white till the very end. Start off with a light blue, you
can even add in a little purple if you wish. Every time you start a new
layer of clouds, make the brush size smaller and lighten the color. It
will give you some very nice depth.
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The very last
step
is to take your soften brush, and soften all the clouds just a little.
Congratulations you have successfully learned how to make clouds. So
far I have shown you Post and Rail, and Clouds, now to continue on to
Dirt & Hoof prints!
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How to Make your Ground
look Real
...Create a new layer above your Fence but under your Line Art.
...Using a small brush, size 10 or smaller and Pressure sensitivity
turned on for Size, mark with a darker tan color where hooves and posts
meet the ground. They look like a combination of little hills, veins,
and dots.
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...Create a
new layer under the one you just made.
...Use a lighter tan color (lighter then the background) with Pressure
Sensitivity on for Size and Opacity.
...Apply the color on your drawing as if in little hills or waves
...Play with your texture brushes like you did for the fence, and alter
the Step of your brush.
...Use blend and smudge as needed
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...Lighten and
Darken the color as needed by applying new layers or covering it with
additional texture
...Play with your texture brushes like you did for the fence, and alter
the Step of your brush.
...Use blend and smudge as needed
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...Using a
smoother brush, apply some shadowing and highlights in various muddy
colors (for shadow) and light creams (for highlights)
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...Create a
new layer, and repeat the first step of this section
...The reason for this, is to give your picture the appearance of an
arena. All arenas or even paddocks, will have a beaten in path along
the fence line from horse hooves.
...Blend and smudge as needed.
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...To give it
even more depth, create a new layer
...Using your darker muddy color, or even a muddy blue if you wanted
to, apply stokes here as shown
...Make sure Pressure Sensitivity is set to Size and Opacity, and do
not use a textured brush
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...On top of
this later, or by creating a new one, using a light tan color, go over
your darker strokes (only around the edges and in the front)
...This gives the viewer the false impression of hoof prints
To see a better explanation of how I do this, please follow this link: How
To Make Hoof Prints
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...Hide all
your layers EXCEPT for your sand
...Merge the sand layers together
...Using your erase tool, clean up your posts.
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...You may
need to darken the ground where your posts connect to the soil
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How To Make Grass
...This is an old method of mine, now I use different texture brushes,
or grass brushes
...Create a new layer, under your fence, but above your sky
...Using a green color, set your normal brush to size 2 or 3 with
opacity and size selected for Pressure sensitivity
...Apply grass blade like strokes in a cluster, once you have a
cluster, copy and paste into a new layer (like you did for the fence
posts) and then drag and drop where needed.
...Once all your grass is covered in this color, merge ONLY the grass
together
...If the color is to bright, you can play around with the opacity of
your grass layer
...Copy this layer, and paste it as a new layer
...Using either your opacity option on your layer pallet, or the Color
Replacer Method (see Universal Language Dictionary) make sure the two
grass layers are two different green shades then your background. So
your grass will have 3 different colors to it.
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How to Make Bushes
...I like to use bushes outside my fence lines to blend in the grass
and sand line. They are also beautiful and decorative.
...Start off by creating a new layer, and using a dark muddy brown
color make little mini trees.
...Make sure you show branches and roots
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...Reread over
the cloud tutorial, and then look at these bushes. They are quite
similar, the only thing that is different is the color.
...Create a new layer, and using various green colors make bushes as if
you were making green clouds.
...The lightest color should be reserved for your highlights only.
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...Create a
new layer, and using a pine green color, draw a series of Christmas
trees (pine trees) along your horizon line.
...This new layer should be above your sky, but under your grass
CONGRATULATIONS! You have finished this tutorial, and have learned a
series of new techniques that can be later used in your future works!
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