 |
| You can either make the leaves yourself, or download my pine needle tube. If you just use the tube, click here to jump down to using it. |
1.  Minimise your tree for the time being. Create a new image, 600x600 pixels, with a transparent background. Go to File/Preferences/General Program Preferences....
Click on the tab that says Rulers and Units. Make both the Horizontal
and Vertical spacing 100. Ok the settings, then go to View
and click on Grid. A grid will now appear on your canvas - this will
make it easier to make the tube. |
2. Change your foreground colour to a medium
green, I used#116611 for this tutorial. Select the Line Tool.
From Type choose Single Line, Style Stroked, Width
2, Antialias checked, Create as Vector and Close Path
not checked. On your canvas, draw a line in each of the grid squares. Start
with a vertical line in the first square, then draw a slightly skewed line
in the next in the next, & so on. It doesn't have to be precise, just a
rough rotation. |
3. Click on the Selection Tool. Press
CTRL+A to select the entire image. Click anywhere on the canvas to
select each of the needles individually. You could also use the Magic
Wand to the same effect, but I find this way makes a cleaner selection.
Next, go to Image/Effects/Inner Bevel... and apply the Angled
preset. Keep the selection. |
|
4. Go to Image/Effects/Drop Shadow.... Make the Color Black, Opacity 100, Blur 6, Vertical and Horizontal both 1 & apply. |
5. Your Pine Needles tube is ready to be
exported. Go to File/Export/Picture Tube.... Use the settings shown
adjacent & give your tube a name. |
6. Maximise your tree image. Create a new Raster layer  . Click on the  Picture Tube tool. Select your Pine Needle tube. Set the Scale to about 40 - remember it's a bonsai, a little minutres tree so the leaves will be a little out of normal scale. On the canvas, paint the leaves onto the ends of the branches. Use them quite sparingly at first - you can add more later if you feel it needs it. |
Your bonsai is almost finished. We are just going to add some blossom and then it's done. Click on the link below to continue. |
