How to do Virtual Bonsai

denny

walter just gave me some excelent encoragement with the help of a virtual image of my ficus b.
now i must ask"HOW?
is that done with a thing like paint shop pro?
ive yet to scratch the surface on how that works.
advice please?anyone?
thanks

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Denny
Still Growing in zone 9
So.Cal.

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TreeBay

Hi Denny,

Here are some suggestions. This is a very rough guide, but you have inspired me to do an article on virtual bonsai.

SOFTWARE

You can use most any full featured graphics program like adobe Photoshop Elements or Jasc PaintShop Pro. You can download a free 30-day evaluation copy of PaintShopPro from www.jasc.com

HOW TO DO IT

The main tool used in doing the virtuals is called the clone brush. It's the tool about midway down on the tool pallette that looks like two brushes side-by-side. In adobe photoshop it's called the rubberstamp brush and it looks like a brush with a rubberstamp next to it.

Just right-click anywhere to set a sampling point (be it a branch to copy) or a section of background (to paint out a branch) It's alt-left-click for photoshop.

BORROW FROM OTHER PICTURES

You can even copy from another image using the same technique. Choose the clone brush then right click on the one image and start painting on the other. You can use this technique to copy branches or deadwood features or even pots from one tree to another.

PLAY WITH SELECTIONS

You can use the lasso tool to make a selection that can be copied, then feather in the edges with the clone brush. Selections can also be used to protect one area while you paint or adjust another.

EXPERIMENT

There are all kinds of advanced tools you can use to play around with. The best thing I can suggest is to experiment with them because you really can't hurt anything. It's all virtual!

GRAPHICS TABLETS

A graphics tablet makes this all much quicker and easier than using a mouse, Plus, you get pressure control of brush size or opacity when using one of these digitizing tablets. You can buy one of the USB graphics tablets for under $100, made by WACOM.com.

DRAG & DROP

I almost forgot to mention that with PSP and most well-designed programs, you can drag & drop trees right from the forum into the editing window to work on them. It's like having a bench full of virtual bonsai!


Hope this helps,

Matt

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