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Thread: [Award Winner] Making Photo-realistic Trees in GIMP: A Mini-Tut

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  1. #1

    Default Update: Varying the Color of Trees and Forests

    Hello ProfGremli! OK, so, with regard to blending the color of the individual trees with that of the main forests you have at least two options. First, you can alter the color of the trees pattern. Second, you can alter the color of the main forests. Since you asked about how to alter the color of the trees pattern, I'll address that question first. However, before I do, I would also like to mention that since writing this tutorial I have learned that it is a good idea to use a range of colors (e.g. dark Brown, dark green, light green, yellow) within your forests to make them more diverse and lifelike (see the attached image for an example). This means that you will both want to use a range of different colored tree patterns, and create a new "Tree Color" (or alternatively, use an existing tree color layer) in which you paint multiple colors on the same layer (see the second attached image for an example). I'll touch on this more in a minute, but first let's address your question.

    • Altering the Color of Tree Patterns: For the benefit of anyone else reading this, what we are discussing here is how to alter the color of the Tree Patterns which I uploaded in a zip file in an earlier post. Now, assuming that you have copied these files to the patterns folder of GIMP (see earlier posts for details), when you open GIMP the tree patterns should show up within your Patterns Tab (if I'm not mistaken I think I included 3 different colored tree patterns). Right Click on any one of these Tree Patterns and select "Open Pattern As Image". This will open the pattern file for that Tree Pattern. Next, zoom in to about 200% so that you can see the tree patterns in better detail. With the "Select By Color Tool" (Threshold set to 15) select any transparent point of the image (e.g. don't select any of the trees) and invert the selection (Select > Invert). Now all of the individual trees ought to be selected. Next create a new Transparent layer called "New Color". Choose a color from your Foreground/Background Colors that you want to replace the existing color with. Next, with the Bucket Fill Tool, fill the selection of the "New Color Layer" with the new color. Next change the Layer Mode of the "New Color" layer to Hard Light. Duplicate this layer. You should end up with trees that closely approximate the new color you have chosen, though you may need to add additional layers and or experiment with the Layer Modes to get the color just where you want it. Next right click on any of the layer and select "Merge Visible Layers". Finally, rename and save the pattern file. Now, close GIMP, and restart it again, and you should find the new Trees Pattern image has been added to your GIMP patterns.


    • Varying the Color of Your Forests: In the original Tutorial I suggested making three different "Tree Color" layers (Brown, Green and Yellow) all whose Layer Modes were set to "Soft Light". Well, as previously mentioned, I've experimented with forests a bit since writing this Tut and have found that (a) its better to have a variety of layers of different colors each of which is set to different Layer Modes (and at least one of which is a green layer whose Layer Mode is set to "Multiply"), and (b) it's also good to diversify the colors of the forest by adding a variety of different colored tree patterns and by adding a Tree Colors Layer that itself contained a combination of different colors. At this point I've done allot of experimenting but haven't yet developed anything like a standard method for creating forests of varied colors; each time I experiment with a new map I change some things around. Still, to give you an idea of what's involved, below you'll find an example of a forest I created for one of my most recent maps. To achieve the diverse colors within this forest I used at least 3 different Tree Patterns ranging in color from Brown, to Dark Green, to Yellow. I also used 7 different Tree Color Layers. The first Layer was Dark Green (1d2300) and was set to Overlay. The second and third layer were both Green (3b580e), but the Layer Mode of the second was set to "Overlay" while that of the third was set to "Multiply". The fourth layer was a yellow green color (869f30) set to "Soft Light". The fifth layer was a light olive green color (b5b57e) also set to "Soft Light". Finally, I added a multicolored layer. I began by duplicating the yellow-green layer and then painting a dark Rust-Orange over certain parts of the forest, and a light yellow over other parts. Then I added a slight Gaussian Blur to this layer (10px) and set the Layer Mode to "Soft Light". I then duplicated this layer and added a second Gaussian blur (20px) and kept the Layer Mode on "Soft Light" (see the second image below). At any rate, that's how I created "this" forest, but I encourage you to experiment with colors and layer modes to come up with a multicolored forest that suits your own tastes.


    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by arsheesh; 02-24-2011 at 04:59 PM.

  2. #2
    Guild Journeyer Vandy's Avatar
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    Post arsheesh's Turorial available in the "Tutorials in PDF Format" thread

    Hello, All.

    Just wanted to let you know I've linked arsheesh's great tutorial. It is available in the GIMP-Related Tutorials section in Post #2 of the Tutorials in PDF Format thread in the Tutorials/How To forum.

    Enjoy.

    Regards,

    Vandy
    In the end you will see, you is you and me is me.
    © May 29, 1980

  3. #3

    Default

    Thanks Vandy! I appreciate it.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  4. #4
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    Default

    Hello all,

    I am just working through this tutorial in lieu with RobA´s Regional Map Tutorial. What I did to have the Single trees match the main trees: I made the Tree Pattern Black and White and painted below the bump tree layer. When I was finished I first bumped the single tree layer again with itself. Afterwards I created a new mask containing the main forest parts and the single trees and applied that mask to the coloring layers. It is important that the bump tree layer only contains the mask excluding the single trees, otherwise they will simply show up grey. Then I had to tweak the brightness + contrast of the single tree layer just a tiny bit. And now I can apply all the color changes to the single trees and to the bulk trees without any issue and do not have to recreate a pattern whenever I change the color.


    MyMap2.png
    Last edited by ImaTarget; 03-13-2011 at 02:59 PM.

  5. #5

    Default

    Hey thanks for the tip ImaTarget, I hadn't thought of doing it that way but the results look great.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  6. #6

    Default

    Hm, that's odd. Let's take this step by step. Prior to merging these two layers you should have 4 layers (Background, Trees, Trees Copy and Tree Frame), all of which should be visible. The Tree Frame layer should be the topmost layer, and the Trees Copy layer ought to be just beneath it. Did you select "Merge Down" on the topmost Tree Frame layer? If so, the Tree Frame layer should have merged with the Tree Copy layer, leaving you with 3 layers, the topmost being the newly merged Tree Copy layer. You mentioned that after merging you only see the 'noise' layer, is this the Trees layer or the Trees Copy layer that you are seeing? If the former, then somehow you lost the Trees Copy layer (if that layer still displays in your "Layers, Paths, Channels" dialogue check to make sure that you didn't accidentally click the "eye" icon off, thus rendering that layer invisible), I'm not exactly sure how this would have happened though unless you accidentally deleted the layer. If the latter, then, well I'm stumped. If you followed all the steps in the Tut then the newly merged Tree's Copy Layer ought to have a black border surrounding it. Hopefully something here was of use to you, if not I'm really not sure what is causing the problem.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  7. #7

    Default

    Tutorials like this one make me glad I registered. Here's my attempt:


    Trees.png

    I'm not sure why it's grey instead of white, but channel masks are new to me.

    Also, the drop shadow didn't really seem to make any difference, perhaps I should
    have made the clumps of trees more sculpted? Anyhow, thanks very much for sharing.

  8. #8

    Default

    No problem, glad to here that the tut is of some use to you. Regarding the background, it might be that the "Trees Outline" layer mask in the Channels dialogue is switched to visible. If there is a little "eye" icon floating to the left side of the layer mask, that means that the mask is visible. Just click on the eye icon to make the layer mask invisible and (if that really is the issue) the background should turn white again. As for the drop shadow, not sure why it didn't show up more. One other thing, the edges of the forest have a pretty noticeable bevel to them. This is due to the Bump map. I have not found a good way to get rid of the bevel except by simply covering it up with lots of "little" trees. If you read a bit further in this thread (I believe it's one of the updates on page 1) I explain how to do this.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

  9. #9

    Default

    Thanks for the prompt reply, I only tried it once, I am sure my second try will be better.

    Quote Originally Posted by arsheesh View Post
    As for the drop shadow, not sure why it didn't show up more.
    Good, glad that's not just me, I was expecting a little more 'pop' from this.

    Quote Originally Posted by arsheesh View Post
    One other thing, the edges of the forest have a pretty noticeable bevel to them.
    This is due to the Bump map.
    Yep, you could get rid of it (I think) by setting Azimuth to 180, but that kind of defeats the point.

    Quote Originally Posted by arsheesh View Post
    I have not found a good way to get rid of the bevel except by simply covering it up with lots of "little" trees.
    If you read a bit further in this thread (I believe it's one of the updates on page 1) I explain how to do this.
    Thanks, I'll have a look for this.

  10. #10

    Default Second (successful) attempt with Updated Tree patterns (Comments)

    I followed the instructions a little more carefully this time:

    Trees.png

    Not sure exactly what I did wrong the last time, it wasn't the obvious.

    The channel mask was off, think I forgot to delete in 1e, Step 2.

    In any case, thanks for all your helpful suggestions and I will know better next time.

    Some nice suggestions in the various follow-ups:

    Trees - Extra.png

    I would add that for 5b in Step 1, when you are using the Threshold tool, the black
    lines should be thicker than you might like, as the Drop Shadows will intrude quite a
    bit into these interior forest streamlets and whatnot.

    I really like the tree patterns, I updated the comments so that the pattern name
    shows up correctly in the Clone Tool window (unzip the attached into your 'Patterns'
    folder, the sub-folders are fine but not necessary I think).

    Trees with Comments.zip

    I really like these tree patterns for higher elevation trees (i.e. above the forest level
    but below the treeline). You can clone them in as lightly or heavily as you like.

    Anyhow, thanks again everyone.

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