GRASS AND FOLIAGE BRUSHES

 
Sample or Preset files are available at the main index Mastering Brushes for Photoshop.
This Tutorial will show you some easy fundamentals in Creating Grass and Foliage from scratch. We'll begin by first Creating some Foliage.
 
1.) Create a New Document. Go to File > New. Make it 500 X 500 pixels at 300 dpi in RGB Mode on a White Background. Now, press D on the keyboard to set the Foreground Color to Black.
 
2.) At the Bottom of the Layers palette... click the Create a new layer button to generate a New blank layer.
 
3.) Select the Brush tool . Carry it over the work area and Right-Click to Open the Brush-Picker. Locate the Hard Round 9 pixels brush, then Double-Click it to Select it and Close the library.
(If the library is different, click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a pop-out menu will appear. Select Reset Brushes. A dialog box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load.)
 
 
4.) Paint an image similar to the one shown on the Left below. Next, hold the Shift key and tap R until the Smudge tool becomes Selected. Go to the Options bar and set Strength to 75%.
 
 
Click on the Top ends of the stems and Drag Outward to smear like shown on the Right.
 
 
5.) Press B to Reselect the Brush tool . Open the Brush Library and Double-Click the Hard Round 5 pixels brush to Select and Close the library. Paint 3 more stems, then press R to Reselect the Smudge tool and repeat the pulling out the Tips as shown on the Left. Now, repeat process one more time using the Hard Round 3 pixels brush as shown on the Right. When finished, go ahead and smear the Bottom of the image. You can also use the Erasure at this point if needed.
 
 
6.) This Step is Optional and is of my own personal preference. Go to Filter > Distort > Pinch. Adjust the slider to 100%, then click OK to apply.
 
 
7.) Select the Rectangular Marquee tool . In the Options bar set the Style to Normal, then Drag a Selection around the borders of the New image.
 
 
8.) Create the Brush. Go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. Name it as you wish, then click OK to Create. The brush will be added Last in the current brush library.
 
 
Grass Creation
 
1.) Create a New Document. Go to File > New. Make it 500 X 500 pixels at 300 dpi in RGB Mode on a White Background. Now, press D on the keyboard to set the Foreground Color to Black.
 
2.) Select the Brush tool . Click the Brushes tab (located Top Right of program) to Open the Brushes palette. Select the Brush Tip Shape pane on the Left. Now, scroll down and locate the brush named Dune Grass and click on it to Select. Un-Check All boxes on the Left hand side except Smoothing as shown.
 
 
3.) Go to the work area and click once to Create an image...one blade of grass. Click the Create a new layer button (located Bottom of the Layers palette) to Create a New blank layer. Right-Click on the work area to Open the Brush Library. Use the Diameter slider and adjust slightly the size of the brush tip then press Enter on the keyboard to Close the library. Add the next grass blade. Press Ctrl+T to bring up the Free Transform bounding box. Place the curser to the Outside of the box and Drag to Rotate. Double-Click Inside the box to apply. Continue creating a small sprig of grass in this fashion placing each blade of grass on it's own New blank layer (this will allow you to Rotate each one individually as you work).
 
 
4.) When you are pleased with the results, Create the Brush. Go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. Name it as you wish, then click OK to Create.
 
 
I have supplied a Library of 27 grass brushes for you to use.
 
 
Let's do some painting to get the feel of how they can be used. Go to the Samples folder for this CD and Open it. Inside locate the image named The Post.psd. Double-Click it and it will Open in Photoshop. (I created a starting image here for you to practice on.) The image Background was Created in Bryce and the my Character "Indiana Jone" was Created in Poser, the two were then merged in Photoshop and post edited a bit to give you a good backdrop of varied greens in which to place your grass.
 
 
1.) Select the Zoom tool , then click on the canvas to Enlarge to 100%. (It may will be slightly larger than the viewing area, just navigate the edges by using the scroll bars.)
 
2.) Click on the Background Color swatch and change Color to a Light Green. Next, click the Foreground swatch and change to a Dark Green. This will be the chosen Colors to Create the grass. (I used #669900 and #003300.)
 
 
3.) Go to Layer > New > Layer. A dialog box will appear, name it Grass, then click OK to create.
 
 
4.) Select the Brush tool . Right-Click on the work area to Open the Brush Library. Click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a Pop-out menu will appear. Select SD Grass. A dialog box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load. Locate the Last brush named Grass 27, then Double-Click it to Select it and Close the library. (This brush is the one just Created previously.)
 
 
5.) Click once on the work area each time and begin planting your grass. Do not Drag. Switch Colors as you work until you have a Full pasture Created. (If some of the grass gets deposited on areas you do not want, simply Select the Erasure tool and remove at the finish of this Step.
 
TIP: Pressing the Tab key will turn OFF and ON the palettes eliminating the clutter while you work.
 
 
 
Once all the grass has been deposited, press Z to Reselect the Zoom tool, hold the Alt key and click on the canvas to Reduce the image to view Full image boundaries.
 
 
6.) Next, go to Layer > New > Layer. When the dialog box appears, name this layer Shadow. With the Dark Green Foreground Color Selected, press B to Reselect the Brush tool. Go to the Options bar and adjust Opacity to about 10%. (Still using the same brush) go to the work area and this time Drag the brush to Darken areas of the grass (Primarily the Bottom area and sides).
 
 
7.) To finish the image Create one more layer. Go to Layer > New > Layer. When the dialog box appears, name this layer Sky. Select the Eyedropper tool . Go to the work area and click on the Darkest blue you can find in the sky. (This will change the Foreground Color to it's Color.) Press B to Reselect the Brush tool. Right-Click on the work area to Open the Brush Library. Click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a Pop-out menu will appear. Select Reset Brushes and the correct library will load. Now Select the Soft Round 100 pixels brush, then press Enter on the keyboard to Close the library.
 
 
Go to the Options bar and adjust Opacity to about 10%. Repeat process used for the Shadows to Darken the Sky. Below is my finished image.
 
 
The image is large enough to be Saved as a Desktop if you like. I have included the finished image with all layers intact so that you may view the construction of this file. You will find it in the Samples folder for this CD named Desktop.psd.
 
Click here for more Grass brushes continued...
 
Copyright © 2006-2007 Glenn Schemenauer - Spacific Designs™ - All rights reserved.