Tole Painted Daisies
PhotoImpact 7.0
Can be done in Versions 5 & 6 too
 
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Description: Paint a lovely Daisy bouquet.
This tutorial is long because it contains directions on creating many pieces. I am sorry for its length, but I hope you will take the time to do it anyhow because the results are well worth it. :)
Note: It is important while doing this tutorial to watch for directions to convert object types. If you neglect these steps the directions will not work.
Creating the leaf 
For this section we'll be using the brush tip one shape, and rotating it to make the sections of the leaf. The first stroke tole painters learn to  use is the comma stroke and brush tip 1 resembles one of the common varieties of comma strokes.
1. Using the path tool, choose Custom Shape brush tip 1 and draw it on your canvas. Use the color settings to fill the shape with a medium green to a dark green gradient. Set the mode on 2d.

2. Use the transform tool's rotate by degree to rotate the shape 45 degrees counterclockwise.


 		 3. Right click on the shape and click Edit path. Click the bottom node and move it slightly to the right, and then used the handles to pull the curves out to a pleasing angle until your shape resembles this one. When you are satisfied with the shape of your leaf, go to object/ convert object type from path to image. Don't forget this step!!!  
Shading the leaf
4. You may want to make your leaf shape larger for this step and resize it when you are done. Click on the paint tool, airbrush tool, and set the color to a yellow - green. I've used Hex #D0E458. Paint a little on one side of the tip, and extend the paint in a comma shape down the left side like this.
5. Change to the burn tool and shade a little down the center and along the right side of the leaf like this. When done, use the blur tool to blur the shading together.  
  6. At this state, I found that my leaf was just a bit dark. To fix that, go to format/ highlight midtone and Shadow. (For versions 5 and 6, these controls are found in tone map.)
Set the highlight to 8, and the shadow to 10. Your leaf section's coloring may be different than mine, so feel free to play around with the settings. 
7. Now to assemble the leaf from this section duplicate it a total of 4 times for the left side, each time, reducing the size of the section a bit and rotating it 5 degrees. Overlap these sections to create a half leaf like this.
8. Click on the top section and right click to duplicate it. Rotate it 50 degrees clockwise and send it to the back. Also duplicate and rotate the next two sections in the same manner, each time sending the new section to the back. I used the distort tool to pull the section top up and to the left a bit. Use the distort tool as you see fit to make the leaf match this one. When you get three sections on the right side you may also want to group them and with the lock unlocked in the transform tool attribute bar, pull in to the center a bit so that the back half of the leaf is smaller than the front half. 
9. Merge the right half of the leaf together and making sure this section is behind the left half, use the eraser tool to erase the part sticking out.

10. Click on the paint tool, and select a dark green color from the leaf. Click on mode in the attribute bar to paint in object mode. Draw a stem for your leaf, making more strokes so that the stem widens as it attaches to the leaf. When you are satisfied with the shape of your stem, click on mode again to leave paint as object mode. 

11. Use the layer manager to select both the stem and all the leaf parts and merge them as a single object. Duplicate your leaf and use your distort and transform tool to create different angles and to vary the shape somewhat. For our display we will be using 3 leaves at different angles. 
The daisy

Petals

  1. Draw an oval on your canvas. Using the color controls, fill with a gradient from white to a blue gray, #6C6C7E
2. Right click on the shape, and click edit path. Pull the bottom node down to make a point. Right click again, and click edit attributes.
3. Right click convert to object. Click the plus beside blue in the quick color controls a few times, and click the plus beside the sun to lighten the petal. 		  
  4. Using the airbrush set on white, other settings default, brush around the edges of the petal lightly. 
5. Using the bristle brush, change to the grass preset and change the color to white. Increase the transparency in the attribute bar to 25. Brush lightly down the center of the petal. 
6. Use the burn tool to shade one side of the petal. 
7. Duplicate the petal and use the transform tool to flip the duplicate vertically. Line the two petals up like this.  
8. Select both petals. With the transform tool set on rotate by degree 45 degrees, click the copy rotate button 3 times. Your image should now look like this. PI 5 and 6 users will have to duplicate and rotate instead of copy rotate.
9. Now you have a perfectly formed flower... a little too perfect in fact. Use the transform tool to shorten or distort some of the petals, and get out the paint brush set on white, and size 3 to highlight some of the petal edges. This will indicate where the light is coming from in the image, so try to be consistent to make it look natural. 
Take notice of the petals that are under other petals. Select them and use the burn tool to add shadows in the right places where the petal on top would cast a shadow on the petal underneath it.
The Center
10. With the path tool draw a circle for the center. Use a gradient fill in a dark mustard and bright yellow. Make it big to resize later. 
  11. Go to object/ convert object type from path to image.
12. With the paint tool set on bristle brush, change to the grass preset, and set the color on the golden brown in the default colors. #B7770D. If your brush panel is not open, open it. (Double click on the paint tool icon) In the shape tab, set the brush head size on 6. In the color tab, set the color on multiple colors, and the Delta Hue to 4. 
13. Lightly brush all over the circle to simulate pollen. Change the colors to different colors of yellows, mustards and browns to give the center texture. 
14. With the burn tool, shade the bottom part of the center to give it a rounded appearance. Don't worry too much about the colors, because the colors can always be adjusted with the quick color controls and with Highlight Midtone and shadow in 7, and Tone Map in version 5 or 6. 
15. Choosing a medium shade for your bristle brush and with the paint as object mode depressed, create a halo around the circle to simulate stamens sticking out from the center. When done, unclick paint as object mode, and select both the center and the stamens and merge as a single object.
Move your center over on top of your daisy head. Use the transform tool to size it appropriately for your image. 
Now is the time to use the color adjustments as needed to color your center a nice yellow. 
16. Merge the center and the daisy petals as a single object. Duplicate it.
In a normal bouquet, not all of the flowers are going to be facing the viewer straight on. Here is how to create the appearance of a flower turned slightly away from the viewer.
17. Go to object convert object type from image to path. 
18. With the transform tool set on rotate in virtual 3d, Click and drag inside the bounding circle in the direction opposite you want your flower to turn. 
19. You will find that the last process created a little speck outside the edge of your flower, Go to object/ convert object type/ from path to image so you can use the eraser tool to get rid of the little speck. 
20 Duplicate your turned flower, and rotate it horizontally and place on the opposite side of your bouquet. 
The buds
1. Draw an oval filled with the same blue gray and white gradient you filled your daisy petal with. Use the shading tools to shade this petal. Duplicate it twice, and line them up like this.
Make sure the center one ends up on top. 
2. Merge as a single object and use the transform perspective tool to bring the bottom part in towards the center like so...

3. To create the sepals, do the same thing as you did for the bud petals, only fill with a bright green and dark green gradient this time. 
4. Arrange the sepal at the bottom of the petal part of the bud like this.
5. Group the bud parts and rotate 22.5 degrees or so. 
6. Using the paint brush size 4 and darkish green, and the mode button depressed, draw a stem for your bud. 
7. Unclick the mode button, and select both the stem and the bud and merge as a single object. If you need to blur the stem in with the sepals, do it now. 

8. Duplicate the buds and rotate them as needed to create more buds for your bouquet. 
The stems.
1. Using the line and arrow tool, set the size on 2, the mode on 3d round, and the color on dark green. Starting at each flower and bud draw a stem for each, curving down towards the center. Draw each one so that it looks like it has been drawn together in one place, like it has been tied together. 
2. Send the stems to the back. Select them all and merge as a single object. Make use of the layer manager here as it will be much easier to select all the stems with it. 
3. Use the blur tool on the shinier parts of the stem, and the quick color controls as needed to make the stem's color blend with the color of your leaves. 
Add a bow of your own or other decoration at the part where the stems come together.


Background tips:
I used a two color gradient fill to which I applied creative painting templates 
faceted glass and smudge stroke in that order. 
Sign your masterpiece and you are done!
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.


©Deb DeHaven