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Pixel Art Feature Chest / Leaf by leaf
« on: April 15, 2009, 05:01:23 am »
Sorry for the delay in updating. Easter + half attempts that didn't pan out, etc.
The thread isn't about which approach is 'right', but hopefully will be a 'how to' for strugglers on some approaches which are (a) most aethestically pleasing and (b) most time efficient. Or deconstructions of some of the fantastic trees out there.
I'm not claiming to be a fantastic artist or authority on what works best - I'm just exploring.
This post is an experiment with the 'leafy' style that Dr D liked.
As far as I can tell, there are three basic approaches to constructing a tree leaf by leaf.
1. Create a leaf cluster, copy and paste it repeatedly until canopy is complete, then shade accordingly. Quickest, but runs the risk of looking 'flat'.
2. Create several leaves, copy and paste them in layers encircling the tree. Runs the risk of looking like a circular stack of leaves.
3. Create several leaves, copy and paste them into several layered clusters, then shade. Slowest, and can lose your sense of depth without a reference.
I've not seen examples of 1 & 2 that I actually aspire to, so I tried #3 with larger leaves in the hopes of saving time. Using 3 colours, I drew six base leaves which were then flipped or rotated. The lighting is not perfect, the tree is not anti-aliased and I shaded in a wide brush in broad strokes etc. Ignore the trunk!

Shading involved using another dark color on a partially transparent layer - this was a BAD IDEA. I hoped to merge layers and adjust the palette for the three colours impacted, but it didn't work at all (especially not for a planned hue shift as seen on trunk. Silly me.) Would have been better to shade each leaf appropriately. Saved for possibly doing that in the future. At least it doesn't look as flat as unshaded.
Unfortunately it wound up too much like a #2, likely because I didn't use a trunk or branches to help direct structure or to be exposed between leaves. It would have done better with more slight variations on some of those leaves, and probably best not to have any flat-forward facing leaves. It is also very easy to lose your sense of depth when it comes time to shade. All up, it seems this method may be less time efficient than just drawing the entire thing outright?
I'll re-try 'ball tree' next as I think it was quickest. Will try to get the highlights right this time, and I'll see if I can distinguish the leaves without making it an ugly mess. I'd still like to create something like Zyndicate's tree - it was used as a structure reference for leaf placement above.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how Elk achieved that square leaf effect in his example here? Was it simply done with a square paint brush, or a scattering tool to help get the density right?
Any input welcome, as always.
Edit: Is it worth cross posting to PixelJoint forums for input as well, or is it mostly the same people on both forums?
The thread isn't about which approach is 'right', but hopefully will be a 'how to' for strugglers on some approaches which are (a) most aethestically pleasing and (b) most time efficient. Or deconstructions of some of the fantastic trees out there.

This post is an experiment with the 'leafy' style that Dr D liked.
As far as I can tell, there are three basic approaches to constructing a tree leaf by leaf.
1. Create a leaf cluster, copy and paste it repeatedly until canopy is complete, then shade accordingly. Quickest, but runs the risk of looking 'flat'.
2. Create several leaves, copy and paste them in layers encircling the tree. Runs the risk of looking like a circular stack of leaves.
3. Create several leaves, copy and paste them into several layered clusters, then shade. Slowest, and can lose your sense of depth without a reference.
I've not seen examples of 1 & 2 that I actually aspire to, so I tried #3 with larger leaves in the hopes of saving time. Using 3 colours, I drew six base leaves which were then flipped or rotated. The lighting is not perfect, the tree is not anti-aliased and I shaded in a wide brush in broad strokes etc. Ignore the trunk!

Shading involved using another dark color on a partially transparent layer - this was a BAD IDEA. I hoped to merge layers and adjust the palette for the three colours impacted, but it didn't work at all (especially not for a planned hue shift as seen on trunk. Silly me.) Would have been better to shade each leaf appropriately. Saved for possibly doing that in the future. At least it doesn't look as flat as unshaded.
Unfortunately it wound up too much like a #2, likely because I didn't use a trunk or branches to help direct structure or to be exposed between leaves. It would have done better with more slight variations on some of those leaves, and probably best not to have any flat-forward facing leaves. It is also very easy to lose your sense of depth when it comes time to shade. All up, it seems this method may be less time efficient than just drawing the entire thing outright?
I'll re-try 'ball tree' next as I think it was quickest. Will try to get the highlights right this time, and I'll see if I can distinguish the leaves without making it an ugly mess. I'd still like to create something like Zyndicate's tree - it was used as a structure reference for leaf placement above.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how Elk achieved that square leaf effect in his example here? Was it simply done with a square paint brush, or a scattering tool to help get the density right?
Any input welcome, as always.
Edit: Is it worth cross posting to PixelJoint forums for input as well, or is it mostly the same people on both forums?