How to Create a Daffodil Text Effect for Spring in Adobe Illustrator

by Andrei Marius

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What You'll Be Creating

In the following steps you will learn how to create a daffodil text effect in Adobe Illustrator. For starters you will learn how to set up a simple grid and how to create your own art brush. Using this art brush, the Appearance panel, basic tools, and blending and vector shape building techniques, you will learn how to create the first petal. 

Moving on, you will learn how to easily multiply your petal and how to create the middle part of your daffodil, taking full advantage of the Appearance panel. Finally, you will learn how to create the text effect and how to add subtle details.

1. Create a New Document and Set Up a Grid

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 1000 in the width box and 600 in the height box, and then click on theAdvanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked before you click OK.

Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). You will need a grid every 1 px, so simply go to Edit > Preferences > Guides > Grid, and enter 1 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. Try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable it using the Control-" keyboard shortcut.

You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Don't forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.

2. Create the First Petal

Step 1

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and focus on your Toolbar. Remove the color from the stroke and then select the fill and set its color to R=39 G=170 B=225. Move to your artboard and simply create a 20 x 30 px shape. Switch to the Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), focus on the top side of your shape and simply click on that anchor point. In the end your blue shape should look like in the second image.

Step 2

Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the top anchor point that makes up your blue shape and simply drag it 5 px up. Switch to the Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), click on that same anchor point and drag those handles 5 px to the right. In the end your blue shape should look like in the third image.

Step 3

Disable the Snap to Grid (Control-').

Make sure that your blue shape is selected and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -1 px Offset and click OK. Make sure that the resulting shape is selected and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Select this copy and move it 1 pxdown using the down arrow button from your keyboard. Reselect both shapes made in this step, open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder), and click the Minus Front button.

Make sure that the resulting shape stays selected, replace the existing fill color with a simple white (R=255 G=255 B=255) and then move it 1 px up using the up arrow button from your keyboard.

Step 4

Make sure that your white shape is still selected, focus on the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) and click on that "Opacity" piece of text to open theTransparency fly-out panel. Simply change the Blending Mode to Soft Light.

Step 5

Enable the Snap to Grid (Control-').

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 1 x 3 px shape and make it black (R=0 G=0 B=0). Make sure that this tiny new shape stays selected, open the Brushes panel (Window > Brushes) and click the New Brush button. Check the Art Brush box and click the OK button. Pick a name for your brush, enter all the attributes shown in the following image, make sure that you select Tints from that Method drop-down menu, and then click OK. Now you should be able to see your new art brush inside the Brushes panel.

Step 6

Disable the Snap to Grid (Control-').

Pick the Brush Tool (B), select your art brush from the Brushes panel, and then focus on the blue shape. Draw a bunch of curvy black paths roughly as shown in the following image. Make sure that all these paths are selected and simply Group them using the Control-G keyboard shortcut.

Step 7

Make sure that your group of black paths is still selected, focus on the Appearancepanel and change the Blending Mode to Soft Light.

Step 8

Pick the Brush Tool (B), reselect your art brush from the Brushes panel, and focus on the blue shape. Draw a bunch of curvy white paths roughly as shown in the following image. Make sure that all these paths are selected and Group them using that same Control-G keyboard shortcut.

Step 9

Make sure that your group of white paths is still selected, focus on the Appearancepanel, and change the Blending Mode to Soft Light.

Step 10

Select your blue shape, focus on the Appearance panel, and replace the existing fill color with the linear gradient shown in the following image.

Step 11

Make sure that your main shape stays selected, focus on the Appearance panel, and add a second fill using the Add New Fill button. Select this new fill and add the linear gradient shown in the following image. Keep in mind that the yellow zero from the Gradient image stands for Opacity percentage while the blue number stands forLocation percentage.

Step 12

Make sure that your main shape stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearancepanel and select the existing stroke. First add the black to white linear gradient shown in the following image. Next, lower its Opacity to 50% and change theBlending Mode to Soft Light. Finally, click that "Stroke" piece of text to open theStroke fly-out panel. Make sure that the Weight is set to 1 px and then check theAlign Stroke to Inside button.

3. Multiply Your Petal

Step 1

Enable the Snap to Grid (Control-').

Select all the shapes that make up your first petal and Group them (Control-G). Duplicate this fresh group (Control-C > Control-F), select the copy and drag it35 px down as shown in the first image. Make sure that your group copy stays selected, and go to Object > Transform > Reflect. Check the Horizontal box and then click the OK button.

Step 2

Make sure that the two groups that make up your petals are selected and go toObject > Transform > Rotate. Set the Angle at -55 degrees and then click theCopy button. In the end things should look like in the second image.

Step 3

Make sure that the two groups that make up your vertical petals are selected and go again to Object > Transform > Rotate. This time set the Angle to 55 degrees and then click the Copy button. In the end things should look like in the second image.

4. Create the Middle Part of Your Daffodil

Step 1

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 20 px circle, set the fill color to R=231 G=96 B=38, and place it roughly as shown in the following image.

Step 2

Make sure that your circle stays selected, focus on the Appearance panel, select the existing fill and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below, click OK and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 1 px Offset, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the properties shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 3

Make sure that your circle stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add a second fill using that same Add New Fill button.

Select this new fill, set the color to R=255 G=149 B=67, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below, click OK and then go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the properties shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 4

Make sure that your circle stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a third fill using that same Add New Fill button.

Select this new fill, use the radial gradient shown in the following image and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -2 px Offset, click OK and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the properties shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 5

Make sure that your circle stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a fourth fill using that same Add New Fill button.

Select this new fill, set the color to R=114 G=73 B=9, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -5 px Offset, click OK and then Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below and then click the OK button.

Step 6

Make sure that your circle stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a fifth fill using that same Add New Fill button.

Select this new fill, set the color to R=194 G=134 B=71, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -6 px Offset, click OK and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the properties shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 7

Make sure that your circle stays selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a sixth fill using that same Add New Fill button.

Select this new fill, set the color to R=251 G=224 B=68, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -7 px Offset, click OK, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen. Enter the attributes shown below, click OK, and go toEffect > Distort & Transform > Pucker & Bloat. Drag the slider to 50% and then click the OK button.

Step 8

Reselect your circle. Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, make sure that the entire path is selected (simply click on that "Path" piece of text from the top of the panel) and then go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown in the left window (in the following image), click OK and then add the other two Drop Shadow effects shown below.

Step 9

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 22 x 33 px shape, make it black, and place it as shown in the first image. Make sure that this new shape stays selected, send it behind your circle using the Control-[ keyboard shortcut, change its Blending Modeto Soft Light and then go to Effect > Stylize > Feather. Enter a 6 px Radius and click OK.

Step 10

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 22 x 28 px shape, make it black, and place it as shown in the first image. Make sure that this new shape stays selected, send it behind your circle using that same Control-[ keyboard shortcut, change itsBlending Mode to Soft Light and then go to Effect > Stylize > Feather. Enter a7 px Radius and then click the OK button.

5. Add the Background and Multiply Your Daffodil

Step 1

Select all the shapes that make up your flower (except the two shapes with theFeather effect made in the last two step) and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Now, select all the shapes that make up your daffodil and Group them (Control-G). Download the attachment, drag that Grass Background image inside your document, make sure that it covers your entire artboard, and send it to back using the Shift-Control-[ keyboard shortcut. Move to the Layers panel, open the existing layer, and simply lock this image to make sure that you won't accidentally select/move it.

Check out this short tutorial from Diana Toma if you wish to learn how to create such a nice background or how to make a grass text effect in Illustrator: Quick Tip: How to Create a Vector Grass Text Effect.

Step 2

Make four copies of your daffodil group (Control-C > Control-F) and spread the copies roughly as shown in the first image.

Select the first group copy and go to Effect > Warp > Inflate. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 3

Select the second group copy and go to Effect > Warp > Flag. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 4

Select the third group copy and go to Effect > Warp > Shell Lower. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 5

Select the fourth group copy and go to Effect > Warp > Fisheye. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click the OK button.

Step 6

Duplicate your five daffodils and move the copies down. Now you need to resize these copies. Select one of these groups and focus on the Transform panel (Window > Transform). Check that Constrain Width and Height Proportionsbutton and then simply enter 50 px in the Height box. Select the other four group copies and resize them using the same technique.

Make a third set of group copies and drag them down as shown in the second image. Once again, you need to resize these new groups, only this time enter 40 pxin that Height box from the Transform panel.

6. Create the Text Effect

Step 1

Pick the Type Tool (T), simply click on your artboard and add your piece of text. Use the Cooper Black font, change the color to R=0 G=113 B=53, and set the size to170 px and the tracking to 50. Drag this piece of text below the group of shapes that make up your daffodils, and then lock it.

Step 2

Multiply, randomly rotate and spread your daffodils across that piece of text. Also, throw some flowers around the text. Once you're done, move to the Layers panel and get rid of that locked piece of text.

Step 3

Disable the Snap to Grid (Control-').

Pick the Brush Tool (B), reselect your art brush from the Brushes panel, and add some subtle grass as shown below. Use the four colors mentioned in the following image for these tiny paths.

Step 4

The following effects might challenge your machine, so it would be a good idea to save the work made so far. Reselect all your daffodil groups and add the five Drop Shadow effects (Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow) shown in the following image.

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Step 5

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 1000 x 600 px shape and make sure that it covers your entire artboard. Fill this new rectangle with the radial gradient shown in the following image and change its Blending Mode to Overlay. Remember that the yellow zero from the Gradient image stands for Opacity percentage.

Congratulations! You're Done!

Here is how it should look. I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects.

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When and How to Volunteer Your Time as a Photographer or Videographer

by Marie Gardiner

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As photographers or videographers, we can often be asked to give our time and expertise for free. This might be by a charity, an individual, a company or even an educational body. Knowing the right decision for you can be much harder than it seems. You might not be sure that it’s right for you, or you may feel uncomfortable saying no, or anything in between. 

In this article we’ll look at some of the most common occurrences of being asked to volunteer our services. Ultimately, of course, the decision is yours, but hopefully this will help you make that decision in an informed, confident way.

The Charity Angle

Charities often fish for freebies because they’re trying to keep every penny within the trust to use for their cause—totally understandable. Often they’ll approach a photographer/videographer to document an event for free. It can be really hard to say no when you know it’s for a good cause, and charity workers can be particularly pushy. 

Don’t be afraid to say no if it’s a cause you don’t really feel strongly about. You might prefer to do something for a charity that’s close to your heart, and that’s okay—you can’t give to everyone. It might also not fit with your schedule, and that’s okay too. Better to say no than either push yourself too hard or do a not so good job because you’re tired and maybe a little resentful that it’s a freebie.

Better to say no if the situation isn't right for you [Image: CCO Public Domain via Pixabay]

On the flip side, if you have the time and the inclination, there’s no harm in saying yes at all. Giving your time for a charity can be a great way for someone to give back who doesn’t have the time to, say, train for a sponsored marathon. And let’s face it, it’s good for the soul. If you’re quite new to the game, it can also be a good way for you to build up your portfolio. Depending on the event, you may be around potential clients or even get introduced to them—don’t bank on this of course, but it could be a happy bonus.

Also, you don’t have to give your time for free. If it’s going to cost you to get there/back or you’ll need feeding during the event if it’s a long day, then you could always ask for your travel/expenses to be reimbursed, or give a quote for a lower rate than you would normally charge. 

Mission Creep

One of the risks of working for free is mission creep: the tendency of jobs to grow in scope little by little as they progress. Mission creep is normal; it's what happens when circumstances change. Charities are notoriously understaffed, so it's very common to be asked to do more than you though you'd originally signed up for. They aren't bad people, they're just stretched to the limit, especially when they're putting on an event: the very moment they need your services. Be ready for this going in and you can keep things happy and healthy.

When mission creep happens on a regular job you can negotiate a bit of extra money, but it's tough to ask for more money when you've started by volunteering your time for free. For this reason, some photographers and videographers like to charge a "charity rate." A charity, or non-profit, rate is a discounted rate, often just enough to cover your costs. This arrangement keeps the relationship with the charity operating on the understanding that there are limits to what you can reasonably do. Ultimately, that's a plus for both parties because you'll both get exactly what you need.

When Charity Isn't Charity

Remember, a charity event isn’t necessarily being paid for by a charity. I did an event last year (and I’m doing it again this year) which was for a charity but the costs were paid for by quite a large company—so I don’t feel as guilty for being paid!

A charity shoot I did last year which was paid for by a large company [Image: Marie Gardiner]

Co-Promotes

There may be a time when you and another business can help each other out. Say, for example, you're a wedding photographer and want some nice bride and groom pictures. You could team up with a wedding dress and suit supplier who's looking for some great new product shots—you both get something out of working together. 

There are plenty of examples like this, and if you're approached, it’s up to you to decide whether it’s the right thing to do.

‘It’ll Be Good for Your Business’

This is my least favourite way of being asked to work for free. It often happens when someone is holding an event, for example, and doesn’t want to pay for a photographer. So they’ll approach you and ask you to shoot for free because ‘you can sell prints and will make quite a bit of money’ or ‘it will be great publicity for you’. 

My partner was recently asked to do some free filming because he’d get lots of great‘stock footage’. I know if you don’t ask you don’t get, but these kinds of requests particularly jar with me. If someone is telling you what’s good for your own business, chances are, it’s not. I often feel terrible saying no, but really there is rarely anything in this kind of thing for me, and I’ve not met any other photographer who has gained massively from this sort of thing.

Events often want a free photographer thinking you'll make a fortune from selling prints [Image: CCO Public Domain via Pixabay]

A particularly bad example of what we’re talking about here happened when I emailed a few PR companies to make them aware of my commercial offerings. One asked if I would do a ‘test shoot’ for them so they could trial my work—a new one for me, but I said if it was my local area and a quick shoot (less than an hour) then sure; I was thinking of potential repeat business. They contacted me the same week, asking for my ‘test shoot’ to be a three-hour event ten miles up the road. 

Needless to say, I sent them a quote and didn’t get the business. It was pretty obvious to me that they were going through a big list of photographers, using their services for free under the guise of testing them out. Beware of companies like this—they are out there. I bet if I’d asked them to do a month of free marketing for my business to test them out, they’d have laughed me out of the building!

'It'll Be Good for Your Portfolio'

Similar to the above point, some people claim working for free will be good for your portfolio. But only you or a professional portfolio reviewer can decide what's good for your portfolio. Much like our scenarios above, if someone is telling you that you should work for free as it will benefit your portfolio, it probably won't. 

I see this all the time, but a recent example was a company in Canada advertising for a student photographer to work for free in order to photograph a conference because it would benefit their portfolio. 

In my personal experience, I was asked (during start-up, so my first year of trading) to do something 'as cheap as I could' for a company that supports business start-ups. It's absolutely baffling that places designed to help people get started in business or get work try to use their students/start-ups to get freebies or cheap deals.

If you're struggling for images to use and show then sure, these events could help you, but remember that by using you (or others) for free, they're saving hundreds of pounds. Don't feel cheeky asking them to pay for your travel or feed you while you're there!

Friends and Family

Ah, the dreaded moment when a friend or family member asks if you can just ‘get a few photographs’ of something because it’ll ‘take five minutes’. People can drastically underestimate what goes into digital work. Most have easy access to cameras these days, and they can think what we do is as easy as pointing and shooting. Many people don’t realise the huge investment in our kit and time, both when shooting and in editing and post-production afterwards.

One of our 'simpler' set ups for filming [Image: Marie Gardiner]

If it really isn’t a problem for you then do it. You’ll clock up some great brownie points, and you’ll have a favour to call in at a later date! But if it’s something you’re really not comfortable doing or you don’t have the time, then just be honest. Maybe take the time to walk that person through a bit of what it is you do, and they might come out with a better understanding of your job. 

Remember, if you do something way out of your comfort zone—say, for example, you’re a landscape photographer and you get asked to shoot a friend's wedding—messing it up could be detrimental for your relationship. Even if you’re doing someone a favour, it should always be your best work. Never do something you don’t feel right about or aren’t insured for.

Conclusion

If you have a skill or, to quote Liam Neeson, a particular set of skills, then it’s inevitable you will be asked to use them. When and where you choose to give these skills and your time, is completely up to you. 

Think about whether it’s right for you: Do you have the time? Can you afford to do this? Is the reason for asking genuine? 

If no, then don’t be worried about saying so. It's perfectly OK to say no. Having the flexibility, self-awareness, and confidence to say no to bad opportunities makes  saying yes good ones a whole lot more meaningful and rewarding. Working for free should build you up, not sap your resources.

Nobody should make you feel bad or greedy for saying no to something that isn’t right for you. Remember: if you weren't half-decent at what you do, they wouldn't want you, so never undervalue yourself. Be aware of companies who may try to trick you into freebies, but also remember that there are genuine people out there who either don’t have the money (like charities) or who you can benefit from working with.

If you've asked yourself the questions above—good fit, enough time, affordable—and the answer is yes to each of them, great, do it! Also, if it's something where you get a unique opportunity to be somewhere you wouldn't normally be and you think you'll have a great time, then why not?

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How to Create a Pastel Painted Landscape in Adobe Photoshop

by Yulia Sokolova

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What You'll Be Creating

Nature is the most inexhaustible source of inspiration! Follow me in this tutorial and let’s make a dedication to the beauty of nature by painting a lovely cartoon landscape in Adobe Photoshop, using default brushes with textured edges, creating a pastel drawing effect. We’ll start with a blank page and go through the full process of creating our sketch, enlivening it with colors, and filling our artwork with details. Let’s get started!

1. Create a Rough Sketch and Make a Quick Underpainting

Step 1

Make a New Document from a Preset, selecting Film & Video and choosing the desired size. After you hit OK, you’ll get a blank canvas with the Guides already placed automatically, helping you to build the composition. 

Since we’re working with raster graphics, which can’t be scaled without losing their quality, let’s increase the size of our canvas. Go to Image > Image Size and increase the Resolution to 4000 px Wide (increasing the Resolution as well).

Step 2

Create a New Layer for our sketch and take the Brush Tool (B). Click the right mouse button to call out the Brush list and proceed to options (the gear icon). SelectDry Media Brushes in the drop-down menu and append the selected set to your brushes list. 

Select the Wax Pencil brush from the new list and let’s start sketching. Don’t think about the tidiness of your sketch and the smoothness of your lines at this stage. Concentrate on the overall idea and composition of our future landscape. Start by depicting two rounded hills in the bottom of the canvas.

Step 3

Place a large tree in the left part of our image, partially hiding its crown and trunk, so that the tree looks bigger and closer to the viewer. Proceed by sketching a big curved ridge of mountains in the distance. Add another hill in the right part of the canvas in order to balance the composition. 

Finish up by depicting another tree of a smaller size, closer to the center, and fill the image with minor details, such as clouds and plants, making some rough strokes for the grass, tree-bark and stone texture. Lower the Opacity of our sketch layer to prepare it for coloring.

Step 4

It may be hard to define the overall palette of our future landscape at first glance. We may color separate objects and then find out that the colors don’t match or that we’ve lost the right direction of the light while working on separate pieces. 

So, in order not to lose time editing inappropriate coloring later, let’s define our palette at the very beginning and create a so-called undercoating or underpainting. In other words, we create a colored sketch, choosing the basic colors, which we will be refining. This will save a lot of time and make the actual painting process much easier.  

Create a New Layer beneath the outlines layer for our underpainting. To start with, select one of the default Photoshop brushes from the Round Brushes with Sizeset, called Airbrush Pen Opacity Flow. 

Check the upper control panel and set the brush Opacity to 100% and Flow to approximately 80%. Enable the Pressure for Opacity and Air-brush functions to make the strokes softer and more versatile. Pick a dark-turquoise color in the Colorpanel and start coloring the tree crown, making wide strokes.

Step 5

We'll vary the brightness of the colors depending on the location of the objects. Let's use the darkest shades for the foreground and the lightest ones for the distant elements in the background. Paint the second tree with lighter turquoise color. Make both tree trunks dark brown and move on to the front hills, filing the ground with rich violet tints. 

Add a touch of yellow to the hills, filling them with sunlight, and paint the sky with a gentle gradient from light blue on top to a very light yellow closer to the mountains.

Make the background mountains much lighter than the foreground hills, emphasizing the distance between the objects. The colors look harmonic at this step, so now that we’ve set up the palette, let’s move on and start painting the clean copy.

2. Color the Base of the Landscape

You can toggle the layer visibility by clicking the eye-icon next to the layer in theLayers panel. This way you can hide and disclose the underpainting layer, picking the colors from it with the Eyedropper Tool (I) (or by holding the Alt key while you have the Brush Tool (B) selected).

Another convenient way to use the created palette is to save the underpainting as a new file, open in in a new window and pick the colors from there, while you’re painting the main picture. 

Step 1

Start by making a New Layer for basic colors. Use the Soft Pastel Large brush and pick the foreground hill color (dark-violet). Start painting the hill that is closer to our viewpoint, making wide grungy strokes. We need to keep this texture of the brush in order to achieve a grainy effect of our artwork.

After filling the whole hill with dark-violet color, pick the lighter hue and make some strokes on top, adding dimension.

Step 2

Use the red-yellowish tint to add a gentle touch of sunshine to the top of the hill. Make “tapping” moves with your brush to create grungy elliptical spots, making the strokes look like real pastel marks.

Step 3

Paint the tree trunk with dark-brown color, adding bright lilac spots for the overtone. Start covering the right side of the trunk with light-pink spots, creating a subtle tree bark texture.

Step 4

Fill the second hill with lighter violet color, adding texture with our pastel brush.

Step 5

Let’s continue and apply a linear gradient from light-blue to gentle pink to the sky. Select the Gradient Tool (G) and click on the gradient drop-down menu in the control panel above to access the Gradient Editor. Select the appropriate colors at the edges of the slider.

Apply the created color harmony to the sky by making a vertical line with theGradient Tool (G).

Step 6

Build up the most distant mountains by painting them with greyish-lilac color and adding lighter grey spots on top. This way we’re forming a so-called aerial perspective between the objects. There is a thick layer of air between the viewer and the distant object, so as the object moves away from the viewer, it becomes lighter, more blurred and desaturated. We can apply this natural effect to our artwork by making the closest elements much darker than those in the distance. This makes the picture much more realistic and three-dimensional.

Make short tapping strokes, adding vertical spots to our mountains in order to maintain the direction of the strokes that we’ve made before. This adds a specific rhythm to our painting.

Step 7

Let’s make our composition more intricate and add contrast colors by forming the dark-green foliage for the trees. Start with the darkest shades and then gradually add lighter green strokes on top of the crown, moving with the same short vertical strokes. Make the closest tree darker than the one in the distance, showing the perspective.

Feel free to create New Layers for separate objects or even for separate color layers. This helps to maintain a more flexible workflow, because you are be able to fix a small part of your image much more easily when you don’t need to redo the entire object.

3. Outline the Main Objects & Add Minor Details

Step 1

Let’s use another brush and make our artwork sharper and more detailed. Select the Conté Pencil on Bumpy Surface brush from the same Dry Media Brushesset. Pick the darkest violet tint from our front hill by holding the Alt key, and start tracing the edge of the hill with the Brush Tool (B). Make a thick and steady line, at the same time adding shorter strokes here and there, creating a “hairy” cartoonish effect.

Step 2

Draw several wisps of grass showing above the edge of the hill, and start doodling some simple branches with leaves, separate grass-blades and schematic floral silhouettes on the ground. 

Don’t make the elements too overloaded with details. Otherwise, our artwork will seem too messy, because all these strokes, leaves and flowers are too small, hence they won’t be distinctive when you zoom out the image. Let it be, for example, just a curved line for the plant’s stem and some tiny loops depicting leaves.

Step 3

Add a few larger and darker plants on the foreground, next to the trunk, and start drawing out the tree itself, forming its bark. Use dark-brown, dark-violet and light-pink colors, making short vertical strokes, reminiscent of the cracks and notches of real tree bark.

Step 4

Increase the light spot on the right side of the tree by making the bright-pink strokes thicker. Fill the foreground with flowers and plants, covering the blank space near the tree. Add thin outlines to the farthest tree as well.

Step 5

Use separate layers for the outlines and details. In this case, you won’t damage the color layer beneath if you use the Eraser Tool (E) to fix the outlines. Fill the front hill with more spots, grass-wisps and stems. Use light pink to vary the brightness of the strokes, making the composition more diverse.

Step 6

Let’s move on to the bushy part of the trees and form the crown. Start drawing small curved lines or half-loops, depicting the silhouettes of the leaves. Gradually move from one edge of the crown to another, covering it with separate leaves of lighter-green color.

As soon as you finish with one piece of the tree crown, switch to another, using the same technique.

Step 7

Move on to the right part of our composition and cover the second hill with dark and bright floral elements, depicting tiny flowers, grass-blades and spots.

Step 8

Switch to the mountains and cover them with rows of short vertical stokes, like scratches. This way we are forming the rock texture that differs from the foliage and lawns that we’ve painted on the foreground.

Step 9

Let’s make the sky more vivid to create a sunshine effect, while the sun is still hiding behind the mountains early in the morning, filling the sky with bright hues of pink and orange. Add brighter pink and blue with thick, wide strokes.

Then blend these colors with each other, softening the edge between strokes by lowering down the Opacity of the brush and painting above with the same “tapping” movements. Add a gentle touch of orange next to the top of the mountains.

Step 10

Fill the empty space in the upper part of our artwork with light watercolor clouds by forming several feathered white shapes with light, semi-transparent strokes. Make the shapes smooth and flowing to create a sense of motion in the air. Emphasize the curved shape with thin strokes and outlines.

Step 11

Any artwork becomes more interesting and fancy if you enliven it with creatures or characters. Let’s add some! Sketch a flock of sheep browsing the grass on the hill. Make the sheep simple, consisting just of a cloud-shaped body, head and legs.

Step 12

Color the sheep, moving from the blurred spot to a defined shape with curly outlines.

Step 13

Color other sheep in the same way. These cute little fellows help us to fill the empty space and to add depth to our composition by showing the size difference between the objects and their true scale.

Great Job! Our Pastel Painted Landscape Is Finished!

Finally we’ve worked out all the pieces of our artwork and created a well-balanced composition with a harmonic palette. I hope you’ve enjoyed using Dry Media Brushes and discovered some useful tips and tricks about preparing a custom palette, building a composition and perspective, and forming the overall style of such landscape paintings. Good luck, and let the inspiration guide you!

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