How do you do a simple but good virtual?

[klosi]

Hi!
As stated many time a good virtual image is an essential part of bonsai styling and development. Old school bonsaists used drawings, and many still do. I am very bad at drawing (at the level of 6 year old) so this is ruled out for me. Others nowadays use pictures + some kind of software to create a virtual image. Again, I'm not that good at doing this thing either, but it would be easier to learn some software tricks then become good at drawing.
So my question to you is, what kind of program do you use? Do you draw or use compure software?
I don't have any software yet, just the windows paint What is the process of your creation of virtual image?
Any suggestions and pointers will be much appreciated, even more so if there will be examples.
Thanks for any help!

 

[Djtommy]

i like to add, if someones does this with ipad, wich app,do you use?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

i like to add, if someones does this with ipad, wich app,do you use?

I use PS Touch. It has far more capabilities than I use, but it's good for drawing, has a color eye dropper, and a cool "clone stamp" feature that allows you to reproduce one area in another with pen strokes; good for moving/adding foliage. I know you can replace backgrounds, but I haven't explored it too much.

 

[barrosinc]

and a good pen.

I use one of those with a transparent tip http://www.amazon.com/Musemee-Notie...F8&qid=1438001540&sr=8-4&keywords=stylus+ipad

Do not buy those that have like a black ball on the tip... you will never get the line exactly where you want it.

 

[jk_lewis]

I use PhotoFiltre. It is free. From France. Has everything the Photoshop has except the cost.

How to get good at it (or, in my case, adequate) . . . Practice, practice, practice.

And whether an virtual picture of a tree is an "essential" tool is a matter of opinion. It can stifle creativity, too.

 

[Jaberwky17]

If I have time I use Photoshop on my laptop. Lots of graphics software available via my job (architect). I also use a few apps on my iPad - Trace (by Morpholio) was either free or a couple of dollars; it allows you to overlay "sheets" of trace paper to get the looks you want and can have a photo as a background. I have Autodesk Sketchbook Pro in the Ipad as well, it is a much higher end product for that same things as Photoshop. Finally I have Paper (by 53) which is more about digital sketching than creating altered photos for virts.

I have often used digital software to create a pretty realistic version of the possibilities for a tree. Here is a series I did last week using Photoshop to show an idea for chopping and styling an elm. My styling ideas might be poor from a bonsai perspective but it's easy to get fairly realistic results with a little practice.

 

[klosi]

Thanks all for the input. I think good computer made virts are mainly result of practice. I will spend more time in this I hope.
I saw many good virtuals here on this forum, that's why I asked for specific programms one uses.

 

[j evans]

Jaberwky17 -

Thanks for the drawing on my tree. It gives me some ideas when some others said toss it. Good work

Jamie

 

[Jaberwky17]

Jaberwky17 -

Thanks for the drawing on my tree. It gives me some ideas when some others said toss it. Good work

Jamie

Hah hah. I didn't end up replying to that thread because I kept forgetting until this one came up.

 

[Anthony]

Simple,

shoot an image, put it up on the laptop's screen and then taking good tracing paper. place gently on the screen and using a 9b pencil, trace the image.

Place on a white paper, and just adjust as you wish. Erase what you don't want.
Good Day
Anthony