How I make virtuals using paint for windows

[Neli]

I make virtuals using normal Paint for Windows.. This is a virtual I did for someone here on the forum. It took me exactly 5 min to do it.

Step 1 Right click the picture> open with> paint
On the top menu : select > free form selection.
If you want to have several copies/versions of the tree, or before and after, select with rectangular selection and paste them next to each leaving enough space for branches...
First drug the corner of the picture to extend the white canvas so you have space where to paste the extra pictures.Then: Select> rectangular selection> select the picture> press Ctrl and drug the picture to a new place to make copy.
Like this

Next step is to delete all the foliage and branches you dont need. For that use free form selection and select suitable part of the background. You will use that small part of the back ground to delete everything you dont need.
you can see here the small part I selected and while holding Ctrl dropped on the blank canvas for you to see.
You will not need to drop it on the blank canvas, While holding control you keep dropping it over places on the tree which you want to delete

Here you can see where I dropped the back ground on several places of the foliage.

 

[Neli]

If you hold shift and drug that small portion of the back ground you selected, it behaves like a paint brush
Here I held shift and drugged the selected piece of background. You can see on the right what happens if you drug with shift

Now imagine your tree has winter silhouette and you want to visualize it with foliage...Open another tree with paint select the crown of it and paste it on the canvas of your virtual.

Now select a small potion of the foliage, preferably Irregular elongated section containing foliage with dark and light parts. hold control and drop it where you want a pad. Lift the mouse and drop again next to it while continuously holding control. Make sure your portion of foliage stays selected. If you need different angles of foliage go back and select and repeat dragging and dropping while holding control. .
If you have foliage on your tree just select a suitable portion from the before picture and drop it where you want while holding control.

It is so simple...Just dont remove your finger from control...lift and drop that small portion of foliage...while overlapping them.
Like this. Continue until you have done it the way you want it. If you want to delete portions you dont like, select again a part of the back ground and drop it over places you dont want

Here I used different equally easy technique

Notice above that I copied and pasted trees with branch structure that I like. The tree I want to make a virtual of is first.
Notice here the first picture where I deleted all the foliage. On the second picture I copied a branch from another tree and pasted it on the right by selecting it and moving it to the new place while holding control. Now notice the branch on the left...it is the same branch which I selected and drugged on the left while holding control, then while it is selected >>>Rotate> flip horizontal, and then drug it to the place you want.
When selecting the branch enlarge it (ctrl rotate mouse wheel) and drug the mouse as close to the outline of the

 

[Neli]

Notice on the last tree how I did part of the trunk by selecting a section of the top and drugging it while holding shift and in some places by pasting while holding control

One more time I am showing here how to make pads/crown from a small piece of selected foliage.
I am not really trying to make a virtual here...just to show the method.

 

[pwk5017]

Solid write up. I basically do the same thing with adobe photoshop, which ultimately leads to a cleaner finished image, but thats just a difference in software. Your's is free, and mine is expensive. The whole point of the exercise is to accurately illustrate a design in as short amount of time as possible. Like you, I rarely spend more than 5 mins on a virtual. I keep a small library of species that have nice foliage/branch structure with a plain background. This allows me to easily cut pieces of their foliage off and add it to my virtual.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Neli. We need more of these tutorials.

It is a FREE software everyone have and can use so I am surprised not too many commented on this.

I use paint and I picked-up a couple useful tips myself.

The weakness of paint IMHO is the lack of rotate options so I usually copy from another pic as pwk5017 mentioned and maybe rotate it on MS Office. Additional step but can help create a better image in the long run.

I also open various images simultaneously (in Paint) and copy paste from those as needed.

 

[Neli]

Probably most people know how to use it...it is for some that dont know.
Thanks Dario

 

[Poink88]

Probably most people know how to use it...it is for some that dont know.
Thanks Dario

I wish but doubt it, seeing all the request for virt, virts posted, and questions we get here and through PM.

BUT...I like you positive attitude/outlook. Thanks!

 

[Neli]

Why do you doubt it? What are you thinking?
I hope some people will add some more ideas.

 

[Poink88]

Why do you doubt it? What are you thinking?

I wish but doubt it, seeing all the request for virt, virts posted, and questions we get here and through PM.

You missed this?

In case I am not clear, I doubt that most people know how to use it already. It is more likely that they are not interested in learning/doing it.

 

[Neli]

You missed this?

In case I am not clear, I doubt that most people know how to use it already. It is more likely that they are not interested in learning/doing it.

But it is so simple...Just drug and drop, with some creativity.
Maybe they are practicing. he he he!

 

[armetisius]

Photoshop for virts FREE

Solid write up. I basically do the same thing with adobe photoshop, which ultimately leads to a cleaner finished image, but thats just a difference in software. Your's is free, and mine is expensive. The whole point of the exercise is to accurately illustrate a design in as short amount of time as possible. Like you, I rarely spend more than 5 mins on a virtual. I keep a small library of species that have nice foliage/branch structure with a plain background. This allows me to easily cut pieces of their foliage off and add it to my virtual.

Uh, not necessarily. Here is a link that a friend pointed out to me a bit back:


http://www.techspot.com/downloads/3689-adobe-photoshop-cs2.html

Every once in a while Adobe does something like this. Here they are giving away an older version with the hopes of "hooking" people on it.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Thanks, Neli. I made this post a favorite.

 

[Neli]

I am glad it helped Steve.

 

[Neli]

Uh, not necessarily. Here is a link that a friend pointed out to me a bit back:


http://www.techspot.com/downloads/3689-adobe-photoshop-cs2.html

Every once in a while Adobe does something like this. Here they are giving away an older version with the hopes of "hooking" people on it.

Hehehe! Thank You thank you thank You! This is fantastic! I am going to download it now. So kind of you!

 

[Neli]

Has someone tried this way of making a virtual. Post how you are doing...If you do it two times only after that will be just so simple.
There are only 2-3 things to rmember.
I do virtuals on all my trees. Print them and go in the garden with a file. I have too many trees, and I forget which is the leader and every time I trim I chop some leaders if I forget.
Old age is catching up with me.

 

[Smoke]

Uh, not necessarily. Here is a link that a friend pointed out to me a bit back:


http://www.techspot.com/downloads/3689-adobe-photoshop-cs2.html

Every once in a while Adobe does something like this. Here they are giving away an older version with the hopes of "hooking" people on it.

I use "webroot secure anywhere" protection software. My protection stopped the download and disinfected thirty malware trojans in the download. I would have loved to had the older version. I have the newer one and I hate it.

Not on my computer.

 

[Neli]

Ay ay ay Al. I alrady downloaded it...Lets see what Kaspersky will say.

 

[armetisius]

virual?

I use "webroot secure anywhere" protection software. My protection stopped the download and disinfected thirty malware trojans in the download. I would have loved to had the older version. I have the newer one and I hate it.

Not on my computer.

Sorry folks; I had no idea one way or the other. I
never bothered to try it since I still use 6.5 (circa 2000)
since it does all I have ever needed. Have used
the later versions since it but at home I still use
the antique version.
Not making the news just reported what was/had
been forwarded to me.

 

[Neli]

I scanned it with kaspersky it had nothing malicious. It has a plug in that asks you to run in the beginning that needs to access the registry. Can it be because of that?