Crabby Graphics
Author: Marlene LaVarta
Title: Fantasy Flower
Skill Level: Intermediate
Additional Files: None
PI Version:  any
Terms of Service: TOS

Fantasy Flower

Let's begin by making the gradient brush stamp that we'll use to make the flower.

1. Open a new file, 80 by 80.
2. Use the path drawing tool  rectangle shape, 2d object.  Be sure that anti-alias is NOT checked (options tab in the tool settings dialog).   Draw a long thin rectangle.  Mine is 8 wide by 78 high.
3. Convert the rectangle path to an image object (object menu, convert object type, path to image).
4. Click on the linear gradient fill tool .  Make sure your rectangle is selected (check in the easy palette - it should have a dark blue title below).  Use these settings:    The first color is white.  
   Right click on the second color and choose this one:   Fill your rectangle from top to bottom.
5. Now we are going to add some lines into the gradient bar to make it more interesting.  Choose the paintbrush tool with these settings:   Right click on the color swatch, choose color on screen, and click on the dark red portion of your rectangle.  Draw a horizontal line across your rectangle in a lighter area.  Do this 7 or 8 times so that we have "brush marks" going across the rectangle.  
6. Now choose the drop water brush  with size 20, transparency 65, soft edge 50.  Make one fast swipe down your rectangle and a couple quick swipes across to lightly blend the brush marks.
7. Here is mine (magnified 3 times).
8. Save it in your stamps folder.

Now we can begin the Fantasy flower.

1. Open a new file, 400 x 400.  Fill the background with a pale pink to make it easier to see.
2. Choose the stamp tool.
3. If the brush palette is not open, double click on the stamp tool to open it.
4. Click on the preview window and choose the stamp tool you just made.
5. Make the following settings:
   • Shape tab, scale 100%.
   • 
   • Color tab, make sure hue shift is NOT checked.
   • Advanced tab, spacing 5.
6. Now using the stamp tool and moving SLOWLY, make the first petal.  Make 7 upside-down "U" motions, moving the first 4 U shapes progressively higher and the last 3 u shapes progressively lower.  You want to end up with something like this:    Don't try to be exact.  This step takes a little practice, so don't get discouraged, you'll get the hang of it!
7. Repeat step 6 until you have 6 unique petals.  
8. Press ctrl-shift-A to select all objects.  Right click and choose Properties.  UNcheck soft edge.
9. Rotate the 2nd petal by 60 degrees, the 3rd petal by 120 degrees, the 4th petal by 180 degrees, the 5th petal by 240 degrees, and the 6th petal by 300 degrees.  Arrange them in a rough circle like this: 
    
10. Now click on the transform tool and then the perspective tool.  Narrow the dark end of each petal.  Move all the petals closer together and towards the center: 
     
11. Still using the transform perspective tool, widen out the light ends of the petals.  Arrange them to your liking.  I ended up with this:
    
12. Grab one of the petals (preferably one with a high center), and save it to the Easy Palette.  We'll use it later to make the center.
13. Press ctrl-shift-A to select all the objects.  Right click and merge as single object.
14. Right click and choose "duplicate".
15. Press ctrl-G.  Resize, "selected objects" to 80 percent.
16. Press ctrl-shift-A to select all the objects.  Object menu, align, center both.
17. Press the space bar or enter key to deselect all.  Select the smaller, center object and rotate it until it looks good.  I rotated in increments of 30 degrees until I liked it.
18. Repeat steps 13 through 16 for the 3rd layer of petals.
19. Your flower should look something like this:
    
20. Now double click on the petal you saved to the easy palette.
21. Use the transform perspective tool to narrow the dark end way down.
22. Duplicate and edit menu, rotate and flip, rotate right 90 degrees.  Do this three times so you have four petals.  Arrange like this
    :
23. Select all four petals, right click, merge as single object.
24. Size it down until it looks about right and place it in the center of the flower..
25. Make a red circle big enough to cover up the blue center.  Send it to the bottom of the stack.  (Object menu, arrange, send to back).
26. Now choose the bristle brush, size 36,  right click on the color swatch and choose the golden color in the first row.  Set  transparency 0.  In the brush palette, shape tab, set random 0, brush head size 1, density 50.  Click on the mode button and without moving the cursor, click on the mouse several times.  Click once more on the mode button.
27. Ctrl-Shift-A to select all, right click, and choose merge as a single object.
28. And here you go.  A fantasy flower!
    
    

Johanna made some absolutely wonderful variations on this tutorial and has graciously supplied directions and examples and even done the html that follows.  Thank you Johanna!  

Fantasy Flower Variations
1. The Stamp: Use the Rounded Rectangle Path Shape instead of Rectangle. For the Gradient Fill colors, use White  and any other color (I used the burnt gold one here).  I left out the horizontal lines that go across the shape. The Flower: I wiggle the shape of each "petal" around more to create a sort-of an upside-down U. When Marlene says to click on the transform tool and narrow the dark end of the petal...really Stretch the top of the Petals, Squish the Bottom. For the flower's center, I used a Round 3D path shape (didn't send to back), applied a fill (below) and softened it to about 8 and put stamens around it with the Paint Brush. I used the bristle brush to add flecks of color . To fill it, open the Easy Pallet/Material Gallery/Realistic and choose Leather.		2. The Stamp For the Gradient Fill colors, use a really pale shade of the dark color  and any other color (I used the dusty blue one here). Flip it Vertically. Use the Paint-Drop Water to mush it up a bit and save it as your stamp. I left out the horizontal lines that go across the shape. The Flower: I wiggle the shape of each "petal" around A BIT and create an upside-down U. Using this new shape is really hard to control...after I let go of the mouse pen, the shape kept going all by itself...but it got me that nice rounded look that I was after. Stephanie says if you go REALLY SLOWLY, it doesn't trail like that. Stretch the top of the Petals, Squish the Bottom (like in the first Variation), then use the Smudge Tool to blend the lines out. For the flower's center, I used a Round 3D path shape (didn't send to back), applied a fill (below) and softened it to about 8 and put stamens around it with the Paint Brush. I used the bristle brush to add flecks of color . To fill it, open the Easy Pallet/Material Gallery/Realistic and choose Leather.