Version:  PI 8

Level:  Beginner/Intermediate

Tools used: Path tools, path edit, burn/dodge (optional), stamp tool, transform, free rotate

Additional Files: Deb DeHaven's Shaders (optional) Go here to get her presets if you wish to use them for this tut.

If you are using the shaders presets from Deb DeHaven's site, go on to next step. 

*If you are using just a color from your color palette,  make your shape 2D, then right click, convert, and convert to a single object.  Then using the burn tool at about size 4, level 50, burn just around the outside edge, the blur at level 3 (size 3).

Use your burn tool at level 55 and size about 8, burn the middle of your blossom as shown.

Add 3 regular petals to the curled one. Arrange them, select all four with the pick tool and merge as a single object.

Now we'll turn our blossoms into stamps!  Make 2 additional copies of both sets of blossoms.  Using the rotate freely tool in the transform tools, change the position of each blossom, as shown.

Once you have 6 different directed blossoms (3 with full petals and 3 with bent petals) save the file as lilac.ufo.  Save to your stamps folder where you can easily retrieve them.

Open a new 300 x300 white canvas.  Using the eclipse shape, make one in 3D (if using shaders; 2D if just color) in dark green 50w x 68h.  Change the border to 2.   Edit the path shape to shown here. 

Now right click, convert to an object.  Using the paint brush, size 1, transparency of 30, lets use a darker green color (mine is Hex #006400) and paint our veins in.  Then use the blur tool at the level of 2 to gently tap the veins into the leaf, blurring them slightly.

One last bit - use the line and arrow tool, spline, size 1, and draw a very small stem.  Right click, select both and merge as a single object. 

As we did with our blossoms, lets make several copies of each leaf.  We'll make 5 copies of each leaf and using the transform, reposition each copy different from the original, as shown.  You should have a total of 12 leaves; 6 larger and 6 smaller.

Save this as lilacleaf.ufo and put in your stamps folder.

Now comes the fun part!! Select your lilac blossom stamp, size 35, all others default except under "object" on the tool bar, make sure to click on "single object".  Stamp your blossoms on the lighter smaller branch ends.  Lilacs grow in groups, so just bunch them up.  Make sure the bottom of the group is wider than the tips.

Once you've filled your branches and down the trunk of the main branch, zoom in and any leaf that has the stem AWAY from a branch, use the transform tools to change direction.  Send some to the back of the blossoms (right click, arrange, send back).  Once you have all your leaves arranged as you want them, go to your  Layer Manager, select by holding down CTRL and selecting those behind.  Don't merge them; just leave them selected and go to your Brightness/Contrast at the top of your tool bar.  For the back leaves, click the lower right hand square 2 or 3 times.

Now, select a few blossoms; try to get some from both sides of the bunch.  Click on the bottom right square in Brightness/Contrast 1 time.  Select some of the other blossoms, go to Brightness/Contrast, and click the middle right square 1 or 2 times.  Select remaining blossoms and head right back to Brightness/Contrast and click the TOP right square once. Whew!!!

Right Click, select all objects, merge as single object!