Vector Flowers

I wrote this tutorial on my own.  Any similarity to another tutorial is purely coincidental.  I claim the copyright to my tutorial. You are free to do whatever you please with what you make, but please do not take my tutorial.  Do not send the tutorial through email.  Only share my link.

This tutorial is intended for a beginner to learn about using the pen tool.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

To do this tutorial you will also need Photoshop CS or CS2.  You may download a free trial at Adobe.

Remember to save as a .psd file often!

1.  Open a new, transparent image, size = 400 x 400 pixels.

2.  Choose the pen tool

3.  In the pen tool bar at the top, make sure the icons that I have clicked are clicked in yours.  Click on Color and choose your color.

4.  Left-click Once on your transparent image.  This places a node (I painted it green so that you can see)

5.  READ  entire step first:  Then below that node, left-click and DRAG out to the right some.  (see the direction of the green arrow).  This pulls the node out some, and forms the curve in the petal.  Dragging your mouse around will make the curve fuller or skinnier.

6.  Now you must close the path.  To do this, click back on the FIRST node (see green arrow.  If you look carefully, when you hover the cursor over this first node, there will be a small circle by the cursor to indicate that you will close the path.

7.  This is what your petal looks like with the closed path.  Closing the path, filled in the second half of the petal.

8.  In the Layer Palette, right-click on the Shape layer in some blank area, and choose Blending Options.  Click on the WORDS Gradient Overlay.  Set Blend Mode = Normal, Opacity = 100%, Style = Linear, Angle = 90 (or your choice), Scale = 100%.  If you click on the color  bar for GRADIENT, you can choose which gradient you want to use (or make your own by clicking on NEW)

9.  Right-click on the petal layer and choose Duplicate Layer.

10.  Edit > Transform Path > Rotate

11.  Move the center of rotation to the tip of the petal.  To do this, grab (left-click and hold) the center of rotation node (circled in green) and drag it up to the corner of the petal.  If you can't grab it, your petal may be too skinny.

12.  Then drag (left-click and hold), the opposite corner upward to rotate the petal.  Click on the Check in the rotation tool bar to apply the rotation.

13.  In the Layer Palette, right-click on this petal and choose Duplicate Layer.

14.  Now we want to rotate the same amount.  So do Edit > Transform Path > Again.

15.  Repeat Steps 13 & 14, until you have a completed flower.

16.  You may need to clean up your flower, to make the petals space apart more evenly.  Just click on that layer in the Layer Palette, then choose Edit > Transform Path > Rotate, and rotate as necessary -- or use the move tool to move the petal into position.

17.  When you are happy with your petal positions Right-click on any layer and choose Merge Visible.

13.  Layer > New > Layer

14.  At this point, you can create another petal shape, and do another layer of petals (like I did in my graphic at the top).  Just repeat steps, 1 - 16.  Then click on the eye of the bottom layer (first flower), and HIDE that layer.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Merge Visible.  You should now have 2 flower layers.  UNHIDE the bottom layer, by clicking on the eye again.

15.  Layer > New > Layer

16.  Choose the pen tool.  In the pen tool options bar at the top, set Style to NULL, and color to whatever center color you would like.

17.  Draw a "circle" around the center to form the center of the flower.  At the end, don't forget to click back on the FIRST node to close the path.

18.  Layer > New > Layer

19.  Drag this layer below the bottom layer (below the flower).

20.  Change the pen tool color to a green.  Now draw a stem for the flower.

21.  Layer > New > Layer

22.  Now draw a leaf for the stem (same way as you drew the petals)

23.  When you are done with your flower, right-click on a layer and choose Merge > Visible.

24.  Save this as a PSD image/tube.  File > Save As.

25.  To get a bunch of flowers, Right-click on the flower layer and choose Duplicate Layer.

26.  Edit > Transform Path> Scale.  Click on the lock between the width and the height in the Scale options bar at the top.  Change the width to 80% or whatever your choice.  This will shrink the flower. 

27.  If you want to turn the flower around, Edit > Transform Path > Flip Horizontal.

28.  Create a few flowers of different sizes.  Then  right-click and Merge Visible.

29.  Now save this bunch of flowers as a PSD image/tube.  File > Save As

 Please do not remove this tutorial from my site.  Share my url.