Holly Leaf Shape

I own the intellectual copyright for the written tutorial.  What you make is yours, but please do not take my tutorial.  Share only 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 - CS3.  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.

2.  Choose the Polygon Tool

3.  Set it for Shape Layers (first icon)

4.  Sides = 6

5.  Set your foreground color to medium green.  Then use your polygon tool to draw a hexagon. 

6.  Choose the Add Anchor Point Tool (right-click on pen tool)

7.  LEFT-click on the middle of one side of the hexagon.  It will create a node with an arrow (see where I point in pink)

8.  Carefully click on that node in the middle and drag it towards the center  to make the edge curved.

9. Click on the middle of each side to add a node.  Then drag that node into the center.

10.  Now you need to "shape"  your holly leaf.  You will see nodes where you created them, plus the nodes that were at the corners.  These nodes can be moved in any direction.  See, I decided that a node needed to be pulled out and down (see top ink arrow).  Then when I moved that one, I had to adjust one of my curve nodes to a "new" center of that side.

11.  Continue to adjust nodes and shape your holly leaf.

12.  When you are happy with your holly leaf, right-click on the shape.  A menu will come up.   Choose Define Custom Shape

13.  Give the shape a name.  Click ok.

14.  File > New, transparent image, size = 500 x 500 pixels.

15.  Edit > Preset Manager

16.  Change the Preset Type to Custom Shapes

17.  Click Save Set (this will save every shape you have as a set)  give it a name, like my shapes

18.  Then hold the CTRL key down and click on EVERY shape eXCEPT your holly leaf.  Click on Delete.

19.  Then click on the holly leaf and click Save Set.  Give it a name, like Holly Leaf.  This will save the holly leaf as a set by itself (so you could share it with someone else if you want.)  (Note:  if you want to reload the other shapes that you used to have, click on load and find the set My Shapes)

20.  In your tool palette, choose the Custom Shape Tool

21.  In the top toolbar  choose the holly leaf shape from the drop-down menu.

22.  Set your foreground color to a medium green.  Draw out a holly leaf.

23.  Right-click on the leaf layer and choose Rasterize Layer

24.  Choose the Brush Tool

25.  In the toolbar at the top, set the Opacity = Flow = 50%, click on the airbrush tool, and set Opacity = to 75% (even though pic doesn't show it)

26.  Set the brush size = 5 px

27.  Layer > New > Layer

28.  Set the foreground color = a lighter green.  Draw some veins on the holly leaf.

29.  Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur   Radius = 4

30.  Set the Brush = 15 - 20 pixels, and the foreground color to a DARK green

31.  Layer > New > Layer

32.  Paint in some shadows in the corners of the veins

33.  Filter > Blur  > Gaussian Blur   Radius = 8  (you may have to adjust this)

34.  Slide the Opacity of the layer to 70% (dark layer)

35.  Click on the light layer.  Slide the opacity to 70%

36.  Right-click on top layer and choose Merge  Visible

37.  Right-click on the merged layer and choose duplicate.  Duplicate 2X.

38.  on one of the duplicate layers:  Edit > transform > Rotate

39.  Rotate the two duplicates so that your holly leaves make a cluster

40.  Select the Ellipse selection tool.  In the tool bar at the top, set Feather = 0, Set Style = Fixed Ratio

41.  Layer > New > Layer

42.   Draw a circle.  Edit > Fill  with red to make a berry.

43.  Right-click on the layer and choose Blending Options.  Click on the WORDS  Bevel and Emboss.  Style = Inner Bevel, technique = smooth, depth = 100, direction = up, size = 49, soften = 0, angle = 120, altitude = 30  THEN

44.  Click on the WORDS Inner Shadow.  Blend mode = multiply, color = DARK red/black, opacity = 75%, angle = 120, distance = 0, choke = 0, size = 7

45.  Right-click on the berry layer and choose duplicate.  Duplicate 2X  Selections > Deselect.  With the mover tool, move the berries into a cluster like in the pic.

46.  Add your watermark and text.  Save this as a Compuserve/GIF image.

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