A Rose By Any Other Name...

The thanks and inspiration for this tutorial is given wholeheartedly to Lacey K. (http://laceyanne.gather.com/).

On occasion I'm amazed by a piece someone creates and publishes to Gather.com. This is one such instance. Lacey photographed a rose and the composition was so incredible that I wrote and asked her permission to create a 'tube' from her original work for my graphics program, Paint Shop Pro - this is her photo:

A 'tube' is one of my favorite features in about Paint Shop Pro. What this clever invention allows you to do is to define an object with one or more graphic images. You can then select that tube and click it anywhere in a graphic, depositing one of the pictures at the location where you click. It's a great way to get some random images on a similar theme added to your graphic without having to draw the item over and over. With grids you can get an even more precise placement of the graphic and the applications are endless. From time to time I post these in my Gather.com group: Paint Shop Pro Enthusiasts. Members can then add them for use in their own programs for whatever use their imagine can visualize.

A blade of grass tube will create an instant lawn in a scenic picture or work as a clone to cover up a patch in a photograph to smooth out the picture. A tree can become a forest by changing a few settings. A flower becomes a bouquet, and so on. Some tubes can contain a single image, some can have 30 or more; depending on what you want to create. My personal 'best' tube creation is a single pine needle. This needle has special settings that with a simple click becomes a tree, a wreath, a garland, etc. The tube usually contains related objects if they're multiple images but for the purpose of this article, I draw your attention back to Lacey's Rose.

Paint Shop Pro has a tool called a 'Background Eraser'. When you select this tool, you simply choose the size you want relative to the image you're working on and then with the click of a button, the selected color becomes transparent. By continually clicking on a specific color (in this case, the white background) you define an image very quickly. Sometimes you have to go over it a couple times to make it happen but in this case, I wanted a haze or glow to enhance the overall look so I wasn't as precise as I usually am.

After you remove the color(s) you can do other things to the picture. I could have added more or different leaves, a longer or more curved stem and even thorns if I chose. In this instance, though; Lacey's photo was so beautiful that I didn't want to change anything I could leave be. At the point I'm satisfied with the image; Paint Shop Pro has another useful tool; sort of a wizard feature called: “Export Picture Tube”. It pulls up a small window where you define the settings for the 'tube'. For a single image, you just leave the defaults in place, add a name and click “OK”. Your tube is saved and is instantly available for use in your program.

Paint Shop Pro is a powerful program that is equal to Photoshop, but costs much less. I've used both programs for years and the biggest draw for me is the flexibility. If you can use one, you can use the other. Both have great points and both have weaknesses. (That's why I use both). The best way to learn either program is to find picture, drawing, or similar artwork you like and try to duplicate it. You won't get it right away but what you will learn is what the tools are, what they do and what you can create. If you don't like the result, a simple 'Undo' click and it's back to the last thing you did to the picture. I've 'undone' quite a bit after working on something too long and decided I didn't like it at all.

Now that the tube is complete and exported into the program, I combine it with other tubes and create a bouquet from the original by simply adjusting the tube attributes – I can also rotate, resize, flip, stretch, compress, and distort it in a number of ways. This is one example of what a tube can do.

As a tag:

As a variation of the original:

As a composition with other pieces:

 
The vase, buds and leaves are examples of other tubes. Four tubes, one 'painting' and there you have it.

Tube is available for PSP owner's upon request. Photoshop users can request it in default *.png format for use in that program.

Let's go tubing!