How to Add Leaves to Trees in Photoshop

By Daniel Ketchum

Add leaves to this tree using Photoshop.
i Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images

Photography used to be an art in which what you saw was what you got. With the development of digital cameras and photo-imaging software like Photoshop, it became possible to enhance or correct a photo before printing it. For example, if you've taken an outdoor photo you like but you want to add leaves to the bare trees in the background, you can use Photoshop tools to accomplish this.

Step 1

Load the photo that you want to add leaves to onto your computer.

Step 2

Start the Photoshop application. Select "File" from the menu and choose "Open." In the dialog that appears, locate and open the photo you loaded.

Step 3

Select the "Brush" tool from the toolbar on the left. Go to the tool options that appear at the top, click on the brush "Presets" and choose brush 74.

Step 4

Select "Window" from the menu and choose "Brush." In the panel that appears, click on the "Color Dynamics" tab and change the "Foreground/Background Jitter" to 100 percent.

Step 5

Click on the "New Layer" button. Change the "Foreground" color to a dark green and the "Background" color to black.

Step 6

Use the brush to paint bunches of leaves on the branches. Avoid making them too uniform.

Step 7

Go to the "Layers" panel and right-click on the leaves layer. From the options, choose "Duplicate Layer." Change the "Blending Mode" to "Color Dodge." Save your work.

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