BushDraw

BushDraw is a Blender Geometrynodes-Tool for procedurally generating Shrubs and Hedges, utilizing draw-able Curves.

Ready for your AssetBrowser!

1.1 Update Out Now!

Note: These Leaf-cards based shrubs aren't anything botanically correct and not meant to be.They're aimed for usage in your Mid- to Backgrounds.

The Free-version has the same Nodes as 8/12 presets of Supporters-Version, only a few minor changes. You can basically do everything the first 8 presets of Supporters-Version offers with this Free-version!

For you awesome people who decide to support me, you not only get my eternal gratitude, but also excess to all 12 different pre-made setups I've made extra for you! + all future updates. (Free-Version, only gets updates which apply to the Bush_Quality asset)

These are:

• BD_Bush_quality; (free version) - realized, 'pretty', lots of randomness, higher density, pentagon-cards
• BD_Bush_performance; - instances; only 'object Info' random; lower density; triangle cards
• BD_Bush_quality_spheres; - realized, instancing Spheres and instancing on them for more voluminousness;'pretty', lots of randomness, higher density, pentagon-cards
• BD_Bush_performance_spheres; - instances; instancing Spheres and Instancing on them for more voluminousness; only 'object Info' randomness; lower density; triangle-cards
• BD_Hedge_classic_quality; - realized, 'pretty', lots of randomness, higher density, pentagon-cards
• BD_Hedge_classic_performance; - instances; only 'object Info' random; lower density; triangle cards
• BD_Hedge_wild_quality; - realized, 'pretty', lots of randomness, higher density, pentagon-cards
• BD_Hedge_wild_performance; - instances; only 'object Info' random; lower density; triangle cards
• BD_Hedge SL_Waveshape; hegde with new 'Single Line'-Node, adjustable width and profile; waveshaped Top
• BD_Hedge SL_Box_classic; hegde with new 'Single Line'-Node, adjustable width and profile; classic Box-shape
• BD_Hedge SL_wall; hegde with new 'Single Line'-Node, adjustable width and profile; Top shaped like medevil-wall
• BD_Hedge SL_round; hegde with new 'Single Line'-Node, adjustable width and profile; small with round profile

Getting Started:

Unzip the BushDraw-Folder and add it to your 'Asset Libraries' File Paths, to have easy access to it. To create a new Path: go to Edit; Preferences; 'File Paths' ; 'Asset Libraries' and create a Library by hitting the plus icon. Now you can add the BushDraw folder to the Paths. (Alternatively, you can just append the collection to your Scene.)

BushDraw Library should now show up in your Asset-Browser!

Drag and Drop the Asset of your choice to your scene, uncheck the 'Instance'-checkbox and center if necessary.

Change the 'TargetObject' to the surface you want to draw on, and delete the 'TargetExampleSurface' (To make sure nothing goes weird apply the Curve and the Node-asset, this shouldn't be necessary but it's good practice)

Select the BD_Curve, go to 'Edit Mode' (Tab); delete the Example-splines('A' , 'Ctrl' +'X'); select the 'Draw-tool' (pencil-symbol in the toolbar); choose 'Surface' as Method of projection Depth' ...and just get Drawing!

You can still edit the splines after drawing using all the Hotkeys you already know. For the Bushes, it's especially important that the Splines are close to the Surface! Otherwise it will not work correctly! Activating 'Snapping' will make it easier for you to keep them close.

with 1.1-Update the Shader works the same regardless realized or instanced, now there's a secound material set to emulate the instanced look. You can change those by dropping the desired materia form Asset-browser to the 'Material'- Input

Only applies to new Single Line-Presets

Only applies to new Single Line-Presets! Adjust the width of your Hedge in the Modifier-Panel under Width_Profile You also edit the shape of the profile in the Geometrynodes-editor, by editing the Float-curve in the neon-colored Frame

For the Modifier-Menu, I added Tool-tips to the sliders which might be unclear. Also I ordered the sliders hierarchically; the ones at the top have the highest impact on the result to lowest on the bottom. I tried to make it as easy as possible to get creating. If anything is unclear, please reach out to me!

The Merge/'remesh'-Section is tricky though. It's for manipulating the Mesh resulting from 'fill curve' which then will be extruded. Usually you shouldn't need to do much here, unless you get holes or missing 'corners'. You can play around with the values, and see how it effects your shrubs. Be careful, here is the highest chance to break something!

If your finally happy with your bushes you can apply the Modifier to make them a static mesh.

Further Notes:

• If you forgot to uncheck the 'Instance' checkbox after appending, you can still ('Ctrl'+'A') -> 'Make Instances Real'; (there will be no collection anymore, it's better to do it directly)
• The Mud/Ground-shader is a bonus and looks best with adaptive subdivision enabled. The 'TargetSurface_ExamplePlane' has a Subdivision-modifier, I've disabled it in the Subdivision modifier-settings, for better 3d-Viewport performance.

Thank you so much for choosing my assets! Your feedback is highly appreciated! I already have a few updates in mind, which I'll explain on the blenderartists-thread. Let me know which you'd like to see first!

I'd love to see the pieces you make with BushDraw! You can tag me on twitter: @Pleebs_xyz

For Feedback, questions, suggestions and bugs:

• Discord: https://discord.com/invite/n9DXTwFbnu
• Blenderartists: https://blenderartists.org/t/bushdraw-thread-a-geometrynodes-tool-for-quick-shrubs-and-hedges/1387466

For updates and news:

https://twitter.com/Pleebs_xyz

Updates:

24.06.2022: minor changes only to this page, to enhance 'Getting started'

03.03.2023: Bushdraw 1.1

Requires Blender 3.4 and above!

Maintenance and Content-Update:

Introducing 4 new Hedge-presets with the new Single Line -Node. which allows you to draw regular hedges with just one single line instead of the whole outline. Edit Width and Profile-shape procedurally.

Changes:

• Shaders work now exactly the same regardless it's realized geometry or Instanced. If you want the old 'instanced look' backm you can now use the new 'Leave_cards_low-Hue'
• Cleaner, better, Node-trees up to date with recent GN-improvements (minor changes, less nodes, new Sample-nodes, replaced Lerp by new build in MixFloat...)
• * Nesting* of the Nodegroup to allow me updating presets all at once in the Future
• AssetBrower should work now as intended

Big Thanks to everyone who supported and motivated me during the process, you people are great!