Blog

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Repeat the process with the other two figures, adding green fill areas to torsos, arms, and legs. Click on the Create New Shape Area option and set the color of the new shape layer to a light orange.

Use the Pen tool to draw a closed shape around the head of the figure at the upper left of the canvas, filling it with orange. Then, enable the Add to Shape Area operation and draw some more closed shapes within the same layer. This time, specify a purple fill color. Rather than meticulously draw around that area, just let it be filled with purple for now. Carefully draw a closed shape around the skull.

Ensure that you do not include the large flowers within the shape area as you draw. Carefully draw around them. Now, draw additional closed shapes within the same shape layer that fill remaining areas of the figures with light blue. Pay special attention to filling the pants and shoulder strap of the figure at the bottom left. Although this area is filled with purple on the underlying layer, this obscures it perfectly. With this function enabled, draw a closed shape around the perimeter of one of the eye holes in the skull.

With this operation enabled, draw closed shapes around the other regions of the skull that should not be filled with blue. Group all of the shape layers and name the group. Now, the shape layers we just created are an excellent way to fill areas with color. However, when I look at the illustration in its current state, it seems a little too flat, lacking fine detail.

Begin by selecting the Brush tool. When you click OK, the Halftone options will appear. Set the frequency to a value of around Variations in halftone As mentioned earlier, the density of your halftone screen is directly linked to the grayscale value, or density of your black.

If you perform a bitmap conversion and then decide afterward that the screen is too sparse or too dense, you can fix it.

Start by undoing the conversion, and then step back in the History palette to the state before you lightened the black. If your Channel options are set up so that color indicates selected areas, you can ignore this inversion and further inversions performed in this chapter. Select all, copy, and return to your working file. In the Channels palette, click on the Create New Channel button at the bottom of the palette. Target the new channel and paste your copied art into it. This enables visibility, and your channel is previewed against the image as a red overlay.

Click and drag within the selected area and move the halftone pattern into place. Use the visible CMYK composite channel as your guide to place the halftone pattern in the appropriate area of the canvas. Position it so that the lines act as shadows beneath the raised portions of the top of the wave.

With the selection active, return to the Layers palette and create a new layer. Drag the layer to the top of the stack within the palette. Then change the foreground color to purple by using the Eyedropper tool to click somewhere in the background. Fill the active selection with the new foreground color on the new layer and then deselect. Use a method of your choice to lighten the black within the image.

Try to keep it a little darker than the previous image so that the resulting halftone pattern is denser. Convert it to grayscale and then to bitmap mode. Leave the resolution setting the same as the document. This will remain a constant throughout the chapter. In the Halftone Screen options, set the frequency to 10 so that the lines are thicker.

When the image is converted, invert it. Select all and copy. Use the visible composite channel as your guide to position the art properly within the channel. Try to position it in a way that some areas of the halftone overlap onto the light areas of the wave a little, so that it looks slightly off-register. Load the new channel as a selection and then create a new layer in the Layers palette. With the selection active, click on the Foreground Color swatch and select a light blue foreground color from the picker.

Fill the active selection with the new color. Deselect and change the blending mode of the layer to multiply. Change the blending mode of the duplicate to overlay. Simply target the desired layer in the Layers palette.

This will target all of the layers that make up the wave. Go ahead and name the group and then open up the wave4. Select all and then copy. Paste the wave into the working file as a new layer. Position it so that it sits against the bottom and the left edge of the canvas.

Use the Magic Wand tool to select all of the white regions that make up the top of this wave and the bubbles too. Create a new layer and fill the selection with the same light blue you used for the previous wave. Repeat this procedure again to select the lower regions of the wave and fill them with the same dark plum color that was used before, on a new layer.

Reduce the opacity of the light blue layer slightly so that you can see a bit of the underlying wave through it. Disable the visibility of the wave drawing layer. Altering color Now, you may be wondering what happens if you decide to change your mind about a certain color within the image. Because the transparency lock is enabled, only areas of pre- existing color will be affected.

Thanks to Garrick Webster for writing the foreword to this book, and also for being the person responsible for turning me into a writer all those years ago. Thanks to Philip Cheesbrough for changing my life by introducing my art to the entire world; seriously Phil, it may seem insignificant to you but this was a life changer. A special thanks goes out to Rob Wright at the Toronto Star newspaper.

He was the first person to ever commission my work regularly, and although he claims that he was only exploiting me at the time, this was integral to me becoming a successful illustrator. They provided a position for me at their studio that was admittedly demanding, but integral to me learning everything about Photoshop that I know now. Nicest people I ever worked for.

Thanks to all of my friends and family who have donated their modeling services over the years. Thank you to Orlando Marques for agreeing to photograph the model that you see on the cover. Thanks to Josie Lee for agreeing to be that model.

You were all a pleasure to work with, and thank you for donating your services to such a worthy cause. A very special thanks goes out to Steve Caplin.

Every once in a while you come across a truly selfless person, and that is Steve. His enthusiasm for this project and willingness to offer advice were invaluable. Everyone should check out his book How to Cheat in Photoshop; it is the perfect companion to this one. He agreed to go through this manuscript yet again in microscopic detail, which was a daunting task to say the least.

Thanks again Mike. You are an exceptional group of people, and every step of this process has been a pleasure because of you. I am looking forward to the next edition. And finally, a huge thank you goes out to all of you who read my books, tutorials, articles, and like my artwork.

Thanks for all of your e-mail messages; I get so many from all you that I cannot possibly reply to all of them.

There are endless filters and niche applications out there that promise convincing results. However, quick fixes and prefab effects often are disappointing.

However, a closer look at what Photoshop has to offer in terms of paint tools will reveal that everything you need is there. The tools and features at your disposal are a bottomless pit of options and flexibility. There is a little something in there to suit any user or simulate almost any artistic style. Equally as valuable when it comes to painting are all of the image compositing tools at your disposal.

A successful painted result relies not only on actual brush strokes but also on the way the image is carefully constructed within Photoshop. In this chapter, rather than predictably going through every single appropriate tool and feature like a list, you will focus more on establishing a logical method of working as well as explore the techniques involved in building up a realistic-looking painted file.

We are simply discussing the act of painting digitally in a methodical way. The Tool Preset picker is a fantastic place to store your brushes as you create them, allowing you to instantly switch back and forth between your own custom tools.

Photoshop Tools, Features, and Functions The Brushes palette The Brushes palette is an excellent resource for crafting convincing and customized brush looks.

Whether you want to simply tweak a preset brush tip or create something entirely new with which to paint, everything you need is there.

Painting on layers Layers are invaluable tools when painting too, as they allow you to separate applications of paint, giving you the flexibility to edit specific painted regions and colors without affecting the rest of your image. In addition to editing advantages, layers also allow you to easily and gently build up brush strokes within your file, resulting in a beautiful and authentic appearance.

Starting with a sketch is an essential part of the process when painting in the tactile realm, and working in Photoshop is no exception. The main difference here is that in this case the sketch is scanned rather than being drawn directly onto the canvas.

In the Brushes palette, enable the Smoothing option at the left. And that is an essential quality when you want your painting to look convincing. There are a number of different tips and sizes to choose from. Regardless of which option you go with, any spatter brush gives the effect of using a brush with some stray dry bristles sticking out around the edges.

Painting over the top of the colored regions of the canvas with a spatter brush allows you to create a bristled, tactile effect. Strokes created with chalk brushes do not have any stray bristles sticking out the sides, but they do provide a nice rough effect at the beginning and at the ending of each stroke.

They are ideal for establishing basic, yet convincing, colored regions within your painting. Why do we point out this single feature amid a sea of others?

Well, using the Dual Brush option allows you to quickly and easily combine two brush tips to create a new one. Visit www. Saving swatches When you hit upon a combination of swatches you like, it is possible to save them for use at a later date. Simply choose the Save Swatches option from the Swatches Palette menu. This option allows you to name and then save your swatches as a library file. Save this file anywhere you like.

You can always reload your saved swatches by choosing the Load Swatches option from the Swatches Palette menu and navigating to your saved preset file. By doing this, we can return to the Swatches palette and select one of our custom colors at any point later on. Choose Swatches from the Preset Type menu. The Preset Manager can also be accessed via the Swatches Palette menu. When the swatches appear, click on the first swatch and then Shift-click on the last swatch.

This will target all of the swatches. When all of the swatches are targeted, click on the Delete button. Select a new foreground color from the picker and click OK. Move the mouse over the empty area of the Swatches palette. When you see the paint bucket, click to add the new color to the Swatches palette. Name your new swatch when prompted and then click OK. After naming, the new color is added to the Swatches palette.

Use this method to add a variety of colors to the Swatches palette. This method is an excellent way to exercise a little forethought, establishing a predefined color scheme to work within before you begin painting. In the Brush Tip Shape section of the Brushes palette, increase the diameter of the brush.

You want a large brush here because, first, we want to cover most of the background with color, giving us a new base color other than white. Leave the spacing option enabled but reduce the amount to 1 so that there is no stepping or spaced brush marks present within your strokes. Choose a foreground color from the Swatches palette and click the Create a New Layer button in the Layers palette. Focus on areas that are the background, as indicated in the sketch.

Also, increase and decrease the brush diameter in the Brushes palette to accommodate different regions on the canvas. The chalk family of Brush presets is a perfect example of presets that are ideally suited to right-handed people.

Generally, right-handed people paint from bottom left to top right, or from top right to bottom left. The angle of the Chalk Tip presets ensures that righthanded painters working in the typical manner get the majority of the available brush width from each stroke.

You can specify any angle you like, and this angle will likely vary from preset to preset. Besides rotating the angle, you can enable the Flip X option instead.

This option flips the brush tip horizontally, creating a mirror image of the brush tip. This feature helps to lend an intuitive feel to the process as you work.

First, ensure that in the Performance section of the Photoshop preferences, you have enabled OpenGL drawing by checking the appropriate checkbox. Then simply select the Rotate Canvas tool from either the toolbar or the Application bar. After that, all that you need to do is click and drag on the canvas to rotate it.

Also note that you can enter a numeric value for your angle or reset the view instantly in the Tool Options bar when this tool is selected. Target the new layer and use the brush to begin tracing the black outlines of the underlying sketch on this new layer. Locking layers As your file gets bigger, it will become easier and easier to accidentally paint on the wrong layer. Choose the Lock All option just to be safe, and remember you can always go back to an old layer and edit it; you just need to unlock it first.

Use this area often to vary the angle of the brush as you paint. Enable this option for the duration of this chapter. Canvas rotation shortcuts 8 Choose the Direction option from the Control menu, but leave the angle jitter amount set to 0.

This setting causes your brush to base the angle of the brush tip on the directions of your stroke as you paint them. Because we still want a somewhat smooth edge to the strokes, the amount is set to 0.

The more you increase the amount, the rougher the edges of the strokes will appear. By simply enabling the Shape Dynamic function, you can save yourself the trouble of having to constantly adjust the angle as you paint. Finish painting the black outline. Click on the Create New Tool Preset button. This brush is now added to the preset picker, with all of the Brushes palette options and dynamic functions intact. You can access it directly from the preset picker from now on.

Create a new layer in the Layers palette and ensure that it is targeted. When you save one of your current brushes as a tool preset, not only are all of your Brushes palette options saved within the preset, but all of your Tool Options bar items are also included.

If you wish to save a Brush preset without the Tool Options bar items being included, do so via the Brushes palette menu. Choose New Brush preset from the Brushes Palette menu to save your current brush, adding it to the list of presets in the Brushes palette, independent of the Tool Options bar items. It is certainly not the most intuitive way to paint. If you plan on doing much painting in Photoshop, it is definitely worth investing in a pressure-sensitive tablet and a stylus.

Drawing with a pen is much more intuitive and easier than drawing with a mouse. Also, there are a number of dynamic brush functions that work with pressure sensitivity, tip angle, and stylus rotation. So yes, you can complete this chapter and learn about painting by using a mouse. But if you really want control when you paint, a stylus is a worthwhile investment. Paint dark strokes over light areas, and vice versa.

Go back and forth painting like this until colors begin to blend together. Change the direction of your brush strokes often as well as the size of your brush tip.

Try initially adding them using a higher brush opacity setting, and then blending them into the background using lower opacity settings. Using this method, if you happen to sample a foreground color that you like, feel free to add it to the Swatches palette so that you can access it later. Save this new brush as a tool preset and name it Spatter Rough. Flow 13 Create a new layer and use your newly created tool preset to paint over areas of the canvas on this layer.

Increase or decrease the opacity as required and use colors from the canvas or the Swatches palette. The goal here is to paint with the new brush over areas that look very smooth.

Because of the brush tip and very low flow setting, the resulting strokes will add a rougher, more textured feeling to the areas you paint. Using large brush strokes and bold colors will pronounce the rough effect.

Use this effect sparingly as it can tend to overpower an illustration. While opacity controls how transparent or solid your strokes will appear on your layer, it is the flow setting that controls how much paint is deposited within a brush stroke as you paint.

Increasing the flow will cause the bristles that make up the brush stroke to be less pronounced, as the stroke is heavier with paint and the space between the bristles will fill in. Name your brush and return to the working file.

Choose your new custom brush tip from the end of the list in the Brush Presets section of the Brushes palette. In the Brush Tip Shape section of the Brushes palette, set the spacing to 1. Save this brush as a new tool preset. Use this same method to open up brush2. Then, in the Brushes palette, click on the Dual Brush label at the left side of the palette to enable the Dual Brush function and access the settings.

Enable the Random Brush Flip option at the upper right corner and set the mode to multiply. Because it looks like a chalk pastel, go ahead and name it something appropriate. Use a variety of colors, brush sizes, opacity, and flow settings to introduce some very real and tactile feeling brush strokes on the current layer.

Again, ensure that you do not overdo it as these new brushes, which produce such distinct strokes, can visually overpower the softly blended background quite easily. When we created custom brushes from images previously, the images were black and white only. However, you can use a color or grayscale image as well. The advantage to using black and white is that you can get a good idea of how your resulting stroke will look from the image used to define the brush.

Black areas will deposit paint and white areas will not. A grayscale brush tip will deposit paint according to the density of black it contains.

Color images are converted to grayscale when you define brush tips from them. This will target all of your paint layers. Create a new layer for the base color of the figures. In the Brushes palette, choose one of the default chalk brush tip presets. Ensure that Smoothing is enabled, and in the Brush Tip Shape section of the palette, reduce the spacing amount to 1. Use this brush to add flat color on the new layer in all empty regions of the figures and the stars.

Choose colors from the background via the Eyedropper or select them from the Swatches palette. Increase or decrease the size of the brush tip as necessary. Brush size When you have a brush selected, a quick way to increase or decrease the brush size incrementally is to use the square bracket keys on the keyboard. This method is great for adjusting size on the fly. Navigate to the aforementioned file and these brushes will become available in the Tool preset picker.

As you did earlier with the background, blend the colors beneath this layer together with the Chalk Blender preset on your new layer. Feel free to alter brush size and opacity as required.

Also, feel free to add new areas of color on this layer to indicate highlights and shadows. Select your Spatter Brush preset from the Tool Preset picker. Now use the spatter brush to paint some light, yet rougher brush strokes over your recently blended areas on the new layer. Use colors sampled from the canvas or from the ever-growing amount of custom swatches in the Swatches palette.

Vary the brush size and opacity as needed. You probably want to leave the flow setting fairly low so that the bristles remain pronounced in each stroke.

Vary size, color, and opacity as needed. Also, if you feel like experimenting, yet are worried about making a mistake on your current layer, go ahead and create another layer to work on. This way, if you like the effect, you can keep the layer. In order to remedy this, it is often helpful to involve something genuine. Open up the painting.

This file is a desktop scan, in grayscale, of a section of an oil-painted canvas. Choose Tools from the Preset Type menu and click on one of your own brush tools.

Hold down the Shift key and click on the remaining brush tools you created. When they are all selected, click on the Save Set button to save them as a separate file on your hard drive. Loading the preset file later on is as simple as clicking the Load button and navigating to your saved preset file. Holding down the Shift key ensures that it lands in your file in the proper position.

Ensure that the new grayscale paint layer is at the top of the Layers palette and change the blending mode of the layer to color burn. Finally, duplicate your current painting copy layer and then change the blending mode of the recently duplicated layer to soft light to intensify the surface texture effect within the image. You can load them or replace an existing set of swatches by choosing either option from the Swatches Palette menu and navigating to your saved file.

Swatches can also be saved or loaded in the Preset Manager. And saving them as a preset library file ensures that you can access them at any point later on, within this or any other Photoshop file. You can target individual layers and edit or mask their contents. Also, you can insert adjustment layers between layers to affect only certain portions of the composition. The simple grayscale scan used here on a series of layers helps to remedy the ultrasmooth digital canvas surface, making it more realistic in the end.

Your colors will always be available to you here. Choose the Save Swatches option 17 1 Part One: Drawing and Painting A more realistic approach This method of painting is certainly not limited to the subject matter or rough style that was covered previously in this chapter.

You can apply this method to the subject of your choice and paint in any style that comes naturally. Here I decided to give traditional portraiture a try. Rather than starting with a sketch, I placed a photograph on an underlying layer and used it as a guide while I was working. Unlike the sketch, it proved to be too distracting if it was visible the entire time. So I simply enabled the visibility of the photo periodically to stay on track. I launched Poser and rendered a male figure using the pose shown here and a couple of colored lights.

I then rendered the file and opened it in Photoshop. This acted as my base layer. Then, I employed the techniques explained on the previous pages across a series of layers to create this impressionistic figure painting.

Unlike pixels, vectors are resolution independent. Different vector tools and functions are suited to a variety of tasks in Photoshop. In our case, the creation of whimsical character faces is ideally suited to working with shape layers. A shape layer can be created with the Pen tool or any of the shape tools. What causes one of these tools to create a shape layer, rather than a path, is the designation that you choose in the Tool Options bar.

Shape layers allow you to build up stacks of resolution-independent shapes that are absolutely perfect for tasks like creating faces. The available preset shapes are excellent building blocks for features and the Pen tool affords you the flexibility to create any custom shape you desire. You can add, subtract, intersect, and exclude shapes as well as perform a plethora of alignment options to get your complicated features placed exactly where you want them on the face.

Like traditional layers, shape layers can also be linked or grouped so that multiple elements across a series of layers can be moved, rotated, or scaled together at the same time. A slight familiarity with shape or path area operations will make things easier.

However, the method of construction and the ability to visualize the result are important. Cut your work in half Obviously, details like eyes or antennas are things that appear more than once on the face. Photoshop Tools, Features, and Functions Duplicate shape layers Shape layers are wonderful and flexible resources. However, it is important not to underestimate the potential that lies within existing shape layers.

Using them as building blocks for new shapes can provide you with a starting point that already has part of the work done for you. Area operations Whether you want to combine two shape components together or use one shape to punch a hole in another, shape area operations are an essential part of the procedure.

The results will be neater and more versatile when you use basic shapes and area operations together rather than trying to draw the resulting shape on your own. Also note that you can enter a numeric value for your angle or reset the view instantly in the Tool Options bar when this tool is selected.

Target the new layer and use the brush to begin tracing the black outlines of the underlying sketch on this new layer. Locking layers As your file gets bigger, it will become easier and easier to accidentally paint on the wrong layer. Choose the Lock All option just to be safe, and remember you can always go back to an old layer and edit it; you just need to unlock it first.

Use this area often to vary the angle of the brush as you paint. Enable this option for the duration of this chapter. Canvas rotation shortcuts 8 Choose the Direction option from the Control menu, but leave the angle jitter amount set to 0.

This setting causes your brush to base the angle of the brush tip on the directions of your stroke as you paint them. Because we still want a somewhat smooth edge to the strokes, the amount is set to 0. The more you increase the amount, the rougher the edges of the strokes will appear. By simply enabling the Shape Dynamic function, you can save yourself the trouble of having to constantly adjust the angle as you paint. Finish painting the black outline.

Click on the Create New Tool Preset button. This brush is now added to the preset picker, with all of the Brushes palette options and dynamic functions intact.

You can access it directly from the preset picker from now on. Create a new layer in the Layers palette and ensure that it is targeted. When you save one of your current brushes as a tool preset, not only are all of your Brushes palette options saved within the preset, but all of your Tool Options bar items are also included.

If you wish to save a Brush preset without the Tool Options bar items being included, do so via the Brushes palette menu. Choose New Brush preset from the Brushes Palette menu to save your current brush, adding it to the list of presets in the Brushes palette, independent of the Tool Options bar items.

It is certainly not the most intuitive way to paint. If you plan on doing much painting in Photoshop, it is definitely worth investing in a pressure-sensitive tablet and a stylus. Drawing with a pen is much more intuitive and easier than drawing with a mouse. Also, there are a number of dynamic brush functions that work with pressure sensitivity, tip angle, and stylus rotation.

So yes, you can complete this chapter and learn about painting by using a mouse. But if you really want control when you paint, a stylus is a worthwhile investment.

Paint dark strokes over light areas, and vice versa. Go back and forth painting like this until colors begin to blend together. Change the direction of your brush strokes often as well as the size of your brush tip. Try initially adding them using a higher brush opacity setting, and then blending them into the background using lower opacity settings. Using this method, if you happen to sample a foreground color that you like, feel free to add it to the Swatches palette so that you can access it later.

Save this new brush as a tool preset and name it Spatter Rough. Flow 13 Create a new layer and use your newly created tool preset to paint over areas of the canvas on this layer. Increase or decrease the opacity as required and use colors from the canvas or the Swatches palette. The goal here is to paint with the new brush over areas that look very smooth.

Because of the brush tip and very low flow setting, the resulting strokes will add a rougher, more textured feeling to the areas you paint. Using large brush strokes and bold colors will pronounce the rough effect. Use this effect sparingly as it can tend to overpower an illustration. While opacity controls how transparent or solid your strokes will appear on your layer, it is the flow setting that controls how much paint is deposited within a brush stroke as you paint.

Increasing the flow will cause the bristles that make up the brush stroke to be less pronounced, as the stroke is heavier with paint and the space between the bristles will fill in.

Name your brush and return to the working file. Choose your new custom brush tip from the end of the list in the Brush Presets section of the Brushes palette.

In the Brush Tip Shape section of the Brushes palette, set the spacing to 1. Save this brush as a new tool preset. Use this same method to open up brush2. Then, in the Brushes palette, click on the Dual Brush label at the left side of the palette to enable the Dual Brush function and access the settings. Enable the Random Brush Flip option at the upper right corner and set the mode to multiply. Because it looks like a chalk pastel, go ahead and name it something appropriate. Use a variety of colors, brush sizes, opacity, and flow settings to introduce some very real and tactile feeling brush strokes on the current layer.

Again, ensure that you do not overdo it as these new brushes, which produce such distinct strokes, can visually overpower the softly blended background quite easily.

When we created custom brushes from images previously, the images were black and white only. However, you can use a color or grayscale image as well. The advantage to using black and white is that you can get a good idea of how your resulting stroke will look from the image used to define the brush.

Black areas will deposit paint and white areas will not. A grayscale brush tip will deposit paint according to the density of black it contains.

Color images are converted to grayscale when you define brush tips from them. This will target all of your paint layers. Create a new layer for the base color of the figures. In the Brushes palette, choose one of the default chalk brush tip presets. Ensure that Smoothing is enabled, and in the Brush Tip Shape section of the palette, reduce the spacing amount to 1. Use this brush to add flat color on the new layer in all empty regions of the figures and the stars. Choose colors from the background via the Eyedropper or select them from the Swatches palette.

Increase or decrease the size of the brush tip as necessary. Brush size When you have a brush selected, a quick way to increase or decrease the brush size incrementally is to use the square bracket keys on the keyboard. This method is great for adjusting size on the fly. Navigate to the aforementioned file and these brushes will become available in the Tool preset picker. As you did earlier with the background, blend the colors beneath this layer together with the Chalk Blender preset on your new layer.

Feel free to alter brush size and opacity as required. Also, feel free to add new areas of color on this layer to indicate highlights and shadows. Select your Spatter Brush preset from the Tool Preset picker. Now use the spatter brush to paint some light, yet rougher brush strokes over your recently blended areas on the new layer. Use colors sampled from the canvas or from the ever-growing amount of custom swatches in the Swatches palette. Vary the brush size and opacity as needed.

You probably want to leave the flow setting fairly low so that the bristles remain pronounced in each stroke. Vary size, color, and opacity as needed. Also, if you feel like experimenting, yet are worried about making a mistake on your current layer, go ahead and create another layer to work on. This way, if you like the effect, you can keep the layer. In order to remedy this, it is often helpful to involve something genuine.

Open up the painting. This file is a desktop scan, in grayscale, of a section of an oil-painted canvas. Choose Tools from the Preset Type menu and click on one of your own brush tools.

Hold down the Shift key and click on the remaining brush tools you created. When they are all selected, click on the Save Set button to save them as a separate file on your hard drive. Loading the preset file later on is as simple as clicking the Load button and navigating to your saved preset file.

Holding down the Shift key ensures that it lands in your file in the proper position. Ensure that the new grayscale paint layer is at the top of the Layers palette and change the blending mode of the layer to color burn. Finally, duplicate your current painting copy layer and then change the blending mode of the recently duplicated layer to soft light to intensify the surface texture effect within the image.

You can load them or replace an existing set of swatches by choosing either option from the Swatches Palette menu and navigating to your saved file.

Swatches can also be saved or loaded in the Preset Manager. And saving them as a preset library file ensures that you can access them at any point later on, within this or any other Photoshop file. You can target individual layers and edit or mask their contents. Also, you can insert adjustment layers between layers to affect only certain portions of the composition.

The simple grayscale scan used here on a series of layers helps to remedy the ultrasmooth digital canvas surface, making it more realistic in the end. Your colors will always be available to you here.

Choose the Save Swatches option 17 1 Part One: Drawing and Painting A more realistic approach This method of painting is certainly not limited to the subject matter or rough style that was covered previously in this chapter. You can apply this method to the subject of your choice and paint in any style that comes naturally.

Here I decided to give traditional portraiture a try. Rather than starting with a sketch, I placed a photograph on an underlying layer and used it as a guide while I was working. Unlike the sketch, it proved to be too distracting if it was visible the entire time. So I simply enabled the visibility of the photo periodically to stay on track.

I launched Poser and rendered a male figure using the pose shown here and a couple of colored lights. I then rendered the file and opened it in Photoshop. This acted as my base layer. Then, I employed the techniques explained on the previous pages across a series of layers to create this impressionistic figure painting. Unlike pixels, vectors are resolution independent.

Different vector tools and functions are suited to a variety of tasks in Photoshop. In our case, the creation of whimsical character faces is ideally suited to working with shape layers. A shape layer can be created with the Pen tool or any of the shape tools. What causes one of these tools to create a shape layer, rather than a path, is the designation that you choose in the Tool Options bar. Shape layers allow you to build up stacks of resolution-independent shapes that are absolutely perfect for tasks like creating faces.

The available preset shapes are excellent building blocks for features and the Pen tool affords you the flexibility to create any custom shape you desire. You can add, subtract, intersect, and exclude shapes as well as perform a plethora of alignment options to get your complicated features placed exactly where you want them on the face.

Like traditional layers, shape layers can also be linked or grouped so that multiple elements across a series of layers can be moved, rotated, or scaled together at the same time. A slight familiarity with shape or path area operations will make things easier. However, the method of construction and the ability to visualize the result are important.

Cut your work in half Obviously, details like eyes or antennas are things that appear more than once on the face. Photoshop Tools, Features, and Functions Duplicate shape layers Shape layers are wonderful and flexible resources. However, it is important not to underestimate the potential that lies within existing shape layers. Using them as building blocks for new shapes can provide you with a starting point that already has part of the work done for you.

Area operations Whether you want to combine two shape components together or use one shape to punch a hole in another, shape area operations are an essential part of the procedure. The results will be neater and more versatile when you use basic shapes and area operations together rather than trying to draw the resulting shape on your own.

All of your shape layers will be added to this file to create a plethora of strange creatures. To get started, select the Pen tool. Then, in the Tool Options bar, ensure that the Shape Layers function is enabled. Do this by clicking on the button at the left. Project files All of the files needed to follow along with this chapter and create the featured image are available for download on the accompanying Web site in the project files section. Move the mouse, then click and drag again to create another curved point joined to the previous point by a line segment.

Repeat this method, making your way back to the original point. Click and drag on the original starting point to close the shape. Once the shape is closed, select the Direct Selection tool.

Use the Direct Selection tool to click on the individual points that make up your curved shape. When you click on a point, the Bezier handles that define that point will become visible. Choose a blue color from the picker to change the foreground color to blue. Ensure that the Create New Shape Area option is selected in the Tool Options bar, and then use the previous method to create a smaller blue shape on a new layer.

Edit the points and curves with the Direct Selection tool using the previous method. Affect which shape layer? Before you choose a different color from the swatch in the Tool Options bar, you need to pay attention to a small Chain-Link button to the left of it. When enabled, this option affects the properties of the current layer, the layer you already created.

So when this option is enabled, changing the color in the Tool Options bar will affect your already existing layer. If you disable this option, your current shape layer will remain unaffected when you choose a new color. But any new shape layer you create will use the new color selected in the Tool Options bar.

Select the Pen tool and ensure that it is set to create a new shape layer in the Tool Options bar. This time, when starting your shape, just click once instead of clicking and dragging, then move the mouse and click and drag. This will create an initial sharp or corner point, and your second point will define the curvature of the line.

Click and drag to add more curved points and then, when returning to your starting point, just click. By clicking once on the starting point, you ensure that this point remains sharp, not curved. Click the Color swatch in the Tool Options bar and select a dirty yellow color from the picker. Ensure that the Create New Shape Layer option is enabled and then click and drag while holding down the Shift key to create a perfectly circular shape layer.

You can reposition the entire shape layer with the Move tool. Which tool do I use? Target the original layer the one beneath the copy in the Layers palette. Press the Enter key to apply the transformation.

In the Tool Options bar, enable the Chain-Link button to affect the current layer. Then specify a black fill color via the swatch in the Tool Options bar. Using the Move tool will allow you to move an entire shape layer around on the canvas. Simply click on the shape you wish to move and drag it with the Path Selection tool. This is especially useful when your shape layer contains more than one shape and you wish to move shapes independently of each other. Again, use the Ellipse tool to draw a smaller circle in his eye area.

Ensure that the Create New Shape Layer option is enabled as you create the circle. Next, change the fill color of the new layer to red via the Color swatch in the Tool Options bar.

With this new layer targeted, choose the stroke effect from the Layer Styles menu at the bottom of the Layers palette. Add a darker red stroke to the outside of the circle. Finish, group, duplicate, and flip Complete the eye area and add a cheek detail. Then flip the artwork to the other side of his face. Target all of the eye and cheek shape layers in the Layers palette.

Expand the duplicated group in the Layers palette and target the red iris layer. Shift-drag to the right on the canvas with the Move tool. Repeat this process with the duplicated pupil shape layer.

This will remedy his cross-eyed appearance. Use the Eyedropper tool to click on the dark blue area around his eye, sampling it as the current foreground color. Use the Pen tool to create a new shape layer in the middle of his face. Carefully draw a nose shape with the Pen tool. Take your time, clicking once to create sharp points, clicking and dragging to create curved points. Edit the shape with the Direct Selection tool wherever necessary. Next, select the Ellipse tool and draw a lighter blue ellipse over his nose on a new shape layer.

Create a light blue ellipse on the canvas, over his nostril, as a new shape layer. Use the Path Selection tool to reposition it if necessary. With the duplicate shape selected, click on the Subtract from Shape Area button in the Tool Options bar.

Press Enter and adjust the positioning of the flipped duplicate shape if necessary. Draw a closed shape to indicate his mouth. Click and drag to create a series of curved points and use the Direct Selection tool to edit your points and curves until the mouth shape is looking just right.

Duplicate the mouth shape layer in the Layers palette so that there are now two of them. Target the duplicate mouth layer and press the Link button in the Tool Options bar so that when you change the color, this layer will be affected. When you are working with a shape tool, holding down the Control PC Command Mac key will temporarily switch your tool to the Path Selection tool.

When the picker opens, move the mouse out over the yellow part of the eye on the canvas and then click to select this yellow as the fill color for this shape layer. Click OK and select the Pen tool. Choose the Intersect Shape Areas option in the Tool Options bar and then draw a closed shape that contains two fangs that overlap the mouth area.

Click the Color swatch in the Tool Options bar and when the picker opens, click on the red area of one of his eyes in the image to specify that as the fill color for your new shape layer. Expand one of your groups in the Layers palette. Find one of the layers with the stroke effect applied to it. Combining shape components 12 If the Chain-Link button is enabled in the Tool Options bar, disable it. Then click on the Color swatch in the Tool Options bar and select black from the picker.

If you do this while the Chain-Link button is enabled, it will change the color of your tongue shape layer. Disabling it ensures that only a new shape layer will contain black. The shape area functions in the Tool Options bar provide nearly everything you need to create diverse and unique composite shapes.

However, there may be instances where you wish the visible results were indicative of one actual shape or perhaps you wish to perform different shape area functions on the resulting shape. In these cases, simply click on the Combine button in the Tool Options bar to change the group of shape components into a single, editable shape. Be cautious when combining because once you combine the shape components, they are no longer editable as separate components.

If you keep the components separate you still have the option of altering the physical qualities of the shape as well as changing any shape area functions applied to your individual shapes. You are going to learn 15 free sources to get leads online for your business.

Add library banner image here Browse, Check Out, Download! Learn how to browse, check out, and download digital titles from your library’s Virtual Branch website. Training Month OverDrive, Inc. Profit Builders Inc. Now it s time. Over here we have the goal: I want to make tons of money from my online business. And over here we have the reality: I have a website. I m making some money, but I wouldn t call it success just yet.

Before you start an internet marketing business, there are few things that you need to know. These things are very important to know before you get doing the internet marketing business. As you may know,.

The problem, as you. JVZoo is a digital marketplace where product. Is An ebook refers to a electronic version of a book, as opposed to a printed copy.

After you purchase your ebook, you will be redirected to a download screen. Everything you wanted to know about Self-Publishing, but were afraid to ask. There are some techniques and methods.

Smart Entrepreneur Guides! We build your ideas into web and mobile applications. Small business credit cards to build credit, how can i build business credit, companies that build business credit, how does a business build credit, how do i build credit for my business. Six Figure Business. All Rights Reserved www. Congratulations and get ready to be impressed. First off, this is one. Jones, teaching real estate agents and brokers the fun, fast and easy ways to. You announce it to your list.

You ve even done quite a bit of legwork. How to get ebooks on Reader Click for instant access! Starting today Start Learning Joomla! The www. This book has become known. You will be glad to know that right.

Solo ads are basically. Welcome, Congratulations on taking the first step to mobile success by downloading the Fortune Affiliates Mobile Marketing Guide.

 
 

 

Photoshop tutorials | Learn how to use Photoshop – Product details

 
Might Be In Conjuction With THE ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS4 BOOK FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (PAPERBACK) Ebook. Jun 21th, Digital Illustration Assignment Painted In Photoshop Holiday Card Design And Layout Final Created In Illustrator. Editorial Article Magazine Cover Image Final Assignment Created In Photoshop. MERRY. just limited to digital photomanipulation as you bine traditional techniques with digital in perfectly structured tutorials”full Version Creative Photoshop Cs4 Digital Illustration May 18th, – Full Version Creative Photoshop Cs4 Digital Illustration And . File Type PDF Creative Photoshop Cs4 Digital Illustration And Art Techniques when you buy an annual prepaid plan for US$/yr US$/ magazine inner page design templates have the same appeal and are fully customizable. This download works with InDesign CS4 and higher for increased compatibility. 7. Modern.