Trying a new style - work in progress

[Andries]

Hi all,

Busy with a drawing of a pirate. Instead of drawing it the 'normal' way. I am trying to make it a digital painting.
This takes a lot of time (and really hurts my hand :p) but I think the end result will look awesome.

Thought you might like to see the process, so I upload the images as soon as I have a new piece done.

[Steve B]

just curious - are you using a digital tablet or just mouse? its just that I always think drawing "normally" is more work-intensive than say drawing in photoshop

[Andries]

Pen tablet.

Depends on what your drawing. If you just use the paint bucket tool photoshop is easier, but if you use the paint tool to color everything is takes quite some time. The paint bucket is not an option for me now because I don't want any lines in the end result.

[Andries]

Next step

[Kathy]

So are you using the brush tool?

[Andries]

Yes.

[Steve B]

gets better. re not using lines - you can still use lines (as in boxed areas i mean) then select with magic wand but use paint bucket or brush on a NEW layer with the original selection. am i being clear or hopelessly complicated?

[Kathy]

I was going to suggest something like that too - try drawing on one layer, just so you have a rough sketch to guide you, then use the brush on other layers to create the image you want to keep. Then delete or hide the layer with the lines. You may want to get or create some custom brushes to help get the look you want for your brush strokes.

[Andries]

I know, I usually color my drawings that way Steve, but I dont want the lines this time.

If I delete the layer with the lines after doing the coloring, al my boxed areas will have white space surrounding them.

[Kathy]

Sorry, I don't really understand what you mean about having white space...

[Andries]

Normaly, when you would color the drawing as steve suggested, you would not be able to draw the areas where a black line is. (You would only draw IN the boxed areas, not behind the line itself)

If I delete the layer with the original drawing later, there will be white space on the places where the black lines were.

[Kathy]

If your color is on a separate layer underneath the line art, you can draw where the black lines are, right up to the edges of your object. The color won't be affected when you delete the lines.

You could set the line layer to a different blend mode or transparency so you could see behind it/through it, and still use the lines as just a guide while you paint with the brush tool to add color.

Here's a trick I learned: Color in the overall shape of an object with color - just a flat color painted in - then lock the transparency on that layer. You can then paint your shadows, highlights, etc. on the object freely without ever going "outside the lines".

[Steve B]

Andries...to avoid the white spaces at the edges you could stroke (on outside of course) the shape by the number of pixels you would have used for your guide lines...photoshop always offers solutions

[Andries]

I know, but then I will have a realy croocky line with all those pixels.

[Steve B]

True. ok you beat me there.