How to create your character in photoshop. Character Drawing Tutorial in Photoshop

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use Illustrator and Photoshop to create the Boomrock Saints characters. I hope this guide will inspire you to use this technique to develop your own illustration style. Try to create a quality sketch from the very beginning, and you will experience much more fun turning her from a black and white character into a color one. So, let's begin!

Step 1
Create a new document 1600px x 1600px and select a light gradient for the background. Add a new layer to your document and start sketching your characters.

Using a tablet, I usually choose the standard 3px brush for a color slightly darker than the background. In order to further control the pressure of the handle, I check the “Shape Dynamics”.

Step 2
Reduce "opacity" (impermeability) to 50% and add two new layers - one for each character.

Use these new layers to move on to the sloppy sketch lines and clean them up a bit and add some detail. Be careful not to mix up the layers so you can reposition the characters later if needed. It would be nice to name them, as is done in the images above. From this point on, the characters begin to take shape. It is perfectly normal if everything in the drawing remains sloppy at this stage.

Step 3
Add a new layer between the first "sketch" and character layers and name it "color".

Use this layer to experiment and roughly sketch out the rough sketch of the characters using the chosen color palette. In this case, the band wanted something guerrilla style, so naturally I chose khaki colors.

Then, on the eye, add lighting and darkening. I made it so that the main light source is to the left of the characters in order to maximize the exposure of exposed skin / clothing. The parts that are covered will be left as is, or shaded if they are behind another element, such as the right side of Brian's torso covered by his right arm. Likewise, most of Josh's torso is shaded on the left side as it is obscured by Brian, who is directly in front of him.

Step 4
Once you're happy with the result, you can start illustrating in Adobe Illustrator to clean up the outlines. Hide all layers except the outline, save it as a jpeg and open it in Illustrator. Since I've been using a tablet, I can work on contours with a tablet pen even better than with a mouse. Those who do not work with a tablet will be able to do this part with the pen tool as well. There are a lot of tutorials on the Internet about how to use the pen tool in Illustrator, as well as many other different methods. This method is the one I prefer.
Create a new brush by opening the brush palette and clicking on the "new brush" icon at the bottom. In the dialog box that opens, select "Calligraphic Brush", click OK, and set the angle (angle), roundness (roundness), diameter, and variation (change) of this new brush as in the parameters below.

Select the contents of your layer by clicking the circle on the right side of the layer in the layers palette. Reduce "opacity" (impermeability) up to 30% and block the layer. Use black for the border and none for the fill.

Step 5
Now we are ready to start cleaning up the outline. While drawing the outline, try to change the thickness of the lines to achieve a more dynamic effect.
A few quick tips to keep in mind when working with line weights:
1. Create the illusion of depth. If the object or person is closer to you, the lines will tend to be thicker. Therefore, if this drawing was against a cityscape, the lines that make up the cityscape will be thinner than the character's lines.
2. Pay attention to the light source. Where the light is brighter, the lines tend to be thinner. Where the light is dim, the lines tend to be thicker.
3. The outer lines of an object or person will generally be thicker than the inner lines. This will help to distinguish this object or person from others.
4. Expand the ends of lines that intersect with another line. Take a look at the picture below to see what I mean.

When completed, you should have something that looks like this:

Step 6
Now we can reopen the file in Photoshop and start coloring and processing. Export the file from Illustrator (File > Export) and select "Photoshop" from the drop down list. In the dialog box that opens, set the resolution to resolution (resolution) to high (high) (300dpi) and click OK.

Step 7
For this part, which I usually do, I create a separate layer for each color or element on each character under the outline layer. So it will look something like this:

Then, I just paint each element on their respective layers. You may also notice that I lightened the outlines of each character a bit. In my opinion, this gives the illustration a more natural look, as opposed to dark contour lines.

Step 8
Now that we've painted the characters, all that's left is processing. I usually start with shading and work my way up to light distribution. Create a separate "Shading" layer above the main color layer for each element. Now, using the colorized image from step 3 as a reference, darken the characters using a brush set set to about 60% hardness.
My technique is to select any element that I darken by Command/Ctrl clicking on the layer thumbnail and barely touching the areas that need to be darkened.

Do this with all the elements and characters and you should end up with something that looks like this:

Once you've seen the result and decided that some of the dark areas should be even darker, you can create a new layer just for the dark areas and use the same technique as above to colorize it. Having dark areas in your illustration helps create a more dynamic result.

Step 9
Next we deal with the distribution of light. Add a new layer above the "Shading" layer for each element. With the "Lighting" layer selected, use the same technique with Command/Ctrl and clicking the layer's thumbnail to highlight their contents and add some light where needed.

To create reflections for the shadows, use the pen tool to create a shape around the inner perimeter. Then right-click on this shape, click on the "Make Selection" button, and click OK on the dialog box that opens. Once the shape is selected, select white as the color and use the gradient tool to create subtle reflections by dragging from top to bottom at a slight angle. Once you're done, reduce the opacity (opacity) of this new layer to about 30% or whatever percentage at which the image looks like you want.

Step 10
Finally, we're adding the finishing touches like the tattoo on Brian's arm, the logo on Brian's shirt, the SF logo on Brian's hat, and some extra lighting on both characters to really bring the light source into focus.

Here is the method I used to tattoo Brian.

After seeing all of the illustrations completed, the group asked if Brian could be made "sturdier" to reflect more of his natural qualities. So I made some quick adjustments, widening the torso a bit and adding some definition to the right arm, which you can see in the final image below.

What will you create

There are many methods for drawing on a tablet. For example, you can draw everything in grayscale and add color later, you can use different blend modes to create maps, just like in 3D programs... But sometimes you don't have time to think and plan at all. What if you want to draw something quickly, just to see what the idea looks like outside of your imagination?

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to quickly sculpt a character using colors and basically a single textured brush. The whole process of adding shadows and color will be reduced to a few steps. You can also create some kind of conceptual drawings or the basis for a more elaborate illustration.

1. Decide on an idea

Step 1

Create a new document. Fill layer with tool fill(G) 50% gray. Add a new layer and use a custom brush to sketch out some variations of your idea. Draw quickly and don't worry about accuracy.

A brush for such sketches should be a little sloppy and unpredictable. You can also try the gouache and acrylic brushes from this set (for a fee).

Step 2

Choose the sketch you like best and use the tool Lasso(Lasso) (Q) to copy it to a new layer (Control-J). Lower Opacity(Opacity) of this layer and delete the previous one.

Step 3

Create a new layer, name it lines(Lines). Using any brush you are comfortable with, quickly sketch in the details. It doesn't have to be a perfectly neat line drawing, but you do need to be sure of what you are planning to draw. Delete the previous layer after you're done.

Step 4

Lower the opacity of the layer lines(Lines) up to about 20%.

2. Create basic lighting

Step 1

lines(Lines). Using a hard brush, paint the main shape with one color. It shouldn't be too detailed, because in the process of applying the shadows, we may change the edges. Name the layer Base(The foundation).

Step 2

From now on, all new layers will be clipped by layer. Base(Base) (that is, they will be clipping masks). To do this, hold Alt and click on the line between the layers, or use the keyboard shortcut Control-Alt-G.

Step 3

Create a new layer (and don't forget to make it a clipping mask) and then fill it with the darkest shadow color in your drawing. In this case, it's dark blue.

Step 4

Create a new layer and fill it with the color of the areas affected by the ambient light. Here, the white fur becomes bluish when weak ambient light falls on it. Name the layer Ambient(Ambient).

Step 5

Add a layer mask to the layer Ambient(Ambient) and then fill the mask with black - and the layer will disappear. Then, with a textured brush, paint in the highlights, leaving a shadow in between.

Later, with a soft brush, you can soften the places where the shadow is almost absent. Generally speaking, your goal is to simulate lighting on an overcast day.

Step 6

Add a layer mask to the layer Base(Base) and use different brushes to correct the shape.

3. Finish the Lighting

Step 1

Create a new layer. Decide where you want to place the light source and which parts of the character will be illuminated accordingly. Use a transition color, which will be located approximately between the colors of light and shadow. This is usually an oversaturated version of the base color. If you're painting skin or white fur, it's a good idea to apply a subsurface scattering effect at this stage.

Step 2

Create a new layer below the layer Base(The foundation). Draw the most illuminated ground and a shadow on it. This will be your brightness sample.

Step 3

Create a new layer and add more light, leaving the edge of the transition color.

Step 4

Create a new layer and finish up the lighting with the brightest version of the base color.

Step 5

Since the feathers are very thin, light passes through them. Create a cool effect using this property:

Don't forget to light the area just below the glowing feathers.

Step 6

Create a new layer and shade the part of the body located in the shadow, choosing a slightly lighter color - this will be the highlight from the light reflected from the ground. With a tool eyedropper(Pipette) (I) select a color from those already in the picture, and with this color blend the transition color to create a "fluffy" effect. Gradually lower the opacity of the layer lines(Lines) until the need for it disappears altogether.

4. Finishing touches

Step 1

Create a new layer and work on the details. Be careful - the more detailed one element is, the more sloppy other parts will appear. It is important to consider the whole drawing as a whole.

Step 2

Now is the time to use the popular "fur" brushes, if you want. They work wonders when used on a character with shadows, picking a color from their body.

You can create your own brush by learning:

• other tutorials on this topic.

Step 3

Create a new layer on the background (below the layer Base(Base)) and using a soft brush paint a white glow behind the character.

Step 4

Create a new layer and use the same brush to soften the fur. This may not be necessary with dark wool, but with white wool, where there is a lot of subsurface scattering, it will look very good.

Step 5

Create a new layer and fill it with black. Click filter> noise> Addnoise(Filter > Noise > Add Noise). Adjust the effect so that it has enough contrast.

Step 6

Click filter> Liquify(Filter > Liquify). In the window that opens, select the tool Warp(Warp) (W) to "smear" the dots, turning them into lines, which will create a furry effect.

Step 7

Change the blend mode to overlay(Overlay) and lower the opacity of the layer until the effect looks natural.

Step 8

Create a new layer, but this time don't make a clipping mask out of it. Make final adjustments.

Step 9

You can play with the background to make the character look more interesting, but don't get carried away and don't go overboard with the shadows!

That's all!

Fast, right? With this method, you can present your ideas to others or resort to it when you cannot decide whether you want to continue working on the illustration, and visualize it in all its fine details.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a funny 3D character in Photoshop using simple techniques and tricks.

Step 1. Create a new 3000 x 2500 px document at 300 dpi. We take pen tool(Pen) (P), select the mode shape layer(Shape layer) and create the basic shape of the character. Name this layer "Base" and change the color to #71d0e8.

Step 2 Before we continue, let's set up the layers panel. Click in the upper right corner of the panel to open the menu. Choose Layers Panel Options(Layers panel options) and in the window that appears, set the following settings:

Step 3 Create a new layer, hold down CTRL and click on the "Base" layer thumbnail to load its selection. We take soft brush(B) color #118ab2 and create a shadow on the left side of the character.

Step 4 Again create a new layer, set the foreground color to #1e8cb4 and start drawing a shadow along the edge of the base.

Step 5 We take soft brush color #44b3d7 and paint light on the left side of the character. In order to quickly select the desired shade, you can use pipette(I).

Step 6 Now we will define the main details of the character, for this we take a soft brush color #064168 and start drawing the outline of the mouth.

Step 7 We take pen tool(Pen) (P), change the mode to shape layer(Shape layer) and create a basic mouth shape on the "Mouth" layer. Change color to black.

Step 8 Having decided on the location of the mouth, draw the lips. To do this, using the Pen Tool (P), create a basic shape of the upper lip with color #00406c on the "Upper lip" layer. Add shadows for more realism.

Step 9 In the same way we create the lower lip with color #4abce. Add shadows and lights to add depth.

We take pen tool(Pen) (P), change the mode to path(Contour) and create a crease under the lower lip. Click CTRL+ENTER to create a selection, use a soft brush with the color # 17749 a and draw along the edge of the selection. Add shadows and light. If everything is done correctly, the result will be like this.

Step 11 Now we will create the eyes. Draw the basic shape of the eye and fill it with white. Name this layer "Right Eye". Holding CTRL, click on the layer thumbnail to load its selection, take a soft brush(B) color #237a9c and draw shadows around the eye.

Step 12 Create a new document for the iris. We take Ellipse Tool(Ellipse) (U) and create a circle. Change its color to #4dc9df and apply layer style Inner Glow(Inner Glow) with these settings. Name the layer with the circle "Iris".

Step 13 Create another small black circle, place it in the center of the iris and name the layer "Pupil". We take brush(B) set the foreground color to #006082 , then open up the SS light beams brush in Photoshop and create an iris texture. Applying a filter Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur(Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur) with a radius of 2.5 pixels to make the texture smoother. Select the black circle and apply this filter to it with a radius of 20 pixels.

Step 14 We group all the layers and import them into the main working document. Change the foreground color to #e6deb5, take a soft brush and paint on the edge of the eye to add some yellowness. Change color to #d8cea6, open the Veins brushes in Photoshop and paint the capillaries inside the eye. Name this layer "Capillaries".

Step 15 Now let's add an eyelid. To do this, create a base color #00b7d6. Duplicate (CTRL+J) the eyelid layer and change the color of the copy to #007da1. Add a mask to the copy by clicking on the button at the bottom of the layers panel Add layer mask(Add a layer mask), take a large soft black brush with a size of 250 pixels and paint on the center of the eyelid to release its light part.

Step 16. Adding more shadows inside and outside the soft eyelid brush 100 pixels in size and color #0e5a79. Change the brush color to #00425d and draw the outline of the century. Next, hold down CTRL and click on the thumbnail of the layer with the created element to load its selection and create a new layer. Paint a light on the top of the created path with a soft brush of 100 px and color #236e8b.

Step 17 Now let's add light to the outline. For this we take pen tool(Pen) (P) in path(Contour) and create a line, as in the screenshot below. Then activate the brush (B) and adjust it: size 2 px, white color and hardness(hardness) 100%. We return to the pen, right-click on the created path and select Stroke Path(Outline stroke). In the dropdown menu select Brush(Brush).

Step 18 Repeat steps 16 and 17 to draw the lower eyelid, then group the layers together and name it "Lower Eyelid". We take pen tool(Pen) (P) in shape layer(Shape layer) and create lines with colors #0b506a and #15698b.

Step 19 Now let's add some shadows around the eyes and repeat steps 11-17 to create the left eye. Add shadows to the left eye, group all the layers and name the group "Left Eye".

Step 20 - Create Creases on the Cheeks
It's time to work on the folds, starting with the cheeks. Create a shape with color #c2e7f1 and apply the filter Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 17 pixels.

Step 21 Create a selection of the fold, take a soft brush with a size of 100 pixels with color #004576 and draw along the edge of the selected fold. Before deselecting, save it, create a new stripe with the color #add8eb and apply to it Gaussian Blur

Step 22 Load the selection we saved in the previous step, press CTRL+I to invert it, and add shadows to the outside of the crease using a soft brush with color #0d5983. Group the layers with the fold and name the group "Left fold". In the same way we create the right fold.

Step 23 - Create Creases on the Body
Now we have to create the folds at the bottom of the character. To do this, take a soft brush size 175 pixels with hardness (hardness) 0% and opacity (opacity) 50%. Choose a color #0d6897 and paint with a brush in the place where the fold will be.

Step 24 We take pen tool(Pen) (P) in path(Outline) and create the outline of the main fold. Save this outline and click CTRL+ENTER to convert it to a selection. Take a soft brush with a size of 200 pixels and color # 0e547b, invert the selection and start painting shadows on the crease. If necessary, change the opacity of the brush.

Step 25 Add shadows to the lower part of the character using a soft brush and color #0a6791. Change the brush color to #0f5b83 and add more shadows.

Step 26 We take pen tool(Pen) (P) and draw a path to highlight the crease. Next, take a soft brush with color #004e7a and add shadows. Create a selection with the Pen Tool (P) to add shadows, change the foreground color to #007299 , invert the selection and draw shadows on the outside. In the same way, we add more shadows inside the selection to give the crease more realism.

Step 27 - Create Small Folds
To create small folds, we take feather(P) in mode shape layer(Shape layer) and create a shape, then hold down CTRL and click on the layer thumbnail to load its selection. Take a soft brush with a size of 200 pixels and color #0198bd and start drawing shadows on small folds.

Step 28 Repeat step 27 and create more small folds. Group the layers with folds and add a mask to the group to hide unnecessary areas.

Step 29 - Adding Highlights
Now we will add highlights to make our character look more realistic. We take pen tool(Feather) (P) and create a shape for the main large crease, change its color to #ceecf1 and apply a filter Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 15 pixels.

Step 30 Create another shape with color #ceecf1 and apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 25 pixels. Next, create a new narrow stripe with the same color and apply a blur with a radius of 18 pixels.

Step 31 Repeat steps 29 and 30 to add more highlights. Add highlights on other folds depending on the location of the light source.

Step 32 - Adding Highlights to the Head
To add highlights on the head, take pen tool(Feather) (P) and create a shape with color #ceecf1, then apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 40 pixels. Next, create another narrow strip around the eyes with the same color and apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 25 pixels. If everything is done correctly, then the character should look like this.

Step 33 Create a new shape in the middle of the head with color #ceecf1 and apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 46 pixels. The result should be like this.

Step 34 Repeat steps 29 and 30 to add highlights to the character's body and make it more realistic.

Step 35 - Create the Hand
Create the base of the hand with pen tool(Pen) (P), do not forget to switch to mode shape layer(Shape layer). Change color to #00a4cb, take a soft brush with a size of 200 pixels and paint shadows on the hand.

Step 36 Now we will detail the hand. Let's start with the index finger, create a crease with color #006384 and apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 3.5 pixels.

Step 37 Repeat step 36 and create more creases on both fingers. To add light, create an oval with #cfebf1 color and apply Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 7.5 pixels.

Step 38 Create more highlights on the finger by repeating step 37, then add light on the hand.

Step 39 Now with the help pen tool(Feather) (P) create the base of the thumb, change its color to #029fc4, then take a soft brush with color #017798 and add shadows. Repeat step 37 and add highlights.

Step 40 Next we need to create the thumbnail. Create a base and apply a layer style gradient overlay(gradient overlay) with colors #42a51e and #3dd567. Adding a layer style Stroke(stroke) color #008bab and 2 pixels wide.

Step 41 The nail looks great, now let's add a layer style Outer Glow(External glow). Create a new selection, fill it with #d3fdcd and apply the filter Gaussian Blur(Gaussian blur) with a radius of 4 pixels. If everything is done correctly, then the nail should look like this.

Step 42 Create the little finger by repeating steps 39-41, adding lights and shadows where needed. Group all layers with the hand and name the group "Right hand". Then we duplicate the group, reflect with Edit - Transform - Flip Horizontal(Editing - Transformation - Flip Horizontally) and attach to the left side of the character. We call it "Left Hand".

Step 43 - Color Correction
It's time to tweak the colors a bit. Group all the layers and name the group "Monster". Duplicate it and merge the copy into one layer (CTRL + E). Duplicate the layer (CTRL+J) and set the copy blending mode to soft light(Soft light) and reduce opacity (opacity) up to 70%.

Step 44 Duplicate the "Monster" layer, go Filter - Filter Gallery(Filter - Filter Gallery) and apply the filter plastic wrap(Cellophane packaging). Name this layer "Filter".

Step 45 Select the "Filter" layer and change its blending mode to overlay(Overlap) and reduce opacity (opacity) up to 60%. This will give an interesting effect to the character and make it more realistic.

Step 46 We have come to the end of the lesson. Now we need to change the color of the eyes. To do this, add an adjustment layer. Hue/Saturation(Hue / Saturation) and change the parameter Hue(Hue) to -98. Name this layer "Eye Color".

Step 47 Adding vector mask to the Eye Color adjustment layer, select the mask and fill it with black to completely hide its effect. We take soft brush white color and sketch the iris of the eyes.

Step 48 We just need to add a few finishing touches. First, let's add a reflection on the eyes. To do this, create a white oval on the iris, then add a vector mask to the layer and hide the bottom of the white oval with a 50 px soft brush.

Step 49 After applying the filter plastic wrap(Cellophane packaging) You may have noticed that there are extra highlights around the edges of the character, which we need to remove to give it a realistic look.

Step 50 We remove all unnecessary parts of the character: on the hands, fingers, edges of the body.

Step 51 This is the last step of the lesson. Experiment with brushes to create a suitable background. Congratulations! We're done. That's all, friends. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Here is the final result.

(click on image to enlarge)

Popular artist Aaron Blaise shares how to draw dynamic characters in Photoshop using traditional thinking.

In this tutorial, Aaron Blaise will explain how he creates realistic characters and how he uses various references in the process.

1. Create a sketch

Fill the document with a gray color, which will allow you to more accurately place light and dark accents. Create a new layer above the gray background and name it Rough Sketch. At this stage, we draw freely, without focusing on the details. We designate the main proportions and features of the character.

2. Detailing the sketch

Lower the Opacity of the sketch to around 30% and create a new layer called Enhanced Sketch. Now we draw the details - for example, wrinkles, folds, nose.

This stage is very important, since the resulting sketch will be a model (template) for the further drawing process.

3. Apply the primary colors

The main color is the one that our character initially has, without the effect of light or shadow on it. Create a new layer below the drawing layers and name it Base Color. At this stage, the author uses a large brush, reminiscent of a natural brush. The author starts with green as it is the dominant color. Carelessly apply green color to the character.

Next, add other colors for variety. At this stage, you can also work quickly, clearly and without thinking about the details. Time to experiment! The resulting drawing will be the basis for further coloring.

4. Create the first shadow layer

Create a new layer on top of all the others, call it Shadows. Set the blending mode to Multiply. This will allow the base color to be visible through the shadow layer. We start sketching the shadows with the chosen cool color of the middle tone.

At this stage, you can also do everything quickly, but be careful.

5. Draw Direct Lighting

Next, create a new layer on top of the rest and name it Direct Lighting. At this stage, it is very important to remember the temperature of the flowers. The author uses a cool neutral color for shadows, but warmer and purer colors for highlights.

We start painting on lighter areas where the light falls on the character. We use warm green and yellow shades. We can see that our character is already starting to take shape!

6. Denoting reflected light

Create a new layer below the Direct Light layer and name it Reflected Light, then choose a color that is slightly warmer and brighter than the shadow color that surrounds it.

The key factor here is caution and subtlety: draw carefully.

7. Designate highlights

Create a new layer and name it Highlights. Open the Color Picker, select some light color and significantly increase its brightness. Then we draw directly light highlights where it is necessary. The author also adds a glow around the edges and deeper shadows.

8. How to Create an Autumn Background

Next, create a new layer below all the other layers and name it Background. Using a natural brush, very quickly start sketching in the background with “autumn” colors that contrast favorably with the green character.

We draw the background with darker shades so that the character stands out better. Then click Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur) and set the blur to 25 pixels.

9. Use photo references

The elephant skin texture will help create cool skin for our character! Select a small section with the Lasso Tool, drag onto our illustration and lower the Opacity to 30%. Then click Image – Correction – Exposure (Image> Adjustments> Exposure), increase the Gamma value and adjust the Exposure value to increase the contrast. So adjust these settings along with the Opacity level until the texture fits perfectly into our drawing.

10. Set the texture for our character

Next, go to Editing – Free Transform (Edit> Free Transform), change the size of the texture and then select Editing – Transformation – Curvature (Edit> Transform> Warp). Now we can form a texture so that it fits our character in its shape.

11. Add Light Flares to Textures

At the end of this stage, the texture should look like a part of the character, that is, completely merge with it. Create a new layer on top of all the others and name it Highlights on textures. Then choose a fine, thin brush and start painting highlights on top of the textures, where the light falls.

12. Draw spots on the character's skin

Create a layer below the “Highlights on Textures” layer and name it “Spots”. Set this layer to Blending Mode Multiply.

Now, using medium tones of greens and reds, we carefully begin to draw spots and stripes on the character's skin. This will make it more interesting and also help define the shape of the body.

13. Draw the elements in the foreground

Create a new layer on top of the rest and begin to freely paint the leaves and branches in the foreground. And since all this will be blurry, there is no need to diligently draw all the details. However, the author carefully creates these elements using several layers.

When we have drawn everything, merge all the layers and go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur. Set the blur to 35 pixels. This will give the image a nice depth.

14. Finishing touches

Copy all layers with the character and merge them into one layer. Then we make invisible all the original individual layers. Select a tool Blur (Blur tool) and setting Airbrush brush (Airbrush setting). Set to about 300 pixels and up to 50%.

Now we start to blur those areas on the layers with the character that we want to make out of focus. This is done in order to draw the viewer into the main part of the drawing - in this case, the face of the character. And also it will give the drawing a certain photographic look. Finally, we align the image and adjust the exposure and saturation to make the drawing look bright and beautiful.

Foreword

This lesson was born on the wave of euphoria of my purchase of the Wacom Intuos5 Medium tablet. This is a ~A5 tablet with record-breaking pen pressure and tilt sensitivity. 2048 pressure levels and 60 degrees of inclination. The proportions are 16:10. This is a widescreen that fits my monitor perfectly. Those who have a 4:3 monitor will have to “cut off” part of the active area of ​​​​the tablet in the settings in order to maintain the correct proportions.

You can probably imagine what a storm of emotions I had about the acquisition. Because before this pill, I worked on an old Bamboo, which was purchased, if my memory serves me right, in 2007-2008, and maybe even earlier. And well, I won’t lie, I didn’t even use the touch ring then. Because it was terrible in sensitivity and did not understand when I tried, for example, to enlarge the picture by moving my finger over it. It worked every once in a while, if not less often. But I loved my tablet from Wacom and strongly did not want to part with it.

I also had joy because I had the “pleasure” to work on other tablets, I don’t even want to write companies. Terrible, just terrible. We return to the moment when I got Intuos. I set it up and plunged into the world of professional equipment. Well, what can I say to you friends, comrades?! Read below, I will describe everything. Also, I'm not a professional artist. I mean, I didn't study it. Self-taught and I can do something wrong. Don't be too hard on yourself.

The lesson is intended for people who have a minimal understanding of how Photoshop switches brushes and where the eraser is, I won’t show any super tricks. I'll just show you the steps to create a character.

Part 1. Sketch:

Let us take as an axiom that initially we already know in what perspective and what size our hero will be. And keep in mind, friends, that you may be asked to develop dozens of such characters. We will consider only one. And then it will take a long time.

I always start character development or animation storyboarding with a sketch. This is mandatory, especially if the project is not your own, but you work for someone else. The client needs to understand whether you caught the meaning of his idea or whether you still need to work out the details and correct the angle.

We will make a character with you for a hypothetical game of a casual fantasy plan. A hero in such a style as a chibi. With some liberties.

First, let's draw such a blank. I think it will not be difficult to draw such a chubrik. If nevertheless there were any difficulties, at any of the stages. Use any of the sketches below as a basis. And try, try. Only in this way can something be achieved.

Next, we make a more detailed sketch and one more little trick that I use for future animation. I immediately cut the character into separate parts, see fig. 2. Only I do this, if it is initially known that the game will be done in raster graphics, it is not translated into vector.

What the layers look like. Don't forget to name them.

It's just a blank that doesn't tell us anything. Neither about the nature of the character, nor about what class he represents. We will assume that we have Tech. Assignment. the main character is a warrior. Because it is easier to animate, it has no special effects. The fighter is easier for us to consider for ease of understanding the basic steps.

Let's figure out what kind of face a character and his helmet can have. Because usually you can not draw a separate helmet, unless it needs to be animated or the headgear needs to change throughout the game. And we will proceed from the fact that the helmet will be animated along with the head.

We remember that according to our terms of reference we will have raster graphics. This gives us the opportunity to make finer details. And for myself at this stage I create a LAYER OF feathering, where all the hatching is located. A layer that is separate from the path. So that later it does not interfere with the painting of the object. To make it clearer how my character turns out. And speaking frankly, it is easier to approve with the customer. Because not many people can imagine a blank with shadows, and here everything looks prettier to the eye. ;)

Let's have a little rest from the Main Hero and remember that in the preface I wrote that I purchased Intuos5 Medium and I have a few words to say about this tool. Just this is felt when working out small details and shading.

When I was working on an old tablet, with a large increase in the picture, it was clear that the pen was not hitting the pixel I was aiming at. But over the years, I got so used to this little inaccuracy that I no longer noticed it. And now, with the same scale, wherever I rush, the pen always hits where it needs to be, pixel by pixel. Initially, it even created some discomfort for me. I'm used to inaccuracies.

Now this is such a heavenly feeling of control over the drawing that it is difficult to put into words and is explained by such a characteristic of the tablet as the resolution, which in Intuos5 is 5080 lines per inch, and in the old Bamboo it was 2 times lower - 2540 lpi.

We return to the character. At the back of the helmet, I drew a plume, which I will also cut separately later for animation. This will create more interesting opportunities for movement.

If I draw a character for a game, then I try to avoid sharp corners in the graphics, since soft lines do not cause aggression and rejection of the user's image. And we are not drawing an object of art, and people will look at our character for more than one minute, or five, if you're lucky, then for hours. And a person should not have negative impressions from his Alter ego.

To make it convenient for you to work with an enlarged image, you can create a window that will show a small copy of your worksheet. Go to window à arrange à new window for... (name of your document). In English, I don't remember what the points are called. But they are located exactly in the same place, see Fig. 5

As a result, my working windows look like this. I draw in the center, and a small copy of the character hangs at the top right.

As a result, you and I should get something like this template of our character.

As you can see, we continue to draw on the cut parts, and not on one layer. Of course you can on one, but then if you need to animate. You will still cut the picture, and finish the missing.

Part 2. Color and tablet settings.

I'll start this part by telling you how I set up the tablet. Probably, there are more convenient layouts. I did it for myself. The Intuos5 Medium is customizable with 8 Express Keys and a Touch Ring. In the properties of the Wacom tablet, you can set the settings for each application separately. It's sooo convenient. First of all, I set up Photoshop and chrome)))). I'll show you the shop settings.

On the touch ring, I put a zoom in and a brush in. Four actions can be hung on the ring. But I canceled two. Maybe I'll add something later.

Where does the coloring of our character begin? This is the selection of the optimal color.

I made two sets of colors. Sometimes you have to make a lot of sets. Because assignment is blurry. And you have to search. We will consider two options. Light character and dark character.

It's not scary that it's painted clumsily. The main thing is to show the sets and choose a color. For our lesson, I choose a darker hero from Figure 10. Because I think that it is more clearly possible to show the patterns on the armor.

Starting painting, first fill everything with the main color. And select the contour, because the little man will be small in the game and should not merge into the environment. And at the painting stage, I will separate the plume from the helmet (the tail is red). Because he did not do this before.

Outlined character and corrected curved lines.

When you start to paint, first lay out the colors without shadow and light

Afterword

In the summary of the lesson, I can say that someone will draw better, someone a little worse. Someone generally makes their characters differently. I started my lesson, as you remember, in order to tell a little about the tablet on which I am now working. I hope that at least a fraction of my joy was passed on to you, if so, then I was very happy. And of course, I wanted to show those who are interested in the topic how I create chibi characters.

How much time I would spend drawing details, contours and shadows without a precise and pressure-sensitive tablet pen, I'm afraid to imagine. I spent two days on this character. And that's because he wrote a lesson.

In the next tutorial, I'll show you how to animate our character in flash. And you have homework. Draw a sword for this character. Or an axe. Because I will use weapons in animation. Good days. And goodbye!