Usually when I get educational work the turnaround is really really REALLY fast (really). And though it’d be fun to lovingly craft a beautiful set of heartbreakingly sweet illustrations, I ain’t got time for that. I still want them to look good & enjoy working on them though, so I came up with this technique. It took be about 2 years of experimenting, but this is how I do it now.
First I start with a sketch. I print that out & trace the lines to clean them up. I scan this into Photoshop as a CMYK image & usually convert it to a sepia tone (brown lines are “friendlier” than black). I clean it up even more & punch up the parts that I want darker.
Then I add my 2nd layer (usually titled “colors” cause I’m so tricky like that) and add in the color. In the layers palette I change the layer from “normal” to “multiply”, which allows the sketch to show through the colors. Genius, right? I add in blocks of color with the “lasso” tool & then clean it up with the “brush” tool.
I add my 3rd layer, titled “Skin Tones”. This is where I start to add texture. I do it on a separate layer because then I can select the whole shape on the “colors” layer. If I put the texture on a separate layer it makes it easier to go back & make changes. Like if I put too much blush on a kid or decide to change the shirt color, whatever.
If I have any tricky patterns, I usually put them on a separate layer too. That way I can make changes easier. For this pic I put the tablecloth pattern on its own layer. I got really fancy & adjusted the perspective on it too.
Next comes shading. Usually with a soft brush tool, black, 10% opacity…
Then I add in the highlights. I also put the border around the thought bubble on this layer.
Sometimes as a final touch I’ll flatten the image (to 1 glorious layer) and punch up the color under image, adjust, curves,input: 45, output: 55.
Tah dah! So do you have any tips or tricks you want to share with me?
Thanks for sharing your process! I just recently read about multiplying layers but I haven’t tried it.
I was actually going to email you with a question, but I’ll just ask you here: Do you use a tablet and if so what kind have you been happy with.
I have a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet, 12×12″ that I got BEFORE I got married. Dude, this tablet is old. But it is awesome & I love it. I got a smaller one to take when I travel, but I like my big fat one when I am working at home. My husband said that the technology on them hasn’t changed too much (maybe just a little more pen sensitivity), and I’m happy with mine.
Have you seen the fancy new tablet/monitors Wacom has? You can draw RIGHT ON YOUR digital image! Maybe in a few years…
Thanks for the info!
I have been eyeing the Cintiq, is that the one you’re talking about? Yes, those are pricey, but make much more sense.