Tutorials
Usually I start out with a rough idea in my head and try to get my hand
to express my inner pictures. For that I work in Photoshop on a PC. Of course I use a Wacom,
in my case with a drawing area of 31x23 cm. That’s a proper size for me. I don’t sketch much with pencil and paper,
except when communicating with clients. But when I do, I scan it in and draw on top in the computer.
Well, I usually start out with a low resolution, maybe 500x280 or a ratio close to the output.
Then I make a new transparent layer and draw with a hard brush and very rough, too. Working in layers,
I get the simple shapes in place graphically. I move them around, erasing and painting etc.
When almost satisfied, I lock transparency and start shaping the forms and figures, getting
the light directions right. It's important that I get the drawing almost completely established in
greyscale, since it's the base of the next step.
When I’m satisfied, I start adding photographic textures according to any kind of filtering,
i.e. “overlay, multiply” or whatever looks or feels right and also introducing colours. In the
case below, I've photographed a cardboard box. It's funny to see how, all of a sudden, the
rough drawing gets a somewhat realistic look, because of the already established greyscale.
Mostly I don’t use the filters for their purpose, I like the chaotic artifacts you get this way.
- Don't be afraid to try even the most far out textures, like bricks, grass, bark, concrete, stones,
paper, skin, hair, your lunch, you name it...!
All of a sudden, I have a chaotic number of layers and have to collapse some of them.
(This doesn’t mean I don’t work on these parts of the picture; I just add new layers and go on…)
I usually fill a large part of the frame with texture, and in order to erase unnecessary areas by using the (ctrl+press specific layer)
masks from different layers.(uh, get it?)
This way I add final details and correct minor things, like adding the small person in the tower.
When I feel finished, at this level I use the sketch as a production illustration if needed.
Finished.
If approved I scale up the sketch to something like 150-200% of the output scale.
That is the 500x280 is scaled up to 2880x1620, if the output is 1920x1080.
Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the technical demands.
At this stage I start adding photographic references as textures. Actually I use the same
techniques as before. A lot of trial and error, always keeping the overall look in mind.
The rest is hard work. But if the basic drawing is in place, it comes more easily than if it isn’t.
And if I don't do the compositing myself, I usually burn a CD and pass it on.....
Good luck :)