Putting it all Together: A Digital Portrait Tutorial!
This digital portrait tutorial introduces two techniques Photoshop utilizes. First, there is the concept of layer transparency. Using this concept, I will paint in shapes that I will color in later.The other main concept introduces the idea of blending options to create various effects. Using these options, I can manipulate the outcome of the picture by simply selecting a blending option. Instead of going through all the different digital art programs, I will use Photoshop as my main application. I also assume you have read thoroughly through the digital art tools and techniques sections, as it will help you out a lot!  | 1. TRANSPARENCY To get started, first we need to look for the transparency option. When the box is active, you cannot draw on the layer. From the example, I drew in a solid shape with 100% opacity, and preserved the transparency. There are about four layers here. This allows me to paint within the boundaries of the shape without worrying about altering the shape. |  | 2. FACE As you can see, the face is just one solid shape that I colored in. I then turned the transparency to preserve the shape. This allows me to color in the nose, eyes, and mouth with the paintbrush. Then I use the smudge tool and smudged it into place. The only area I am concerned about is the chin area, in which people can see. |  | 3. EYES Create a new layer and draw the shape of the eyes. Lock the transparency of the eyes. Now the pupils of the eyes are much easier to do. Use as many tools as you need, like the smudge tool, blur tool, and dodge tools, to create the pupils. Then I put a reddish shadow outlining the eyes. |  | 4. EYES: REFINEMENTS Create a new layer. This layer will comprise of the eyelashes and eyebrows. The purpose is to give a boundary between the borders of the eyes with the rest of the skin. All I really did was draw little eyelashes strand by strand and smudged it into place. This goes for the eyebrows as well. Repeat if necessary to get a desired effect. |
Now, the greatest thing about learning this method is that it allows you to work on each later separately. This means that you can always go back to any one layer and rework the necessary shadows.Keep in mind this digital portrait tutorial is just one of many ways to paint with your program. As a matter of fact, working with multiple layers is great if you’re doing smaller scaled work. However, the larger the digital canvas, the more memory it will use up. Keep this in mind when you get more serious about digital art. Basically, the larger the canvas, the fewer layers you should use. Anyway, back to the tutorial at hand.  | 5. HAIR SHAPED LAYER Now we are going to work on the layer for the hairstyle that you want. Remember to make sure the shape is solid so you can't see through it. The main purpose of this layer is to define the face as well as light and shadowed areas. Preserving the transparency allows me to color in the shadows and highlights. |  | 6. HAIR STRANDS This step is very meticulous! What you need to do is draw each strand of hair. The more strands you have, the more detailed the picture becomes. It will test your patience! Switch between dark and light versions of the hair color that you desire. Remember differences in hair strand colors will give a more natural look. |  | 7. NECK AND BODY Create a new layer under the face layer. Use the same technique, as the face layer, to color the neck and the rest of the body. Remember to put shadows where they're needed. This part is fairly easy as there is not a whole lot to color in. Use the dodge and burn tools if necessary. |  | 8. CLOTHING The same as all the other layers, this is a solid shape that has been turned into clothing by preserving the transparency of the shape and coloring it. The next step uses a new option in Photoshop. Once I finish the picture, I save it as a *.jpg and import it as a new layer. For this picture, the option is set on "overlay" instead of "normal" on the imported *.jpg. Then I went to filter and selected the gaussian blur filter at a radius of 10. |  | 9. AND VOILA! If everything is done correctly, something almost magical happens to the picture. Remember to experiment in your favorite digital art program to learn more about your program. Click here for the finished product of this digital portrait tutorial. |
Well, that wraps up this simple tutorial. I forgot to mention that this digital portrait tutorial is of a Korean pop star by the name of Kan Mi Youn. It’s good to have references when you’re starting out. As usual, practice makes perfect. So try to do portraits on your own and have fun doing so! Return from Digital Portrait Tutorial to Paint Faces.
Return from Digital Portrait Tutorial to the 2d Digital Art Guide.
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