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Okay, so, this tutorial was done in Adobe Photoshop Elements. It should work with any type of photoshop. You should be able to apply the same techniques to PSP, but I haven't used it for years, so I wouldn't know if they have some of the same features I'll be using. It will NOT work in paint. So, by the way, I am using a base by DHF :) So, anyway, lets get started! Step One
Your first step is to choose a good base. I usually paste it on a 300x300 canvas. Once your base is prepared, we can move onto the next step! Step Two
This is where the really fun stuff starts happening :D I always start with the hair, I don't know why - it just makes things easier for me! Start by creating a new layer. You can name it "Hair" if you want, or if you're lazy like me you can just leave it as "Layer 2" xD This can get really confusing though, so watch out! Anyway, choose some sort of a good hairstyle. I've chosen your regular run of the mill shaggy midlength hair style, with slight bangs :) Draw your outline, and clean it up. Make sure it's a slightly darker version than the color you want to end up with. Step Three
Fill in your previous "Hair" layer, with a lighter color than the outline. Create a new layer :) Group it to your old one, by pressing ctrl+g. This makes it so that any marks you make outside of the layer below won't show! Pretty nifty huh? Your next step is to take a 1 pixel brush, set on "80%" to "100%" opacity. BRUSH, not pencil - make sure the outlines are soft and antialiased! Select the color that you used for the outline, and start brushing on strands of hair. Since it's a dark color, you want it at the tips of the hair, behind the head, at the parting, etc. For more reference, just have a look at the picture :D Step Four
Create another new layer, and group it the same way you did the last one! Take a lighter color than the color you used to fill in the outline, and start brushing on strands of hair where it would be highlighted. I suck at explaining, so yeah, see the picture instead this time xD Step Five
The next thing we're going to do is a little complicated. First, use "ctrl+e" to merge all of your hair layers together into one. Press "ctrl+a" to select the whole thing, and then "ctrl+c" to copy it. Then press "ctrl+z" to undo everything until your layers are unmerged together again. Everything should look the same as before. Then use "ctrl+v" to paste in the hair that you copied. This way, you have a copy of the shading pasted to the hair, isntead of the shading on top of a transparent background. Also group this layer. Take the burn tool. This should also be set low, but larger. Mine is set to size "8" and exposure "22%." You can change the size depending on what area your going over. Depending on your color, experiment with the settings or "range." For her brown/red hair, I have set both burn and dodge to Highlights. Lightly brush over the ares that should be somewhat darker - the parting, behind the head/neck area, where the hair curves. Finally, take the dodge tool. The dodge tool should be fairly small, I set mine on size "2" and the exposure can be slightly higher, mine is set on "26%" but I find that anywhere from "20%" - "30%" works well. Using the dodge tool, brusher over the individual highlighted strands. By brushing over the strands individually, instead of using a larger brush to brush over them as a clump, you help keep them defined. Compare you're burned and dodged layer with how it was previously by checking and unchecking the eye tool on the layer. If you like it, then keep it that way - if you think it's slightly to strong, lower the opacity on the burned and dodged layer to drop down the contrast. Step Six
We are now done with all of the shading on the hair! Congrats! However, there are a few things that can be done to help the hair blend in more :) Create a new layer - this time do NOT group the layer. Go back to your brush. Make sure it is set on size "1". lower the opacity to anywhere between "50%" and "75%". Take a medium hair color, and use it to brush on some strands, and soften the edges. Congrats! You are now done with the hair! Time to move onto clothing :D |
