Photoshop rendering tutorial:
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From: Scatterbrainia
Photoshop rendering tutorial:
In my spare time, I've been goofing off in photoshop drawing cars... so I thought I'd take some time and put together a small little tutorial for anyone who's interested in learning some basics for rendering in photoshop.
*disclaimer* I'm not an expert. I'm just sharing how I do things, and I'm still learning as I go along too. However I think I can offer some tips to beginners. There are some folks on the boards who make my sketches look like they were done by an epileptic six-year old working an Etch-A-Sketch riding in the back of a Pakistani cab. But they're all too busy with their fancy "jobs" to do a tutorial. So I'll do my best for now.
I'll be happy to answer any questions that I can. Just post 'em up here, and I'll do my best.
What you'll need:
-Photoshop (duh)
-A tablet. If you can do this with a mouse, words could not express my amazement.
-Some time and patience. It takes practice, but everyone can learn to do this, given time.
So: On with the show.
*disclaimer* I'm not an expert. I'm just sharing how I do things, and I'm still learning as I go along too. However I think I can offer some tips to beginners. There are some folks on the boards who make my sketches look like they were done by an epileptic six-year old working an Etch-A-Sketch riding in the back of a Pakistani cab. But they're all too busy with their fancy "jobs" to do a tutorial. So I'll do my best for now.
I'll be happy to answer any questions that I can. Just post 'em up here, and I'll do my best.
What you'll need:
-Photoshop (duh)
-A tablet. If you can do this with a mouse, words could not express my amazement.
-Some time and patience. It takes practice, but everyone can learn to do this, given time.
So: On with the show.
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,586
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From: Scatterbrainia
STEP 1: Sketch!
Start with a good, clean, line sketch. This can be done in pen, paper, etc. It doesn't really matter. If you can sketch on a tablet, more power to you, I can't. I start with a line drawing in either pen or pencil. In this example, I chose pencil.
Take the time on the front end to get a nice sketch. Your rendering will only turn out as good as your sketch is. If you need help with proper perspective, consult a photograph. Don't worry about smudges or stray lines- they can be cleaned up in photoshop.
Scan your drawing into the computer at as high a resolution as your computer can support.
Higher dpi scan = higher (printable) quality = slow rendering in .psd
Lower dpi scan = lower (on screen) quality = fast rendering in .psd
I usually work at 300 or so dpi.
After you scan in your original sketch, take it into photoshop to clean up. My typical order for cleaning up a sketch is as follows:
-Adjust the levels to clean up the white, and crisp up the black.
-Bring down the saturation to zero in order to make a true greyscale.
-Go in with the pen tool to clean up stray lines, and darken others.
When you're done, it should look more like this.
This will be the start of your rendering.
Start with a good, clean, line sketch. This can be done in pen, paper, etc. It doesn't really matter. If you can sketch on a tablet, more power to you, I can't. I start with a line drawing in either pen or pencil. In this example, I chose pencil.
Take the time on the front end to get a nice sketch. Your rendering will only turn out as good as your sketch is. If you need help with proper perspective, consult a photograph. Don't worry about smudges or stray lines- they can be cleaned up in photoshop.
Scan your drawing into the computer at as high a resolution as your computer can support.
Higher dpi scan = higher (printable) quality = slow rendering in .psd
Lower dpi scan = lower (on screen) quality = fast rendering in .psd
I usually work at 300 or so dpi.
After you scan in your original sketch, take it into photoshop to clean up. My typical order for cleaning up a sketch is as follows:
-Adjust the levels to clean up the white, and crisp up the black.
-Bring down the saturation to zero in order to make a true greyscale.
-Go in with the pen tool to clean up stray lines, and darken others.
When you're done, it should look more like this.
This will be the start of your rendering.
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From: Scatterbrainia
STEP 2: Layers!
Once I have my cleaned up line drawing, before I begin the rendering, the next step I take is to set up my layers.
I keep an original copy of my unmolested sketch at the bottom, just in case. I'm paranoid like that: I like to have a backup. At the top, I place the modified/cleaned up line drawing. In between, I sandwich all the other layers I'll need.
The number of layers you use is up to you. I tend to use one layer for each color. This way, I can go back later and change a color if I want. I like to have plenty of layers, and I label them appropriately to stave off madness. Here's an example of my layers for this rendering:
You'll see the original sketch at the bottom, the cleaned up sketch on top, and all the other appropriate layers in the middle.
Keep in mind that I added more layers as I went along. At the start, it was more like this:
-Cleaned up line drawing
-Lights and misc.
-Flat black
-Body
-Windows
-Wheels
-Tires
-Ground
-Original sketch
With your layers set, you're ready to start assigning color to each layer.
Once I have my cleaned up line drawing, before I begin the rendering, the next step I take is to set up my layers.
I keep an original copy of my unmolested sketch at the bottom, just in case. I'm paranoid like that: I like to have a backup. At the top, I place the modified/cleaned up line drawing. In between, I sandwich all the other layers I'll need.
The number of layers you use is up to you. I tend to use one layer for each color. This way, I can go back later and change a color if I want. I like to have plenty of layers, and I label them appropriately to stave off madness. Here's an example of my layers for this rendering:
You'll see the original sketch at the bottom, the cleaned up sketch on top, and all the other appropriate layers in the middle.
Keep in mind that I added more layers as I went along. At the start, it was more like this:
-Cleaned up line drawing
-Lights and misc.
-Flat black
-Body
-Windows
-Wheels
-Tires
-Ground
-Original sketch
With your layers set, you're ready to start assigning color to each layer.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,586
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From: Scatterbrainia
STEP 3: Blocking in the color.
Once your layers are ready, change the layer mode of the top sketch to: MULTIPLY. This option is in the pull down menu of the layers pallet, directly underneath the Layers tab. By default, it is set to NORMAL. Changing it to Multiply will make everything that is white become transparent, allowing you to paint underneath the layer, while the lines still show.
Start with a layer that will be prominent, and begin to paint on it. I choose a bright color, and begin blocking out the area for that layer. The reason behind using a bright color, is that it's better to see where you're painting. Don't worry about shading or color, only worry about putting color where it needs to go. Everything else can be changed later.
Here I have begun to shade the BODY layer, the "lights" layer, as well as some of the "flat black" layer:
You can see, the pink is the body, the blue is the lights, and the green is the flat black. Choosing bright colors will also help you keep track of your layers at quick glance. You'll be able to tell what parts are grouped on the same layer easily.
As you can see, it's all block color for now. Don't worry, it starts to look better.
Here's what it looks like with each layer blocked in completely. At this point, every part of the car that's going to be "painted" should have color on it, and be on a particular layer. Ricer paint anyone?
Once your layers are ready, change the layer mode of the top sketch to: MULTIPLY. This option is in the pull down menu of the layers pallet, directly underneath the Layers tab. By default, it is set to NORMAL. Changing it to Multiply will make everything that is white become transparent, allowing you to paint underneath the layer, while the lines still show.
Start with a layer that will be prominent, and begin to paint on it. I choose a bright color, and begin blocking out the area for that layer. The reason behind using a bright color, is that it's better to see where you're painting. Don't worry about shading or color, only worry about putting color where it needs to go. Everything else can be changed later.
Here I have begun to shade the BODY layer, the "lights" layer, as well as some of the "flat black" layer:
You can see, the pink is the body, the blue is the lights, and the green is the flat black. Choosing bright colors will also help you keep track of your layers at quick glance. You'll be able to tell what parts are grouped on the same layer easily.
As you can see, it's all block color for now. Don't worry, it starts to look better.
Here's what it looks like with each layer blocked in completely. At this point, every part of the car that's going to be "painted" should have color on it, and be on a particular layer. Ricer paint anyone?
