Here is
a scan of the original sketch out of my sketchbook.
I scan images between 200 and 300 dpi. I take
the image into Painter and "equalize"
to get rid of the grays. At this point, I
cut and paste the entire image back into the
canvas using shift+ctrl+v. This pastes the
image back into the exact same spot. I change
the composite method for the image to either
gel or multiply. This causes all of the white
areas to become transparent and I can paint
on the base canvas without effecting my beginning
image.
I
paint in the background using a variety
of watercolor brushes. I am using paper
textures with lots of character so that
I get exciting colors. I try at this point
to set the color mood for the image. In
this piece I decided that it would add a
little mystery to the image if it was backlit
by the moon. Everything is kept very fluid
at this point. I try not to get into the
coloring book mode of trying to "stay
in the lines".
Look
closely and you can see that I am beginning
to add some texture to the cliff areas. This
texture is made using a custom paper texture
along with a custom variant of the square
pastel brush. I set the grain slider to a
very low value to make sure that I just pick
out the texture of the paper. The grain slider
is around 15 if I remember right. Sometimes
at this point I will go ahead and drop the
image and paint on only one layer.
The
layers are merged and I begin to add color
to the buildings and cliff areas. As in my
traditional art, I paint from the dark to
the light. In traditional painting (except
watercolor) there is very parctical reason
for working from dark up. In digital media
I do the same out of habit.
I continue
to paint adding more color.
I paint
the rim lit areas on the edge of the
buildings and the orange in the windows.
[1]
I decide
to add a little green grass at the bottom
of the buildings. [2]
I invert
the paper texture to fill in the light
areas on the cliffs. [3]
The next
few mages are simply additional steps in the
painting process. I am using the square chalk
variant for the majority of the work. I am
constantly changing the paper texture as I
work.
This
image shows how I am using the same paper
textures but varying the scale to get different
surfaces in different areas.
I'm also working
more on the second set of buildings.
I tend to build
the color up rather slowly to make sure that
I get just the look that I'm after. Of course,
the minute I say this, I'll do something completely
different.
I have also
removed the sign at the beginning of the path.
In this
stage I have added a very subtle lighting
effect to darken the overall image and give
it more mystery.
I
paint in the background using a variety
of watercolor brushes. I am using paper
textures with lots of character so that
I get exciting colors. I try at this point
to set the color mood for the image. In
this piece I decided that it would add a
little mystery to the image if it was backlit
by the moon. Everything is kept very fluid
at this point. I try not to get into the
coloring book mode of trying to "stay
in the lines".
Look
closely and you can see that I am beginning
to add some texture to the cliff areas. This
texture is made using a custom paper texture
along with a custom variant of the square
pastel brush. I set the grain slider to a
very low value to make sure that I just pick
out the texture of the paper. The grain slider
is around 15 if I remember right. Sometimes
at this point I will go ahead and drop the
image and paint on only one layer.
The
layers are merged and I begin to add color
to the buildings and cliff areas. As in my
traditional art, I paint from the dark to
the light. In traditional painting (except
watercolor) there is very parctical reason
for working from dark up. In digital media
I do the same out of habit.
This
image shows how I am using the same paper
textures but varying the scale to get different
surfaces in different areas.
