(eBook Tutorial) Farp - Photoshop Hard-Edged Airbrush

8/10/2019 (eBook Tutorial) Farp - Photoshop Hard-Edged Airbrush

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FARP : Photoshop Hard-edged Airbrush

By Liz Chesterman ([email protected]), Gallery 8.

I don't often use the ultra-smooth technique of coloring with theairbrush in Photoshop, simply because it's too smooth. This techniqueuses the airbrush with a harder edge on it.

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The character featured, Fyre Uni, is copyright/property of Kelly Meeks.

(images will open in a new window, and load in that samewindow)
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I start with a simple sketch. First a quick pose, then

refining that pose and adding clothing. Sketching is

done with the pencil tool at 72dpi for speed.

Once I have a sketch I like, I blow the document up to

300 or 360dpi and ink it, often with Painter.

Next I'll use the pencil tool to block in an outline of the

whole image, then fill it with the paint bucket tool.

I lock the layer, and using the pencil and paint bucket

again I'll block out the various color sections.

I use the pencil tool because my next steps involve using the magic wand to select

areas of color. If all my areas of color are aliased (ie, hard-edged) the wand has much

less trouble selecting areas without mixing edge colors. The lines on an upper layer will

easily cover up the hardness of the pencil tool edges.

With the airbrush tool on a low opacity (10-20%),

and my tablet settings on vary opacity and size I

sketch in the ring of fire. This I will use as a guide

to lighting on the character, and overall direction

for later when I finish the ring.
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I use the magic wand with antialias unchecked to select

the tail, then CTRL+J to promote that to a new layer,

and lock (preserve transparency).

With the airbrush on vary opacity only, I use a medium

sized brush with a hardness around 70% to sculpt in

dark areas of the tail, then go back to 'sharpen' with a

lighter color, then use screen to add highlights.

Alas, I do not like how the tail looks, so I start over, but

with the brush a bit softer.

This time the tail looks to soft.. like clay or bad 3D

modeling. My brush settings were softer this time, and I

used the push tool. So I scratch this version too, and

decide to move on.

I'll come back to the tail again later.

Next I move onto the creamy colored fur. I want this to

be almost buttery-golden when I finish, but with some

nice purple hues in the darker shadows for dramaticeffect. Using the airbrush on a low opacity, varying

opacity, I use the same add dark, soften edge with light

technique of before.For the final lights I use the

airbrush on screen.

Comment
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I don't often use the ultra-smooth technique of coloring with theairbrush in Photoshop, simply because it's too smooth. This technique

uses the airbrush with a harder edge on it.



I then do the darker areas of short fur, toning in the

same manner as the cream.

Because her hands are surrounded by fire I have to use

somewhat more dramatic lighting, so spots of bright

orange appear on the bits I believe would be most

illuminated.Midway thru toning her hands I decide to

completely illuminate her palm.

The effect is immediatly notiacable and makes for a

more interesting contrast. (Airbrush on screen.)
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The shirt is done in just two quick steps of dark, then

light values. I did it so quickly I didn't think about

stopping to make two different visuals for the steps.

For the skirt I started with the areas I wanted to lighten,

then worked in the darker values on the outside.

Next I worked on the inside folds using mostly warm

shades, and then I went back to the outside surface to

give the folds a bit more depth and light.

This is all done using the airbrush on a very low

opacity, around 10%, with the stylus on varying opacity,

but not varying size. The final highlights use the

airbrush on screen.

Using the airbrush on screen with a red-orange color, I

add splashes of fire streaks and dots to give the hooves

an interesting shine.

I then do the horn with the airbrush on normal.

I like to call this technique 'sculpting,' because I use the

airbrush to build up darker areas of color, then use the

lighter base tone to refine the chunky areas into

sharper refinement, like using sculpting tools in clay to

subtract from the main piece.

The first step of dark shadows are done with a lower

opacity (10%), mostly hard-edge, large brush, stylus on

vary opacity. The second step of darks are done with a

medium opacity, smaller brush. Highlights are first done

with a regular brush on low opacity, then with a smaller

brush on screen.
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Back to the tail again. This time I start off with large

areas of a slight dark, then in the shadows I add darker

reddish shadows. I like the look this time.

Next the highlights with the airbrush on normal, hard-

edged small brush. Then I go back and use a very

large, low opacity (5%) to intensify the bright areas.

I spot-touch a few areas with a small brush as well.

Name

Oct 82003

Elfwood writer:

Oct 82003

Elfwood artist:

*sigh* I had to learn how touse the hard edged airbrushthe hard way. Great job, reallyhelpful tutorial, glad to see

with this tool.

Oct 152003

Elfwood artist:Gotta say, the hard-edgedbrush is my love. That is theonly tool I really use, asidefrom the layers. Good stuff.

Nov 42003

Shadow Moonstone

I have NO idea how to use oreven GET photoshop...am Ihopeless? I want to be good atthe only thing I have everdone well.
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/d/a/danielharris/http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/d/a/danielharris/http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/j/s/jshen/http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/libr/n/e/nessabb/http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/libr/n/e/nessabb/mailto:%[email protected]%22http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/b/e/berkeley/berkeley.htmlhttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/40.jpghttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/39.jpghttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/38.jpghttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/37.jpghttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/36b.jpghttp://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/berkeleyps/i/35b.jpg


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I don't often use the ultra-smooth technique of coloring with theairbrush in Photoshop, simply because it's too smooth. This technique

uses the airbrush with a harder edge on it.



Using the same type technique from the hair I do the

lockes on her feet.

These areas are a little more difficult because I have

more angles and areas of depth to think about when

selecting areas of shadow and light.

For the scarf I change technique a little. I use a layerabove the scarf set on multiply, but with a low opacity,

and using a light reddish-brown, shade the folds.
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I go back to her face and add a few more shades and

accents. Later I will also go back and raise her eye to a

more proper level for her face.

And then the most difficult part, the fire ring.

I start with a large airbrush, low opacity, stylus vary

opacity and begin to smooth over the areas I began

earlier. Then I switch the stylus to vary size as well, andcontinue to work, building up lighter areas from darker

red-oranges.

Eventually I hit a point where I want the brightest

yellows, and start to lay them in with smaller brushes.

Then I put the airbrush on screen, take off vary size,

and work in smaller areas of bright yellow or yellow-

gold-oranges.

Finally, I splash flecks of color, like cinders all over the

brightest areas, and splash a few in the darker areas as

well. I vary using the airbrush on screen and normal toget different vaules of bright.

After the fire ring is completed I consider this piece finished.click to view the finished piece
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(eBook Tutorial) Farp - Photoshop Hard-Edged Airbrush

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