Realizing that my previous method for producing CGs could never scale to elaborate backgrounds, I decided it was time to learn how to properly use brushes. Thus, I have completely banned myself from using the smudge tool for this exercise. The smudge tool is wonderful, but also a big crutch. It creates a nice blend with more personality than a blurring filter. However, the process of first laying down solid colors and then going back over and having to smudge the rest of the way made it tedious and nearly impossible to handle anything requiring large textured spaces or numerous objects.
The alternative is to use Photoshop as if it were equivalent to a real paint set, as most CG artists do. I’ve begun exploring the different brush settings which are possible. Most of this image was produced using a ~20% opacity 70% flow fuzzy brush with wet edges and a basic watercolor paper texture. This made it worlds easier to give life to a generic landscape background with only one pass.
This particular exercise, I decided to go with the concept of a locale where a character returns to at different points in her life. I redrew her five times in all: at age 11, when she is a young bookworm; at age 15, when she is a rebellious poet; at age 18, when she obsesses over mainstream fashion; at age 28, when she is holding her newborn child; and at age 37, when the generation comes full circle and the daughter is now old enough to appreciate the beauty of the view with her mother.
Her meadow when she was 11
Her meadow when she was 15
Her meadow when she was 18
Her meadow when she was 28
Their meadow
I’m only barely scratching the surface of what Photoshop is capable of, so I look forward to doing a few more exercises when I get the chance! Thanks of course to tips found all over the web.
Leave a Reply