Digital Art - Week Two

For this module I have to take some of the work I have completed in various sketchbooks and digitally manipulate it.

There are a number of ways and various computer programs I can use to achieve this result. 

• Photoshop - Manipulating and cleaning up images, digital painting and effects.
• Adobe Illustrator - Live tracing, patters and compatible with the laser cutter.

I am already familiar with both of these programs and know which to use to achieve a specific result.

First I need a sketch.

This one from one of the many life drawing work shops, is one of my favorites.

With the image selected, all I need to do is translate it into a format the computer can understand. I can either take a picture of the page using my phone, or scan it into the computer directly. Both will work, however the scanner will give the clearest result.

Once we have a digital copy of the work, we then need to open up this saved JPEG in photoshop, clean up the line work and brighten the background colour.

This is the result of the clean up process. I first brightened the original colours, until I had the cleanest black and white image. Then using the 'Magic Wand' tool, I selected each segment of white and 'cut' it away. (Making the background layer another colour other than white can help identify any unwanted white segments on the layer you're working on). I continued this process until I had nothing but the black line work on layer one. 

Photoshop has a number of tools which can speed the process along. The 'Magic Wand' tool is the one I have used the most to this point. With it I was able to select only the darker line work of the original sketch, and paint them dark green without smearing the rest of the layer.

Layers are also a wonderful asset to the digital artist. Having portions of the work on multiple layers allows changes to be made and mistakes easily corrected, without interfering with other sections, that do not need any alteration.

Here I have used the 'Magic Wand' tool once again to select the original line work and 'Copy and Paste' two more into the piece. Each copy is placed on a separate layer, allowing me to manipulate each one in a different way, without adversely affecting the others.

By creating multiple layers and altering colour, size, opacity and positioning, I now have this almost blurry effect.

Here I have added another layer, independent of the line work and painted in some tonal values to the skin using the paintbrush tool. The paintbrush took is one of the most diverse tools photoshop has to offer, with multiple options, brush types and additional settings to play with, one can create a truly unique effect.

At this point and with multiple layers to play with, it is always a good idea to change the order of these layers as the overall effect of the piece can be altered, sometimes for the better.

Now there are some tonal values to the face of the woman in the image, it doesn't feel so flat. Now it has a more 3D or lifelike feel.

Here is the finished image.

With the line work and the tonal values complete, the image still felt unfinished. The model who posed for the original sketch was very colourful, dressed in a multicoloured dress, large green wig and bright make-up. My original sketch (while nice enough) failed to capture the drama of these colours.

The final layer, I decided, should represent just how colourful she was.

I used the brush tool to create the splashes, before selecting these 'splash' shapes with the 'Magic Wand'. This allowed me to paint each splash independently with another brush type, one with a soft edge, creating a gradient effect and allowing the colours to bleed into one another.

Over-all I am pleased with his image. The end result is very dynamic, the softness of her expression invokes calm and stillness compared with the energy and motion of the paint.