Have you ever wanted to learn the art of digital painting?
This is an exciting experience!
Digital painting can truly reveal you from the artistic side, the picture, being digital and therefore not susceptible to destruction, can be a success if everything is done correctly.
In most cases, the technique of digital painting is similar to the technique of traditional drawing, although the workflow itself may be completely different.
In this tutorial, we will create a realistic digital photo portrait of the model in Photoshop. This lesson describes simple steps that will help you in creating complex artwork.
Requirements for the lesson:
- Wacom Bamboo Tablets or Intuos.
- Basic knowledge of the program Photoshop.
- Drawing skills and knowledge of traditional drawing techniques.
Final result
Starting materials
Model
Brushes Skin Texture
Brushes Hair
Brushes Lips
Step 1
Open a new document in Photoshop. Fill the new document gradient 
, the gradient color is #dedcdd and # 4e4c4d.
Step 2
Before we continue the lesson, let’s go Window – Arrange – 2 Up Vertical (Window> Arrange> 2-Up Vertical). Now the original image of the model that will be used as a reference will be located next to your working document, therefore, it will be very easy for you to compare all the performed actions with the original image.
– Create a new layer, while on a new layer, draw a rough sketch of the model image, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 3
In this step, we will draw a rough structure of the model, which will become the basis of the whole process.
1) Set the color tone # b7b7b7, paint over the skin of the model, as shown in the screenshot below.
2) Next, choose a black tint. Paint the model’s hair with black brush.
Step 4
Create a new layer below the base shade layer and the model base. Using a soft brush, create a dark shading behind the model, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 5
Next, on separate layers, we will draw an image of the eyes and lips of the model, as shown in the screenshot below. Just do not forget that this is only the initial stage of the overall concept of the picture, therefore, you can create coarse forms or features, because We will refine all this in the next steps.
Step 6
In this step, we will continue to work on the details of the hair.
1) Select the Hair brush, paint the curls of black hair over the previously painted hair. Make sure that the sharp edges of the curls of the hair are not visible.
2) Next, using the same Hair brush, drag the hair using white shading, creating halftones like in the original image.
3) Draw the details of the hair roots and scalp, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 7
Create a new layer on top of the traced skin area. Using the #dbdbdb color shade, swipe the skin, creating light halftone, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 8
In this step, we will draw a nose. The nose is one of the vital parts of the face, which could determine the beauty of the image, so we need to concentrate, and do not rush to create a nose.
1) Using the #dbdbdb shade, as well as the black color, using a soft round brush, paint the nose. In this step, you will need your drawing skills and knowledge of traditional drawing techniques. For users who own the technique of a pencil, it will be an easy action.
– Use the Wacom Bamboo tablet if you need a more accurate performance. Wacom Intuos5 tablet is recommended. it is equipped with 2048 levels of pressure with a brush, which would allow you to achieve the best result.
2) Next, lightly draw the shadows on the left side of the nose, as shown in the screenshot below.
3) Using a soft round brush, draw dark shadows under the nose, as shown in the original image.
Step 9
Now create a shading on the hollow of the upper lip. Every little detail of the face is very important for achieving naturalism.
Step 10
In this step, we will draw the shadows under the lower lip.
1) Using a soft round brush, draw a shadow under the lower lip, as shown in the screenshot below.
2) Now, darken the area of the shadow under the lower lip, creating the shape of the chin.
3) Create a new layer. On the new layer, draw light highlights as shown in the screenshot below. Decrease Opacity(Opacity) layer up to 41%.
Step 11
In this step, we will work on creating eyebrows.
1) Create a new layer. On the new layer, draw the base of the eyebrows, as shown in the screenshot below. Make sure that the shape of the eyebrows is similar to the shape of the eyebrows, as on the original image.
2) Create a new layer. Using a soft round black brush, shade eyebrows.
3) Next, duplicate the layer on which you spent shading eyebrows, while on a duplicate layer, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filters> Blur> Gaussian Blur). Apply Radius blur(Radius) 2.9 px.
4) Group layers with eyebrows in one group. Apply an adjustment layer to the created group. Exposition (Exposure) as a clipping mask. Set the value Exposure (Exposure) at -7.82, and the value Gammas Corrections (Gamma Correction) at 0.23.
Step 12
In this step, we will work on detailing the face of the model.
1) Using a soft round brush, draw shadows on the eyelids and on the nose, as shown in the screenshot below.
2) Next, darken the previously drawn shadows so that the shadows are more visible and correspond to the shadows in the original image.
Step 13
In this step, we will shade the cheeks to recreate the shape of the cheeks.
1) Create a new layer. Draw shadows in the cheek area, the same shadows can be seen on the original image of the model. This shading is very important, as it determines the shape of the entire appearance of the face.
2) Next, create another new layer. Create an even darker shading on the cheeks, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 14
In this step, we will give shape to the body by adding light and shade.
1) Create a new layer. Draw light and shade on the body, as shown in the screenshot below. Be careful when recreating the shapes of the shoulders, chest and neck.
2) Create a new layer. Shade painted shadows on the body.
Step 15
In this step, we will add light and shade to the axilla.
1) Using a soft round brush, darken the underarm area.
2) Next, using the same brush, draw a darker curved shadow to depict the shoulder joint.
Step 16
In this step, we will work on the neck area.
1) Create a new layer. Draw shadows on both sides of the neck.
2) Next, draw the shape of the larynx in the center of the image of the neck, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 17
In this step, we will work on detailing the neck and body.
1) Using a soft round brush, strengthen light and shade in the chest, neck and shoulder lines.
2) Duplicate the layer on which you performed light shading to make the shadows look a little darker.
3) Create a new layer. Add shadows on both sides of the neck to make the neck look darker.
Step 18
Create a new layer. Create a shading below the chin, as shown in the screenshot below. This action recreates the shape of the chin.
Step 19
Next, draw the shadows in the area of the hair in the left side of the face. This is one of those small details that add more materiality to the portrait.
Step 20
Go to the layer with painted eyes. Apply to painted eyes. Gaussian blur (Gaussian Blur), 2.4 px blur radius to match the shape of the eyes with the portrait instead of leaving them with sharp edges.
Step 21
In this step, we will work on the details around the eyes.
1) Using a soft round brush, draw the wrinkles under the eye, as shown in the screenshot below.
2) Next, strengthen the shadows over the top left eyelid and eyebrow.
3) Do the same with the right eye. Draw wrinkles under the right eye, and also strengthen the shadows over the right eyelid.
Step 22
In this step, we will draw the eyeballs and eyelashes, taking into account every small detail.
1) Using a hard brush, paint the eyelashes on the eyes, as shown in the screenshot below, and then, using a soft round brush, paint the eyeballs as in the original image.
2) Next, create a new layer on top of the eyeball layer. Paint a light gray over your eyelashes on your right eye, as shown in the screenshot below.
3) Combine all layers with eyeballs and eyelashes in one layer. To the merged layer, add a filter Gaussian blur (Gaussian Blur), blur radius 1.0px.
Step 23
Select a Brush Skin Texture. Using this brush, paint over the entire area of the model’s body, as shown in the screenshot below, so that the skin looks natural rather than just leaving it smooth.
Step 24
In this step, we will work on detailing the model’s lips.
1) Using a soft black round brush, paint the lips so that they are darker in color.
2) Draw light highlights / gloss on the upper lip, exactly in accordance with the original image.
3) Draw the shading between the lips, as shown in the screenshot below.
4) Next, create a new layer below the lip gloss layer. Using the Lip Texture brush, apply a lip texture to our painted lips.
5) In the same way, using a brush with a lip texture, apply a texture to the upper lip to make the lips look natural.
Final result:
