COLORING A BRUSH IMAGE - TECHNIQUE 3

 
Sample or Preset files are available at the main index Mastering Brushes for Photoshop.
This Tutorial uses the previous two Techniques in addition to a third Working with Half-tones.
 
 
1.) Create a New Document. Go to New > File. Make it 1000 X 600 pixels at 300 dpi in RGB Mode on a White Background. Now, press D on the keyboard to set the Foreground Color to Black.
 
2.) Go to Layer > New > Layer. The New Layer dialog box will appear. Name this layer Circle, then click OK to Create.
 
 
Repeat Step 2 three more times naming these layers as Fill, Stencil and Halftone in this order. Now, go to the Layers palette and click on the Stencil layer to Select. (This is where we'll place the Brush Image.)
 
3.) Select the Brush tool . Go to the Options bar and click the Downward triangle (next to the Brush Preview window) to Open the Brush-Picker. Click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a pop-out menu will appear. Select SD-Halloween. A dialog box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load. Now, Select the brush named Witch 1.
 
 
Go to the work area and Center brush on canvas, then click once to apply. (Notice the tights, this is the Halftone in the image. Anything not Black, White or clear is considered a Halftone.)
 
 
Now, that we are finished with this Library set, let's change the Library back to it's default set.(We will be using it for the rest of the Tutorial.) Open the Brush-Picker again and click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a pop-out menu will appear. Select Reset Brushes . A dialog box will appear, just click OK and the default library will load, then press V to Deselect brush mode.
 
4.) Next, go to Layer > Duplicate Layer. The Duplicate Layer dialog box will appear. Name this layer Broom, then click OK to Create. In the Layers palette... click the Eye icon to the Stencil layer to turn OFF visibility to it's layer.
 
 
5.) Select the Erasure tool . Select the Hard Round 19 pixels brush. Grab the Diameter slider and adjust to 100 pixels.
(If the Library is different than the image below, click the blue arrow (Top Right corner) and a pop-out menu will appear. Select Reset Brushes. A dialog box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load.)
 
 
Go to the work area and erase everything but the Broom brushes on this layer as Samantha is demonstrating on the Left. (Technique 1 being performed here... isolating a element in the image.) When you are finished, press V on the keyboard to Deselect the Erasure tool.
 
 
6.) Click the Eye icon to the Stencil layer now to turn Back ON it's visibility. Ctrl+Click the Broom layer to Create a Selection. Go to the Swatches palette and select a medium brown. (If not visible, go to Window > Swatches.) Press Alt+Backspace to Fill, then use Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection.
 
7.) Click Red in the Swatches palette. Click the Halftone layer to Select. Now, Select the Magic Wand tool . Go to the Options bar and set perimeters as shown.
 
 
Go to the work area and click on Samantha's Left leg to Create a Selection, then use Alt+Backspace to Fill.
 
 
Now, repeat process for the Right leg. When you are finished, press V to Deselect the Magic Wand tool. The Wand will do a fairly good job Creating the overall Selection to this area, however, there will still be small areas that still need to be Filled.
 
8.) Let's use the Navigator palette to Enlarge viewing area. (If not already visible, go to Window > Navigator.) Move the slider to Enlarge viewing area, then Drag red box as shown.
 
 
Next, press B to Select the Brush tool and click the Brushes tab (located Top Right) of program. Select the Hard Round 19 pixels brush, then go to the work area and paint remaining area's of the tights. Change Brush Diameter as needed as you go. (To do so, just click the Brushes tab again, then Move the Master Diameter slider to the size needed.)
 
 
Here is what the tights should look like when finished. Now, press V to Deselect brush.
 
 
9.) In the Layers palette. click the arrow (next to the Fill input box) to Open the Opacity slider. Adjust to 55%, then click the blue bar Top of palette to apply.
 
 
Next, click the Broom layer to Select, then adjust it's Fill opacity to 36%. Both layers will now have a degree of detail showing through these layers.
 
 
10.) Click the Fill layer to Select. Select a light brown color and paint some Color to the Bottom of the broom. Now, Drag the red box in the Navigator palette Upward to a location that allows you to view Samantha's Upper body as shown. Continue painting, choosing Colors and adjusting brushes as needed as you work. Use white for the creases in her dress (It is actually transparent here.)
 
 
11.) When you are finished adding Colors, go to the Navigator palette and click the Zoom Out button to return to Normal 100% screen resolution.
 
 
12.) Time to add the Backdrop. Hold the Shift key and tap M until the Elliptical Marquee tool becomes Selected. Go to the Options bar and set Style to Fixed Size, then input Width and Height to 380 px.
 
 
13.) Select a nice orange from the Swatches palette and click once on the Canvas to Create a Selection. Click Inside Selection and Drag to a desired location.
 
 
Now, press Alt+Backspace to Fill, then use Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection. (Notice the tights have a deeper red in the Circle.)
 
 
14.) Ctrl+Click on the Halftone layer to Create a Selection. (Circle layer should still be Selected blue.)
 
 
Now, go to Edit > Clear, then use Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection. Compare your work.
 
15.) I personally finished my image above by cropping it to a size 400 X 600 pixels. Hold the Shift key and tap M until the Rectangular Marquee tool becomes Selected. Go to the Options bar and Set Width to 400 px and Height to 600 px. Click on the work area to Create a Selection, then place curser Inside Selection and Drag to position. Go to Image > Crop.
 
 
16.) Save the file. Go to File > Save As. Name it Witch-master. (You always want to save the master file with the layers still intact, this allows for editing of things like Colors at a later date without having to redo the whole project.)
 
17.) Next, go to Layer > Flatten image. To finish...go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp mask. Follow settings below, then click OK to apply. (TIP: This filter allows you to click Inside the window and Drag image to evaluate prior to applying as I have done.) The resulting image will be nice and crisp.
 
 
18.) Save Image. Go to File > Save as. Name it now as you witch!
 
This Completed file you will find in the Samples folder for this CD, named Witch.psd.
 
Copyright © 2006-2007 Glenn Schemenauer - Spacific Designs™ - All rights reserved.