[Thanatos]

I'm trying really hard to figure out photoshop and how to paint with it. I'm definitely screwing up too... I'm way too comfortable with traditional media I guess. I find the way photoshop works is unrealistic.

...I guess.

Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to make my paintings in photoshop not look so hard edged. I realize I could smudge it but I really don't like that look. Is there any way to make the colors mix together and not just go right over each other?

Oh yeah, here's the hand I was working on... It's no eye candy. ;P

Any help is appreciated.

*sigh* Staying with traditional media would be easier but... What's the fun in that?

[FSME]

Using the airbrush allows you to go for nice blends.
Also use the dodge/burn to to add highlight/shadows.

[Thanatos]

I'll try that out .... Another question...

I was really struggling with getting the colors I wanted. As you can see in the picture the hand is way too yellow and I can't seem to get accurate colors...

Are there any easy ways to pick accurate colors?

[Torstein Nordstrand]

Hey there Thanatos,

What version of Photoshop are you using? The brush system differs between 7 and 6.

Also, some digital painters like to just paint a preliminary palette straight on the canvas, and colour pick from that by holding down ALT and clicking the desired colour.

[Effigy]

try setting the layer to 'multiply', if that's what you mean

[Oli_D]

Multiply works fine, but I prefer to just draw the initial sketch on it's own separate layer, then you can insert a layer underneath and paint directly onto that. Just a question of what you've got used to I guess

[Thanatos]

More complete...ish.

I found how to set it so that opacity was pressure sensitive. I like it like that a lot more, it's easier to blend the colors I wanted. I'm far from the level of technical skill that I want to be at... But I'm pretty happy with it so far now.

Does anyone have any further suggestions? Keep in mind it's just a study, I don't intend to do a backround/give it any meaning. Just trying to hone my skills.

[the_insider]

that's pretty impressive how you painted the first hand before knowing about the 'pressure sensitivity' since it was all solid colors...i like the updated version of the hand too, looks smoother now---one thing, add more pinks and stuff to the palm side of the hand...it looks too flat and yellow like you had said before...also try not to make the lines of the hand so thick..sharpen 'em up a bit---

[dogfood]

Be very careful with dodge and burn. If you're comfortable with traditional media, you realize you can't just scrub to blend and add black to make shadows.

My advice, though I don't use PS (in my view, Painter does a better job emulating traditional media, though may be less intuitive) is to start out intitially with much, much larger brushes. Block in the basic color and values. With PS you can draw the hand on the layer above and paint below it so that your paint does not cover your sketch. Slowly move to smaller brushes as you add detail, though I often prefer a more "painterly" feel and leave things a bit rough (I have a camera and feel in no way obliged to compete with it, as I'd lose).

Bottom line: start with large brushes, large. Large.

Large.

[Thanatos]

Oh sorry I'm using PS6.

I almost have layers figured out... kind of weird to have this much control of this stuff.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll post an update later.

edit- Maybe I don't have the layers figured out... How do I make it so one layer when I paint on it doesn't paint over the initial sketch layer? Like make it so I paint underneath the sketch? Thanks

[ August 20, 2002: Message edited by: Thanatos ]