12
Add shine to the scene
Now I add specular light, or shine. I create a new
layer in Screen mode and paint with a dark blue to
accentuate the shapes on the surface of the body. The
smoother the surface, the brighter and sharper the shine.
By adding large areas of undisturbed shine on the fur,
I show that it’s smooth like an okapi’s body.14
Final touches
Finally, I add shadows under the paws, and some
glow behind the body to create contrast. I may add some
minor details like whiskers, and smudge the edges a little
to make them softer. I also use a custom smudge brush to
create an impression of long fur, or spikes in this case.11
Apply textures from the photo brush
To paint with a photo brush, I create a new layer and set its mode to either
Soft Light (for dark textures) or Multiply (for bright textures). I paint the textures,
controlling the size all the time because I don’t want to f latten the body. Next, I use
my Texture Blender to vary the appearance of the textures.
13
Bring in a rim light
If I have the time, I like adding special effects such as rim lighting. I create
another Screen layer and paint with a dark yellow or orange to accentuate the edge
of the body. This makes the whole artwork look a little more finished, despite it
being sketched so quickly and loosely.
Workshops