2DArtist — April 2017

2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 136

123

hues make a harmonious painting. It is also
important to consider the reflective light

• adding some oranges and browns to the
  bottom of the body and the brighter grays
  of the sky to the highlights will give your
  main subject the color vibrancy necessary
  to make it more interesting to the viewer.

11

Secondary main subject: If you
are happy with the background,
you can now focus on a secondary subject.
As there is an hour time limit you will need
to simplify your options. You could go with
a dragon hunter – maybe riding a horse or
standing in the field, getting ready to attack
the big dragon. When adding a character
try starting with the basic shape of the
silhouette, using a hard brush. This will make
it easier to see the proportions and pose.

12

Describe the secondary subject:
When you are happy with the
silhouette you can play around with the Free
Transform tool to distort and stretch the figure
to fit into the scene. To add more detail lock the
transparent pixels and start adding some colors,
again using the colors from the surrounding
area. Suggest some of the forms with only
light and shadow. To make the shape crisper
use a hard eraser to give a nice clean edge.

13

Costume design: Taking advantage
of the colors added in the previous
step, start playing with more hues and values,

A silhouette helps you to get the right post for your character

Using a clipping mask or locking the pixels of your layer is a good way to start adding colors to it

Try to break the silhouette by adding things that seem to hang and lean on the body, making it more believable