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[ 33 ]› › DOWN & DIRTY TRICKSPhotoshop does have some filters that can
approximate the appearance of a sketch, but
frequently those look very mechanical and
filtered. If you have the skill to actually draw
a self-portrait, you might not even need the
filters. The suggested approach is to use the
filter to generate the basic set of lines and use
that as a guide to aid the hand sketching. The
use of a pressure-sensitive drawing tablet will
make projects like this considerably easier,
because they can translate pen pressure into
line width or opacity, and this feature alone
gives a much more realistic result.
So grab a self-portrait image (or use the
model photo provided) and join us on this
adventure of creating a fun and creative
self-portrait!
Step One: While the entire point of a self-
portrait is to draw yourself, we’ve provided a
model image to use so you can follow along.
Download the image from the link below
and open the file SelfPortraitModel.jpg. If
you want to perform any standard type of
portrait touch-ups, like removing blemishes
with the Spot Healing Brush tool (J), this is
the time to do it.
[KelbyOne members may download the
file used in this tutorial at http://kelbyone
.com/magazine. All files are for personal
use only.]
Step Two: Transform the image into a smart
object by going to Layer>Smart Objects>
Convert to Smart Object. This allows for
smart filtering, so any filter settings can be
readjusted later on. Go to Filter>Camera Raw
Filter. In the Basic section, increase the Clarity
to +20 and the Vibrance to +38. Then switch
to the Detail tab and increase the Lumi-
nance Noise Reduction to 34. This will help
the image look more illustrated and provide
richer color tones and contrast. Click OK to
apply the filter to the image and return to the
main Photoshop workspace.
Kirk Nelson