10
CLEANING UP
Time to clean him up. I sharpen the face and gun on a flattened layer using
a mask. I add flames on a dark background, shifted with Liquify, then switch to Screen
mode to detail his head. So that it doesn’t seem too regular, I apply a soft textured
background, with Multiply at 13 per cent. Above this layer I add a radial gradient to
give it some depth.14
FINAL STEPS
Finally, I check that the dimensions of the picture fit
the demands of the client and I return to the background to
desaturate the skulls’ colour with the Blending Mode Hue. I
decide to use some elements from an older version, like the
tail and few details of the silhouette that I lost along the way.
After one final review, Hellboy is ready.9
NATURAL BRUSH WORK
I use Photoshop as if I was painting with gouache. I
like using the pressure on my stylus, barely modifying the
Opacity, but I vary the flow, to give my brush strokes a more
natural feel. Using Lighten and Soft Light blending modes,
I give detail to the metal areas. I try a version with full horns,
but I’m unconvinced and return to the sawed-off Hellboy.
13
WARMING IT UP
I boost the silhouette effect and look for the best
effect for the skin texture, without falling into the trap of
overworking it again. To make the colours vibrate a bit, I add
a turquoise-blue layer, with Overlay at 4 per cent, and above
this a dark blue layer in Exclusion mode. It warms up the
picture and leaves a soft, smoky film in the background.
11
BACKGROUND INTEREST
Time to look at the background. Much as when I
blocked in the colours at the beginning of my painting
process, I trace a few tentacles with the Lasso to add some
story. Then I convert to greyscale to check if my values are
correct. I keep adding detail to the picture, referring to
earlier steps to make sure I don’t miss something interesting.
12
TAKE A STEP BACK
At last I pinpoint what was bothering me. By overworking some details, the
face has lost its strength and been softened. To correct this, I work on the lines of the
nose, the mouth and cheekbones in a snappier way and soften the Sharpen effect.
Stepping back like this is necessary to restore the punchiness of the first draft.SHORTCUTS
‘Stamped’ Layer
Cmd+Alt+Shift+E (Mac)
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (P
C)
Add a flattened version
of the actual image as a
new layer in your
document.PRO SECRETS
Experiment
Take risks in
Photoshop, try many
ways, modes and
hues. That’s its great
power – and you can
still undo anything
that doesn’t suit you.In depth | Hellboy caricature