A (98)

12

PLACE DECALS

By definition, decals are labels that can be

transferred to a surface from specially prepared

paper. They are commonly used in scale modelling.

In the digital arts industry though, decal also serves

as an informal term used by artists to denote any

graphic element that is prepared separately before

being integrated into another artwork. By using the

Rectangular Marquee and the Type tool, you can

create simple logos that can be used as decorative

details. To integrate them into the painting, use a

combination of Transform tools and painting-over.

11

DO THE FLIP TRICK

Sometimes, there are errors in your

painting that only become evident once you see a

mirror image of it. Flipping your image exposes any

awkward placement of elements or errors in

proportion. To perform this checking method, click

the top-most visible layer in the Layers panel then

stamp visible layers by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/

Alt+Shift+E. This will create a flat layer that you can

easily flip using the Transform command. You can

now look at your art from a fresh perspective.

13

CREATE PATTERNS ON THE CLOTHES

In traditional painting, you can add patterns

on drapery by either making use of stencils or by

doing so manually. Both methods can be quite

laborious. Thankfully, Photoshop offers a certain

solution. Make use of the Pen tool or the Lasso tool

to isolate a portion of the character’s clothes.

Colourise your selection using a Gradient Map which

can be accessed by clicking Image>Adjustments. In a

nutshell, Gradient Maps allow you to apply different

colours to different values in your images, making

them ideal for patterns on folded drapery.

10

CHECK FROM AFAR

There are still certain methods in traditional

painting that should be kept in mind. You shouldn’t

fixate too much on the details. As in traditional

painting, you must look at your work from a distance

every once in a while to check the general

composition. Clicking Window>Arrange>New

Window for [filename] will allow you to have any

number of extra views of your painting. By having

these extra windows, you can evaluate how much

the painting is being changed by the details you’re

currently working on.

09

RENDERING SKIN

After fine-tuning the background, it’s finally time to render the character. Start with the skin.

Concentrate on the facial region first. Her face is the part you have to pay extra attention to because it’s the

one that tells the most about her mood and character. When rendering skin, use hard-edged round brushes

and airbrushes without any texture settings in order to achieve a soft and smooth kind of finish. This will also

improve the distinction between her and the background that consists of hard and rough surfaces.

BRING YOUR PAINTING TO LIFE

USE DETAIL TO EMPHASISE KEY ELEMENTS IN YOUR WORK

Sometimes, there are errors

in your painting that only

become evident once you see a

mirror image of it

PRODUCE GAME ART