PERFECT COLOURS AND LIGHTING TECHNIQUES
PERFECT COLOURS
AND LIGHTING
LEARN HOW TO COMBINE SURREAL ELEMENTS TO CREATE A
FANTASTICAL VISIONI
n this tutorial you will learn how to use a
vibrant colour palette and Photoshop’s
powerful layer blending modes combined
with the basic Photoshop brushes to
re-create the resplendent pearlescence of
nature in a digital fantasy painting.
To produce this effect you’ll need to look at
how light behaves, so check out our feature on
p38 to discover more about how lighting
direction affects the way that an image is lit,and also how more complicated lighting effects
such as rim light, caustic light and sub-surface
scattering work. Although we don’t tend to
consciously notice these effects in our everyday
lives, the ability to accurately reproduce them is
what will make your image ultimately succeed.
We’ll be using painting techniques that will
be useful to you even if painting isn’t your
primary method of creation in Photoshop.
These techniques will also allow you to addrealistic and dramatic lighting effects to
composites, matte paintings and 3D work.
For reference, we’ve included a collection of
resource photos on FileSilo so that you can
observe the way that the pearlescent abalone
shells that inspired this piece react to light. You
can also experiment with using these as layer
masks and using photobashing techniques to
add colour and light if you’re less confident
with freehand painting.