Today I'm going to layout how I create a painting in photoshop.
First off, I create several color comps and chose one I like the composition the best. In this case I went with "Dark Journey."
First I need to set the scene, creating a shadowy underworld environment with some depth to it. I used a brush made from a cloud, and erased out using the same cloud brush until I got the misty effect I wanted.
Next, I added in a grim reaper-like character holding an apple (death holding life). The skin has been roughed up to fit the character's nature, and making you wonder if that apple is a good idea. I made him sitting but didn't go too far into it since his lower torso will be hidden by his chair.
Now I add in some textures to his skin, apple and robe. I want to be careful here, since I don't want the skin textures and the robe textures to mimic each other, making everything blend together too much- each texture needs to tell a different story.
Death's stone chair is put in. This was a rock stamp brush with a variety of angle and spacing jitter added in. The layer is duplicated and set to multiply, while a different type of rock texture is overlayed in with the opacity greatly reduced.
More clouds are put in to hide the throne and the lower torso. Suggesting shapes is often just as interesting as rendering them, so it's fun to have both. Color is added in several layers. The first is a the specific spot colors added to the piece via layer set to color. A fill layer is also added with the opacity knocked back to unify the scene and a small red eye is placed in the skull socket to bounce the eye between it and the apple. In all the layers, holes were cut to make sure the apple was still vibrant.
A black gradient layer helps direct the eye to the important parts of the piece.
Done!
First off, I create several color comps and chose one I like the composition the best. In this case I went with "Dark Journey."
First I need to set the scene, creating a shadowy underworld environment with some depth to it. I used a brush made from a cloud, and erased out using the same cloud brush until I got the misty effect I wanted.
Next, I added in a grim reaper-like character holding an apple (death holding life). The skin has been roughed up to fit the character's nature, and making you wonder if that apple is a good idea. I made him sitting but didn't go too far into it since his lower torso will be hidden by his chair.
Now I add in some textures to his skin, apple and robe. I want to be careful here, since I don't want the skin textures and the robe textures to mimic each other, making everything blend together too much- each texture needs to tell a different story.
Death's stone chair is put in. This was a rock stamp brush with a variety of angle and spacing jitter added in. The layer is duplicated and set to multiply, while a different type of rock texture is overlayed in with the opacity greatly reduced.
A black gradient layer helps direct the eye to the important parts of the piece.
Finally I add in the background, a mysterious structure wrapped in fog, off in the distance, creating a third point of interest.
Done!
