In this last section, we’ll be coloring the hair and eyes with a different technique that was used in the last section.
I know a lot of graphic artist look down on using the Dodge and Burn tool, but the way I see it is that if it gives you the result that you want, then use it! Anyway, it’s not like we’re creating a masterpiece; it’s a cartoon picture!
Okay, so to begin.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Dodge and Burn tool, they’re located here on the toolbar:
Select the Burn tool and open the Brush palette. Make sure ‘Other Dynamics’ is checked, with ‘Exposure Jitter’ set to Pen Pressure. Also make sure ‘Smoothing’ is checked.
Start out with a soft edge, round brush set to ‘Highlights’, with the exposure set somewhere in the 30s percentage-wise.
We’ll begin with the eyes. Go ahead and zoom in around both eyes. We’ll be working directly on the ‘Eyes’ layer, so make sure you’ve got it selected.
Now shade around the edges of the whites of the eye to give them depth.
Be careful not to overdo it, though.
Now, with the Dodge and Burn tools, there are three different ranges for each – Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows. Each works best on certain areas – Highlights work on lighter areas, Midtones on midtones, etc. I’m sure someone somewhere has a far better understanding and explanation, though. Anyway.
So to shade the irises, I select the Midtones.
And shade a bit.
Once you’re satisfied with that, go ahead and select the Dodge tool.
Select ‘Highlights’ as the Range and set the exposure around 35%
Then brighten some areas in the eyes.
And now onto the hair!
Ugh. Hair is my LEAST favorite part. I find it so tedious and boring… which is why the way I shade/highlight hair takes very little time.
So. Make sure you’re on the ‘Hair’ layer, then select the Burn tool again, using the Midtones range and setting the exposure down. I used about 20%.
With a large, soft edge brush, block in big areas of shadow.
Then, set the range to Shadows and reduce your brush size to add some smaller blocks of shadows.
Don’t forget about the eyebrows!
Once you’re satisfied with the shading, switch to the Dodge tool and use these settings, or something similar.
With sweeping strokes, brush in some highlights. Try to vary the pressure as you do so, so that the brightest areas are in the middle of the stroke.
Once you’re satisfied with those, increase your brush size (I used around 80 px) set the range to Shadows, and raise the exposure to around 80%
Then, using broad strokes, add some shine to the hair.
Then, you might reduce the brush size to about 2 px, up the exposure even more, and add some tiny strokes in the hair to suggest strands.
You can do the same with the Burn tool – up the exposure and make groups of thin strokes.
Almost done with the hair!
I’ve just decided that I want his hair darker. So again, I’ll use the Hue/Saturation (Ctrl+U) to adjust it to my liking.
Much better!
Now, to crop…
And finally add a background! I cheated; I used a gradient. Oh, lazy me.
Then a quick signature, and we’re done!
Feel free to comment and let me know how you liked this tutorial, and if you like, show me what you made from it using the “Add an image” link. It’s the first one I’ve ever done; hopefully I’ll make more in the future.
Comments
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Fatima
October 20th, 2008
This was freakin awesome! I can’t wait to get home to try it out.
Sarah
October 20th, 2008
Thank you! Feel free to post your image here if you do the tutorial. :]
Nelson
November 7th, 2008
Thank you for this great tutorial. I’m about to try my luck by buying a tablet soon and here’s one thing that I’m very eager to learn: in doing the highlights, what tips can you give in cases where the scanned/digital drawing did not have a reference? Say, it was drawn straight from the artist’s imagination?
Sarah
November 8th, 2008
The best thing to do when highlighting hair, in the case of not having a reference, is to first decide which direction the light source would be coming from
Once you’ve established the light source, then figure out where the highlights would likely fall in the hair. For example, if the light source was coming from directly overhead, and the character had straight hair, then the largest and most vivid highlights would likely fall closer to the top of the head. Conversely, the heaviest, deepest shadows would fall towards the bottom of the hair. Here’s an example:
[img]http://cerablu.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/hair-strand-examples.jpg[/img]
Juri
November 8th, 2008
Finally found a tutorial that actually works for me!
I’ve been trying to make a decent picture like this for months now without any luck, because i’m just not very good at it and most tutorials are annoyingly complicated.
Thanks a lot for making it.
Sarah
November 8th, 2008
@Juri:
Thanks! I’m glad to hear that the tutorial was helpful.
I’m intensely curious to see how other people’s pictures have turned out. If you feel like it, post a picture or a link to yours. :]
Abdulla Al Masum
December 18th, 2008
Hello!! Sarah,
Its really a nice tutorial for me i have ever found! i wish you live long to provide us such gr8 tips and technique in future.
Brgds//Tasim
avinash
March 19th, 2009
hey it so nice tutorial good dud pls. send me this type of tutorials like making cartoon through brush & pen tools…. i want to learn more about pen tool & brush & skin shading….
Jezabel
March 20th, 2009
thanks for the great tutorial!
makoto
April 3rd, 2009
hey i want to start getting readers to my blog like you! can i pay you a couple bucks to give me a link in your blogroll/links? let me know :)
Jessica
July 8th, 2009
Thanks ALOT!
Joseph
October 1st, 2009
Hey , i have been looking for this kind of tut since april 2009, thank you so much, it was explained in an excellent manner, keep up the good work. I appreciate your efforts. Hope i become like you one day
BoscoH
December 29th, 2009
At 39 years old, I’m just learning to draw. Right now, I’m doing sketches over pictures, then trying to fill in with solid colors, no shading. Parts 1 and 2 of this will get me a long way. And it’s cool to know that in the future, I can step my game up with shading and details. Thank you so much for posting this!
Milo Dodds
November 21st, 2010
I am really impressed with the quality of this tutorial ! Thank you.