Digital Character Painting Using Photoshop CS3 (Graphics Series)

433 Pages·2007·22.39 MB·English

by  Don Seegmiller

D C
IGITAL HARACTER
P U
AINTING SING
P CS3
HOTOSHOP®
DON SEEGMILLER
CHARLESRIVERMEDIA
Boston, Massachusetts
Copyright 2008 Career & Professional Group, a division of Thomson Learning Inc. Published by Charles River Media,
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Don Seegmiller. Digital Character Painting Using Photoshop CS3
.
ISBN-10: 1-58450-533-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-58450-533-4
eISBN-10: 1-58450-602-4
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2007931939
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This book is dedicated to my family;
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C
ONTENTS
PREFACE xvii
INTRODUCTION xxi
PART I CHARACTER DESIGN 1
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO CHARACTER DESIGN 3
What Is Character Design? 6
Character Design Issues and Limitations 8
Conclusion 11
CHAPTER 2 DEVELOPING A WORKING METHOD 13
The Need for a Methodical and Successful Way of Working 14
Identifying and Understanding the Problem 14
Analyzing the Problem and Breaking It Down into Simpler Elements 16
Choosing the Best Idea 16
Drawing the Character 16
Evaluating the Results 16
Conclusion 17
CHAPTER 3 EXPANDING ON YOUR IDEAS WHEN CREATING THE CHARACTER 19
Basic Strategies to Help Generate Creative Ideas 20
Learning to Relax 20
Locating Useful Reference Materials 22
v
vi
Contents
Using Wordplay 22
Fantasizing About the Character 22
Using Symbolism with the Character 23
Building the Character Around a Myth 23
Snowballing 23
Visiting Special Places for Inspiration 23
Developing Your Basic Idea 24
Using Caricature 25
Using Humor 25
Using Blotter Pictures 26
Using Exaggeration 27
Using Satire 28
Using Parody 28
Doing Some Expression Exercises 28
Doing Some Five-Dot Action Exercises 29
Using Folded Paper 29
Using Idealization 29
Adding and Subtracting 29
Using Repetition 29
Using Combinations 30
Transferring Characteristics 30
Superimposing 30
Changing the Scale 30
Substituting 30
Distorting 30
Disguising the Character 31
Using Analogy 31
Creating a Hybrid 31
Evolving the Character 31
Changing the Character with Metamorphosis and Mutation 31
Using Metaphors 31
Using Visual Puns 32
Doodling and Scribbling 32
Making Things Look Strange, or Transforming the Ordinary into the Fantastic 32
Using Mimicry 32
Conclusion 32
vii
Contents
CHAPTER 4 MAKING THE CHARACTER REAL BY CREATING A
CHARACTER HISTORY 33
Creating the Character’s History 34
The Character’s Past, Present, and Future 34
The Character’s Everyday Environment 35
The Character’s Personality 35
The Character’s Personality Traits 36
The Character’s Look 37
Conclusion 37
CHAPTER 5 DESIGNING THE PHYSICAL LOOK OF YOUR CHARACTER 39
Describing the Character 40
The Character’s General Physical Characteristics 40
The Character’s Body Type 40
The Character’s Proportions 42
The Character’s Makeup 42
The Character’s Gender 42
The Character’s Surface 42
The Character’s Color 43
The Character’s Facial Structure 43
The Character’s Movement 43
Other Considerations 44
The Visual Issues of Character Design and How to Communicate Your Ideas 44
Conclusion 45
PART II ARTISTIC PRINCIPLES FOR A DIGITAL AGE 47
CHAPTER 6 BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR IMPROVING THE DRAWING,
SKETCHING, AND PAINTING OF YOUR CHARACTER 49
Some Basic Ideas About Drawing 50
Some Basic Ideas About Painting Figures, Hair, and Flesh Tones 52
The Art Part: Sketching, Drawing, and Painting the Character 54
Conclusion 55
viii
Contents
CHAPTER 7 VALUE AND ITS USE IN PICTURE MAKING 57
What Is Value? 59
How to Use Value Effectively in Your Art 64
Rules for Using Value in Your Images 69
Conclusion 71
CHAPTER 8 COLOR AND ITS USE IN PICTURE MAKING 73
The Four Primary Characteristics of Color 74
Hue 74
Value 75
Chroma 75
Temperature 75
Secondary Color Characteristics 76
Color Quality 76
Color Distance 76
Color Weight 77
How Color Acts and Reacts 78
Simultaneous Contrast 78
Color Contrast 79
Using Colors Effectively 79
Conclusion 80
CHAPTER 9 USING LIGHTING ARRANGEMENTS TO LIGHT A
CHARACTER EFFECTIVELY 81
Using Lighting to Create Striking Art 82
The Main Types of Lighting 83
Positioning Your Lights 87
The Color of Your Lights 94
A Last Word About Shadows 94
Conclusion 96
CHAPTER 10 USING EDGES WHEN PAINTING A PICTURE 97
Types of Edges 98
How Edges Interact 101
Edges and Value 101
Edges and Color 102
Where You Will Find the Different Types of Edges 106
Conclusion 107
ix
Contents
CHAPTER 11 BLENDING EDGES IN YOUR DIGITAL PAINTINGS 109
A New Method for Blending the Edge Where Your Colors and Shapes Meet 110
Optional Blending Method 123
Conclusion 126
CHAPTER 12 CREATING TEXTURES AND PATTERNS FOR USE IN
DIGITAL PAINTING 127
Creating Textures 128
Creating Textures from Photographic Reference Materials 128
Photoshop’s Pattern Maker 136
Creating Hand-Drawn Textures from Scratch 139
Conclusion 141
CHAPTER 13 PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES 143
Section 1: The Basics of Photoshop Brushes 144
Where Are the Photoshop Brushes? 144
How to Change Brush Properties 148
Section 2: The Photoshop Brushes Palette 152
Brush Presets 154
Brush Tip Shape 154
Shape Dynamics 159
Scattering 162
Texture 163
Dual Brush 165
Color Dynamics 165
Other Dynamics 169
Section 3: Creating Your Own Photoshop Brushes 172
Creating and Saving Brushes in Photoshop 172
Creating a Custom Brush in Photoshop Using a Photographic Texture 175
Creating Brush Libraries of Your Custom Brushes 180
Conclusion 182