Digital Painting Progression IV

The first overview of my digital painting routine is so out of date [and thus inaccurate] that I decided to make this updated version. Please note that these progressions are very general and are only meant to help answer people who ask out of curiosity "how I make digital paintings." This probably won't be very useful as a serious tutorial (though I'm always happy to answer questions).

•Tools• Adobe Photoshop CS6, Wacom Bamboo tablet

•1• Outline sketch is drawn. Grids are sometimes used to get proportions as perfect as possible.
•2• Large blocks of color are put down "coloring book style" with the brush tool.
•3• The background may be completed at varying points in the process depending on the painting. (In other words, I get to it when I feel like it.)
•4• Dodge and burn are used to "sketch" out shadow and highlight locations.
•5-6• A wider range of color variations is added using smaller strokes of the brush tool. Burn, dodge, sharpen, and noise may be used for this purpose as well.
•7• Smudge and blur are used to blend brushstrokes and diminish graininess.
•8• Painting is "cleaned up" before final detail work is done. This includes minor facial feature tweaks, edge sharpening, and color/lighting adjustments.
•9• Smallest details (like skin texture, individual hairs, iris patterns in eyes, and fabric texture) are added using dodge, burn, sharpen, and texture brushes. Final adjustments to color and contrast are made if necessary.

See the full-sized deviation for full info and references.

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