The Lasso Tool pt.4

In this video demonstration I'll conclude the lasso painting demo by adding fine details to the beach scene. To show off how versatile the lasso tool can be,...

In this video demonstration I’ll conclude the lasso painting demo by adding fine details to the beach scene.  To show off how versatile the lasso tool can be, I go out of my way to use it as the primary tool for this entire scene.  What made it useful for a quick block-in continues to be useful for small details - it’s just a matter of zoom.  I hope this mini-series gives you a new appreciation for this often overlooked tool.  Even though it will never replace free hand painting, it’s a great weapon to add to your arsenal.  Have fun!

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The Lasso Tool pt.3

As we continue working with the lasso tool, this video demonstration focuses on 'blocking in color'. When painting, starting simple before getting detailed i...

As we continue working with the lasso tool, this video demonstration focuses on ‘blocking in color’.  When painting, starting simple before getting detailed is a winning strategy - so why not start with the lasso?  In this tutorial you’ll see how the lasso offers a nice balance of precision and speed.  In the next  video I’ll complete the study by adding small details - still using the same tools - so stay tuned!

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The Lasso Tool pt.2

As we continue to explore the lasso tool's power for digital painting, this video focuses on keyboard shortcuts. If you've been following Ctrl+Paint for long...

As we continue to explore the lasso tool's power for digital painting, this video focuses on keyboard shortcuts.  If you've been following Ctrl+Paint for long, you know that I'm a huge keyboard shortcut fan - and the lasso tool is no exception.  To help you remember the important key bindings, make sure to check out my cheat sheet to the right.

Keyboard shortcuts matter.  They really do.  In my opinion they're one of the biggest factors that separates beginners from seasoned digital painters.  If you're not using keyboard shortcuts, the tools stop being loose and creative.  Instead, half of your time is spent hunting through menus instead of just ... painting.  So if you want to paint, part of the learning process involves memorizing keyboard shortcuts.

Selection Keyboard Shortcuts

Transform Selection:   Ctrl+Shift+T

Add to Selection: Shift + * Tool

Subtract from Selection: Alt + * Tool

Invert Selection: Ctrl+Shift+i

Deselect: Ctrl+D

Hide Marching Ants: Ctrl+H

* This works for any selection tool: Lasso, Marquee, Magic Wand, etc.

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The Lasso Tool pt.1

Tools like the "Brush" and "Eraser" seem like obvious choices for making digital paintings. But what about the "Lasso"? As it turns out, Photoshop's lasso to...

Tools like the "Brush" and "Eraser" seem like obvious choices for making digital paintings.  But what about the "Lasso"?  As it turns out, Photoshop's lasso tool can be an incredibly powerful addition to your digital workflow.

Ctrl+Paint has devoted lots of time to the brush tool, so it's only fair to devote a bit to the lasso tool.  This is the first video of a short mini-series, and by the end I hope to convince you on the merits of this unlikely tool.

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Welcome To Ctrl+Paint

Ctrl+Paint is over 4 years old, and I've gone through a number of site revisions.  If you're a long-time reader, you're all too familiar with these organizational revisions.  The site finally operates like I originally intended!  With this in mind, I decided it was worth making a quick 'welcome' video to show new users their way around.  

If you are a new user, welcome!  If you're a Ctrl+Paint veteran, hi! I'm glad you're here, and look forward to more years of digital painting videos.  Thanks for coming to the site!

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Color Correction Pt5 - Groups

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Sometimes you'll need to apply color correction while an image is in flux.  Maybe you have compositional elements that aren't tacked down, or you're still refining your character designs.  There are a million scenarios where you might want to apply a set of color corrections to a group of objects. Better yet, you might want to continue moving and modifying those objects.  

Can we have the best of both world?  Yes.  Layer groups and clipping masks are the solution.

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Color Correction Pt4 - Blend If

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As with most aspects of photoshop, edge control is key.  Knowing how to modify colors is great, but only if you can control where you're applying the change.  After all, it's rare that you'll want to modify your entire image at once.  More likely you'll only want to effect a small region of the image.  Masks are one option, but this video focuses on the rarely discussed "Blend If"

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Color Correction pt3 - Curves

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This installment of the color correction mini-series deals with the 'curves' adjustment layer.  For controlling color and image contrast, nothing compares to this tool - but beginners are often intimidated by it's controls.  In truth, I personally avoided it for years.  But not anymore, and you shouldn't either.  Let's dive in!

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Color Correction Pt2

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Today we'll continue to explore the benefits of Adjustment layers for tweaking the colors in your painitngs. This video is all about the 'gradient map'.  If you've never used it before, today is a great day to start.  

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The Concept Art Starter Kit

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Having trouble building your portfolio? 
The Concept Art Starter Kit gives you a path to follow.

The Bundle Includes

Design Basics 1 & 2

4 Portfolio Builders

Ctrl+Paint Store: http://ctrlpaint.myshopify.com/ Full Free Video Library: http://www.ctrlpaint.com/library/ note: This video was originally created for Ctrl...

Available Here: https://ctrlpaint.myshopify.com/collections/bundles/products/concept-art-starter-kit Ctrl+Paint Store: http://ctrlpaint.myshopify.com/ Full F...

Portfolio Builders - When it comes to concept art, planning and brainstorming are just as important as drawing and painting.  Instead of focusing on painting technique, these series ask the question "Where do ideas come from?"  

Each poses a design challenge for you (and me) to follow.  The videos document my progress, and show painting demos.  But the focus is you. What will you draw?  How might you approach the challenge differently than me?  

I might not be able to personally mentor you, but these series are the next best thing. 

Design Basics 1 & 2 - The bundle opens with two series dedicated to Design.  The first, Design Basics, explores the hidden language of images.  Color, material, shape, and proportion are tools to tell your story.  Are you using them to the fullest?  To cover the most ground possible, Design Basics is mostly lecture and doesn't highlight Photoshop demonstrations.

Design Basics 2 continues this exploration of shape language, but takes a more hands-on approach.  Here, shape is broken down into 7 principles - which we practice with drills and exercises.   

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Color correction pt1

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

In Photoshop color correction is just as important as using the brush and eraser tools.  My favorite way to modify colors is the use of 'adjustment layers', and this video gives a short demonstration.  

In the video I make reference to 'Selection Layers', which is a personal term I coined -- to learn more make sure to watch these other videos: 

Selection Layers

Edge Control

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Let's Paint a Rock Pt.3

This video completes the slate study by adding texture and polish. Though there are many approaches to adding texture in digital painting, this time we won't...

This video completes the slate study by adding texture and polish.  Though there are many approaches to adding texture in digital painting, this time we won't be using any photos.  Instead, the surface texture is created with a modified custom brush.

Additionally, the rock's sharp edges are softened a bit by modifying the group's mask.  Both of these techniques are uniquely digital, so make sure to watch the videos linked at the right if you're unfamiliar with the tools.  

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Let's Paint a Rock Pt.2

As we continue with this rock study, the goal is to add detail. To polish. Starting with the basic block-in from the last video, it's all a matter of close o...

As we continue with this rock study, the goal is to add detail.  To polish.  Starting with the basic block-in from the last video, it's all a matter of close observation.  I'll break down large ares of flat gray into smaller pieces of darker gray, and smaller pieces of lighter gray.  It's a process of slow sub-dividing, growing ever more specific and detailed.  

From a technical standpoint, there's really nothing exciting happening here - it's just a lot of patience and 'temp layers'.  Even so, if you're unfamiliar with the techniques make sure to check out the videos linked to the right.

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Let's Paint a Rock Pt.1

Why would anyone paint a rock? One great reason is called a 'study'. The idea here is to add depth and richness to your mental library by learning the detail...

Why would anyone paint a rock?  One great reason is called a 'study'.  The idea here is to add depth and richness to your mental library by learning the details of real-world stuff.  In this case I'll be demonstrating a study of slate, though the same concepts apply to all subject-matter.  If you want your illustrations and concept art to improve, studies are a great way to do it.

If you're unfamiliar with visual research or studies, make sure to check out the videos linked to the right.

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Let's Paint a Marble Pt.2

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Today we'll finish painting the marble, moving from a graphic block-in to a rendered form.  It's worth noting that this polishing process can takes hours or days, so don't be mislead by the brevity of this short video.  Rendering takes time, don't rush.

The true takeaway from this video isn't Photoshop technique - it's visual simplification.  The trick is to allow yourself to look past the details until you've successfully blocked in your image, and only then are you able to dig into the texture.  If you're unfamiliar with any of the Photoshop tools or techniques used in the demonstration, make sure to follow the links to the right to learn more!

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Let's Paint a Marble Pt.1

Beginners often have trouble when painting glass. It's reflective, refractive, and translucent. Scary, right? It doesn't need to be. This painting demonstrat...

Beginners often have trouble when painting glass.  It's reflective, refractive, and translucent.  Scary, right?  It doesn't need to be.  This painting demonstration focuses on the act of visual simplification.  Through working in passes, we'll make the challenge of glass much less intimidating. 

This video showcases the first half of the process: the block-in.  Like a blueprint for a house, this will give us clear set of guidelines to use for the final polish.  If any of the techniques are unfamiliar to you, make sure to watch the videos liked to the right!

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Let's Paint a Tea Kettle Pt.3

Starting with our clean linework from the previous video, today we'll begin to add color to our tea kettle. This demonstration takes a different approach tha...

Starting with our clean linework from the previous video, today we'll begin to add color to our tea kettle.  This demonstration takes a different approach than we saw in the spatula example - the color begins with vector shapes instead of painted brush strokes.  

Even if you don't prefer working with vector shapes, the point of this video is that "Digital Painting" takes many forms.  Especially if you come from a traditional art background, I strongly encourage you to approach Photoshop with an open mind.  Vector shapes might not feel like 'painting' to you, but give them a chance.  You might be surprised!


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Let's Paint a Tea Kettle Pt.2

With the rough sketch complete, today our goal is to create a refined line drawing. The basic principle is similar to working with traditional tracing paper ...

With the rough sketch complete, today our goal is to create a refined line drawing.  The basic principle is similar to working with traditional tracing paper - using the sketch as a guide, but replacing the rough lines with clean contours.  Since we're using Photoshop for the task, the process is a bit different.  

If any of these techniques are unfamiliar to you, make sure to check out the videos linked to the right for more information.   

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Let's Paint a Tea Kettle Pt.1

This process demonstration starts at the very beginning: the sketch. It's common to start paintings and studies with a strong under-drawing, though you might...

This process demonstration starts at the very beginning:  the sketch.  It's common to start paintings and studies with a strong under-drawing, though you might not know how to approach it in Photoshop.  

One approach is to scan a traditional drawing.  If that's your intention, I recommend watching this video on preparing your scanned line-art for painting.  

The other approach is to draw your lines directly in Photoshop.  This three part demonstration explores how to tackle the challenge.  If any of the techniques are unfamiliar for you, check out the in-depth videos linked to the right.

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let's Paint a Forest Pt.2

Today's video concludes our cartoony forest demonstration. The previous video left off with a canvas full of flat colors (not unlike a coloring book) - and t...

Today's video concludes our cartooney forest demonstration.  The previous video left off with a canvas full of flat colors (not unlike a coloring book) - and today we'll add some shadow information and polish it out.  If you're unfamiliar with any of the techniques shown, make sure to watch the videos linked to the right!

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