I love sketching complex subjects with simple tools. In this video I sketches two flowers from photo reference, and discuss the challenges involved. In my mind, using limited tools (charcoal, needed eraser) is equally relevant with traditional media and Photoshop. No matter the format, simple tools are a great way to learn visual problem-solving skills. What will you sketch?
In the previous video I demonstrated a simple sketching exercise, in which I drew cups. This video also has a simple subject (apples), though I approach it with a totally different technique. Here tone comes first, followed by line - showing that there's no single 'best' way to sketch, even when the tools are very limited. If you want to use the brushes I'm demonstrating here, or would like to learn more about sketching on your tablet, make sure to check out the Digital Sketching Starter Kit!
Sketching in Photoshop is tough. We're using a stylus instead of a pencil. Moreover, it's likely that your hand is in a different place than your monitor - making hand-eye coordination even harder. But it's worth the challenge. So let's practice!
In this video I demonstrate a great, basic, exercise. Whether you use it as a warm-up before painting, or simply to improve your technique - it's an essential practice. Though you can use any brushes you like, I'm a big fan of 'tool presets'. Having these presets ready ahead of your painting allows you to focus on the creative part, not the technical part.
If you'd like to know more about the brushes I'm using here, or want more in-depth instruction on digital line art - check out the new bundle: Digital Sketching Starter Kit!
The Bundle Includes
This collection walks you through the process of sketching digital lines in Photoshop. It includes Custom Brushes, 6 video series (total run-time 371 minutes), exercises, and drills. Each series focuses on a specific aspect of line art - from basic line control to advanced sketching. For an overview of each series, check out the preview videos below.
Video Previews
Gesture drawing is an essential practice. Whether you're working with traditional or digital media, it's a great way to warm up. In today's video I'll show a fun source of reference material for you to use as inspiration: a website called Sketchfab.com. Instead of traditional photo reference, these images are actually interactive 3d models - allowing you to move the camera freely. Have fun!
As I showed in the previous videos, we have a lot of options when it comes to customizing Photoshop workspaces. Once you understand the rules, the question becomes ‘what tools do I need for my process?’. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so I can’t prescribe a perfect layout.
In this video my challenge was to dissect one aspect of my process, and to give it a tailored workspace. I chose ‘color grading’, which is a short but crucial phase in my painting process. As you’ll see, color grading requires many more panels than I generally have on-screen - which is a bit overwhelming at first. But it’s a great example of conditional tools: they’re only on-screen when I need them, and hidden the rest of the time. But this is just my example, what workspace will you design?
Now that you’ve seen some useful Photoshop panels, it’s time to see how they snap together. Over the years Adobe has done a great job allowing the user to tailor their workspace, and one of my favorite aspects is the modular snapping system. Whether you want to use tabbed panels, full-height columns, split vertical layouts… it’s all simple and clean. In this video I’ll show how to use the tools, and you’ll be up and running in no time! Afterwards, I encourage you to pick an aspect of your workflow that could benefit from unique tools - and design your very own workspace. I’ll be doing the exact same thing between now and next video, so stay tuned to see how mine turned out!
Plugins and software mentioned in this video:
Strokes Plus (windows only - not limited to PS)
Lazy Nezumi Pro (windows only - not limited to PS)
An often overlooked way to improve Photoshop is 3rd party plugins. If you’re unaware, this is an entire marketplace of software that adds special functionality to Photoshop - generally aimed at niche workflows. Sadly, much of this marketplace caters to graphic designers, app designers, and photographers - but it’s worth taking a look. As I mention in the video, some plugins are a challenge to install. Due to changing versions of CC, and a wide variety of plugin authors, the process can be a bit… frustrating. But they’re cheap enough to make the struggle worthwhile.
On a traditional drawing desk, one of the most important elements is the pencil cup. Or paint brushes. Or pen pouch. It’s the collection of currently relevant tools for the artist, though it’s probably not their entire tool collection. Photoshop might seem different at a surface level, but the same strategy applies. You’ll make better art if you’re able to work with a small subset of your tools - the ones that are relevant to the current painting. Photoshop offers two different solutions to this problem: tool presets and custom brushes. Which is better? This video takes a look at both options, and makes some suggestions for your tailored digital workspace.
"Less is more" is a common sentiment in the design community. As we eliminate the unnecessary, what remains becomes essential. This is as relevant to UI layout as it is to poster design, so today I'll examine Photoshop Panels worth eliminating. Additionally - designing a custom layout is just easier when you start with fewer options to consider! So let's get rid of some panels.
* You might still need them. As you'll hear in the video, every artist has different needs. This list is actually a collection of the panels I don't need.
Before you build a house, you'd want to make sure you picked the best piece of land. Maybe it's near your office, or perhaps it's by the beach - either way, location matters. As you tailor digital painting software to meet your needs, the first step is to understand the value of your screen space, just like a plot of land. As I explain in the video, certain parts of your monitor are more valuable than others!
In the years that I've spent digital painting, the 'interface' (screen layout) has become increasingly important. Take control of you interface, and painting becomes a much more natural exercise. When left in a default mode, you're faced with unnecessary clutter and uncomfortable keyboard shortcuts. So if you're investing your time in painting software, you owe it to yourself to take control of the interface.
Today we complete our look into designing with rotational symmetry in Photoshop. In this video I showcase the amazing power of "Smart Objects" - and how they can allow for experimentation and iteration.
If you're curious about Smart Objects, here's another great video to check out: Real-Time Design With Smart Objects.
This symmetry tutorial continues where the previous video left off. With a under-drawing created in SumoPaint, now it's time to refine the image into a clean, layered, painting. To re-create this yourself, a bit of math is required. My example took the easy way out: 4 segments / 360 degrees = 90 degree rotation. More frequently the rotation won't be so clean -- but the formula is the same: 360/ #of segments.
In the next video I'll show an even more advanced version of this technique, allowing for more experimentation. Stay tuned!
Do you know how to paint a rotationally symmetrical design like the one pictured to the right? Perhaps. With pencil and tracing paper it's possible, but time consuming. In Photoshop, it's time consuming as well. Is there a better way? To give you a peek into my concept art process, this three part mini-series shows an effective way to design rotationally symmetrical objects.
It starts in sumopaint.com, which is a free website. This rare departure from Photoshop is all about design flow: SumoPaint automates the symmetry. Though the results are fluid, they're not pretty -- so we'll return to Photoshop for refinement in the next video.
Organizing your artwork into 'Project Folders' is a great idea. But once you've done it, what happens when you want to browse all of the projects' images simultaneously? "Saved Searches" are the key. It's a useful skill, and one often overlooked by windows users.
Did you miss the earlier videos about organization? Here's one about folder structure.
If you're a Mac user, what similar technique exists? I'm sure it's easy - so share it with us in the comments below.
It was about this time 5 years ago that I started recording videos for Ctrl+Paint. A lot has changed since then - and I'm honored you guys have supported the project with such enthusiasm. This video will probably make its way to the 'About' page at some point, but for now - enjoy a quick look behind the scenes. Have fun painting!
The short version: I care a lot about beginners!
Part 1 and Part 2 showed how to make a mirror action. This video demonstrates why: thumbnail sketching is made so much easier with symmetry! Though this is only one use for the technique, I suspect you'll have no trouble envisioning others.
Sometimes your best intentions don't quite measure up. That's what happened to our "Symmetry Action" in the previous video: everything was working... until it wasn't. Unexpected roadblocks like this are part of life when it comes to automation - so learning to debug and re-engineer is essential. In today's video I'll demonstrate a revised version of the symmetry action, and show how I got there .
As a concept artist, Symmetry is extremely useful. Thumbnail sketches, character designs, icons and more: symmetry saves time. But Photoshop's mirror feature wasn't designed with illustrators in mind. So let's fix the problem! In this two part mini-series, I'll demonstrate how to design and build your very own symmetry action in Photoshop.
Though the example used here is 'symmetry', Photoshop actions can be used for a huge variety of roadblocks. What action will you design?
