pages

49
of
tutori
als ins
102
ide!
Issue 102 | June 2014

Make it as a
concept artist Geoffrey Ernault offers indispensable
advice on how to break into the industry

CARICATURE
PAINTING TIPS
Mark Hammermeister
divulges the art of painting
the perfect female caricature

Create
creature
concepts
Adapt
Kamil Murzyn shares tips and
tricks for painting creatures

interior
lighting
Discover how Nacho Yage alters
the lighting and mood of a midday
scene into a scene at dusk


+plus
10 of the best digital images
Transform your sketches Sketching with texture brushes
Luky shares her top tips for Master atmospheric lighting effects
taking your sketches to the Design narrative compositions
next level and much more!
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Editors Letter KEEP UP TO DATE

Welcome to the June issue of WITH 3DTOTAL!

2dartist magazine!
Many artists working in the film and videogame
industries tell us about the importance of not only facebook.com/3dtotal
facebook.com/layerpaint
working quickly, but having the ability to adjust scenes
and create variations at the drop of the hat. In this twitter.com/3dtotal
twitter.com/layer_paint
issue of 2dartist, we take a look at the techniques and
youtube.com/
processes to speed up and improve these skills! 3dtotalpublishing
JESS SERJENT-TIPPING vimeo.com/3dtotal
Deputy Editor Nacho Yage and Darek Zabrocki share a wealth of vimeo.com/layerpaint
knowledge when it comes to manipulating lighting and pinterest.com/3dtotal
creating a diverse range of moods with speed!
instagram.com/3dtotal
Geoffrey Ernault proves that with practice comes
speed... and a great career, as he shares an insight into
how he made it as a concept artist.

Contributors
GEOFFREY ERNAULT MARK HAMMERMEISTER
Geoffrey has been digital painting for over six years. He Mark Hammermeister is an award-winning illustrator
started freelance work about three years ago and is from the Detroit area. His clients include LucasFilm and
now working at Guerilla Games as a concept artist. He Playboy, and he has received awards from 3X3, Creative
discusses his career and the THU festival. Quarterly and ImagineFX.

LUCY MAZEL (LUKY) DAREK ZABROCKI

Lucy graduated in 2009 from a private art school and Darek Zabrocki is a freelance concept artist and illustrator
has worked as an illustrator and comic-book artist ever living in Gdansk, Poland. He began painting as a hobby
since. Notable works include being published in French before switching to digital art, where he now boasts 20th
magazines and books, and collaborating with art galleries. Century Fox and Fantasy Flight Games as clients.

DONGLU YU KAMIL MURZYN

Donglu Yu is a senior concept artist working at Ubisoft Kamil Murzyn is a 3D generalist from Poland,
Montreal. She has worked on game titles such as working for mobile gaming. In his spare time, he
Assassins Creed Brotherhood, Assassins Creed III, Assassins likes to draw, paint and sculpt creature concepts
Creed IV: Black Flag and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. and character designs.

NACHO YAGE AEKKARAT SUMUTCHAYA

Nacho Yage is a concept artist in the videogame industry Aekkarat Sumutchaya is currently working as an art
who has worked on projects such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist director as co-founder of ANIMANIA, an animation
and the upcoming Assassins Creed: Unity. He currently studio located in Bangkok, Thailand. He layers his
works at Ubisoft Toronto (Canada). imaginative ideas with stories and personal opinions.

2 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Magazine.
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Jess Serjent-Tipping
jess@3dtotal.com

Sub Editor
Jenny Newell

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Aryan Pishneshin

Publishing Co-ordinator Get the most out of it!

Adam Smith
If youre having problems viewing the double-page spreads that we feature within
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Disclaimer
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3dtotal.com Ltd. Artwork that
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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Contents Issue 102

006_ Make it as a concept artist
Geoffrey Ernault reveals how he made it to where
he is in the industry today

021_ Transform your sketches

Luky shares her top tips for taking your sketches
to the next level

032_ The gallery

Franois Baranger and Edvige Faini feature in this
issues gallery selection of our top 10 images

052_ Sketching with texture brushes

Donglu Yu reveals ways to generate ideas using
reference images, sketching and texture brushes

060_ Adapt interior lighting conditions

Discover how Nacho Yage alters the lighting and
mood of a midday scene into a scene at dusk

068_ Caricature painting tips

Mark Hammermeister divulges the art of painting
the perfect female caricature

076_ Master atmospheric lighting effects

Using grayscale as a base, Darek Zabrocki reveals
how to master mood and lighting

090_ Create creature concepts

Kamil Murzyn shares tips and tricks for digitally
painting creature concepts

098_ Design narrative compositions

Aekkarat Sumutchaya reveals how he used value
and color to create his image Light Up Flowers

106_ Digital Art Master:

Bastien Lecouffe Deharme
Discover the creative process Bastien used to
illustrate his image Music Box

SAVE 30%!
Subscribe today
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4 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

5
The Artist

Geoffrey Ernault
geoffreyernault.com

Interviewed by:
Jess Serjent-Tipping

Geoffrey has been digital

painting for over six years. He
started freelance work about
three years ago and is now
working at Guerilla Games as
a concept artist.

Building a career as a
concept artist
Concept artist at Guerilla Games, Geoffrey Ernault, shares an insight into how he made
it to where he is in the industry today and reveals what we can expect from him at this
years Trojan Horse is a Unicorn
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Geoffrey Ernault is a concept artist in the

Aenema was an abstract experiment inspired by Tools Aenema Geoffrey Ernault
videogame and film industry and began
freelancing around three years ago. Having
completed a diploma in videogame and
animation, Geoffrey starting working for clients
such as Natural Motion and MPC. With a recent
move from Paris, France to Cambridge, UK to
work at Guerilla Games (formally SCEE) as a
concept artist, Geoffrey finds himself focusing
mainly on environments and props.

Geoffrey uses his experiences of traveling

when he was younger to fuel his work, seeking
inspiration from the places he visited, and
turning creepy chaotic ideas into something
thats visually pleasing. With his current projects
at Guerilla Games under wraps, Geoffrey shares
his inspirations and what hes bringing to the
table as a mentor at this years Trojan Horse was
a Unicorn!

2dartist: Hi Geoffrey, thanks for chatting with us

today! Could you tell us a bit about how you learned
to paint digitally, your journey into the industry and
how you have got where you are today?

Geoffrey Ernault: Hey! Thanks for the opportunity.

I used to draw a lot when I was a kid and one day
I received a tablet for my birthday, since I wanted
to get into colorizing. I ended up joining art
communities and discovered digital painting. At
some point, I was painting every day to better my
skill level. I eventually decided to go to art school,
which taught me that if I wanted to get anywhere I
had to continue pushing myself in my own free time.

While still in school I started taking freelance gigs

nothing big at first then I gradually started growing
more and more, and with that so did my client base.

Geoffrey depicts a sci-fi scene where people harvest fuel from derelict crashed spaceships Geoffrey Ernault

7
Geoffrey created Ghastly Dance as a character experiment with the intent of creating something eerie Geoffrey Ernault
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

My favorite project so far is

the one I am currently working
on at Guerilla Games. I really
enjoy the working environment
here and the creative freedom.
Its great being in a team that
has a vital role in the industry
The reason that I am where I am is because I never
stopped learning, I am always trying new methods
and pushing myself both at home and work.

2da: What was it about the digital tools that made

Geoffreys Mechanical Swamp was created as concept art for a short student movie project
you want to pursue a career in the industry?

GE: Digital tools allow you to make mistakes its

not as frustrating as pencil in my opinion. I can just PRO TIPS
do a new layer and paint something on top for 30 Working with dual screens
minutes, and if it doesnt work Ill just delete the layer One of the things I like to do while working is have another window of my current piece opened
and try something else. It basically gives you more up on my secondary monitor at the screens size. I do this by going to Window > Arrange > New
control, and allows you to get stuff done quicker, I Window for *file name*. This duplicates the window and allows me to work and look at whats
think, which in the end allows you to explore more going to be viewed at the full screen size so everything is readable and I dont over render the
and try out stuff. small things that will get lost in the big picture.

You can also easily mix a ton of different mediums, Force yourself out of your comfort zone
like 3D, or even photography. Always try new things and new methods and dont limit yourself to painting tools alone. Try and
learn new things to better your pipeline, like blocking out scenes in 3D or sculpting out ideas in
2da: Could you tell us about your creative process ZBrush that you can use as a base for your final pieces.
and the software that you use?

GE: I start off with an idea of what I want and then I

2da: Has working on videogame design changed work or image might give you more tools later on
sketch it for a few days on sticky notes or whatever
your approach to your own work? What have you for another image. Also, you have to be very open
just to explore different ways I can execute it. Once I
learned during paid work that you can apply to to making changes if something doesnt work out.
have a decent idea of what I can do, I start blocking it
personal work? Dont marry your work.
out in Photoshop or through 3D programs. I always
use references. Then Ill end up doing color and light
GE: I am always learning different things about Ive also learned a lot about making things
tests to make sure it works before I truly commit to
different projects you have to be fluid in your functional, and doing actual design. Thinking more
the image and start the final rendering process.
methods. One process developed for a specific about background stuff. Also, Ive learned how to

Torch From The Sky was created as an experiment in Unreal Engine workflows Geoffrey Ernault

9
Node World was the result of exploring ideas of a world inhabited by self-built robots Geoffrey Ernault
 Artist history
Geoffrey Ernaults career
up to this point...
2008: Started digital painting

2009: Graduated from high school and

went back to France to study art

2010: Started freelancing

2012: Taught concept art at Odd School

(Portugal) and New 3dge (Paris)

2013: Obtained a diploma in Video

Game and Animation Art

2013: Started working for clients such

as Natural Motion and MPC

2014: Joined Guerilla in Cambridge

2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Building a career as a concept artist

Grumpy Red Tree was made as a demo for students over at New 3dge Geoffrey Ernault

SVship was created as a demo at New 3dge, to demonstrate lighting techniques Geoffrey Ernault

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Scrambled Dragon Egg was also created as a demo at New 3dge School in Paris Geoffrey Ernault

Geoffrey explored a boss area environment in his image Substrata Geoffrey Ernault

work for a team and create images that they can be professional and they make sure everything is GE: (Thank you so much!) Im really excited that they
read and then created in 3D. polished. Im also not a huge fan of the industry in are having me come back and be a mentor! Ill be
France, so discovering Cambridge and this studio is sharing my own tips and experiences on how I got
2da: What has been your favorite project to work on really a breath of fresh air. to where I am now, as well as probably doing demos
and why? and giving attendees feedback on their own work.
2da: You have been announced as a mentor at
GE: My favorite project so far is the one I am currently this years THU (congratulations), what can people I am most looking forward to Jeremy Mann and Syd
working on at Guerilla Games. I really enjoy the expect to see from you and what/who are you most Mead I have always loved Jeremys style and I am
working environment here and the creative freedom. looking forward to seeing? very excited to meet him. The same goes for Syd
Its great being in a team that plays a vital role in hes a pioneer in his domain and is that someone
the industry. People here are more open to ideas, who I have a great amount of respect for. I am also

13
Dust In Neo Trocadero was one of Geoffreys first forays into using 3D software with Photoshop Geoffrey Ernault
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

The Cloud Bearers was was created using 3ds Max, Greeble and Photoshop Geoffrey Ernault

Geoffrey created Thousand Suns as a personal project it depicts a brothel called The VixXxen Geoffrey Ernault

15
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Building a career as a concept artist

Geoffrey created Whimsical Forest as a color practice. He notes that he felt like painting a unicorn because they are underrated Geoffrey Ernault

The Piano Lesson was inspired by a psychological thriller Geoffrey Ernault

looking forward to seeing old friends from last year soon (hopefully!) Ive been playing around with 3D a 2da: Do you have any advice for artists looking to
and all the new speakers that I can learn from! bit more than before too. break into the industry?

2da: Can you tell us about any of the projects you are 2da: How do you keep your portfolio up-to-date? GE: Keep pushing yourself and never give up if
currently working on? Any tips? you want to work at a certain studio, project, or
style, always keep working towards it every single
GE: I sadly cannot talk about the current project I am GE: I keep my portfolio up to date by constantly day. There are always going to be people who tell
working on, however I really enjoy doing daily speed working in my personal time. If you work in the you that you cannot do something ignore them,
paints they allow me to explore new themes and industry you usually cannot release your work until they are not you. You get as much as you put into
not really think too much about detail or be stuck the project itself is out, which can take a few years, it. Remember that professionals are working over 8
focusing on little details. so I make sure I am always producing and enjoying hours a day you have to make sure that you can
the process. Its also great to share that with the rival them, and if you want it enough, you will get
If I really like how one is coming out, Ill end up community and get their feedback. Finally, I try to there easily.
spending some extra time refining it. Ive also been constantly focus on my weak areas. If I see Im stuck
working on new workflows recently, so I believe with something in an image, I usually study that 2da: Who are your favorite artists, traditional or
youll see more detailed/different images from me aspect for a few days. digital, and can you explain why?

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

for the way he works with textures and still makes it

PRO TIP readable; and Kim Jung Gi for the way he is able to
sketch everything so perfectly from his imagination
Think things through and his use of perspective and detail.
Whenever you are constructing things, try and really think about what you are making. If youre
creating a creature, think about where it comes from, how its anatomy would work if it were 2da: Finally, what can we expect to see from you in
real, and how its coloring would help it in its environment. What does it eat? Is it a carnivore or the future?
herbivore? Is it aggressive and fights a lot? Things like that would impact its design.
GE: I have a lot of art that I am excited about posting
from various different projects. I am also working on
some new pieces where I am pushing my current
GE: I really like Mr Jack (Luke Mancini), hes primarily I also like Sparth (Nicolas Bouvier) for how he plays work to be more detailed, while also trying to be
a digital artist but hes still amazing with traditional with shapes and design; Thom Tenery and how he more graphical.
media. I love the way he paints, how he uses colors does general mood and lighting in his work; Andree
and light to tell a story in his images. Wallin for his realism and lightings; Jeremy Mann

Ishtar was commissioned as an album cover art for Ishtar, a French metal band Geoffrey Ernault

17
Relic Theory was another image Geoffrey created as a demo for New 3dge this time exploring ideas of color theory and composition Geoffrey Ernault
AVAILABLE NOW

3DTOTALPUBLISHING
 Lu c y M a z e l

ues to
vorite techniq of
eals her
fa es
the pag gs,
Luky rev drawings from in
m al pa t
in
transfor book into origin the way!
ch ng
her sket ing top tips alo
sha r
whilst

The Artist

Lucy Mazel (Luky)

lukymaofficiel.tumblr.com

Lucy graduated in 2009 from

a private art school and has
been working as an illustrator
and comic-book artist since
then. Most notable works
include being published in
many books, famous French
magazines and collaborations
with art galleries in France and
the USA.
 Sketchbook of Lucy Mazel

Read on to discover top tips Illustration is a way for me to relax outside Inspiration and ideas
for taking your sketches to the of my work as a comic-book artist. Drawing My top influences are Charles D. Gibson and
next level! is my job and my passion as well, so when I Jeffrey C. Jones, and whenever I see their work I
want to forget about the job and focus only on can feel the emotions and the softness that their
In this sketchbook I will show you my favorite pleasure, I make an illustration. I dont have drawings carry. They gave me the passion of
techniques for creating original paintings. to think about narration or framing and can drawing through their art, and I want to share the
really express my feelings. same feelings when I draw.
First of all, I have to tell you that Im not a
natural born drawer, so I had to practice a lot Usually it never takes me more than a day to I also find inspiration in nineteenth century
and test many techniques before finding the create an illustration, because I can get really photos, the intensity of their portraits, the
ones that suit me the best. In high school, art frustrated if I work for a longer time. I start clothing, the architecture and I simply like the
lessons were the only ones I had interest in, focusing on all the little mistakes and end up spirit of that century.
but I didnt really know how to draw. Luckily, hating my work. Well to be truthful, I never
in 2005 I was accepted into a private art school like my drawings more than two or three But Im a woman of my age and time, so I also
after my graduation, and thats when I really hours, because that would be really conceited find my inspiration in browsing Tumblr and
started to learn drawing techniques. of me. watching a lot of movies and documentaries
while I work. Sometimes, I get ideas by watching
The only technique I was really confident in In fact, frustration is my main motivation for the world and the people around me and
was making shades of gray with pencil, but drawing. Im not even 30 years old and I feel anything can become a source of inspiration if it
after a while, it started to bore me, because like I still have so much to try and to learn. The finds a resonance in my mind.
I wanted a purer line and to put colors in day I think Ive obtained complete mastery
my drawings. Working on the comic book Le of my actual technique, Ill start looking for But for a good drawing, the most important thing
Petit Prince with people who used to draw another one, so as not to feel the frustration is the gaze of the character Im drawing, and thats
for Disney, taught me a lot about line and of not evolving anymore. Ill try different why I always start by drawing the eyes first. If they
movement, and later I discovered the airbrush compositions, different background colors, are intense enough, I know that the drawing will
that could really match my drawing technique maybe try some oil painting. be good.
and the softness of the characters I wanted to
create. In fact I mostly draw only women in For the time being, I hope youll enjoy my
my illustrations, because I like the glamorous work and find some interesting tips of mine.
look I can gave them, and Im really fond of
drawing hair.

22
 2dartist magazine | issue 102

Starting with drawing the character with a pencil, focusing on the gaze and on the hair

23
 Sketchbook of Lucy Mazel

24 2dartistmag.com
 2dartist magazine | issue 102

Materials
I work only on paper that is thick enough and PRO TIP
with a perfect grit such as the Canson or the Lavis
Vinci, because it works just fine with the pencil Blurring the pencil using tissues
and they have two sides; a smooth one and a The tools that you can find nowadays to blur the pencil are uncomfortable to use and too
gritty one. So, depending on the rendering I want small. They give a dirty rendering and the sounds they produce on paper make me grit my
to give, I can choose to use the one I prefer. teeth! After trying many other ways to blur, including fabric which gets dirty too quickly,
kitchen paper with large cells, I finally discovered the perfect way in something we all have
I mostly work with pencils, such as the Staedtler at home: Paper tissues. The rendering is really soft and clean and they are really cheap!
Noris H & B and the mechanical Mitsubishi Uni 0.5
for my illustrations, and the Col-Erase when Im
working on comic-books (Carmine Red or Blue
for sketches, Black for inking). Then the electric
eraser is my weapon of choice when I want to
clean the pencil.

As for the paintings, I use two different materials,

watercolor and acrylic: For the watercolor, I use
a Pentel water-filled pencil on Winsor & Newton
paint, and for the acrylic I use my Paasche
airbrush bought in the U.S.

I also work in Photoshop for color retakes and

numeric painting with my Cintiq.

Blurring the pencil to create soft shades

of gray

This is what the sketch looks like before

painting it takes about half a day to get
to this point

Diluting the ink before air-spraying it this

is important to keep the softness of the
pencil marks

25
Sketchbook of Lucy Mazel

26 2dartistmag.com
 2dartist magazine | issue 102

Sketching techniques
When I work on my illustrations, I mostly use the
pencil because its easy to work on the shades of
gray and thus give a proper feeling of light and
shadow. Im not drawn to the ink because, in my
opinion, it gives a cold and insensitive feeling to
my drawings. The pencil is smoother and you
can create some interesting blurs on the image
by using it. Its also easier to model and if I miss
a line, I can erase it and redraw it as many times
as it takes to have the perfect one. Then I use
the airbrush, because its the only technique I
have found to preserve my pencil drawing while
painting on it.

When I work on my comic-books, I use only the

Col-Erase, since I use early story-board sketches
until the final inking. I think it gives a more
dynamic sense to my drawings and the rendering
is really close to animation drawings. In my
opinion, comic-books and animation are the
same thing and they both create movement from
still images.

Then, it depends on the project, but I can work

the colors with Photoshop for digital painting, or
watercolor.

Retaking small details with a color pencil

to accentuate the lips and the bubble

Delineating the contours of the character

with a white Posca

Painting the background with white Gesso

3 to 4 layers gives texture to the painting

Retakes of the light and color in Photoshop

PRO TIP
Electric Eraser
I really like it because I can erase small details
without erasing the rest. I use it mostly to
enhance the lights in the eyes, on the nose, to
make the jewelry shine and basically on every
element that requires thoroughness. Before
I discovered it, I was using a kneaded eraser,
but it left traces on the paper and dumped a
layer of grease, so it was difficult to cleanly go
over it again with the pencil. I dont have this
problem anymore!

27
The final render after air-brushing, Gesso painting, and finally tweaking in Photoshop
Would you like to see your sketches
featured in 2dartist magazine?
Were always on the lookout for talented artists
and their artwork to adorn the pages of our
magazine. If you think you have what it takes,
get in touch!

To submit, simply email Jess at

jess@3dtotal.com with a selection of your
images or a link to your portfolio online, plus a
little information about you.

We look forward to hearing from you!

3DTotal presents the new issue of
3dcreative magazine, a downloadable
monthly magazine for digital artists for
only 2.99 (approx. $4.79/3.69).
Visit www.3dcreativemag.com to see a full preview of the latest
issue, subscription offers, and to purchase back issues.

Plus! Preserving Tuthankhamuns tomb with the use of 3D scanning...

106

Issue 106 | June 2014

Light Photoreal
and render texturing
textures tips
John A. Martini explains how he
Nick G. Gizelis shares how to get the unwraps, textures and shades his
best from your textures with post- incredible still life images
production techniques

Master a Design
portfolio compelling
still compositions
Character design legend Kurt
Livio Rajh talks us through his quick Papstein reveals his ZBrush pipelines
methods for sculpting, posing and for posing his creations
rendering a portfolio image

CREATIVE
SCULPTING
Federico Scarbini opens
the pages of his 3D
sketchbook

Yuri Alexander
Create convincing available
characters +plus
Bring concepts to life with a behind-the-scenes
look at character designer Yuri Alexanders
10 of the best digital images
Photoreal car interiors
Becoming a 3D polymath
Model vehicle furnishings
NOW
shop.3dtotal.com
Maya and ZBrush workflow Digital Art Master: King of Fools
and much more!
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Each issue the 2dartist team selects 10 of the best digital images from around the world. Enjoy!

End of Mountain
Byzwa Dher
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2014
Byzwa Dher

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Submit your images! Simply email jess@3dtotal.com

33
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Catagraphus
Kamil Murzyn
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2014
Web: kamilmurzynarts.pl

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Tribal Mecha
Yuanda Yu (aka mourad.yu)
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2013
Web: mouradyu.com 35
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Sorcerers Hill
BobbyMyers
Software used:
Photoshop
Web: kaioshen.deviantart.com
Based on a concept by YongSub Noh
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

37
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Sleeping Titans
Edvige Faini
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2014
Web: edvigefaini.com

2DARTISTMAG.COM
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

39
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Mountain Landscape
Ferdinand D. Ladera
Software used:
Photoshop
Web: ferdinandladera.com
Based on a concept by
Raphael Lbke

2DARTISTMAG.COM
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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

2DARTISTMAG.COM
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

The Shed
Franois Baranger
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2012
Web: francois-baranger.com

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

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Fantasy city
Derk Venneman
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2013
Web: www.derkvenneman.com
Based on a concept by YongSub Noh

45
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

Industrial City
CyrilTahmassebi
Software used:
Photoshop
Web: serylconcept.com
Based on a concept by Gerhard Mozsi

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47
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery

End of Journey
Ned Rogers
Software used:
Photoshop
Year created: 2014
Web: nedrogers.com

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49
 TURN YOUR
PASSION INTO
YOUR CAREER
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Walt Disney Pictures
Sketching with
texture brushes
As part of a series that takes a look at both the fundamentals of creating visual art and
the technical parts of digital painting, Donglu Yu provides detailed, step-by-step tutorials
that cover the principal techniques employed in Photoshop to create a complex action
scene. In this issue, Donglu reveals ways to generate ideas through using reference
images, sketching and texture brushes
The Artist

Donglu Yu
donglu-littlefish.blogspot.ca

Software Used:
Photoshop

Donglu Yu is a senior
concept artist working at
Ubisoft Montreal. She has
worked on game titles
such as Assassins Creed
Brotherhood, Assassins
Creed III, Assassins Creed
IV: Black Flag and Deus Ex:
Human Revolution.
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Concept sketching with texture brushes

Discover how to create a

strong starting point for your
Research, thumbnails, sketches of the ideas:
I never under-estimate the importance of 01 Sketching the ruins: I will start by
setting the temple ruins within the
complex images... the researching stage in the creation of environment. I have found some really good
my images. It gives me the opportunity to references on www.freetextures.3dtotal.com/
In the following tutorial, I am going to give a brainstorm the given subject and find proper index.php. It contains a large royalty-free image
detailed walkthrough on the creation of the designs for the architectural elements and the database, so dont hesitate to use it for finding
image The Hunt. The tutorial will focus both characters in the image. With the given brief useful and high-resolution references.
on the fundamentals of creating visual art and of the image, I can quickly sort out a few key
the technical aspects of the digital painting. words: ruins, hunters, beast. Then, it will be Its also very useful to build your own visual bank
This scene takes place within some ancient around those keywords that I will sketch out by taking tons of pictures during your trips and
temple ruins, showing a few characters the ideas. daily life routines. What is good about them is
chasing after a beast. their copyrights totally belong to you. Not only

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

can you manipulate them freely for making your

own textures and patterns, but you can also
make your own custom brushes. When you lack
ideas for your next image, just go through your
visual bank; some nice sunset clouds, building
shapes or a giant old tree root may trigger your
imagination and inspire you to come up with
fresh, new ideas.

Since the ruins significantly dictate the

composition of the image, I choose to start with
these. Iconic shapes are the foundations of any
good composition, so I pick some gray values and that I have gathered as texture bases that I is a mid-gray value against a light sky backdrop
make some blockings of big iconic shapes. At this overlay as reference. this less perceptible value change makes it recede
point, you can use any default brushes that come into the background.
with Photoshop, however I prefer to use charcoal Since we are in the researching phase, it is
brushes rather than the round airbrush ones, important to observe the material properties, Since this is still the sketching phase, I stop
since they can give you crisp and sharp lines. mainly the old stone bricks in this case. To make polishing the image too much and start exploring
the stone brick textures pop out of the image, it is with another sketch.

02 Adding small details: It is important to

spend some time drawing small details
on the outlines of those big shapes in order to
essential to not overpaint every single brick in the
ruins, just carefully draw out the ones where the
light hits the most, and hint subtly at the rest. Blocking out the shapes of the ruins to
make them visually appealing and realistic. Those set the composition
cracks can tell the viewers that these are aged
bricks and rocks. Along with the broken shapes,
the very few gray shapes that I have just put down
04 Perspective: Atmospheric perspective is
another trick to make your image easy to
read. The areas that I circled in red have different
Adding small details tells the viewers
that these are aged buildings
are already solidly setting the basic tones for the degrees of value contrast: the two foreground
overall image. shapes are the darkest facets against the light Isolating one or two bricks in the wall
sky, so they have the highest value contrast in the really makes them pop

03 Using texture brushes: As I continue

with the sketch, I continue using different
textured charcoal brushes to add brick details to
image. Such contrast makes them instantly stand
out in the foreground. As our eyes move further
in the distance, we can notice that the central
Creating perspective by varying the
tone of the objects
the basic blocking. I also use photo references architectural element has less value contrast, as it

55
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Concept sketching with texture brushes

The characters and the

ruins should have a similar
basic artistic notions to make a visually appealing
image. Those notions remain the same no matter 07 Sketching the characters: I am pretty
satisfied with the environment now, so
perspective/horizon line, as whether you use traditional tools or digital it is time to do some sketches of the characters
it will make our life easier software for achieving the final result. as we move forward in the process. As the ruins
to integrate them in the are static visual elements, it would be nice to add
environment later
06 Adding to the composition: After
completing the second ruin sketch, I find
some motion in the image with our characters
who are chasing after a wild beast. It should be

05 A new sketch: Since the first ruins

sketch is composed of heavily broken
parts, I want to make something a little different
something is lacking in the image, even though I
do like the massive shape of the ruins. I think that
it is because the sketch is missing some depth,
appropriate for the story to have the characters as
native people living on this land since the time of
their ancestors.
for the second one: its a less destroyed ruin on especially some foreground elements, to lead the
a hill, and it has a more dominating presence in viewers eye into the image. I use some big brushstrokes with the intention
the image. of sketching out the movements of the hunters,
Suddenly the ruins become alive they tell a without worrying too much about their designs. I
I will elaborate the technical aspects of the story. They start to show that back during the make more sketches, paying attention to creating
digital painting using Photoshop, such as how to temples glory days, the people would follow the depth with the positioning of the hunters.
make custom brushes, in the other parts of the path to climb up to the hill, to the central part of
tutorial. But in this researching and sketching the temple for worshipping their God. The characters and the ruins should have
part, I really want to put the importance on the a similar perspective/horizon line, as it will

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

make our life easier to integrate them into the

environment later. Now they are all approximately
at our eye level, so if you want to save some time,
dont sketch the characters from a birds eye view
or from a low-angle view unless you just want to
experiment freely and have some fun.

08 Close-up details: I had the hunting

mood going on with my last character
sketches, so I decide to create a close up of the
native. He has some fundamental features of
a native: dark skin, and a clear and hard facial
bone structure, along with a few feathers as After doing all those sketches, I now have a pretty to blend these sketches into a more complex and
decorations on his headwear. I am not sure if solid understanding of the image context, and finished composition with a strong, convincing
this close up will be useful for the final painting, am very confident to start the black-and-white storytelling characteristic.
but doing some side studies on the topic is painting for the final image. From here, we need
always good, as reference, to have a better
understanding of the image context.
Creating something a little different for Drawing extra versions of the characters

09 Finalizing the characters: To finalize

the character sketches, I draft a dark
back view of the hunter. It can be very useful as
the second sketch

Building up the sketch to enhance the

broadens your knowledge and skill on
the topic

a foreground for the final painting as this back narrative and story Finishing the black-and-white sketches
silhouette can lead the viewers eye into the
image for the hunting action. Sketching characters on the horizon line

XXXX

CHAPTER 02 CAN BE SEEN

IN ISSUE 103 NEXT
MONTH!

57
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Adapt interior
lighting conditions
As part of a series that takes a look at creating lighting effects for different times
of day, Nacho Yage adapts a premade midday scene to portray a drastically
different light direction. Here, he describes the best techniques you can use to
create an appropriate mood and atmosphere for a scene at dusk
 The Artist

Nacho Yage
nachoyague.net

Software Used:
Photoshop

Nacho Yage is a concept

artist in the videogame
industry who has worked on
projects such as Splinter Cell:
Blacklist and the upcoming
Assassins Creed: Unity. He
currently works at Ubisoft
Toronto (Canada).

DISCOVER HOW
TO CREATE A
MIDDAY SCENE
CHAPTER 01 CAN BE SEEN
IN ISSUE 101
2dartistmag.com
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Adapting environment lighting conditions

Discover how to adapt the

lighting conditions in a
premade scene...
In this chapter Im going to speak of something
that comes up a lot when Im working how to
deal with changes of mood or light in a piece
you already made. Ill explain how I shift the
mood of the piece: The Playground: Morning
version into a scene at dusk. I will explain the
general steps I follow, and offer some tips to
keep in mind when applying the changes.

01 Setting the light direction: Before I

start, I make a mental diagram of where
the light is coming from in each setting. Having
that in mind helps me to understand how the
light and shadow will interact with the elements
in the room.
I keep tweaking the Color Balance on every layer and also adjust
The amount of light coming through the window the brightness and contrast as appropriate
will change the mood completely, and will react
with the different materials in many different
ways. If you check around the room you are in
right now, and then close the curtains or turn on
02 Color Balance: Once the image is
separated into layers, it is very easy to
make tonal changes. One of the advantages of
the opposite side in this case, on the wall and
window frames.

the lights, you will observe that everything around having the image split into pieces is that you can At this stage Im just working on the overall tone
you will shift; the colors, the light refractions, the tweak the tones and values separately without without giving importance to the strong light and
shadows, and so on. You have to keep these in affecting the rest of the image. shadow. I will add them in the next steps.
mind every time you paint something.

In this case the sun is setting, so it will generate

long, elongated shadows and the colors will take
Here I tweak the Color Balance settings (Image >
Adjust > Color Balance) on each asset separately,
and I also lower the Brightness (mostly on the
03 Tone and highlights: I keep tweaking
the Color Balance on every layer and also
adjust the brightness and contrast as appropriate.
on a warm tone. right wall). Theres a very strong light coming
from behind which will cast a large shadow on

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All the changes Im doing have to be done

according to the first diagram always having in
mind where the light is coming from. I wont be
adding any artificial sources of light so I will try to
keep a strong sense of sunlight coming through
the window.

I try to keep the floor tones as neutral as possible,

because I will contrast it with a bright light later
on. I also remove the shadows in the morning
version as I will add the new ones in next steps.

04 Adding the light I: Its extremely easy

to change the tone. I draw the shape of
the light coming through the window using the
Selection tool, and then I add the adjustment
layer in Curves mode in the selected area.

You can see the sun position that will

define the mood of the scene

Changing the Color Balance and

brightness of the overall image

The process showing how I change the

overall tone and values

Adding some light with an adjustment

layer in Curves mode

PRO TIP
Avoid boring palettes
On a painting you just dont emulate
reality sometimes you enrich it
with more saturated tones or a
different approach in your color
palette. Dont be afraid to add more
flavor to a scene by trying different
color swatches. Try to find different
variations of the same color and
study how light affects these colors.

63
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Adapting environment lighting conditions

05 Adding the light II: Once the basic light

is set, I keep adding more layers to adjust
the tone. I want to reinforce the feeling of dusk, so
06 Shadows and bouncing light: Now
that the light direction is set, I keep
adding bounce lights and shadows. In my
07 Adding the character: Although the
main purpose of these tutorials is to
show a room with different light settings, I want to
I paint the shadows with warm colors. I also add opinion, adding the light first is very important add some storytelling elements, so I change the
some cold purple tones to balance the colors out. because it will define how shadows and colors position of the kid (this time, riding the wooden
will interact. As the sun is very low, it will project horse) and draw a new expression on the paper
Generally I play with layers in different modes, long, strong shadows. bag. I like to add these kinds of subtle details
such as Overlay, Color Dodge and Screen. As you that are imperceptible at first glance but can be
can see the shadow also receives some bounce As you can see in the image, the light bounces spotted on a second or third viewing. Its just
light and absorbs colors from the environment. off the floor and affects areas like the fireplace, about adding extra flavor to a picture these
ceiling and lamp. This is why I paint a source of small details are the things that make a picture
To make the shadow more realistic, I add an extra light coming from below. You can see the bounce more appealing.
layer in Lighten mode with a warm tone and paint light in the corners of the fireplace and on the
over the blurred edges of the shadow. lampshade in the right-hand corner.

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08 The triadic color scheme: For this

image, Im looking for harmony in
colors. The main base is a warm orange tone,
certain harmony will enrich your painting on so
many levels. Just check paintings from Sargent or
Sorolla and analyze the color palette. This is just
to reinforce the dusk feeling and correct some
value tones. I paint some noise with a Soft Round
brush with a grain texture, and sharpen the edges
but I always tend to add other tones to make one of the reasons why their paintings look vivid with Filter > Unsharp mask. I slightly correct the
the image more interesting. This is, again, about and harmonic. brightness with Image > Adjust > Brightness >
adding more flavor. A monochromatic image or Contrast, and its finished.
a scene with a basic color scheme is very boring To my scene, I add some green and purple
to the eye, and so adding other tones will make tones in certain elements, like the curtains, but
the colors pop out. Of course you need to find the generally also add some spots of these tones all
proper colors that will work in harmony with the over the composition. Applying extra layers of color to the
main one. shadow cast from the window
I usually set a new layer in Hue mode at 70%
For this image, I choose a triadic color scheme. Opacity, and with a texture brush I add some Bounce lights and shadows in different
Triad colors combine every fourth color on the random and spare brushstrokes with green and elements of the scene
basic color wheel. This color scheme results in purple tones. You can see a zoomed-in portion of
a vibrant palette, even when using unsaturated the picture here, showing how these brushstrokes Adding storytelling elements into the
tones. One color (in this case orange) will emphasize and complement the base color. scene like a character
dominate the scene the other two (greens and
violets) will be used for accenting objects.
10 Last touches: For finalizing the scene,
I turn the image to black-and-white
A diagram of the triadic color scheme

09 Adding splashes of color: As I said

before, adding other tones following a
one last time to check if the values are correct.
I add some atmospheric light in Screen mode
Detail of the shadow with tones of green
and purple

65
The Artist

Nacho Yage
nachoyague.net
 Brushes
The Artist

Mark Hammermeister
markdraws.com

Software Used:
Photoshop

Mark Hammermeister is an
award-winning illustrator from
the Detroit area. His clients
include LucasFilm, Playboy,
The New York Observer and
HorrorHound, and he has
received awards from The
Communication Arts Illustration
Annual, 3X3, Creative Quarterly
and ImagineFX.

Caricature painting tips

Mark Hammermeister provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the techniques he uses
to create a realistic caricature of a young woman, from taking time to observe your
references to adding those all important details!
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Discover the art of digitally

painting the perfect female
caricature from references...
Ive heard that some caricature artists have
a more difficult time caricaturing women
than they do men. For me, the process
remains basically the same for either gender.
Ultimately, its still a matter of observing
shapes in the face and exaggerating
appropriately. For this tutorial, I decided to
do a caricature of my niece Nicole, in order
to show how I go about doing a caricature of
a pretty young woman and still manage to
create an attractive painting.

Often when Im doing a caricature of someone

who isnt famous, Im only provided with one
or two photos to work from. This isnt always
ideal, because photos lie all the time due to
changes in lighting, poor angles and many
other factors. Unfortunately the image youre
provided may not be a great example of what
the person really looks like.

In this case, because I had complete creative

control, I took several photos of Nicole from
multiple angles, which gave me not only many
more choices for reference, but also gave me I take a few moments to develop an overall I sketch basic shapes and keep building on those
a much better idea overall of the shape of her impression of the shape of her face. Not only are shapes with new layers upon layers until I achieve
individual features and how they fit together. her features long and angular, but they all form what I think is a decent likeness. A lot of the time
Ive also included the main four brushes I used a very definitive curve that point in the same you may have the urge to skip the thumbnail
throughout this painting to enable you to general direction. I draw in some red arrows over stage and head right to the painting stage. Resist
follow along. the top of the reference photo to give a clearer this urge. If your thumbnail resembles the person
idea of what I see when I look at the reference at a very tiny size, it will look even better by the

01 Take time to observe: As you can

see here, I took many photos of Nicole
image. time youre ready to make a bigger sketch.

from different angles. Even the photos I dont

end up using provide me with lots of valuable
information in determining what she really looks
02 Time to thumbnail sketch: I start
sketching by first converting my
reference image on an adjustment layer to
The red arrows give you an idea of
the curved directional thrust of all
like. I choose a nice three-quarter view of Nicoles black-and-white so that Im not influenced by Nicoles features
face from all the photos I took. colors at this stage. Then I zoom the image out to
roughly a postage stamp size. Next, I create a new By sketching at a small size, you can
A three-quarter view is often a good choice for document thats 2,700 x 3,600 pixels and zoom more easily achieve a likeness by not
caricatures, because it gives you a clear view of that way out as well to approximately the same getting caught up in the tiny details
the shape of the cheekbones, nose and chin. tiny size as the reference.

69
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Caricature painting tips

Youll want to make the

Eyedropper tool your best
friend. I constantly sample
colors, first from the palette,
and eventually Ill be doing it
solely from the painting itself

03 Cleaning up my sketch: After Ive come

up with a thumbnail sketch I like, zoom
in to a larger size and clean up my sketch. I use
a basic Hard Round brush with Shape Dynamics
and Pen Pressure turned on. I draw a few more
layers on top of my thumbnail layer and redraw
and refine the sketch until I think Ive achieved a
good likeness.

Even when you feel like youre done with your

sketch, remember, it doesnt have to be perfect
youll be refining the image even further as you
paint. Only focus on the major shapes and dont
bother with including any tiny details in your
sketch since youll be painting those in later. Your
eventual goal is to cover the sketch entirely so
that you cant see it anymore.

04 Blocking in colors: I fill the background

layer with a reddish-brown color, then
I set the Sketch layer to Multiply and begin
blocking in colors on another layer below that.

To choose colors, I squint my eyes at the reference

and begin picking out colors from Photoshops
color picker that fit the overall hue and value of
what I observe. I put little dots of color on another
layer that I label Palette. Over time, Ill add to this
palette and mix colors up between them, similar
to how I would paint with real paint.

Dont get hung up on being one-hundred-

percent color accurate. Youre an artist, not a
copy machine. As long as youve established the
proper values, you have a lot of freedom over the
hues you choose. Also, your color choices will be
influenced by the base color youve established.

05 Time to paint: Im pretty much finished

with my block-in, so now I add another
layer on top of my sketch layer where Ill do
most of my painting. Ive decided I want a cool
background, so I roughly paint in a nice blue
background. Im still only using a simple Hard
Round brush and one of the basic rough-edged
brushes that Photoshop comes with. Youll want
to make the Eyedropper tool your best friend. I
constantly sample colors, first from the palette,
and then eventually Ill be doing it solely from the
painting itself.

06 Flipping and correcting: Throughout

the course of my painting Ill flip it over

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back-and-forth in order to see if Im making any

mistakes (Image > Image Rotation > Flip Canvas
Horizontal). You can even record a Photoshop
action to do this for you with a single keystroke.

In this instance, I quickly realize after I flip the

image that one of her eyes is a little bit too low
on the face. So I draw a selection around the eye,
then go to Select > Modify > Feather, then go to
Edit > Copy Merged. I paste this selection on a
new layer and nudge it around with the arrow
keys until its in the right place. By copying and
pasting the merged pieces, this will save me a lot
of time in the long run overall that might have
been spent repainting everything.

PRO TIP
The Sponge tool
My way of thinking is if youre going
to use Photoshop to paint, then you
should really USE Photoshop. If you
feel like your colors just arent vibrant
enough, one quick way to beef them
up is to use the Sponge tool. Its really
easy to overdo it with this tool, so I
never set it to higher than 10% Flow
and set to Saturate. I brush over the
cheeks and mouth lightly to warm
them up. If I go too far, I can always
use the History palette to go back
before I used the tool.

The Sponge tool is a powerful tool

for beefing up your colors when you
feel theyre not vibrant enough

Refining the thumbnail drawing until

we find a sketch that will form the
framework for the painting

Filling the background with a reddish-

brown and blocking in colors below the
sketch layer using a simple Hard Round
brush

Changing the background color and

painting over the sketch layer

Instead of repainting the eye, copy the

selection and paste it onto a new layer
in order to move it around

71
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Caricature painting tips

07 Focusing on the details: I feel like Ive

established enough of a range of values
to finally turn off the Palette layer and begin
focusing on the fine details. Eyes are my favorite
things to draw, plus they are one of the keys to
establishing a likeness, so I zoom in tight on both
the area of my reference I want to focus on, along
with the same area on my painting, and begin
sharpening and tightening up the details.

One trick Ive learned in order to get the eyes

right is to pay attention to the negative space
created by the whites of the eyes. If you draw
that shape correctly, it makes it that much easier
to get the pupil correct. Nicole has very thick,
dark eyelashes and I begin painting these in by
creating a new layer and drawing them in, one
by one, with a Soft Round brush with Shape
Dynamics turned on.

08 Working on the mouth: After the eyes,

the mouth is the next most important
area to focus on to establish a likeness. Why is
that, you might ask? Think about it for a minute
the eyes and mouth are almost always the two
areas of a persons face you will focus on when
youre looking at them.

I draw the teeth in separately, then the gums over

that and the lips over the gums, building up the
structures to make them appear dimensional.
Like I did with the whites of the eyes, I pay careful
attention to the negative spaces created by the
dark areas between the upper and lower teeth, in
order to be sure Im getting the shapes correct.

09 Painting the hair: The hair is almost

always one of the last things I tackle.
This is because I create a new layer to paint the
individual strands on in order to remove them if
something doesnt look right. Painting hair is a
time-consuming, but fun process.

Ive already blocked in the major hair shapes with

my other brushes to use as a base. I use a Soft
Round brush with Shape Dynamics turned on to with a soft airbrush set on a very low Opacity. Zooming into the image and working on
give it a point. Then I make lots and lots of long On a new layer above all the others I paint in fine details like the eyes
strokes with a 3 or 4 pixel-wide brush. the suggestions of such details as minor skin
blemishes and pores using a Soft Round brush Focusing on sharpening the details
Hair typically comes together in layered strands, with a tapered end. By keeping these things on around the mouth to help better
so I pay careful attention to how Im overlaying their own layer, I can then pass over them with a establish a good likeness
light and dark colors to make one cohesive mass. soft eraser to make them blend in better with the
Ill go in later with a big soft eraser and lightly layer below. Drawing individual hairs on a separate
brush over what Ive painted to create a sense of layer using a narrow, Soft Round brush
translucency and help blend the strands together. I also paint the stripes in Nicoles shirt on a with a tapered end
layer of their own using a Hard Round brush.

10 The final details: The last things I do

are to refine and sharpen any fine details.
Since a womans skin is typically smoother and
Sometimes I will paint in some additional bits of
texture into the background and even over my
painting itself in order to help to give it a more
The final details are painted in on
another layer above all the others to
establish a sense of realism
softer than a mans, I go over the face lightly natural look.

72 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
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The Artist

Mark Hammermeister
markdraws.com

73
 LayerPaint allows you to browse the gallery, interviews, news, tutorials and products all dedicated to 2D digital art. On top of that, we have
included a free custom brushes library that is available to everyone.

We wish LayerPaint to be a definitive resource for digital painting, creating a friendly and educational environment that not only helps
budding and experienced CG artists alike, but also showcases some of the best computer generated artwork in the world.

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Master atmospheric
lighting effects
In this comprehensive tutorial, Darek Zabrocki explains his methods for creating
credible mood and lighting conditions in a realistic medieval scene. Using a grayscale
base, Darek uses color, light, composition and various atmospheric effects to make his
medieval masterpiece
The Artist

Darek Zabrocki
darekzabrocki.com

Software Used:
Photoshop

Darek Zabrocki is a freelance

concept artist and illustrator
living in Gdansk, Poland. He
began painting as a hobby,
then switched to digital art,
and since 2010 has been
doing it professionally. He has
worked for clients such as 20th
Century Fox, Fantasy Flight
Games and Radical Publishing.
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Creating atmosphere in a realistic medieval scene

Learn to use light ans hadow

to create an atmospheric and
realistic medieval scene...
In this tutorial I will go through the process of
creating a moody and realistic medieval scene
based on a grayscale thumbnail. The idea
behind this painting is to convey a realistic
scene set in the middle ages. I want to avoid
a very clich setting with one knight and a
castle in the background, but will use that
as a starting point to develop my own ideas.
I decide to make the knights division set off
from the castle to imply a reconnaissance
before the war.

The main technical focus of this image will be

the mood and climate built by playing with
light and shadow, atmospheric effects, color
palette and a more complex composition. I will
also briefly explain how to paint convincing
and realistic horses. Understanding of their
structure and body work will be essential to
create them in the right way.

01 In search of a good thumbnail: This

first stage will usually determine how
good the picture will be. Basically, if you have a
good thumbnail, you will probably get a good
picture from it. To create thumbnails, I always
start with bigger brushstrokes, creating the
shapes for the objects I want, and then I cut it off
or add another one.

It is good to keep all the planes separated on

layers from the beginning. I always make one
layer for the background (the sky), then another
one, for example, for the mountains, then another
for the castle. If you want to extend one of these,
just group it (Ctrl+G) and name your groups in the
right order, e.g. for the background layers, you
could group the sky, clouds and fog.

02 Improving the initial idea: At the

beginning, I decide to stay with the first
idea sketch, even though its very clich. I want
to focus on diversifying the planes at first, yet still
think about working on the characters position.
These can be established in advance, but Im not
afraid of changing the pose later on. I prepared
three different sketches in the first step so can
always take an element from them if needed.

I am sure about the background at this stage into color, I recommend that you keep the value Sometimes its a good idea to make some quick
though, so I start building more refined shapes for gradation as clean and as visible as you can. If color concepts for objects like the armor, clothes
the castle and elements of the landscape. you have well-set values from the beginning, you and so on. First, I put some slight colors on the
can simply create new layers (Ctrl+Shift+N) and sky and environment to mix them and fit them

03 Transition to color: Moving to color

can be a very difficult and tricky stage. If
you want to start with grayscale and then switch
change the layer mode to Color. Now you can put
some subtle strokes of local colors on objects you
want to colorize.
into the all-important lighting scheme that
determines everything in the scene.

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Exploring potential thumbnails for

PRO TIP
this scene Painterly look and movie grain
I use my own brush pack that I created to achieve a painterly look in my pictures, and also
Adding detail to the background of use some effects (besides Unsharp) after I merged all the layers noise, for example. You
the scene can find this in Filter > Noise > Add noise and then uncheck the Monochromatic window.
Keep the Noise effect on Uniform and, depending on the picture size, you can calculate the
Adding subtle color hints to the percentage amount for the grain effect.
background scene
You can also create a new layer on top of all the layers, fill it with gray color, and set the
layer mode to Color Dodge with the Opacity setting on 50%. It is much sharper, but also
works well to create a grain effect.

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Creating atmosphere in a realistic medieval scene

04 Improving and mixing ideas: I am

still at the stage where I can change the
characters position and pose. I want to leave the
the group of layers with characters on and start
polishing the background. I like to graduate my
work from objects furthest away from the viewer
with the texture on it (press Alt on the layer you
want to clip into the shape layer on the Layers
window). Now all the textures are assigned to the
background as it is now and add more characters, towards the ones that are the closest. mountains shape layer. You can always unlock
as I did on one of the first thumbnails. This can the mother layer for this set and cut off or add
enrich and improve my composition, giving it I put some textures of rocks and mountains on new shapes too. The texture layer signed into that
more originality and a dynamic quality. the mountain shapes. mother layer will also be cut or added in here.

05 Texturing and detailing: I like the

idea of implementing characters from
the third thumbnail into the scene. I turn off
If you have the shapes on separate layers as I
mentioned earlier, you can block the layer (press /
on the keyboard) and then make a Clipping mask
If you want to duplicate some parts of a texture,
the Clone stamp tool (press S) is a great tool that
also allows you to vary and blend textures in

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

I decide to put one of

the knights more into the
foreground. It immediately
gives the viewer a better
lead into the scene,
creating both depth and an
immersive narrative
different ways. You can get all the stamps from
the entire document. It depends on the effect you
want to create.

I place my textures on the mountains in the

Screen layer mode and establish the sharpness
of it by tweaking the layers Opacity, Contrast
and Brightness. Dont forget that the parts in the
background should not be sharper than the ones
in the foreground.

06 Light effects/paintover textures:

This step is about adding light effects.
I highlight the castle towers with light from the
sun and give some initial dust and smoke to
diversify the planes. The most important thing
to remember is to keep the light consistent
throughout the scene.

I then add a rough sketch of the character that I

can begin refining in the next step.

07 Character poses: As I mentioned

previously, Im aware that I can still
utterly change the characters position and pose
to improve my composition. I already have a
division painted but as I want to add more depth,
I decide to put one of the knights more into the
foreground. It immediately gives the viewer a
better lead into the scene, creating both depth
and an immersive narrative. I decide the scene is
finally completed and I can continue working on
the details.

Adding a set of characters inspired by

another of the thumbnails

Adding texture detail to the mountains

in the background

Refining the lighting the scene and

roughly adding the character

Developing the pose and refining the

lead character

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Creating atmosphere in a realistic medieval scene

08 More improvements: I still feel I can

tweak the composition a bit more so put
the division a bit closer to the camera.
long at one painting you become used to it, and it
becomes difficult to see any errors.
sites like www.flickr.com, where youll find many
amazing images of knight tournaments, cosplay
and medieval-themed special events.

09 Checking anatomical issues: I notice

that the lead riders torso is a bit too
10 Keep on detailing: I continue
polishing the picture, enriching the
colors of the armor and finding an interesting 11 More color and lighting effects: I dont
want to make all the horses the same
low and wide so I pulled it up. Its good to do design. Sometimes I draw and design elements color, so I put some variety in. I place the third
anatomical checks because sometimes if you on a separate document, and if I like it I try rider (the one with the banner) on a white horse.
spend a long time on one painting, you are not to implement it into the picture. For design It gives me a lot of fun to play around with colors,
able to find every little mistake. If you stare too inspiration, I recommend using photo portfolio though it can be tricky to put white objects in a

82 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

You just have to remember

that all the color variations
in the scene are easier to
notice on white objects, so
the shadows need to reflect
them, and, in this case, be
a brownish hue mixed with
violets and reds
very moody, foggy and dark scene. You just have
to remember that all the color variations in the
scene are easier to notice on white objects, so
the shadows need to reflect them, and, in this
case, be a brownish hue mixed with violets and
reds. All these hues depend on the surrounding
environment, lighting source and density of air.

Furthermore, I decide to put a bit more light

where the third rider is running. I lighten the
area where the light hits the ground, and it
immediately gives a nice separation between the
first and second plane. It also creates more depth
in the scene.

Moving the characters to create

greater impact

Fixing the lead riders torso to reflect

better anatomy

Polishing the image by refining the

armor and general detail

Refining the light and color around the

white horse in the background

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Creating atmosphere in a realistic medieval scene

PRO TIP
Organic stuff: horses
As many artists know, painting horses can be a very tricky task. Ive made a lot of different horse paintings/drawings and find it very enjoyable, so
I can share some basic tips about painting these animals with you.

Though horse anatomy can be associated with many other derivative species, the most important thing to understand is how the body of a horse
works. Its movements are strongly connected to the bone structure and the tendons/muscles adjacent to them. If you look how the legs of horses
work while it is walking or running, you will be able to gather indispensable knowledge that will inspire more realistic silhouettes and shapes in
your work.

Deeper knowledge may not be needed as much while drawing, but an understanding of position of body elements is vital and essential. Youll
see here that Ive created some quick sketches that describe the direction of the body and the basic shapes of legs that I think are most difficult
to master while drawing horses.

Key areas to consider when drawing horses, and the knowledge applied to sketches

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

It is important not to It is important not to leave anything looking use the Sharpen filter. To do this, go to Filters
leave anything looking too too sketchy. Dont confuse this with creating a > Unsharp and then estimate the amount
sketchy. Dont confuse this painterly look if you leave some rough strokes depending on how big the picture you want to
with creating a painterly that arent accurate and are messy, it will just adjust is.
look if you leave some look unfinished. If you are doing a lot of polishing
rough strokes that arent but some parts are deliberately loose, it should
accurate and are messy, it look alright. The difference between this is about Creating the right atmosphere by
will just look unfinished how much suggestion and accuracy in terms of subduing the highlights
silhouettes/shapes exists. If its sloppy or doesnt

12 Consistent light: After all the lighting

corrections, I have noticed that there are
too many highlights in the picture. To fix this, I
tell the viewer anything you should work on it.

Ive always tried to improve my technique at

Work on refining the details using a
painterly effect

make a new Levels adjustment layer (Ctrl+Shift+L) leaving some parts very loose and sketchy. At Adding small final details and
and play around with the levels to subdue the first though, it never looked good and those parts sharpening the image. Now its done!
highlighted parts. I also use a Curves adjustment didnt resemble anything. Until you know how to
layer to reduce highlighted areas. convey the exact object with simple suggestions,
you will not be able to make some parts loose.
If you feel some of parts are a bit too subdued
now, you can always erase adjusted parts on the
layer adjustment mask. Then, if you erase (E) too
much, you can paint on the mask again (B) to
14 Final stage: After I have all the
characters set and all the details are
done, I can check if everything is consistent. I add
reapply more adjustments. Its up to you how to very slight changes to the shadows using Color
use the options though there are a million ways Balance to build up the colors, and use Hue/
to accomplish the same effect. Saturation to control the most saturated parts. I
also add some small details like water splashes

13 Detailing process: I almost have

everything set; I just need some more
work on the characters in the background, so I
beneath the horses legs and dust whirling
around. I mostly use a soft brush for those kind
of effects.
keep on detailing and polishing the silhouettes of
the horses. After all is done, I make one layer gathering all
previous ones into one (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E) and

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Creating atmosphere in a realistic medieval scene

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The Artist

Darek Zabrocki
darekzabrocki.com
 pag
49
tutori es of
als ins
102
ide!
Issue 102 | June 2014

Make it as a
concept artist Geoffrey Ernault reveals invaluable advice
on how to break into the industry

CARICATURE
PAINTING TIPS
Mark Hammermeister
divulges the art of painting
the perfect female caricature

Create
creature
concepts
Adapt
Kamil Murzyn shares tips and
tricks for painting creatures

environment
lighting
Discover how Nacho Yage alters
the lighting and mood of a midday
scene into a scene at dusk

+plus
10 of the best digital images
Transform your sketches Sketching with texture brushes
Luky shares her top tips for Master atmospheric effects
taking your sketches to the Design narrative compositions
next level and much more!
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 The Artist

Kamil Murzyn
kamilmurzynarts.pl

Software Used:
Photoshop

Kamil Murzyn is a 3D
generalist from Poland
working for mobile gaming.
In his spare time, he likes
to draw, paint and sculpt
creature concepts and
character designs.

Create creature concepts

Kamil Murzyn walks us through his process for creating and digitally painting his
cool creature concept Avicularius
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Create creature concepts

Discover techniques to create

creature concepts, from a
sketch to the final piece...
Avicularius was actually a personal study for
painting a more polished and detailed render
of my creatures than ever before. It took me
about one-and-a-half days to finish.

01 Concept: I started with no idea of the

final outcome. I just sketched random
animals during this phase as I thought about
what that creature could be. The idea of a bird
keeper (Avicularius in Latin) appeared.

I didnt spend much time on the design, as I

wanted to focus more on painting in this exercise.
I did a couple of simple sketches and re-drew the
head a few times as I wanted it to look friendlier.

People tend to use all the

values, from 0 to 1, when
painting their pictures, but
02 Basic grayscale: I decided to switch my
workflow a little bit, and started with a
grayscale painting to allow me to focus on the
03 Finishing grayscale: I have learned to
keep my values very dark 80-percent
of them are in the bottom 25-percent of the
after putting down color values. In my usually workflow, I dont spend grayscale. People tend to use all the values, from
layers, they tend to turn much time on values before switching to colors, 0 to 1, when painting their pictures, but after
out very pale because color and then doing the final painting. This time I putting down color layers, they tend to turn out
saturation gets lower with wanted to create the final values early on. very pale because the color saturation gets lower
higher values with higher values.

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Dust in the air is always a

nice addition and creates a
fairytale mood
I prefer to keep my whites for specular highlights
and rim lighting.

In this one I wanted to really pay attention to the

surface quality. I painted the diffuse light first
and specular highlights at the end. Soft specular,
together with sharp, white spots, created a
realistic illusion of thin reptile skin. For the whole
process, I used a simple soft brush, and only
changed the hardness on occasion.

04 Colors: In this step I put a simple Color

layer above my grayscale creature and
started experimenting with colors. I decided to
go for really exotic and saturated colors. I used
the Sponge tool to saturate shadowed parts even
more, for an organic SSS look.

05 Background: To create the background,

I simply blurred a photo and tweaked the
color levels I kept it very simple because it was
not the main subject of my study. I tweaked the
values to fit the creature and did some correction
with a large soft brush to be sure nothing
distracted the silhouette of my animal.

06 Lighting the background: Finally, I

applied a Noise filter to the background.
I then created a couple of adjustment layers to
correct the overall contrast. I thought the current
image was too dark at that point and wanted it to
be more cheerful.

07 Adding atmosphere: To blend the

creature better with the environment and
create more depth, I ended up painting a little fog
and atmosphere.

Dust in the air is always a nice addition and

creates a fairytale mood.

08 Finishing: I used a couple of filters for

the finishing touches. First of all, Sharpen
helps bring some contrast. I then quickly painted
my own Depth Pass which I used with a Lens
Blur filter to add focal depth to my creature.
Finally, I used the Lens Correction tool to mimic
photographic effects like noise, distortion, The initial design sketch Adding in a blurred background
chromatic aberration and vignetting.
Starting off by establishing the values Lightening background areas
And that was it the last thing to do was check in grayscale
the Latin dictionary! Lightening the background further and
Working on the values in grayscale adding in particle elements

Adding in vibrant colors Finishing up with a few filters

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Create creature concepts

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

The Artist

Kamil Murzyn
kamilmurzynarts.pl

95
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 The Artist

Aekkarat Sumutchaya
webang111.deviantart.com

Software Used:
Photoshop

Aekkarat Sumutchaya is
currently working as an
Art Director and also a
co-founder of ANIMANIA, an
animation studio located
in Bangkok, Thailand.
Aekkarat is inspired by his
lifestyle, experimenting and
by the environment. He
then layers these ideas with
stories, personal opinions,
and wild imagination.

Design narrative
compositions
Aekkarat Sumutchaya talks us through the process he used to create his image
Light Up Flowers. He shares invaluable tips and techniques on using value, color
and implied lines to create a main focal point and story in your composition
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Discover how to create rhythm, of the human race, regardless of race, color, or
flow and focal points within national origin. The one-eyed monster character
your compositions... has dark fur covering the entire body, and his ear
shape and design is inspired by peacock feathers.
The young girl is astonished by a field of The ten-eyed monster character has a long nose
glowing flowers at sunset and reaches with dark-red tiger-stripe fur. His earlobe has the
out towards the one-eyed monster. The shape of a leaf. Being middle-aged (compared to
cyclops has ears that look just like peacock human years) makes him see the world from a
feathers and in his hands, he holds a glowing different perspective. Finally, the rare and unique
translucent pink flower that is known to be the translucent pink-petaled flower has pollen that
rarest flower in the kingdom. This particular glows with the pure state of the holders mind.
flower only glows around a pure ones heart.

Relaxing in the back, the ten-eyed giant

monster observes his surroundings without
02 Composition and focal point: I want
this image to communicate something
grand and elegant so I decide to go with a low
turning his head. He has enormous earlobes angle. I emphasize focal points through lines,
and his sense of hearing is as keen as his vision implied lines, values, colors, and elements that
is sharp. help focus subject in up to three specific areas.
These three figures reflect the human notion
The young girl is amazed by the glowing of emotional security and feeling safe so if
flowers without realizing that the most something goes wrong, therell be number two
magical flower is in the monsters hands. The and number three for backup. This image has
flowers continue to glow and will spread to one area to emphasize plus two additional focal Design sketches for characters
the entire area in any moment. This magical points for variation. and elements
flower of companionship will light up the
entire kingdom when she holds it in her hand. I then establish the main character and draw her Creating an S-shape
in a sitting position. She has a slightly-turned composition with the

01 Initial sketches: The Eurasian girl

character represents the companionship
head and her body weight shifts to the right-
hand side while her left hand reaches toward the
placement of the focal points

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Create narrative compositions

The composition of the focal

points creates curves that
form an S-shape, and depict a
plant that straightens itself up
and grows toward the sun
one-eyed monster that is looking back at her. The
composition of the focal points creates curves
that form an S-shape, and depict a plant that
straightens itself up and grows toward the sun. I
use the S-curve to control the line of action and
maintain a rhythm and flow. This curve creates a
strong pose, yet flexible, just like aquatic plants
that sway back and forth in response to the
waters current.

03 Figure and shape: I create clean and

clear character shapes that have a variety
of sizes (small, medium and large), with different
color values. Consider balance and unity in the
overall composition by applying different tones
and color values.

04 Adding color: Create a coloring area

with the Layer Mask to control the shape.
First, make freeform selections along the edge of
the character with Lasso tool, then use the Magic
Wand tool to select the outside edge.

To expand an active selection, choose Select >

Modify > Expand. In the Expand Selection dialog
box that appears, enter a value of 6 pixels to
determine the amount of expansion. To invert
an active selection you need to choose Select >
Inverse. This action selects the exact opposite of
the current selection.

Then fill in the color by pressing Cmd+Del or

Ctrl+Del on your keyboard.

05 Color temperature: The temperature of

a color is associated with physiological
feelings, for example, red denotes danger and
green feels safe. I consider the color temperature
of my scene according to the overall concept.
In general, the perception is that cool color
temperature is associated with a calming and

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

soothing atmosphere but can also express

sadness, while warm color temperatures
associate with love, passion, desire, anger,
danger, excitement, strength or energy. I choose
a warm color temperature for 80% of this image
and the other 20% are complementary colors to
experiment with variation.

06 Layering details: Start first with a larger

brush, and work towards finer detail
using a smaller brush. Think about how the light
would reflect and how the shadows would be on
a real object. Define the contours and highlight it
to make the shape stand out.

07 Environment and time of day:

Establishing the right time of day is a
valuable step in the process. In an early morning
scene, that magical time of the day when the
world is waking up gives out a calm and soothing
atmosphere. Mid-afternoon creates a bright
light which causes strong and dark shadows.
Evening sunset is when the colors get warm, add
drama to the subject and bring life to the scene.
Evening mist or haze gives a wonderful mood and
atmospheric feel to the scene as the light streaks
are clearly visible and cascade each layer to
create a greater depth of field.

Adding tone and value to the shapes

Making color selections based on

traditional temperature values

Establishing color temperatures

Starting to add in details and define

the contours

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Create narrative compositions

08 Highlight important elements: Set up

the basic lighting to establish the focal
point. The soft lighting casts very few shadows
and makes everything seem bright and happy,
while high intensity lighting creates a feeling of
high drama, and an intensity of mood of either
deep love or deep terror.

I establish a dreamy atmospheric with dramatic

lighting and incorporate surrounding elements
such as a flock of birds and a leaf carried away by
the wind.

09 Adjust final lighting: I use Filter Curves

and Exposure Curves to adjust the overall
lighting in the scene, and set an orange tone. I
fix the gloomy sky and the light that is cast onto
the character with Exposure to achieve a more
vibrant-looking result.

10 More filter effects: I use Filter Effect

to enhance the brushstrokes, and use
the Filter Lens collection to simulate distortions
caused by the camera lens.

11 Final image: Light Up Flower

demonstrates soft evening lighting in
an S-curve composition which helps maintain
rhythm and flow while still emphasizing the focal
points of three specific areas.

I tend to foresee the final artwork before I get

started, but there comes a time when that initial
thought goes off course, and its okay to play
around with different ideas to see where it takes
you. Get that first idea back on track because that
initial idea is the power of inspiration.

I hope this tutorial will inspire you to create

amazing art work!

2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Establishing lighting schemes in

the scene

Adding in atmospheric details

such as flying leaves and birds

Adjusting the Curves and the

result of using the Filter and
Exposure Curves

Using a Sharpen Filter to enhance

the brushstrokes

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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Create narrative compositions

The Artist

Aekkarat Sumutchaya
webang111.deviantart.com

2DARTISTMAG.COM
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The Artist

Bastien Lecouffe
Deharme
www.roman-noir.com

Software Used:
Photoshop

Bio:
Bastien Lecouffe Deharme
is an Illustrator and Digital
Painting instructor. He
has worked for clients
and publications such as
Spectrum, Applibot (Legend of
the Cryptids) and Mad Movies .

DIGITAL ART MASTER:

Music Box
by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme
Discover the process behind an illustrative masterpiece with a look inside the
pages of Digital Art Masters: Volume 8. Learn how Bastien brought his image to life
using narrative, composition, symbolism, mood, references and materials.
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

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107
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Digital Art Master: Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

Creative Process
The picture Music Box is a personal piece,
illustrating a short story taking place in the
universe of my graphic novel, Retrocity. For this
work, rather than focusing on specific digital
painting techniques, I decided to concentrate on
the aspects I feel are essential when it comes to
creating a good illustration and bringing an image
to life: narrative, composition, symbolism, mood,
references and materials.

Storytelling
The term illustration is commonly defined as a
picture meant to tell a story. The story behind
the image is like the foundation of a house
providing a base to be built upon. Without stories
and meanings behind the graphic language,
even the best technical skills can only achieve a
beautiful but lifeless image.

Music Box describes the awakening of a young

woman after a total surgery conducted secretly
in an abandoned building in the citys darkest
neighborhood. This surgery alters the subject,
leaving little of her human self.

The scene depicts the moment the surgeon

uses powerful lights that mimic sunlight and a
music box to wake her after the procedure. These
stimuli are designed to connect her with what
is left of her human senses. If the awakening is a
success, her humanity will be returned. If it is not,
she will remain an empty carcass.

I always make sure the

references I use are relevant
and serve to increase the
meaning of the story

Sketching and composition

After the initial brainstorming, I start to sketch.
I begin with a series of rapid thumbnails to
determine a composition. Next, I will block a final
sketch as a base for the final illustration. I prefer
to use a digital sketch when working with values.
For Music Box, I created the thumbnails and the
sketches directly within Photoshop (Fig.01).

The composition is designed to create focus on

the character. The strong vertical lines in the
background create weight and gravity while the
lamps, floor pattern, light rays and posture of the
figure create perspective lines that direct the eye
and establish the face and listening ear as the interesting, this step is usually pretty easy and anatomy reference, I work with live models, and
focus of the composition (Fig.02). fun. I will search for references all over the place, take my own reference photos.
including going out into the world with my
Resources and materials camera. One of my favorite places to hunt for I always make sure the references I use are
The third step is about gathering materials that inspiration is antique shops, which are always full relevant and serve to increase the meaning of the
will creatively set the scene. When the story is of the strangest items, shapes, and textures. For story within the image. With Music Box, I focused

108 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

my search for resources on musical instruments

and typewriter elements.

When imagining the powerful lamps that will

awaken the character, I decided that the light
should be contained behind very strong doors
with a wheel to control the lights. With this in
mind, I approached a local museum and asked to
take pictures of their vault.

Building the picture

From the original sketch, I start the painting
process. I merge the painting work with
photographic or textured elements. I try to
keep my workflow open allowing for any happy
accidents or inspiring surprises (Fig.03 04).

I always merge the layers as early as possible to

make sure I cant go back. Its important to make
decisions and stick with them. Too many layers
and history steps can present so many options
that it becomes difficult to know when the image
is complete.

109
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Digital Art Master: Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

I always pick the colors

from a photo reference and
work the rest of the picture
according to this
I use flat brushes as a painting knife, with a
pencil and Smudge tool, alternating between
these tools during the entire process. I find that
importing elements, painting and smudging
connects me to the way I used to work on canvas
where I would combine drawing, collage and
painting (Fig.05 07).

I work in the colors along with the overall

workflow. As the picture evolves, I will keep
modifying the colors, working on different zones,
making sure that essential elements like the
music box stand out. I always pick the colors from
a photo reference and work the rest of the picture
according to this. Working from a document
helps me to keep a logical consistency during the
creation process.

When everything is blocked and the picture is

almost done, I merge all the layers and start the
final step. I create a new layer in Soft Light or
Overlay mode and start to add bits of light, color
and detail into the picture. I play with the opacity,
merge the layers, and repeat these stages over
and over (Fig.08).

I often finish with overall adjustments, tweaking

contrast, values and soft color gradients. To
obtain the photorealistic noise that I like, I
duplicate the final picture and apply the Smart
Sharpen filter to that top layer. I then erase areas
and keep the sharp effect only on the spots I want
the eyes to focus on (Fig.09).

It wasnt so long ago that I was reading books

looking for tips, so I am pleased to be able to
share these. Time goes by fast, so work hard!

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 2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

The Artist

Bastien Lecouffe
Deharme
web

111
An integral part of my own
drive for self improvement
has always been admiring
and scrutinizing the work
of others. Getting to
see brilliant works of
art broken down and
explained step-by-step is
always a pleasure, and a
captivating glimpse into
the minds and processes of
the artists behind them.

Charlie Bowater
Concept Artist

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