- Setting Up the Still Life
- Choosing Photoshop Brushes
- Setting Up and Sketching
- Building Up Tone with Charcoal
- Refining the Forms and Adding Details
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Refining the Forms and Adding Details
Using a dark gray and the Square Charcoal in a smaller size (7–12 pixels), I emphasized the shadows. When I was satisfied with the look, I chose a light gray and added a few highlights. For instance, to suggest highlights on the orange's textured skin, I dabbed short strokes of light gray.
To blend areas of the cast shadow, use the Smudge tool. For subtle blending, apply a light pressure, working back and forth on the edge of the shadow to “feather” it, or make it more graduated. Pull out from the dark area into the light area using a heavier pressure when you want to pull some dark tone into a light area.
Next, to enhance the feeling of space, I used the Square Charcoal and varied grays to rough in a gradation on the background. I also used varied light grays to add more gradation to the cast shadow. Brushing very lightly (using a technique known as scumbling) allowed me to apply a little tone while revealing underlying values. You can see the entire final image in Figure 10.
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Figure 10 This illustration shows the finished charcoal drawing, Autumn Orange, a Study in Grays. Notice how the final short, curved strokes follow the rounded form of the fruit.
Congratulations! You have completed this project. For more creative painting projects with Photoshop and Painter using a Wacom tablet, see The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting Using Wacom and the iPad.
Cher Pendarvis started with a child's fascination with art, and graduated from college with a BFA with Highest Honors and Distinction in Art, specializing in painting and printmaking. A pioneer of the electronic medium, Cher has worked alongside other notables from the early digital era, trailblazing the merging of traditional and digital art forms. Her digital illustrations have been published since 1987. Cher's artwork has been displayed in group exhibitions and individual shows, and her pieces can be found in private collections in the United States and overseas. She is a member of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild and the Point Loma Artists Association. Cher is widely recognized for her mastery of Painter and Photoshop. Her articles and art span nearly three decades of influential books and periodicals. She is principal of the consulting firm Cher Threinen Design, and authored all 10 editions of The Painter WOW! Book and both editions of The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting Using Wacom and the iPad. An encouraging teacher, she has taught art, illustration, and graphic design courses for colleges in San Diego, and she has conducted Painter and Photoshop workshops for professionals in print and broadcast media in the U.S. and overseas. To learn more about Cher, please visit her website at www.pendarvis-studios.com.