Using a sketch as a base - how to do line art over top

[littlefear1]

Okay so i'm going to start from scratch.

Can anyone give me instructions on how to create line art (that i will later colour in) by using a sketch i did as a base? In the simplest terms, as everything i've tried hasn't worked and i'm still new to it.

I have a photo of the sketch i want to trace over, but otherwise i'm really stuck on how to add layers/duplicate layers and knowing which layer to do the line art on, and how to format a new background layer to put that line art over when i'm done making it.

any help would be appreciated.

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

• Create a new Layer (Layer > New > Layer)

• on that do your tracing with the Brush Tool, Pencil Tool, …

• for colouring add one or more Layer between the sketch and the line-layer

If you are sure the lines are all to be the same color (black for example) you could start with a Solid Color Layer (Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color), add a black Layer Mask (Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All) and paint with white on that to trace the linework.

Are you planning to work in RGB or CMYK?

[littlefear1]

I don't know about RGB or CMYK yet. But thank you for the response - that's really helpful. I do plan to have all the lines as black for now - as i'm just starting i don't want to make things even more complicated than they already are.

[Nancy OShea]

RGB mode is used for screen  = red, green, blue color channels. 

CMYK is used for print = cyan, magenta, yellow & black.  I know, I know, why does K mean black?  The "K" stands for key because in four-color press printing, cyan, magenta and yellow printing plates are carefully keyed, or aligned, with the key of the black key plate.

Probably way more than you wanted to know but if you're planning to take your art work to an offsite print shop, use CMYK mode.   For digital screen art (video, animation, web images..), use RGB mode.

Nancy

[davidc1815]

If your (photographed) drawing is a black line on a light background, you can open the photo creating a background layer, and then duplicate that background layer.  Working on the duplicated layer, go to Select/Color Range and, go for Shadows in the drop down list, and adjust Fuzziness and Range till you get the black line drawing selected.  Then invert the selection (Select/Inverse), and remove the background around the line drawing.  You will then have a layer with nothing but your line drawing.  If you then create a new empty layer below the line drawing layer and fill it with white, You will see your original line drawing against a white background.  Add a new empty layer on top of the stack and work on this with your colour work etc.  I'm assuming you want to develop the line drawing in your photo.

David

[Trevor.Dennis]

I use work paths.  They are east to make totally accurate with smooth curves, and can be adjusted as you go.  You can then build the finished art work a layer at a time using those work paths.  This is the way that Bert Monroy does his digital portraits as in this detail shot of Bert's Times Square Gigapicture

You can download the notes from Bert's digital art workshop he did at Max last year here

This portrait of my wife is 100% digital art, and was produced using Bert's techniques.

There are just under 100 layers, but many of them are Smart Objects with multiple layers, so the total count would be a fair bit higher. The broach and earrings were produced separately using Photoshop's 3D tools.  A good 90% was done with brushes from this brush set by Castrochew, but I made other brushes for stuff like eyebrows using Fade to taper out the lines.   If you are using Windows, then Lazy Nezumi Pro is a huge aid.  A tablet is an obvious must have.

[Nancy OShea]

Nice work Trevor.  You've been busy .