How to Make CG Art with Layer Techniques in Photoshop


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Introduction

What are layer techniques? Photoshop allows you to do a lot more with your art by utilizing layers. Through the method I'll discuss here, different colors are painted on in succession, much like an animation cell. This allows clean borders between colors and the ability to go in and make adjustments to any part of the picture without altering anything else. Here's the final picture divided into its different layers. In Photoshop, these layers are stacked on top of each other like the picture you see on the end. The layers are seperate and can be edited individually, so you can add shading and highlights without bothering another layer.

Contents

Introduction 1. Sketching and Inking your picture (plus scanning) 2. Seperate your linework from the background 3. The tools of Photoshop 4. A new layer for each color 5. Shading and highlighting a layer 6. One method of doing the hair 7. A glossy black surface 8. Leg armor - black and nonglossy 9. Silver surfaces, guns, and the belt 10. The eyes 11. Finishing touches