This tutorial is a detailed, step by step walkthrough of my process in making a Sci-fi character concept / Illustration. This image was originally an assignment for a PC Gamer cover, which unfortunately never got used. The subject is a sexy Borg female. Since it was a cover assignment, I wanted to have some fun and do a little spoof on the famous Janet Jackson Rolling Stone cover.
This a very long and detailed workshop. It’s a also a Photoshop (PS) tour-de-force. Meaning, I wanted to pull out all the stops and use as much PS “tricks” and fx as possible. This is a special treat for those who want an insider look at how to leverage PS to quickly add a professional looking finish.
A step by step tutorial demonstrating my process in creating a female portrait in Photoshop. The process is similar to traditional painting in oils and acrylics. I rely heavily on solid art fundamentals, especially head drawing. Since drawing is so important, we’ll explore that first.
STEP 1: “Laying-In” the head
A head ‘lay-in’ is the foundation drawing. It is used to describe and lay-in the basic structure of the subject’s head and the placement of the facial features. An accurate and effective lay-in is critical to the success of the portrait.
A step by step tutorial on how to paint a sexy female figure in Photoshop. You can also see my workflow, thought process and general tips on creating beautiful figurative art.
STEP 0: Setting up the workspace
I generally keep my workspace very minimal. I keep my canvas zoomed out and have my pre-made color palette in a separate window. I treat this window like a traditional oil palette and mix and pick my colors from this window. My main monitor, a Cintiq, was also my tablet. My reference image is on the second monitor.
