edit: I DO NOT OWN A TABLET SO WHAT I'M TEACHING HERE CAN BE DONE BY USING ONLY A MOUSE OR YOUR LAPTOP'S TOUCHPAD.

Okay so today I'm going to 'teach' you guys how to turn this:

Because this is prolly the first time for most of you I picked a simple picture with a simple outfit, not too much ruffles, wrinkles or creases to give you all a big headache. (Image courtesy of Tammy)

1st step: Copy the photo into your Photoshop canvas.


2nd step: Create another layer. Do not start drawing DIRECTLY onto the image. I'll start with her face shape first since I like to draw from the top to the bottom. This is up to your own preference, you can even start from the toes yeah. I magnified the image to 300% because it'd be easier to trace like that.

I use the normal default 1px brush found in every Photoshop regardless of your version. Color: black. (duh-.-)
3rd step: After you've roughly outlined her face shape, you can go on to her hair. I love her hair because it's messy enough to do a sloppy job. I mean seriously. All you got to do is just let your mouse loose and toogle with the opacity level of the brush. (it's just beside the selection of thickness of the brush, my bad i forgot to circle it.)

4th step: After you think her hair looks decent enough, just trace the flower barrette (in another layer) in her hair. Lineart is actually a lot about tracing which makes it freaking easy if you have a tablet (which i do not).


5th step: Since her hair is on top of her shirt, by common sense, create another layer below the layer which you've drawn her hair in. It doesn't really matter here since you're not going to fill the layers with colors but if you want something really realistic and colorful, you got to take in mind which layer goes on top of which so that it'd look all real and not awkward.

6th step: Just trace her shirt outline and then based on your own judgment, adjust the opacity level of the brush to trace the creases in her shirt. Don't ask me to give you a specific number, it's your art and art is all about doing it yourself.


7th step: Once you're done with her shirt, go on to the arms. As always, create a new layer whenever you start with a new part of the body, be it face/arms/legs/fingers/shoes etc. Now since there're fingers involved and they're tiny in such context, my advice to you guys is to magnify the damn thing. I don't care how much you magnify it to, I normally use 500-600% so really, it's up to you. This image is really easy cause they're no nails or knuckles involved, so all you need is basically like tracing your own hand on paper. It's that simple, really. :)


8th step: Her bag. Now this bag doesn't have tons of zippers or compartments either, it's actually just a reactangle so there shouldn't be much problems. As for that trademark classic Chanel handbag strap, you don't need to go into such details. Besides your image would be too tiny to see it anyway.


9th step: For her legs, create this layer below the shirt layer because really, her shirt is over her leggings isn't it? It's leggings and not skinnys so don't overdo the wrinkles. I only added a few at her knees to give it a realistic effect, it's up to you. You add where you think would look fine.


10th step: Create another layer for the last thing before you're done: shoes/feet. Just trace and viola you're done! :)



P.S. If you're having problems tracing round a curve for example, magnify that area. It really helps because although you have to trace more, the chances of you following the curve is much higher.
P.S.S Practice makes perfect! You can't expect to master it in one day. I certainly wasn't born with this talent so don't be too ambitious alright! :)
P.S.S.S. I didn't add in her facial features because that's almost like my trademark but I don't think it'd have look nice, considering that the image is so small to begin with...

hi guys hope i'm not asking too much but if you guys followed this tutorial and made something can you all show me? like host it on photobucket or imageshack and tag at my tagboard? coz i'd really like to see thanks, and love you all for supporting :)

Labels: lineart