Digital Portrait Painting
Project Requirements & Objectives: Students will...
- Develop skills in observational painting – paint from a photograph
- Produce a digital painting using Corel Painter with Wacom drawing tablet that shows 3 dimensional qualities on a flat surface by using a full range of values from the darkest black to very light.
- Develop skills in shading - use a variety of painting techniques, including color mixing and blending.
- Use multiple Layering techniques in Corel Painter
- Save correctly to drive and hand in correctly to dropbox when finished.
Directions
Using a photograph for reference, create a full color digital portrait painting using the Oil Palette Knife, and other brushes for details (eyes, nose, mouth, hair, eyebrows) and the background brushwork in Corel Painter.
Use Google Advanced Image Search and find a photograph at least a 2MP (1600 x 1200) pixel or larger photo of a persons face and save this photo to your Google Drive.
It MUST be a picture of persons face!
Using a photograph for reference, create a full color digital portrait painting using the Oil Palette Knife, and other brushes for details (eyes, nose, mouth, hair, eyebrows) and the background brushwork in Corel Painter.
Use Google Advanced Image Search and find a photograph at least a 2MP (1600 x 1200) pixel or larger photo of a persons face and save this photo to your Google Drive.
It MUST be a picture of persons face!
Find one or more you could use for this project
NOTICE the size of the Photo meets the 1600 x 1200 requirement
Keep clicking on the image you want until the biggest version opens on screen.
Save this to your computer > downloads, the desktop or even better your student folder Z : drive as portrait painting reference photo.
Step 1
Open Painter located in the Programs folder
Open Painter located in the Programs folder
Step 2
File Menu > Open
Find the image you saved to your computer from the Internet and open it up.
File Menu > Open
Find the image you saved to your computer from the Internet and open it up.
Step 3
Bring out the Layers palette if it is not open already. Window > Arrange Palettes > Default
Bring out the Layers palette if it is not open already. Window > Arrange Palettes > Default
Step 4
Go to Select > All
Go to Select > All
Step 5
Go to Edit > Copy. Then Edit > Paste in Place. It will duplicate the photo like the example Layer panel below:
Go to Edit > Copy. Then Edit > Paste in Place. It will duplicate the photo like the example Layer panel below:
Step 6
At the bottom of the Layer Panel click the New Layer icon
At the bottom of the Layer Panel click the New Layer icon
Step 7
Go to Edit > Fill and select a dark color for a background. Click OK
Go to Edit > Fill and select a dark color for a background. Click OK
Step 8
Rename this layer dark background (double click on Layer 2 type the new name, and click the enter key)
Rename this layer dark background (double click on Layer 2 type the new name, and click the enter key)
Step 9
In the Layers Panel create another New Layer by clicking on the New Layer icon
In the Layers Panel create another New Layer by clicking on the New Layer icon
Step 10
With the new layer selected click on the thumbnail, hold down the left click mouse button, and move it below the dark background layer
With the new layer selected click on the thumbnail, hold down the left click mouse button, and move it below the dark background layer
Step 11
Go to Edit > Fill
Go to Edit > Fill
Step 12
Select a light color this time from the color selector, and click OK to fill that layer with this color
Select a light color this time from the color selector, and click OK to fill that layer with this color
Step 13
Drag the layer thumbnail of the photo copy to the top and lower the opacity of that layer to 25%, and turn off the dark background layer.
Drag the layer thumbnail of the photo copy to the top and lower the opacity of that layer to 25%, and turn off the dark background layer.
Step 14
Click on the photo copy layer and click the lock layer icon in the Layers Panel.
Click on the photo copy layer and click the lock layer icon in the Layers Panel.
Step 15
Make another new layer in the Layers Panel and rename that layer to Contour Drawing
Make another new layer in the Layers Panel and rename that layer to Contour Drawing
Step 16
Use the Pencil Brush > Hard Charcoal Pencil #7 and Change the Min size to 50%. Create a contour outline sketch of the main subject. DON'T worry about shading, value or ALL the details.
Use the Pencil Brush > Hard Charcoal Pencil #7 and Change the Min size to 50%. Create a contour outline sketch of the main subject. DON'T worry about shading, value or ALL the details.
Step 17
Save this project following info below:
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select Photoshop (*psd) from the drop down menu.
If you don't do this you will have to start over : (
Then click the Save button
Save this project following info below:
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select Photoshop (*psd) from the drop down menu.
If you don't do this you will have to start over : (
Then click the Save button
Step 18
Make another new Layer in the Layers Panel.
Rename this layer >Oil Palette Knife
Turn off the visibility of the Line Drawing. Make sure it's at the top of the layers stack
Arrange your layers like the example here before beginning to paint in the next step!
Make another new Layer in the Layers Panel.
Rename this layer >Oil Palette Knife
Turn off the visibility of the Line Drawing. Make sure it's at the top of the layers stack
Arrange your layers like the example here before beginning to paint in the next step!
Step 19
Choose the Painter 15 Brushes from the Brush Library drop down menu
Now select the Oil Palette Knife style from the Palette Knives Brush
Choose the Painter 15 Brushes from the Brush Library drop down menu
Now select the Oil Palette Knife style from the Palette Knives Brush
Step 20
Turn off all the layers except the Oil Palette Knife and the Photo copy layer.
Check the Pick up Underlying Colors icon
Turn off all the layers except the Oil Palette Knife and the Photo copy layer.
Check the Pick up Underlying Colors icon
Then, very carefully paint in the larger areas of color with the Oil Palette Knife brush. Adjust the size of the brush when needed.
Take your time, using small strokes to gently push the underlying imagery around like real paint. Pushing gently in one direction and then back from the other, over and over, will often achieve the best results.
You will need to alter the brush size often and pay attention to the direction in which you push the paint; there should be some consistency at the end of it all. If you push paint in too many directions, the composition will appear chaotic.
Take your time, using small strokes to gently push the underlying imagery around like real paint. Pushing gently in one direction and then back from the other, over and over, will often achieve the best results.
You will need to alter the brush size often and pay attention to the direction in which you push the paint; there should be some consistency at the end of it all. If you push paint in too many directions, the composition will appear chaotic.
Step 21
When you are finished painting the figure with the Oil Palette Knife it should look something like this
When you are finished painting the figure with the Oil Palette Knife it should look something like this
Step 22
Make a new layer above the Oil Palette Knife layer and call this Details
Make a new layer above the Oil Palette Knife layer and call this Details
Step 23
Now begin to experiment with other brushes to bring back or add details to the painting.
Use the Dropper tool (D) to pick up colors from the real photo and then paint with the Brush (B)
Use smaller size brushes like the Oil Brush > Real Round Bristle and Real Round
Open the real photo and sample colors from that photo with dropper tool
Add those colors to the painting. (see both images below)
Now begin to experiment with other brushes to bring back or add details to the painting.
Use the Dropper tool (D) to pick up colors from the real photo and then paint with the Brush (B)
Use smaller size brushes like the Oil Brush > Real Round Bristle and Real Round
Open the real photo and sample colors from that photo with dropper tool
Add those colors to the painting. (see both images below)
Step 24
Turn off your Photo copy layer
Turn on either your Dark or Light Background layer
Make another new layer called Paint Strokes background
Paint in the background with loose brush work, on this new layer.
Use lighter colors on top of the dark background or darker colors on top of the light background.
Try the Acrylic Brush > Clumpy Brush at a large size 100 and lower opacity 15
Turn off your Photo copy layer
Turn on either your Dark or Light Background layer
Make another new layer called Paint Strokes background
Paint in the background with loose brush work, on this new layer.
Use lighter colors on top of the dark background or darker colors on top of the light background.
Try the Acrylic Brush > Clumpy Brush at a large size 100 and lower opacity 15
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER EXAMPLES OF lOOSE PAINTED BRUSHWORK FOR THE BACKGROUND BELOW
BY ARTIST/ILLUSTRATOR JASON SEILER
BY ARTIST/ILLUSTRATOR JASON SEILER
Step 25
Make any final touch ups to any of the layers if needed.
Decide if you want to turn back on the Outline Sketch layer.
Make any final touch ups to any of the layers if needed.
Decide if you want to turn back on the Outline Sketch layer.
Step 26
Save your final Digital Portrait Painting in 2 format types!
#1
File > Save As
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select Photoshop (*psd) from the drop down menu.
If you don't do this you will have to start over : (
Then click the Save button
#2
File > Save As
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select JPEG (*jpeg or jpg) from the drop down menu.
Click OK button here for this message:
Save your final Digital Portrait Painting in 2 format types!
#1
File > Save As
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select Photoshop (*psd) from the drop down menu.
If you don't do this you will have to start over : (
Then click the Save button
#2
File > Save As
Save this to Your Google Drive folder as Corel Painter Digital Painting when finished.
Save as type: Select JPEG (*jpeg or jpg) from the drop down menu.
Click OK button here for this message:
Then click the Save button and OK on the JPEG Encoding Quality
Step 27
Complete the Student Reflection Questions & Self-Assessment Checklist when you are finished. Turn this into me when you are finished. (This handout is on my desk when you are ready for it.)
Complete the Student Reflection Questions & Self-Assessment Checklist when you are finished. Turn this into me when you are finished. (This handout is on my desk when you are ready for it.)