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Leadmare — Photoshop Tutorial

Published: 2008-12-26 01:36:28 +0000 UTC; Views: 13703; Favourites: 161; Downloads: 0
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Description All right. I don't know why, but I had this crazy idea of making a tutorial--and of course it's a crappy one but it will help you
Anyways, this is for people who HAVE PHOTOSHOP ONLY . You do NOT need to have a tablet so no worries; although a tablet helps a LOT with the small details that you want to fix. This tutorial is more like a "trick" for those people who don't have tablets and make sketches in pencil and later color it with photoshop Not too long ago I figure my own way to do this in a very simple and fun way.
All ready? Let's get started



After you've sketched your drawing with pencil, make sure that you use a pen (any black pen) to trace the lines and so that is easier to use Once the pen is dried, you may erase the pencil with an eraser and you'll have your lineart.

1. You'll open your photoshop and your drawing [link]

2. When you pick your brushes, you'll see Mode. From there you'll pick Exclusion. Make sure you have a WHITE color for your brush. [link]

3. With that set up, you'll color all of your lineart [link] And notice how the black lineart will turn white.

4. Once that's done, you'll add a New Layer . Make sure to change the brush color to black. ( you may rename the layer such as Layer 1 so that you're more organized and don't get confused. ) [link]

5. You'll begin to trace the white lines with the black brush. [link] The more you zoom in, the better and easier to see.

6. Once you're done, it should look something like this [link] . Therefore you'll click on Background and click on eraser. Erase EVERYTHING. [link]

7. After step 6, it should look like this [link] This is the "Lineart" layer. Then, on the layers you'll right click and "Duplicate Layer" [link]

8. You're finally ready to color. With the Wand , you'll be able to color more easily. [link] [Make sure you're no longer on the background, OR Layer 1 (lineart), but on the 2nd layer (Colored Layer 1) ]

9. On Colored Layer 1, you'll color your drawing--keep it all basic. NO shading or highlights. [link] I don't recommend you to color the mane/tail and eyes just yet.

10. After you're done, duplicate the Colored Layer 1 and rename it as Colored Layer 2. [link]

11. On Colored Layer 2 , you'll do the shading and highlights. To start off with the shadow, you have to make sure that for every color that you want to tone down, it has to have the right base color. For example, as you can see here [link] you have the horse's coat as brown. Therefore the only thing you need to change is the Mode to Multiply. Try to color one part all at once because if you try color it again, it will turn into a much darker brown color. If it's too complicated, try to shade the parts very lightly and build it up. [link]

12. Now that you're done with the shading, we'll jump into the highlights ( This is absolutely your choice. If you like to make simple shading, then fine. You may skip this part. ) You need to change the Mode into Screen . With Screen, you'll add a shiny coat as you can see her [link]

13. With the inner ears, nostrils, and hooves, use the same strategy with screen--to add a shiny surface; and multiply--to add the shading. [link]

14. TIP: If you messed up with the shading--because it happens very often as you can see here [link] You can simply go to Mode, and change it to Lighten and edit it. [link]

15. Now is time to make a small pause to coloring and check the edges of your drawing. You may find a lot of flaws such as [link] But you can clean them with a Normal Mode , white brush to clean the background. You may also recolor small parts of your lineart with a black brush. [link] [link]

16. This is how it looks after 15 long steps [link]

17. This is OPTIONAL, but I use another layer just to focus on the eyes and mane/tail coloring. How ever you color them, use another layer [link]

18. At last, voila! [link]

19. I won't give a tutorial on backgrounds because I'm terribly myself, but if you want to make a background I suggest duplicating another layer. Use the wand to trap just the outside and then you're ready to draw the background [link]

20. Last, but not least: If you have a watermark, always make a new layer to add the watermark I don't know why but it always works.

I hope that this is a help for you. Any questions, feel free to ask me by commenting below. Enjoy!

The results of this tutorial (check it out! )
Related content
Comments: 110

FreedomDweller [2010-11-26 18:09:30 +0000 UTC]

libertad needs a new mate. like there needs to be a twist like maybe that stallion that keeps trying to take libertad from sol like eventaly mates with lib but lib never wanted to.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to FreedomDweller [2010-11-29 08:35:53 +0000 UTC]

Heck no, she doesn't need a new mate. Sol is the only one who completes her.

Believe me, there are a lot of twists in their story, The Northern Herd. But none of them could break their love for each other.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FreedomDweller In reply to Leadmare [2010-12-05 02:13:57 +0000 UTC]

hehe ok lol

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

happy-horse-for-life [2010-06-15 00:16:44 +0000 UTC]

Oh please oh please oh please give us a tutorial on backgrounds!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to happy-horse-for-life [2010-06-16 04:52:40 +0000 UTC]

I would if I was good at them. I am barely learning myself. There are many, many awesome background tutorials here in DA

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happy-horse-for-life In reply to Leadmare [2010-06-16 15:26:45 +0000 UTC]

okay...

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LugiaAngel [2009-08-18 20:14:59 +0000 UTC]

Whith which tool you draw the lines? ^^
I don't get it anymore.. I tried it with the pen tool,
but the lines look ugly. It's like I never gonna learn it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to LugiaAngel [2009-08-19 05:29:13 +0000 UTC]

For sketch, I use 3 xp in any color other than black. For the line art, I usually use 5 xp, unless it's a very thin line.

I think this tutorial will help you better: [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

LugiaAngel In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-19 19:31:18 +0000 UTC]

Thnks But, are you using the line or the pen
tool for the lines? x)

I made a lineart with the pen tool. You wanna see it?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to LugiaAngel [2009-08-20 21:09:13 +0000 UTC]

ah, any black pen

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LugiaAngel In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-20 21:34:34 +0000 UTC]

Wait, so you don't draw the lines with ps, but with a real pen?

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Leadmare In reply to LugiaAngel [2009-08-21 19:07:04 +0000 UTC]

It depends

For this tutorial, I started with a traditional sketch and lineart. And I still have to go through black lines on the photoshop unless you want a crappy lineart

The other tutorial I sent you is all done in photoshop--that includes the sketch.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

LugiaAngel In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-21 19:16:16 +0000 UTC]

I made this lineart with the pen tool [link] What do you think?

Why don't you draw traditionel art, anymore?

I have a little story for Azu and Replay.
Can you say if you like it and everything is correct?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to LugiaAngel [2009-08-22 14:23:49 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, the lineart is fine.

Say, are you really trying hard to find your own style?

As for that, simply because it takes more time to do a traditional art. I really want a scanner so I can stop posting crappy traditional art as well.
And sure, send it to me on a note.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

LugiaAngel In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-22 16:09:44 +0000 UTC]

Look how cute [link]

Thnks Yeah.. I want to draw a little bit of your style,
but more my own way. That's not good english, right..

And no, your traditional art looks great.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to LugiaAngel [2009-08-23 21:18:03 +0000 UTC]

It certainly looks more like my style, dear But I really hope you can find your very own. Keep working on it.

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LugiaAngel In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-23 22:04:28 +0000 UTC]

I'm sorry, it's just so hard..
Thanks, I do my best. You.. You so kind

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Sukkaxo [2009-08-04 05:14:15 +0000 UTC]

this helped me so much but i am having a big bg problem i can get the layer with the bg but i put it under my pic and i still can't see it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Sukkaxo [2009-08-04 21:07:42 +0000 UTC]

Really? Hmm...that's strange. Do you think you can take a screenshot of your work in photoshop so I can maybe figure the problem? Unless you want to send me your saved project as photoshop through e-mail.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Sukkaxo In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-04 23:15:38 +0000 UTC]

ya i made a small circle just to show u nothing not even that small circle the bg will not come through [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Sukkaxo [2009-08-05 00:13:41 +0000 UTC]

What ~freedomfighter93 said it's right

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Sukkaxo In reply to Leadmare [2009-08-05 02:15:34 +0000 UTC]

kk

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transylvaniandreams [2009-07-21 14:15:59 +0000 UTC]

Awesome...I think I'll use this tutorial to learn how to color my art better and stuffs. Thank you

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to transylvaniandreams [2009-07-22 00:27:15 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome I hope it really helps.

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Animaleson15 [2009-01-30 22:58:56 +0000 UTC]

Hehehehe Ops I faund the eraser tool But When I juseit Im erasing the hole pic, and it become like gray and I cant see the lines Can you help??

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Animaleson15 [2009-02-01 02:33:06 +0000 UTC]

gray? ...are you sure you followed the directions exactly the way I showed you?...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Animaleson15 In reply to Leadmare [2009-02-01 07:43:16 +0000 UTC]

yes But Im not sure that I juse the right eraser
I will asc a friend of me for help

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Animaleson15 [2009-02-01 23:43:15 +0000 UTC]

I am sorry I couldn't help

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Animaleson15 In reply to Leadmare [2009-02-02 15:12:09 +0000 UTC]

NP! Its no big deal

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Animaleson15 [2009-01-26 17:26:37 +0000 UTC]

I have one question:
I have come to part.6 and there I see that you juse the erase tool but all I have on my PS is Backround eraser tool and when I juse it the pic become gray and you cant see any thing of the pic! I cant find other erasers. I have PS 0,7

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Ninjahound [2009-01-05 02:50:12 +0000 UTC]

This is going to help me! ^^ Thanks for making it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Ninjahound [2009-01-07 01:06:18 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome!

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Ninjahound In reply to Leadmare [2009-01-07 01:24:03 +0000 UTC]

^^

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Misaki-Fain [2009-01-03 00:40:19 +0000 UTC]

I use the dodge and burn tools for shading and highlights

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to Misaki-Fain [2009-01-03 04:10:26 +0000 UTC]

That's fine

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xHealingXLivingx [2008-12-31 17:12:36 +0000 UTC]

Very good! very handy!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to xHealingXLivingx [2008-12-31 19:29:54 +0000 UTC]

Thank you

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HorseyWings [2008-12-27 22:00:01 +0000 UTC]

mwhahahah now i know your secret of digital art XD
wow hon, amazing tutorial! this is gonna be soooooooo helpfull! thank you so much for making this, your the best
it was a lot of fun reading and looking at all the images
and no way you suck at backgrounds- your backgrounds are perfect

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to HorseyWings [2008-12-28 02:43:51 +0000 UTC]

Aww you're welcome I am so glad!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

shahrzad1893 [2008-12-27 04:03:15 +0000 UTC]

oooh il probbaly use this one day

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to shahrzad1893 [2008-12-27 05:45:58 +0000 UTC]

Hopefully!

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RatPackOf32 [2008-12-26 16:50:03 +0000 UTC]

Aww I wish I had photoshop - this would come to good use D;

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to RatPackOf32 [2008-12-26 17:00:51 +0000 UTC]

Have you tried GIMP?

[link]

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RatPackOf32 In reply to Leadmare [2008-12-26 17:02:05 +0000 UTC]

Yes- I have GIMP 2.6

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Leadmare In reply to RatPackOf32 [2008-12-26 17:16:03 +0000 UTC]

oh okay

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RatPackOf32 In reply to Leadmare [2008-12-26 17:19:43 +0000 UTC]

Oh- Sorry! Lol, after I replied I went back and checked the link out. I forgot you had a GIMP tutorial- Lolz.

Thank you Lib. =3

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to RatPackOf32 [2008-12-26 17:39:13 +0000 UTC]

lol np

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RegalSoul [2008-12-26 15:32:46 +0000 UTC]

Hehe...I now know the secret of your colouring.
This is a great, well thought out tutorial!
I'm sure this is going to help thousands of people with little or no expierience in PS.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Leadmare In reply to RegalSoul [2008-12-26 17:01:43 +0000 UTC]

I hope so

Yes, you now know.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Cristy-spain [2008-12-26 13:53:10 +0000 UTC]

Heya Rosa! I've tried your tutorial but I have a little program. When I'm tryung to do step 2, I put the 2 color squares ( my Photoshop is CS) in white but the lineart doesn't turn white. Can you help me? Thankies!

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