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pbird12 — Unblended Skin Tutorial
Published: 2011-06-12 20:22:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 12606; Favourites: 267; Downloads: 468
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Description
I'm a little, well, a big bit nervous about posting this
Some of my lovely dA friends have asked how I draw unblended skin. I also get asked a lot about the different papers I use, so with a little nudge from I've put together a little tutorial type thing to cover them both. Christina sweetie, this is for you
I hope it's helpful to some of you
Paula
P.S. I ran out of space on my tutorial, but just to say these scans are pretty close up so you can see whats going on. To see the skin unblended in a drawing, I used this method in these drawings -
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Comments: 132
Your very welcome, I'm glad it's useful
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Brilliant tutorial, really easy to follow and great detail. Thanks Paula. I have just completed my first portrait using circulism - it was a bit of a scary prospect but I find it a great way to do skin and will never go back to my old method now.
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I'm really glad it's useful 
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miss talkesn to you hope all is well.Your work always speaks for it'sself. Thank you for taking the time to share the gift GOD gave you,Same for so many maxine4
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More than welcome 
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great tutorial, its explained in an easy to understand style.
I know the tutorial wasn't in the context of a drawing but i thought this might help anyone who reads this, i find using a small light layer of cross hatching first helps define the areas you're working on a bit more before you start using circulism. Its quite easy to loose the shape of the drawing when you've gotten through your first layer of skin texture.
Another tip is using a sheet of plain A4 paper (pref printer paper) to lean on as you draw, it stops your skin reacting with the paper below. Oils in the skin can change the way the graphite is applied.
Ohh and one last tip, well not really a tip just something that i do. I try to make mistakes and blotches on the early skin layers to give it a unpredictable uneven tone when i come to putting down the final polished layers. If you try to make something uneven in these final stages of the drawing sometimes it comes off forced..if that makes sense.
Anyway, great tutorial. I hope it helps people.
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Thank you!
I use cross hatching when I'm blending for the same reason you said, it works really well it's a good tip
It's out with what I was covering in my tutorial, but I'm sure a few people read comments so definitely worth putting it here 
Your method is kind of opposite to mine for the skin thing, but I always say anything goes as long as it works for you
I hope it helps people too 
Paula
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The drawings you make are amazing. How long have you been drawing already=
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i have to say thanks cause ive been wondering alot about these things and this is going to help alot!! thanks again
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I'm really glad that its being useful, I was nervous posting it 
If there is anything I've not made clear, just ask anytime
Thanks for faving and also for faving Mystery Spot too
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I'm really glad it's helping some people out
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Awesome tutorial, Paula!
But I don't quite understand your circulism approach. Would you please explain it to a dummy like me?
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Hi
Sure, what it is thats not clear and I'll do my best
Paula
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Thank you, thank you Paula - very useful tutorial - especially love the discussion of papers. Makes me want to try this... Barrie
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I'm really glad it's useful 
It's really quite fun you know, i do like to blend too, but i prefer the way this looks
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If only u knew how long I have been waiting for this tutorial! Thank you so so so friend much for sharing
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I'm so glad you'll find it useful 
Your more than welcome
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it's a wonderful tutorial, Paula! 
and you are an amazing artist so everyone will love it
i know i will whenever i try to attempt unblended lol.
what did you make the actual tutorial in? i have to make my hair one soon and i am crap at stuff like this lol.
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Yay, I am glad it's okay
Uhm, promise not to laugh? I made it in powerpoint 
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I know this discussion is old, but I can't help but add my 2 cents. I've used Adobe Photoshop for ... well, longer than lots of the people here have been alive, and it tends to be my tool of choice. But a good friend once told me that sometimes the old kludgy way you know in and out and faster and better than the new shiny ways.
For me, I use Photoshop on almost everything, as it's my go-to tool of choice. For you, it's Powerpoint. But bottom line, you put together a wonderful, accessible, understandable tutorial. To me? That shows that a lot of the time, it's not the tool that's important, it's the user.
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Aw, thank you so much again
Paula
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did you really? i'm so gonna make mine in there then lol.
i'm such a dunce when it comes to digital things, i could never laugh at you! powerpoint sounds good to me
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Lol, every last bit of it
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yeah! omg i do not understand layers and i always feck it up lol
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Ha ha, me either and I had to use all that stuff for three years, can you guess part of the reason I didnt do it as a job, powerpoint didnt wash with the professionals
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lol oh well you're much better off at what you're doing now anyway!
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Great tutorial, Paula! Thank you for sharing!
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I'm really glad you like it
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Gawsh! I can't imagine you hesitated to post this! It's a brilliant and didactic tutorial. I wish there were more like this, really! Thank you very much for this one.
FTR I used to draw on machine papers, a long ago. Then I got a block of sheets from my parents. I think it was about 180g, can't remember exactly.
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Yay, I'm glad it's okay
I'm a paperaholic, it makes me happy
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(Paperaholic 
Oh, I'm sure it will be usefull.
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yay you uploaded it!
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Aw, thank you again, your a little angel for checking it over for me
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Amazing tutorial! 
Superb work!!!
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Yay! I'm so glad it was worth doing
I like Daley Bristol Board too 
That is true, it does smudge more easily, I fold a sheet of copy paper in half and use it like a little sleeve, it doesn't always work though. Also if i'm working all over the page I pop a piece of photo paper under my hand shiny side down and it doesn't move anything it just slides over the paper and your drawing
Thank you again
P
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No problem, it's a brilliant tutorial!
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Ooooh! Thats a good one, not tried that
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I read that tip from somebody on here I'm sure
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Whoa Paula this is great info! We'll have to discuss specifics later
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Glad you thought it okay
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Looks interesting.... I'll definitely have to give it a try!
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Brilliant, I'd love to see how you get on
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I decided to do this with the drawing I was already working on since I hadn't done much on it.... I like it so far! Thanks for posting this!
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Thats great! I'm so glad it was worthwhile doing
Its fun this way too, your more than welcome
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