For many of us, painting a portrait from scratch may seem like an impossible task. What you may not know however is that it may not be as tough as you think. In today’s tutorial we will demonstrate how to paint a fantasy portrait from scratch without any references. We will begin with a sketch then demonstrate how to paint in color, skin, texture, and shading. Let’s get started!
Step 1
Let’s begin by first sketching out our portrait. In my example, I sketched it directly into Photoshop using my tablet. If it is easier, feel free to sketch your portrait on a piece of paper and scan it into Photoshop. If sketching isn’t your strength, you can download my sketch here.
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Step 2
Tones will vary depending on the type of skin you are painting. When you paint skin, you will have a base tone, mid-tones, shadows, highlights and a warm zone (usually in the cheekbones). Begin by coloring with a neutral tone of beige (#dfbaa8) and cover all the skin. This will be the base. You can use the Paint Bucket Tool or a basic Brush with sharp edges.
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Step 3
In this step we will paint the eyebrows. This is very easy. The first thing to do is to cover up the areas of the eyebrows with the skin’s base tone.
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Step 4
To paint the eyes, first you need to cover up the areas with base colors.
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Step 5
Next, let’s paint the lips. This is very easy since we are going to use the same technique as we did on the eyes. Look at the image below to see the lighted areas.
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Step 6
Add some more light near the upper lip.
Step 7
Go to Adjustment Layers > Levels. Use the values in the image below.
Step 8
Once you have the base laid down add some detail. Merge all visible layers into the active one (Cmd (Ctrl) + Alt + Shift + E) . Go to Filter > Noise > Add noise (about 7-9 px). Leave the noise on the skin and erase it from the other parts on a mask.
Step 9
In this step we will add some texture to the skin. First select the brush tool and select the appropriate presets: check the scattering box, scatter about 350%, control: pen pressure, count jitter: 12%. Now select 3 colors: a bright cream, a soft pink and a beige and start adding some freckles on her cheekbones and nose. Set the opacity to about 30 – 40%.
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Step 10
Our last step is to create her hair. This is not very hard, just select the color you want the hair’s base to be and draw the shape of the hair. The color I’ve used is #d28c6a.
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Step 11
Now let’s add a background. Download a texture you like from here. Drag the background to a layer under the portrait.
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Step 12
Now, above all layers, go to Adjustment Layers > Gradient Map and apply the settings as shown. Opacity to 30%.
Step 13
Adjustment Layers > Hue/Saturation. Saturation to +25.
Step 14
Adjustment Layers > Levels. Use the settings as shown.
Step 15
The last part is to add some hair under the face. Select the pen tool and cut out a part of the hair, flip it horizontally and place it under the face on the right side. That’s it! We are done!
Additional Examples
Here are some additional examples; elf ears, a necklace or maybe some futuristic glasses can be added.
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