Step by Step Concept Art - Digital Painting Tutorial

Step by Step Concept Art - Digital Painting Tutorial

If you're ready, let's start !

 Step 1 

- Start off with a sketch. I usually work with at least 3 different "grounds" (potentially more)
a farthest Background, A middle Ground, and the foreground.
Each ground should have a little something of interest, even if it is just plantlife.

 Step 2 

Start off with blocking out each "ground" and some basic lighting in a overlay layer at the

top to get an idea of what you want.

Each "ground" can be a different shade of grey. Making them lighter or darker can drastically alter

a picture, deciding which ground you want darkest and lightest. In this example, i decided the farthers Background looked best as the darkest layer. and the focus lightest.

 Step 3 

- decide what you want as your base colors. These colors carry through to anything else added ontop.
i chose green colors as my base, and as you see the image progress, you will se the final product has an overall tinge of green.

 Step 4 

- beginblocking in shapes and shades on your farthes background.
for this one i start off with patchy splotches of different greens and basic leaf shapes to block in the plant life, as well as a few stone works for interest.

 Step 5 

Here you will see i turned off the overlay layer for the lighting idea. I do this throughout working on the piece to see what i have color wise without it.
Starting on the middle ground with rough colors and some messy shadding.

Step 6 

-here i have started working on the details benieth the waters surface. Even though in this pieces final product, you do not see all of these detials, I like to paint what is hiding underneith. Whenever i paint water in any of my works i always paint the full scape below the waters surface rather than just the waters surface to give it depth and a sence of clarity. If this image did not have reflections, you would be able to see all of the rocks below.

Step 7 

Here i am adding more colors and details to the stones and pillar of the front ground.
Adding in some basic shading and just blocking it all in.
(note the overlay lighting layer is once again hidden.)

 Step 8 

 

Here i have fleshed out the scenery benieth the waters surface, including a few fish and lighting.

On a multiply layer i create a darker piece overtop of the water, this will act as my waters "surface"

-i like to give this multiply layer a greenish or bluish tinge depending on scene.

i add a basic rough idea for the reflection on top.

 Step 9

 

 - Here i am going back into the backgrund layers and adding reflective lighting. Water reflects lighting in a wave like pattern, that is usually brighter closer to teh waters surface, as seen on the farthest back pillar, as well as on the stones in the front pillar. - Surrounding reflective lighting is also added all the way up to the top of the pillers. I continued to use a green tone for the lighting as it is in the surroundings. - I also blocked in some of the plantlife/lillies up front to give the waters surface some more interest.

 Step 10

 - Here i have went back into the background and refine the details. at this point i use a painting "brush" on 100% blending mode to smooth out edges and enrich colors. (Please note i do not use any custom brushes at all! so you do not need to buy or download any brushes for this. Photo Shop comes with all of the brushes i use) - You can also see more of the underwater lighting without the subjects reflections in the way. - also note that the top overlay layer for lighting is now turned off for good. 

 Step 11

 lastly is to finish up the subjects of the image, as well as any final details within the background and the reflections. - Remember to add reflective lighting from the water below, as well as your main lighting. - add in water ripples using the painting brush again to drag and blend in "rings" and waves. Smudge the reflections, and add in the final highlights

GOODBYEEEEE <3