OVERVIEW

PHOTOSHOP DIGITAL PAINTING FROM A 3D STARTING POINT

This online workshop will run over a period of four weeks and incorporate over seven and a half hours of video footage, illustrating the process behind producing an initial 3D concept in SketchUp through to a finished digital painting in Photoshop.

Two videos will be available each week throughout the four week period and cover the process from start to finish.

This workshop is aimed at beginners through to intermediate users and will teach you how to use Google SketchUp in conjunction with digital painting, showing how a 3D scene can accurately establish a composition and help visualize an idea before beginning the painting itself.

Google SketchUp is an invaluable resource for 2D artists, offering intuitive modeling tools set within a coherent interface. It is a perfect starting package for those wishing to incorporate 3D into their artistic practice and is commonly used by concept artists worldwide as an effective way of setting up perspective, as well as allowing the freedom to experiment with the viewpoint compared to sketching with a brush.

It is important to note that although SketchUp is the example package being used, the principles described are equally applicable within any 3D context and as such are sympathetic to other software.

However for the purposes of this workshop we shall be using SketchUp as it is freely available and has a more accessible toolset for those not familiar with 3D environments. Although simpler than other packages, the tools on offer are more than adequate when creating a 3D concept with respect to digital painting.

The first three videos dedicate themselves to Google SketchUp and aim to introduce students to the interface and various toolsets before moving on to building the preliminary scene. From here we will follow the process used to construct the scene components and save out various masks in readiness for the painting process in Photoshop.

The subsequent five movies will focus on the numerous painting stages, from blocking in through to adding details and textural realism by way of photographic elements.

Workshop details
Software: Photoshop & Google Sketchup
Level: Beginner - Intermediate
Tutor: Richard Tilbury
Price and Availability: 24 places at £159.99 (Approx $250)
Start Date: Monday September 3rd 2012
Duration: 4 weeks

Student Requirements
Candidates: Each student should have a working knowledge of Photoshop and preferably own a graphics tablet.

Please Note: Although SketchUp is the example package being used, the principles described are equally applicable within any 3D context and as such are sympathetic to other software.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE EMAILED OVER ONCE WORKSHOP HAS BEEN PURCHASED.

COURSE STRUCTURE

As well as an overview of SketchUp’s tools and interface, the movies will outline various technical and artistic approaches used to develop concept art in conjunction with rudimentary 3D.

The tutorials will show how 3D can prove an invaluable asset when visualizing an idea and also illustrate how to transform a render into a final image within Photoshop using the appropriate tools and brushes.

The key software required will be Photoshop CS3, Google SketchUp and preferably a graphics tablet.

Students are required to formulate their own concept for an environment painting that they will start in 3D before taking it into Photoshop for the digital painting process. The level of detail during the 3D stage is subjective, but the principal details should be reserved for the painting stage.

Each student will have access to a private forum where they can post work in progress and ask questions, which will involve weekly advice and help from the tutor on a one-to-one basis.

Week One

Part 1: An Introduction to Google SketchUp An overview of the interface and principal tools, including making copies and arrays, Inferencing, using Scale to mirror an object and Autofold to bevel geometry. From here we put these lessons into practice by modeling the first object in our scene alongside some architectural components.

Part 2: Modular Design – Creating the Buildings This movie shows the construction of two types of housing blocks and integrates the components from the previous tutorial. We see how a limited number of modular pieces can be combined to create a more complex environment.

Week Two

Part 3: Creating the Tower and Saving Out Masks We finish the buildings and then go on to create the floating tower, applying all of the techniques covered so far. With the scene complete we then save out various masks to enable alpha channels as well as rendering out the shadow settings.

Part 4: Laying the Foundations – Blocking In This marks the beginning of the painting process where we utilize our masks to structure the image into foreground and background sections. The color scheme is established alongside the general tonal range and light source.

Week Three

Part 5: Using Windows and Balconies to Add Scale Here we add in some initial details and take advantage of custom brushes. Windows, canopies and other peripheral elements are added using the Transform tools to match the perspective and determine the scale.

Part 6: Adding Some Detail We continue adding details including some lamp light in the foreground, as well as refining the tower by introducing some paneling and aerials. Color adjustments and Transform tools are used throughout together with an introduction to using photographs.

Week Four

Part 7: Using Photos to Add Textural Realism This section covers the inclusion of various photo elements to create realistic details across the image, incorporating both the foreground and background buildings, tower and sky.

Part 8: Adding the Cable Car and Final Refinements In the final installment we build the cable car from photographs as well as complete the distant building. The image is refined as a whole and sunlight is used to highlight certain foreground aspects.

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PREVIEW

Sample Movie by Richard Tilbury

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