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From the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa to the powerful brushes of AI tools, portrait painting has come a long way in capturing the essence of humanity. And this very transition has revolutionized the way we create and view portraiture today. With the advent of digital tools like Procreate, it's now easier than ever to create beautiful portrait paintings. Isn't it?
In this blog post, we will guide you through the best practices for portrait painting using Procreate. That is, from choosing the right reference image to giving the finishing touches. So, let's get started
When it comes to digital portrait painting, choosing the right reference image can make all the difference. The better the reference image, the easier it will be to create a realistic and professional-looking painting.
So, what all needs to be considered before selecting a reference image? Here's your checklist.
1.Look for one that offers good lighting, clarity, and detail.
2.Avoid using stock images as they are often low resolution and difficult to work with. If you're unsure of the quality of an image, look at it in its full size before committing to using it.
3.Consider the pose of your subject. Make sure it's something you feel comfortable painting, and that will complement your style. A more dynamic pose can add drama to your piece, but if you're just starting out, it might be best to stick with a more traditional pose
Once you've found the perfect reference image, it's now time to set up your canvas! This will ensure that your painting looks professional and allows you to work quickly and efficiently.
As you prepare your canvas, be sure to consider these four essential steps.
Most digital portrait paintings will require a canvas of at least 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels. This ensures that your artwork looks sharp and will appear correctly on different devices.
White is the most common choice, as it makes it easier to see shadows and highlights in your painting. However, you can choose any color that you like for your background.
The grid will help you accurately place elements of your painting, such as facial features and other details. You can find grid lines within Procreate's settings, which are easy to turn on and off.
Textures can add depth and interest to your painting and are especially useful for creating skin textures. Procreate has a wide range of texture brushes, which can be adjusted to suit your needs.
With these tips, you'll have a professional-looking canvas that's ready for you to start painting!
Now you are all set to start sketching the portrait, Aren't you? To get started, choose a hard brush and adjust the opacity and flow settings until you are comfortable. And begin by mapping out the overall shape of the face and drawing in the facial features such as eyes, nose, and mouth. Once you are satisfied with the basic structure of the face, use a very thin brush to draw in any small details that you want to include. This could be wrinkles or creases in the skin, individual hairs, or even subtle shifts in colour. These details will really help bring your portrait to life! Don't be afraid to take your time with this step. Keep adjusting your lines until you are happy with the result.
Once you've sketched your image, it's time to begin laying down the base colours. This is an important step that sets the foundation for the rest of your portrait painting.
To begin, select a mid-tone colour and paint over your sketch. Make sure that all the elements in your painting are painted with the same colour, even if they don't match the reference image. This will help create a cohesive look and feel to your portrait painting. Next, use a darker shade of the same colour to begin adding shadows and depth. Start by painting around the edges of elements, such as eyes and noses, to create definition and structure. Finally, use a lighter shade of the same colour to add highlights. Paint along the highest points of the face, such as cheeks and foreheads, to create a natural, three-dimensional look.
One of the key elements in creating a realistic digital portrait painting is creating the right amount of shadows and highlights. The light in your reference image will determine where you will place your shadows and highlights, so it's important to pay attention to your reference. When painting digitally, you can use a variety of tools to create different types of shadows and highlights.
Here are a few tools that can help you in the process.
It is one of the most basic tools you can use to add shadows and highlights. It's best used for soft, subtle shadows and highlights. You can adjust the opacity of the brush to get a softer or more intense effect.
For more dramatic effects, try using the Dodge/Burn Tool. This tool can be used to darken or lighten specific areas, allowing you to really create depth in your painting.
If you're looking for more precise control over the shape and size of your shadows and highlights, then you may want to try the Clone Stamp Tool. This tool allows you to clone from an area that already has the desired shadow or highlight, and then apply it elsewhere on your painting.
No matter which tool you choose, it's important to remember to use them in moderation. Too much contrast can make a painting look unrealistic and flat, so take care to ensure that your shadows and highlights look natural.
Anyhow, once you're done with it, you can use layer masks to blend together shadows and highlights for a more natural-looking effect. Layer masks allow you to easily adjust or remove certain areas, giving you full control over your painting.
The final step of creating a digital portrait painting is to add finishing touches. This step can really make your painting come alive and make it look more professional. Here are some tips to get the most out of this step:
1.Use the blur and sharpen tools to soften hard edges, blend colours, create depth, texture detail etc.
2.Make sure your colours are balanced so that your painting looks vibrant and realistic.
3.Increase the saturation of certain areas of your painting for more intensity and realism. Also, pay attention to small details such as freckles, wrinkles, and veins to make your portrait look realistic.
4.Try using a vignette to focus the viewer's attention on the main subject of your painting.
Finding it hard to follow? No worries. We can help you learn by doing- with a comprehensive portrait painting course. What do you say?
Check out the course here.