Photoshop Tutorials

We will begin these lessons with the final result from the Creative Development: Modeling a Cowgirl Character in Maya and Silo with Antony Ward tutorial. We will continue on with our cowgirl character and take her to the next level. By adding color, light and texture we will bring her to life all while sharing some essential time-saving tips. Starting in Maya, we will explore how to light the scene before we apply and adjust a series of shaders to add a splash of color. We will then output the various render passes we need to move into Photoshop and enhance the overall image. Finally, we will work in some finer details as we apply layers of texture before we complete her look by painting in her hair and adding a background. By the end of this tutorial you will have a good understanding of lighting and rendering in Maya, along with working with render passes and image-based lighting. You will also be confident in taking a render into Photoshop to enhance its look without the use of UVs or complex shaders.

Throughout these lessons we will focus on creating a polished image of a cartoon nature. Doing still images for your personal portfolio is important because this builds a library of techniques that can be used later for production. By the end of this tutorial we will have gone through all the steps required to learn the importance of each part so that our image is appealing in the end.

We will start by referencing our game document, which will be our guide through the process of creating our Unity game. We can find information on the look of our models but also on the desired resolutions of the models and textures. We will concentrate on creating game topology for our two characters and two weapon models. We will also cover map generation and texture painting as part of the process. In the end we will have models ready to be rigged and animated or plugged directly into the game engine. We will use a variety of software packages from Maya, to TopoGun, to ZBrush and Mudbox in order to prepare our assets so there will be a lot of back and forth. This course references some pre-made assets and covers methods for modifying and prepping those assets for this particular game. In most of these cases, if you'd like to learn to build these assets from start to finish, there is a tutorial that will fill your need. For instance, in this course we look at the steps we went through to modify the biker character from Creating High Resolution Characters in ZBrush 4 and Creating Game Characters with Maya 2011 and ZBrush 4. So if you'd like to build the character from scratch, those two courses will take you through the process. The same goes for the enemy tick creature, which is from the Introduction the Mudbox 2011, and the assault rifle from Creating Next-Gen Game Assets in Maya.

Throughout the tutorial, we'll cover all of the hidden details that are needed to use HDR imagery for lighting in Maya. We'll start with physically based lighting, world scene scale, color management, proper render preview and verification of valid floating point linear color images. Once the rules for using HDR images are clearly laid out, we will take a look at how you can create your own HDR images at home using a DSLR camera, tripod, nodal head and software. Lastly, we'll go over examples of using and editing these images for a variety of indoor and outdoor lighting situations as well as covering light extraction and making HDR kooks from an HDR photo of a light.

We will start the training by taking a look at our game development document as well as the artwork that we have. These will give us a better idea of the technical aspects of our models and their look. We'll talk about building the geometry and creating texture maps for pieces of our level like old oil drums, boards and lights. We'll also cover workflows between Maya and Mudbox for modeling, sculpting, and painting bits of organic debris to illustrate the enemy infestation. We'll finish up by talking about dressing the set temporarily in Maya as a guide for the final dressing in Unity. This course goes over the process for creating props and set dressing and the thoughts behind the decisions but it is not a step-by-step tutorial. If you'd like to get up to speed on modeling in Maya, I'd recommend Introduction to Modeling in Maya which goes over the tools we use here in greater detail. If you want a more step-by-step look at creating assets in Mudbox, we have a variety of training available, including Introduction to Mudbox 2012 which will get you started very quickly. So over the next hour and a half or so, we'll talk about creating the pieces necessary to dress our set and give it a realistic, aged and worn look.

We’ll get started by discussing the needs of our game in terms of user interface graphics and then learn how to set up a document in Photoshop to design them in. Next we’ll learn some strategies for building graphics and examine some possible pitfalls. Moving on, we’ll learn about different states of a specific graphic and how we can setup our file to make saving this type of graphic out a bit easier. After all the graphics for our game have been created, we’ll shift our focus to preparing them for Unity. We’ll learn about important things to consider when cropping and saving our files. Then we’ll wrap this course up by learning how unity handles transparency and some workflows we will need to utilize to accommodate this. After going through this course, you will gain insight into the process of creating and saving user interface graphics for our mobile game.

We will begin this course by learning about the role of a concept artist and how that role fits into the production pipeline. Next, we will learn about the game design document and then use it to determine which assets concept art is needed. From there, we’ll move on and learn about designing a level for our game from the ground up by planning out its overhead layout. Next, we will learn how to visualize this layout by creating concept sketches. Lastly, we will shift our attention to painting the concept art, focusing on rendering out our composition, planning for and painting the light sources, and then rendering out organic material to line the walls of our level. After going through this course, you will gain a better understanding as to why decisions are made during the process of creating concept art. You will also learn the basic steps involved in visualizing an idea for a level in a piece of artwork.

We will start by talking about some steps for starting your UV layout process as well as some important concepts that you should keep in mind whenever preparing your UVs and your textures for use inside of Unity. We will talk about the importance of hiding UV seams on your geometry, planning texture layouts on your objects to maximize efficiency, you will learn UV layout and geometry modification tricks that can dramatically enhance the use of your UV texture space, and we will spend time in Photoshop learning how the textures in our level were created.

We’ll get started by learning about a few things that should be considered for every character we design. Here we will discuss the importance of things like character intent, character back story as well as references. Once our direction has been established, we’ll jump in and spend some time doing concept sketches. After our initial character design has been settled upon, we will move on and begin exploring our character by rendering them in different poses. To wrap the tutorial up, we’ll learn about techniques that can be used to create inked line-work as well as cell shaded color for our character. After completing this tutorial, you’ll be familiar with a workflow that can be used to develop stylized characters in Photoshop.

Texture and surface detail is one area that is often overlooked by digital painters. By strategically implementing texture in your digital paintings, you can not only raise the quality of the image but also the level of realism. With this course we’ll get started by diving into Photoshop’s brushes. We’ll learn how we can create and configure our own custom brushes to paint texture. From here we’ll learn how to create our own patterns and several of the areas where these patterns can be utilized. Next we’ll look at some ways that we can bring images into our paintings, layering them over areas to create texture with the help of blend modes. Finally, we’ll learn a few methods of making our two dimensional textures appear to wrap around the three dimensional forms of our painting. After completing this course, you’ll be well equipped to begin experimenting with texture in your own digital paintings.

We’ll start off by covering how to create and save new documents as well as how we can navigate around inside them. We'll then take a look at two of the most basic tools for digital painting being the brush tool and eraser tool so you begin creating artwork right away. After that, you’ll learn about several other features such as layers, selections and masks that will add a new dimension to your digital painting experience. And to wrap up this project, we'll go over one possible workflow for painting a digital image.

The focus of this tutorial will be the creation of the character maquette entirely within ZBrush, with goal of creating a great looking rendered still as an and product. It is intended as an overall introduction to many of the tools within ZBrush which make the creation and output of this kind of illustration possible. The Image you see above was sculpted, textured and rendered in a single 9 hour day using these techniques.

Over the tutorial we will learn how to efficiently model by only modeling what we need and how to reuse basic base meshes as starting points. Then we will look at how to efficiently UV map, looking at techniques to quickly produce distortion free UVs. Then using Ambient Occlusion bakes as starting points for our textures we will look at a efficient and repeatable texturing process. We will then look at how to pose our characters, setup shaders to replicate advanced effects such as refraction and sub-surface scattering, before setting up render passes and layers for compositing. Finally we will bring it all together in Photoshop using our layers to composite and adjust our image before looking at some final techniques to complete our 3D Illustration.

This video collection will walk you through creating your own high dynamic range images. And not only just getting an HDRI we look at what makes an HDRI more realistic, stylized, and more interesting for your lighting. We begin with the equipment necessary to create an HDRI image. We cover two methods of gathering the initial images. First the chrome probe ball used in gardens everywhere. Next the fish eye lens which can gather 360 degrees of your view. After you create several HDR's you'll be matching the lighting in your video footage or just enhancing your studio lighting in no time.

We’ll begin this project by evaluating a workflow without actions and see how slow it is. We will then create our action, open a camera raw image and set the color corrections. Then we will evaluate ways of content-aware fixing areas and recording them into actions. We will then learn how to craft a fast correction workflow by utilizing custom keyboard shortcuts. Finally, we will put the finishing steps on our action and use batch automation to process all of our images.

To get things started we will learn about an alternate workflow in digital painting which separates value decisions from color decisions. Using this workflow we will first learn how to apply a quick base color to our value study using color layers. Initially the colors we choose will be simple and based on a neutrally lit environment however over the course of the next few lessons we will learn how to bring in two different colored light sources to illuminate our subject. Throughout this process we will learn how the color of each light changes based on the area it is illuminating. Along the way we’ll also learn some tips for using various blend modes as well as incorporating textures into our image. After finishing completing this course, you will have a good understanding of how multiple colored light sources work together to influence how we see color.

We’ll begin this project by creating a procedural dirt shader for our ground cover. Then we'll hop into Photoshop to create a photographic texture for our road. We'll then add some detail using more procedural textures to break up the edges of the road and create a broken concrete feel. From there we will set up a particle system for our tires and create render layers and passes. Finally we will composite our shot using the Maya Precomp feature and Maya Composite. We'll learn how to color correct our passes, add various blurs and composite everything together into an integrated shot.

We’ll get started exploring some techniques for removing the background from our stock photo. Then we’ll move on and look into a couple different methods of removing unwanted details from our image. After that we’ll examine several different tools for modifying the anatomy of our model to slim her down a bit. From here we’ll work through redesigning our model’s wardrobe, converting her soft fleshy tissue to hard surfaces as well as color correcting our image. We’ll wrap thing up by focusing on a variety of details that will push our finished piece over the top. After completing this course, you’ll be familiar with the tools and techniques used to create a complex photo manipulation.

It can safely be said that Photoshop is truly the backbone of the computer graphics industry. From video games to movies and every area in between, I would estimate that Photoshop is the most commonly used application by working professionals in any creative field. Now learning how to use a program like Photoshop can seem like a daunting task, I completely understand. Let me assure you of this, throughout this course, my goal is to teach you the tools, concepts and workflows you will need to succeed with Photoshop. Not only this, but I will break them down so that they are easy to understand. We will dive in and learn about every key area, providing you with a solid foundation. It’s important to me that you not only learn the basics of Photoshop but that you also develop good habits when it comes to this truly amazing application.

Throughout the process of painting this color concept, we’ll focus on various aspects of light and color at night. After we’ve spent a little time setting up or composition, we’ll get things started by choosing the colors for the sky in our image. Here we’ll learn why colors change so much at night. We’ll also learn about choosing both key and fill lights for our scene. Some of the other topics we will address while working through this painting are things like atmospheric perspective, reflected light, cast shadows and form shadows as well as the interaction between colored lights. After completing this course, you should have a better idea of how to choose color for a night time image.

"We will get started by learning a little about perspective and how we can use it just a bit differently. In this course, we will learn how to set it up in the beginning and then use it as a reference while we work. Next, we’ll learn how to take the biggest most basic forms and begin chiseling away at them into smaller forms. To wrap things up we will talk a little about greeble and detailing out our vehicle. If you are interested in improving the quality of your vehicle models, I would definitely recommend checking this course out. After completing this course, you will have a good understanding of how we can quickly create an appealing concept vehicle using a 3D sketch as reference."

Each video in this course is a self-contained lesson centered on one of the blur or sharpen filters in Photoshop. This means that these lessons can be viewed in any order you wish, allowing pick and choose content that is relative to you. Over the course of these lessons, we'll discuss not only how each filter works but also the best way to apply it in order to obtain optimal results.

We will get started by learning how to place files into both Illustrator and Photoshop. Next we will compare this workflow with both the copy and paste method as well as the drag and drop technique for moving artwork back and fourth. Along the way we will learn about smart objects, paths as well as shape layers and how we can work with each in Photoshop. We will also learn how Illustrator can open, import and receive pixel based artwork. To wrap things up, we will examine a workflow that will allow us to bring a layered Illustrator file into Photoshop without rasterizing our vector objects. After completing this course, you should have a good grasp over how these two powerful programs can pass artwork back and fourth to achieve top notch results on a project.

We will get started by learning a bit about what the art of caricature is. We will then move on and learn about each of the core features or shapes involved in created a successful caricature. We will also take some time to understand the relationship between these shapes as well as some ways that we can exaggerate each. To wrap this course up we will be walking step by step through drawing a black and white caricature of a famous celebrity. After completing this course, you will have a great understanding of how caricature artists are able to capture the likeness of a person in a humorous fashion.

We will cover and implement a multitude of things that are common practice in the professional production art world - composition, tangents, value structure, color theory / temperatures, final touch-ups, and creating a stress-free painting set-up throughout. These methods and concepts have served me well in my career. And after you're done watching, I hope they'll give you what you need to get started on your illustrative journey!

We will get things rolling by critiquing our render, looking for areas that could be improved on. After we have identified several changes that need to be made, we will begin enacting these changes focusing on non-destructive workflows. We will go through a variety of improvements each varying in complexity. From something as simple as correcting the colors, tones and range of value for our character and background to completely reconstructing the primary light sources in the composition in order to improve the flow of the image.

We will begin this process by taking a look at the character bio and learning a bit about our character. After exploring the detailed information we have been supplied with, we will get started by first learning about a few areas that are critical to successfully capturing our character’s essence. We will learn about the importance of her anatomy, pose, hairstyle and wardrobe. After a few quick explorations in each of these areas, we will get started in painting our final character concept from start to finish. After completing this course, you should have some great ideas on how you can create more effective and appealing character designs.

We will begin by taking a quick tour around the user interface learning the location of important tools and panels. Next, we will learn how we can create and manage layers in Photoshop. From here we will dive into some of the most commonly used tools for digital painting, learning where they are and how they work. After spending some time learning how to select and store colors, we will jump right into setting up a composition with a sketch where we will discover the difference between resizing and resampling our artwork. Next we will take a glimpse into the painting process by first blocking in some color and then blending it together. Along the way, we will learn how to create custom brushes and patterns as well as how we can utilize these to paint textures. We will wrap things up by learning about layer masks and what we can be on the look out for to make our textures more believable.

The objectives for this fast-pace, intensive course are to help you understand the process of designing a creature from start to finish, for a 3d production pipeline. Now, several of the design decisions will be directly influenced by the feedback we receive from other artists in the pipeline. By the end of this training, you will have the ability to take this process and apply it to your own creature designs with the understanding of what you as the concept artist can do to make the other jobs of the artists easier.

We will begin this process by bringing in a vector logo and examining some of the photo assets we will be using in our composition. For this project, we will not be drawing much but we will prove that it is still possible to create a compelling design. Throughout this course, we will be using a variety of the tools that Photoshop puts at our disposal including layer masks, adjustment layers as well as vectors to create our poster. We will even learn the more complex process of creating a halftone screen out of portions of an image and integrating it into our design. To wrap things up, we will add some visual appeal to the poster by creating a distressed paper texture. After completing this course, you will have a good feel for several of the commonly used tools and techniques in adobe photoshop.

We will start off by covering resizing and re-sampling images. We will then take a look at correcting the color and tone of an image so you begin learning non-destructive ways of doing both. After that, you will learn to make specific pixel selections. And to wrap up this project, we will go over how to remove unwanted information from our images. This series of step-by-step videos were developed with artists new to Photoshop in mind so we will be moving at a steady, easy-to-follow pace making sure you understand terms and basic techniques.

We will get started by learning how to remove some unwanted information from our image using the spot healing brush. From there we will begin the process of converting our daytime image into a night time image. During this process we make some major color corrections as well as completely replace the sky in our scene. Some of the techniques we will learn include, creating a difficult mask, sharpening an image and creating highlights where there previously were none. We will wrap things up by learning how to create some atmospheric elements for our scene in the form of low lying fog and rays of moonlight. As we will see, there are a lot of considerations when drastically changing the lighting for an image. Through this series of lessons we will address each of these challenges and present solutions to them for this specific image.

We will get started by taking a peek into the printing process and learning how to setup our document for this type of printing. Here we will also learn about final print resolution as well as specifics for our bleed area. From there, we will move into creating our artwork. Now throughout this process not only will we learn about several valuable tools and techniques in Photoshop, but we will also learn things like how to choose the most effective colors for our design as well as how large should our type be for maximum clarity. After completing this course, you will have all the knowledge you need to dive right in and begin creating effective artwork for this out of home medium.

Using these tools and features, we can now incorporate high-quality 3D elements directly into our design layouts without having to rely on any sort of external 3D application. We will begin this course by learning how to adjust the OpenGL settings in Photoshop in order to have faster feedback and response when working with 3D objects. We will also learn how to move our objects and virtual cameras through the 3D workspace in Photoshop. From there, we will learn how to apply materials and textures to our 3D objects, utilize the Repouss© feature in Photoshop to create 3D geometry from scratch, work with 3D lights, shadows and rendering, as well as highlighting many other tools, tips, and workflows that will allow you quickly begin using these features in your own projects.

We will get started by examining each individual shape to see which character features could be associated with the different areas of the shape. Next we will lay a foundation of quick, loose, pencil-like line work, flushing out some of the details of our character. During this phase, we will learn a variety of different ways to draw the features and forms that relate to male characters. From there we will refine our line work with more confident inked lines. Finally we will look at a quick method of applying color in the form of cell shading to our character concepts. After completing this course, you will be better equipped to creatively pull character concepts out of a simple shape.

We will begin this process by learning how to use the refine mask features in Photoshop to successfully extract a our model from her background. Next we will walk through recreating the environment for our model as well as grounding her into it. From there, we will shift our focus to the typography on our cover, looking to create a sense of movement that compliments the pose of our model. After completing the background elements in our composition, we will work on color correction to help our model fit better into the scene and give her more of a vintage look. Next, we will learn how to paint stylized flames that will highlight the movements of our model. Finally, we will shift our focus to lighting and really add that last bit of polish that makes our piece shine. After completing this course, you will have an understanding of the tools, techniques and workflows that go into creating a professional magazine cover.