Lady portrait

Created Using Photo impact version XL

skill Level intermediate.

Author; Jane Davidson

Web site: Jane's Haven.

Email: Here

Terms of Use: here

Tools used: Path edit, path shapes, paint brush, air brush, smudge tool, blur tool, dodge tool.

Additional files; None

I am not an expert on creating faces, there are ,many different tutorials but this is the one way I do them. feel free to change any parts of this tutorial.

  step 1. Open a new image size 450X510, background color; white. you may use any color you prefer to make it easier to see.

2, face: using the ellipse size:124X200, 2D, color;#EAC2C2. Go into path edit and edit the shape like in the example at left.

Note: All drawn in 2D, except where otherwise stated

3,eyes. Left eye; Using color white draw an ellipse size; 39X18, 2D, got into path edit and make the shape like the example.

3A, part 2 of eye; draw an ellipse size; 19X15, color; #0000FF, any color you desire. go again into path edit to make the shape like the example.

3B, part3 eye, draw a circle, size;8x8 in color; black. put them together with the white shape on the bottom, next the blue one and then the black on top, Using the paint brush size; 4, color; white, go into paint as object. make a small white dot on the black part of the eye. holding down the control key on your key board, select all four pieces and group, duplicate and flip horizontally, place the duplicate on the right side of the face,  this is a short cut. LOL

3C. eyes part 4 around the eyes. ungroup the left eye, select the white part, duplicate, change the color to black, send behind the white piece, use the perspective, resize the duplicate to; 44x17 or until you can see a small portion of black around the white, you will have the center both. Repeat for the right eye.

4. eye brows; Use the paint brush, size; 5, color black, soft edge 50, paint an eye brow, you can decide the size you want your eye brows. to make it easier and because this lady is looking straight ahead, duplicate this brow and place it over the other eye. I use the retouch-smudge tool, settings; size; 8, level; 30, soft edge; 50, on the brows to make them look somewhat even, they don't have to be perfect. don't forget to save.

5. Nose. Using shape; round edge 3, color; ##EAC2C2, size;39x53, flip it vertically, use path edit to edit the shape as in the example. place it on the face. using the paint brush, size;4, soft edge; 30, paint  the nostrils under the nose on each side.

6, right click on the nose, convert object type from text/path to image, use the dodge tool, with the settings on the left, to lighten the center of the nose shape, tap twice on the very point of the nose at the bottom

 

7.lips; draw an ellipse size; 40x16, color; I used,#B43434, path edit to edit the shape for the top lip. Draw another ellipse the same size and color for the bottom lip and edit it like in the example

7A.Lip shading; Select the lips one at a time, right click, convert to an image. Set the paint brush size;5, soft edge 50, color;#5D2121, holding the control key down select both lips, go to effects, creative, paint on edges. now use the blur tool setting; size 20, level; 5, soft edge;50, to blur around the edges of the lips. using the dodge tool, settings; size; 5, level; 62, soft edge; 50, lighten the center of both lips

 8.face shading; select the face, right click, convert to an image, use the air brush with the settings on the left. use it on each side of the nose, from the eye to the end of the nose, to make the nose stand out. select the nose and use the air brush, same settings to air brush the edge of the nose to cover the seams, use tje blur tool to lightly blur.
  9. while you have the air brush with the same settings, darken the area above the eyes, not all the way up to the eye brows. A little shading under the bottom lip, Change the size of the brush to 40 and paint around the edge of the face.

Change the size again to; 9, darken the space between the nostrils  and the lip, use the dodge tool, settings; size 5. level; 63, soft edge; 50, run it along each side of where we just did the air brush under the nose. lightly blur.

More shading, use the dodge tool size;60, level 63. soft edge; 50, tap once on the left side of the forehead and once on the right side of the forehead and tap once just under each eye.

At left is what I have now, it is ok if your looks different, if your satisfied, that is what counts.

10. eye shading; paint in mode; using the paint brush with the settings you see at the left, color black. paint across the top of the eye lid, on the white shape and on the the blue shape. you can see what I am saying by looking at the image at left. repeat this step for the other eye.  stay in mode.

Change the size of the brush to; 2 and give her some eye lashes, a very short line, or what ever size lashes you want.

you may want to zoom in to see better. give her some very short bottom lashes with a size of 1, use the smudge tool, size;6, level; 30, soft edge;50 to lightly smudge the lashes.

 

11. Hair, you don't have to follow my instructions if you have a better way, you can use them.

draw and ellipse color; I used black, size; 150x279, path edit and edit the shape as in the example. this is the left side of the hair. draw another ellipse, same color, size; 140x324, edit this shape like the one left, which are reduced in size by 60%

On the left is what I have at this point. sixty percent reduced in size.

12. hair part two, use the bristle brush, paint in mode, we are doing the right side of her hair. settings, size; 14. transparency; 0, preset; split 2, color; #373737, follow the curves of the hair we drew, on the out side, then fill in the middle, it won't be completely coved, keep painting until your satisfied. do the left side the same way. painting strokes downwards. it's ok if you paint outside the lines, we can always erase.

change the color to; #6E6B6B, give it highlights. Used the blur tool to blend the colors a little.

that is one way I do hair.

13. Hair another way, Change the hair shape to 3D pipe, border and width to; 1, use the air brush, any color you wish, I am using color; #654A3C size; 30, soft edge; 0, paint in mode to fill inside the 3D pipe area of the hair shape. you can see mine reduced size. you may delete the 3D pipe outline or hide it by clicking on the eye in the layer manager.

14. painting hair 2. paint in mode, bristle brush, size around 30, transparency; 0, preset; split 2, color; #C5987F. use downward strokes to go over the air brushing.

 

  15, blur the hair, using the blur tool, settings, size;30, level; 2, soft edge, 50, paint as object, this is mode the same as for painting.. go over the hair with downward strokes.

Note* while using the blur took in mode, if you have a white background, you could end up with the color white around the edges, therefore we will use the eraser to get rid of the white.

16. Smudge tool, grab the smudge tool, size, 20, level; 21, soft edge; 50, preset; none, smudge the entire hair.

I used the dodge tool next, size;30, level; 36, soft edge; 50 and added some highlights.

There is what I have, yours may look different, if your satisfied your finished the hair.

17. this is a portrait and we are almost finished. lets add one more ellipse, size;280x159 color; #EAC2C2. place it below the head and behind to head, move it up until the top is just above the lips, to cover any spaces between the hair and background.

using the air brush, size; 35, color; #AE7171, soft edge; 50, to darken the area under her chin.

If your going to be using a darker background. you may find some of the hair around the edges are too light from the smudge and blur tool.  use the eraser to erase those spots. We Have completed our portrait.

After completing this Tutorial feel free to download the award on the left.
This award is offered to you on the honor system. Right click and save to your own folder. Please do not link to any of my graphics. Thank you.
 

 

 

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