Studio - Step-By-Step Samurai Face

Old Samurai: "End of an Era." (Corel Painter IX / Photoshop CS)

(1) Block in the face, identifying areas of light and shade (high and low points.)

(2) Duplicate the layer and set to 'multiply.' Add some defining detail such as boundaries for the eyes, nose, lips etc. and some points that will catch the light (e.g. the chin, parts of the nose, cheek bones etc.) and also the darker areas such as wrinkles and sunspots.

(3) Start to blend the colours gradually to smooth the surface details and define the eyes.

(4) Add in some auxillary detail such as the interior of the helmet, base for the helmet cords and also a grey undercoat for the white shirt. Digital painting is just like traditional painting and artists generally build up detail through 'layering.' The grey undercoat serves as a dark base from which I can develop a more natural white shirt, with more realistic shadows.

(5) Add some hair and start to refine the facial details. Start to build up the white shirt and also add some trim for the hat.

(6) Continue to improve the face, honing in on small details such as the texture of the skin. Zoom right in and work with a small, hard brush using very light strokes - build up the detail sequentially. Blend the seperate areas of colour so that the colours transition naturally across the face.