Digital Painting in Photoshop

A Beginner's Guide

Welcome to my course, "Digital Painting in Photoshop - A Beginner's Guide."

This course is designed to help you feel comfortable with painting inside of Photoshop. The lessons here are taught in an easy to understand way. You will learn how to use the basic tools that you need to get up and running with your own digital painting process very quickly. Photoshop has some extremely advanced capabilities but to utilize them, you must first master the fundamentals. That is exactly what this course is created for.

Section 1 - The Introduction Video to this Course.

Welcome to my course, "Digital Painting in Photoshop - A Beginner's Guide."

Section 1 - The Introduction Video to this Course.

Section 2 - You will learn the interface of Photoshop and how to navigate through it efficiently. You will learn many short cut commands as well as how the tools can be used from the perspective of an artist. We will cover the main tools for digital painting such as layers and groups, blending modes, brush settings, file sizes, selection tools, quick mask, rulers and guides, dodge and burn tool, color balance, transform tool, hue/saturation, and the smudge tool.

Section 3 - In this course project you will work along side me in REAL-TIME as we create this space scene. This way you can implement all of the tools we have studied and learn how effective they can be. You will learn how to build up on the paint work to create depth. You will learn how to apply texture with basic brush settings. You will also learn how to study from reference and create your own painting. That way you are learning from the world around you while using your own artistic abilities to create the work.

You will get a copy of the Layered Art File as well as my custom brush pack along with this course. ( Over 50 Custom Brushes. )

I am here if you have any questions about this course. Feel free to contact me and let me know if you would like me to add any additional lessons. It is my goal to make this course an amazing experience for all of my students. It is my absolute honor to be your instructor and good luck with your studies.

In this course, you also have a Q+A Section where we will cover your questions. I will respond back to any of your valuable requests by adding new video in the Q+A. This will give you a more interactive learning experience with this course.

Robert A. Marzullo

Ram Studios Comics

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What's inside

Learning objectives

You will learn how to use the tools within photoshop to create digital paintings efficiently and effectively.
You will learn how to adjust brush settings so that you can draw and paint more effectively within photoshop.
You will learn popular shortcut commands to improve your speed when working inside of photoshop.

You will learn how to properly use layers and groups to create dynamic pieces of digital art with ease.
You will be able to navigate through photoshop and get to the tools you need with more precision.

You will learn how to use the tools within photoshop to create digital paintings efficiently and effectively.
You will learn how to adjust brush settings so that you can draw and paint more effectively within photoshop.
You will learn popular shortcut commands to improve your speed when working inside of photoshop.
You will learn how to properly use layers and groups to create dynamic pieces of digital art with ease.
You will be able to navigate through photoshop and get to the tools you need with more precision.

Syllabus

Introduction

In this video you will find what to expect from this course.

In this section you will learn how to navigate and control the interface for your digital painting. You will learn many shortcut commands and techniques to use Photoshop more efficiently.

In this lesson, you will learn what some of the major impacts are to file sizes and how to control your documents for improve speed.

In this lesson, you will learn how to move through your canvas. You will learn short cuts to move, rotate, and zoom.

In this lesson, you will learn how to access and use the selection tools within Photoshop.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the "Quick Mask" feature as well as the "Feathering" option on your selections.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create and organize your "Layers and Groups."

In this lesson, you will learn how to control some of your "Brush Settings" to get a pencil or drawing style brush.

In this lesson, you will learn how to control some of your "Brush Settings" to get a painting style brush.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the "Eraser Tool".

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the "Paint Bucket Tool."

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the "Gradient Tool."

In this lesson you will learn how to adjust the settings and blend paint with the "Smudge Tool."

In this lesson, you will learn how to control highlights and shadows by using the "Dodge and Burn" tool.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create your colors with the "Color Picker."

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the various "Blending Modes."

In this lesson, you will learn how effective the "Lock Transparent Pixels" tool can be when painting.

In this lesson, you will learn how to make quick color adjustments by using the "Hue/Saturation" slider.

In this lesson, you will learn how to make quick color adjustments by using the "Color Balance" slider.

In this lesson, you will learn how to control the "Rulers and Grids" feature.

In this lesson, you will learn how to draw straight lines in Photoshop by using the ( Shift Key ).

In this section you will learn to implement the tools we have discussed to create a space scene while studying from reference.

In this lesson, we will begin to stage our work by blocking in some basic shapes to our space scene.

In this lesson, you will learn how to pull ideas from reference and create your own paint work. We will also talk about the use of a "Mood Board."

In this lesson, you will learn how to create cloud like effect with a basic brush in Photoshop.

In this lesson, you will learn how to apply texture to our planet shape.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create a star from the existing planet shape.

In this lesson, you will learn how to study the reference image and apply additional texture to our star shape.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create the glow around our star.

In this lesson, you will learn how to add a light source on our planet emanating from our star.

In this lesson, you will learn to paint in some more effects to the nebula in our scene.

In this lesson, we will continue to add effects to the nebula.

In this lesson, you will learn to modify a basic brush to create stars for the background.

In this lesson, you will learn to create another layer of stars as well as how to adjust them for variation within the scene.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create an additional planet from the existing paint work.

In this lesson, you will learn how to apply some finishing touches to our space scene.

In this section you will find answers to any questions that you or other students have made. I will also be adding valuable practice activities for your to improve your skills.

In this Practice Activity, you will learn to blend paint using a chalk brush and the ALT key to select your color.

Dodge and Burn Tool Explained in More Detail

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Digital Painting in Photoshop : A Beginner's Guide with these activities:

Brush Settings Review

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Review brush settings to improve control and create diverse effects in digital paintings.

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Open Photoshop and create a new document.
Experiment with different brush presets.
Adjust size, hardness, and spacing settings.
Explore shape dynamics and scattering options.

Layers and Groups Fundamentals

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Review the fundamentals of layers and groups to enhance organization and non-destructive editing.

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Create a new Photoshop document.
Add several layers with different content.
Group related layers together.
Adjust layer blending modes and opacity.

Mastering Digital Painting in Photoshop

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Read this book to gain a deeper understanding of Photoshop's tools and techniques for digital painting.

View Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC for... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Photoshop CC: The Missing Manual'.
Read chapters related to painting tools and techniques.
Experiment with the techniques described in the book.

Four other activities

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Blending Modes Practice

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Practice using different blending modes to achieve various effects and understand their impact on color and light.

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Create a document with multiple layers.
Apply different blending modes to each layer.
Observe how blending modes affect the overall image.
Experiment with different layer opacities.

Digital Painting Speed Challenge

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Create a series of quick digital paintings to improve speed and efficiency in Photoshop.

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Set a timer for 15-30 minutes.
Choose a simple subject or reference image.
Paint as quickly and accurately as possible.
Repeat with different subjects and techniques.

Create a Sci-Fi Landscape Painting

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Start a project to create a detailed sci-fi landscape painting, applying the techniques learned in the course.

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Gather reference images of sci-fi landscapes.
Sketch a composition in Photoshop.
Block in the basic colors and values.
Add details and refine the painting.
Adjust the final image for polish.

Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter

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Study this book to improve your understanding of color and light in digital painting.

View Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions) on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter'.
Read chapters related to color theory and light sources.
Analyze paintings by master artists, paying attention to color and light.

Career center

Learners who complete Digital Painting in Photoshop : A Beginner's Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Digital Painting in Photoshop : A Beginner's Guide.

Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC for Photographers...

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Comprehensive guide to Photoshop, covering everything from basic tools to advanced techniques. It's a great resource for beginners who want to learn the ins and outs of the software. It can be used as a reference tool to look up specific functions or techniques. It provides a broader overview of Photoshop than the course, making it useful for understanding the software's full potential.

Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC for Photographers...

Paperback

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Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC for Photographers...

Kindle Edition

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Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara

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While not specific to Photoshop, this book is invaluable for understanding color theory and light interaction, crucial elements in digital painting. It explains how light and color behave in the real world and how to replicate them in your art. is more valuable as additional reading to improve the student's understanding of light and color. It provides a strong theoretical foundation that complements the course's practical exercises.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions)

Hardcover

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