Adi Granov's Mixed Traditional/Digital Painting Tutorial

This piece is done for a personal project and doesn't exactly follow all the preliminary steps that a project
done for a client would have, it is missing the initial sketches that would need to be approved by that client.
I had a pretty clear idea about the design prior to drawing it. However it does describe the process I use to
create most of my color illustrations. I try to keep my process streamlined and as simple as possible.

Step 1. This is the most important step

in my work. All the design, proportions, attitude, etc. is done in this initial drawing. I usually draw a small
sketch to get the proportions and general feel down, which I than enlarge in Photoshop and print at a
desired size. Usually no bigger than 12-13 inches in height. Using a light table I loosely trace the image
onto a piece of Bristol board (Canson smooth) using an 8H pencil. After that I start refining it using a 2H
pencil until I have what is seen here, a pretty tight design.

Step 2. After I have a clean drawing I am

happy with, I start rendering it using H and HB pencils and black watercolor. I use the technical pencils that
are usually not associated with this kind of work and are looked down upon by most fine artists. I like the
precision and the feel of them. I also use the little paper smudge sticks to get the soft gradations and a
Sakura electric eraser for precise erasing. Pencil and watercolor mix very well and I find them to be perfect
mix to get any kind of texture I need.

Step 3. Here I have a finished drawing. It

has taken about 8-9 hours to get to this stage. The rough texture of the metal pieces was achieved with
watercolor and the smoothness of other material by pencil. At this stage I leave the traditional means and
scan the drawing into the computer.

Step 4. In Photoshop (6) I duplicate the layer with the

drawing and turn that duplicate into a multiply layer which I then set at 50% opacity. This darkens the

drawing and adds contrast to it without loosing any quality that would result in using the contrast adjust. I
proceed to flatten the image at this point.

Step 5. In a new multiply layer on top I

color everything using a hard edged 100% opacity paintbrush. I use the Wacom Intuos tablet to paint (a
great investment). Shown here is the color layer without the drawing beneath.

Step 6. After everything is painted and I am happy with

the color scheme, I duplicate this layer and turn the one on the bottom into a color layer. The multiply layer
(on top) is set at 50% opacity. By doing this the color over the grayscale drawing becomes much richer and
deeper. I suggest trying different variations with layers. Sometimes using a third desaturated overlay layer
gives good results too.

Step 7. This image shows what the

drawing looks like with the color and multiply layers on top. Using this combination of layers allows more
of the shading to show through (than it would using only a multiply layer) with all its highlights. This is
especially evident in the face.

Step 8. I decided that the background should be more

rough and painterly looking than digital means could produce (in a decent amount of time that is) so I threw
some watercolor on a piece of paper and created some interesting texture. This took 5 min at the most.

Step 9. I scanned that background

texture and set it in a new layer in the illustration. Using the color layer as a selection it was easy to cut out
the figure in the background. I set this layer as a multiply so it wouldn't cover any of the linework in the

drawing. Even if the background is much more descriptive and elaborate than this, the same technique
usually works.

Step 10. The background was colored with a multiply

layer over it. I flattened the entire image at this point. Using the dodge tool set to highlight (feathered,
pressure sensitive) I highlighted the areas where the light would reflect the most, especially the metal parts.
This brings the image forth and adds a lot of life and depth to it.
Step 11. Finally I make a new normal layer and do the remaining "effects" such as lights and smoke, and
any other little touches I deem appropriate.

And that would be it. This last image is the finished piece. It has taken approximately 15-16 hours. I
usually flatten the image because it gives me the feeling of finality and makes it seem as if it is a done,
traditional painting.
This process I came up with after years of struggle to combine the traditional textures and line quality with
the freedom of digital coloring, into one, good looking, technique. I highly advise experimentation and a lot

of work to find out what works for you. Photoshop (and such apps.) gives a lot of freedom and room for
trial and error but don't let it trap you into relying on its "powers" too much. There is no "make good art out
of bad" filter.
All rights reserved. Adi Granov