Final image #2 (step by step)

For my second final image, I will be using photoshop CC. Which is my first photoshop final image.

For this image, I will be sketching a dog I know called Ruby, a sweet west highland terrier.

I again, like my first image, took inspiration from the artist griffsnuff (Bold lines, colour, and overall cartoon visual look). However, I also took elements from a few other research artists, such as Julia Kay with her usage of mark making using lines.

http://studiojuliakay.com/juliaKayPhoto250.html

In the image above, note the mark making lines on the right dog. The shade lines in the middle are very rough, however they allow for simple shading to be recognised. I tried to go for a similar approach, however tweaked slightly. I used this rough line style, coupled with a darker background in the area I wanted to appear shaded. This is prominent on the left side of my canine illustration, where the shadows are supposed to be. Also, like Julia Kay, I took influence with her contrasting look, as well as minimal approach, of a strong line colour, against a background that would display the image as clear as possible.

I attempted to sketch her outline as accurately as possible, using her photo as a reference, with a few additions (tail, collar tag, and right eye) to make it seem more appealing to my own personal taste. After the outline was completed, I added some basic fur detail, as you can see.

In this slide, I was starting to add her fur texture on her main body, by using a thick bold brush tool.

This version of body detail complete.

Added in some basic under colour.

I then decided that the colours, and the fur patterns on the body, were too strong. So I toned the colour down, and erased the fur on the main part of the Dog's body.

I made the dog tag more neat, and filled the collar in, to be stylised in a bronze/gold metallic way.

I smoothed out the line-art, to make it neater and more professional.

I then worked on the ear colour tone. I zoomed into the left ear, selected the area with the magic wand tool.

Then painted it with a fine brush, as a very light, and natural pink.

Ditto. The same with the right ear.

The piece as it looked after the previous image.

Added some simple lighting to the dog tag, as well as a name. I made the text appear to look engraved from a distance.

What I have done so far. Note the name tag.

The re-addition of basic fur on the dog's body. I thought at the time, that it didn't look right, so I began searching for a fur styled brush.

I came across a fur like brush, which I thought added a great, well needed tone and texture. So I laid down a layer of fur in light grey as the undercoat.

I added white fur over the top of the grey, to give the impression layers, and texture/shading.

Then I began smoothing up the edges, and erasing bits that looked untidy (bits of fur that went over the outline)

Ditto.

Notice the smoothing on the edges between the left and right side. The right side had been smoothed, while the left was still to have been completed.

The body, after the edges have been fully smoothed.

Beginning to add some fur on the Dog's head, under the bolder layer.

The addition of shading to the left side of the canine's head, to give the impression of a lighting source.

Same as previous slide, but on the body as an addition.

Added the light detail to the right side of the dog. Makes all the difference in my opinion.

The shading has been placed on the tail, and the mouth area has been darkened.

Added a shadow, and smoothened it up.