Red Carpet - Process

1. I started with a very rough thumbnail sketch, just to get the concept and general layout down.

2. Next I did a more formal sketch, working out the poses, proportions, and the setting. I used a perspective ruler to line up the carpet and the tops of the posts.

3. For the final sketch, I worked out all the details of the clothing, hair, and props.

4. Inking. I use a variable-width inking brush for the character and a constant-width brush for hard things on vector layers. I used my own brushes for the fur. I use lots of different layers for different parts, which makes it easier to overdraw and erase as needed. I also went ahead of inked the shape for the eyelashes because the brush stablization in Manga Studio makes it a lot easier than doing it in Photoshop later. I exported the inking for the characters and eyelashes on separate layers.

5. In Photoshop, I convert the imported lines to a folder with a mask and put a solid black layer in the folder. (CTRL-click RGB in the Channels tab, invert the selection, create a mask from the selection.) This will come in handy later when I color the linework. Then I create another folder and start creating the basic color blocking. I like to do all my color blocking by making a folder and then filling it with different solid color layers for each section of color, whch makes it easy to change a color later. This is a very fussy way to do it and it's probably much simpler to just fill a single raster layer with flat colors.

6. Form shading. I create a dark blue solid color layer (linear burn) and start painting in the basic form shading with a soft airbrush. For the hair, I used color burn for richer shading and I used a variable-width soft airbrush to smudge detail into the shadows, picking up the shape of the hairs. Since this is a night scene, I made the form shadows a little heavier.

7. Cast shadows. I make a new dark blue layer (and a blue one for the interior) set to multiply and start painting in the cast shadows with soft brush, using a smaller brush in places where the object casting the shadow is closer to the thing the shadow is on. Since this is a night scene, I made the cast shadows a little fainter.

8. I added a second cast shadow layer for the shadow cast by the edge of the doorway on the portion of the characters inside the limo.

9. Backlight. I used two desaturate solid color layers (screen blend mode) painted with a soft airbrush. When I combine it with the form shading, backlighting really makes the characters pop. I don't use any backlight on non-reflective objects.

10. Shiny. I used a solid white layer for the primary shine and painted spots and streaks using a hard variable-width brush. After painting all the shine, I use the cast shadow layer to make a selection and delete the shine from anywhere covered by shadow. For the shine on the hair, I started with thin strokes with a variable-width brush, then use a smude tool to add detail and softness to the tips, then use an airbrush to add a soft glow to groups of streaks, then use an airbrush to fade the tops and bottoms of streak groups, and finally use a soft round brush to erase a few streaks in the middle of each group.

11. I adjusted the levels on the paparazzi to make them a bit darker to focus attention on the central character.

12. For the blush, I add in a light red layer, airbrushing just on the same area as the skin for the cheeks and other cheeks. I use the same method to add color for the eyeshadow.

13. I added some grey noise, scaled up, levels adjusted, and set to overlay, on top of the gold cloth to make it glittery. I also added a carpet texture to the red carpet and a concrete texture to the sidewalk, using distortion on the textures to match the perspective of the ground.

14. I added a masked folder for the shape of the windows and put in a hue adjustment (50% browner) and a brightness/contrast adjustment (less contrast, less brightness).

15. Colored linework. Going back to the linework folder, I started adding new solid color layers, using the mask to paint the color of the linework. Since the new layers are inside a folder with a mask defining the linework, I don't have to be very precise when coloring the lines. I always add new color layers below the ones I already did so that I can be sloppy in the areas that are already covered by colored linework. I like to keep using black lines on the hardest objects to give it a contrast with softer objects.

16. Eyelashes are done with a folder containing a solid grey layer and a solid black layer. Using the lashes I made earlier with a variable width brush, I add a few thin streaks on the grey layer mask to add depth to the lashes and soften the look with a few strokes of a soft airbrush.

17. For the sweatbeads, I used a white layer with the fill turned down just a little and add a layer effect with white inner glow set to 100%. Then I use the mask to soften the edge where it touches the skin. After, I add a new white layer to paint in the shiny highlights.

18. I added some big flares for the camera flashes, adding some white glow effect to make them extra bright.

19. I usedthe same flare brush to add a couple of sparkles to the gown and earring.

20. Finally, I added some vague, blurry colored lights in the background to suggest a flashy Hollywood setting.