Cheryl H
07-19-2003, 12:10 PM
Before things got pruned in the big move, I'd printed out tons of how-to's from the site. I found a palette shot that wasn't attached to any directions and decided to see how much of it I could figure out for fun. I think I got most of it, but I did make a few changes where I coudln't guess right. (I finally found the directions--I almost had the first 5 steps right--lol .) This makes a really nice, soft sketch. The directions below are what I actually used on the "Jose" sketch as well as the example below. http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=56952
Soft Sketch
1. Make 2 duplicates of the background. Turn off the top one—it’s reserved to add color at the end if desired. I find it easier to leave a layer at the top instead of dragging it to the top of the stack at the end.
Working on the middle layer
2. Image—Adjustments Desaturate
3. Duplicate the desaturated layer. Image—Adjustments—Invert
4. Set the blending mode on the inverted layer to Color Dodge and run Filter—Blur--Gaussian Blur. Use a higher setting than is typical (4-9). Merge down.
5. Duplicate the merged layer and set the blending mode to Multiply. Run Filter—Blur--Gaussian Blur. Use fairly high values again (4-10).
6. Merge Down. Name it Base Sketch
7. Duplicate Base Sketch. On the copy (upper B/W) run Filter—Brush Strokes—Crosshatch (10-4-2 works well for me). Reduce Opacity to 40-60%
8. Merge all to a new layer and call it Sketch 2. Make 2 copies of Sketch 2. Turn off the top one (it’s being left near the top of the stack ready for later) and work on the lower copy.
9. On the lower copy of Sketch 2, smudge the gray areas. Note that you are NOT smudge painting. You are just softening the dark parts of the image. I’ve been using Trimoon’s soften edges #1 brush for this step (it’s a spatter brush with opacity 19%)
10. Run Filter—Stylize—Diffuse—Ansiotropic. (You may want to run this more than once—you might want to make a back-up so you can experiment)
11. Turn on sketch 2 copy 2 (should be right above the ansiotropic layer). Reduce opacity to 50-80%
12. Optional—choose one
a. Turn on the color layer you left at the top. Set to Color Burn and adjust opacity to taste. Sometimes other blending modes give pleasing results.
b. More work but better results. Before turning on the color layer merge everything to a new layer. Run Image—Adjustments—Auto Color on this layer. Turn on the color layer and set to Soft Light.
13. Add a light texture if desired.
Here's the original.
Soft Sketch
1. Make 2 duplicates of the background. Turn off the top one—it’s reserved to add color at the end if desired. I find it easier to leave a layer at the top instead of dragging it to the top of the stack at the end.
Working on the middle layer
2. Image—Adjustments Desaturate
3. Duplicate the desaturated layer. Image—Adjustments—Invert
4. Set the blending mode on the inverted layer to Color Dodge and run Filter—Blur--Gaussian Blur. Use a higher setting than is typical (4-9). Merge down.
5. Duplicate the merged layer and set the blending mode to Multiply. Run Filter—Blur--Gaussian Blur. Use fairly high values again (4-10).
6. Merge Down. Name it Base Sketch
7. Duplicate Base Sketch. On the copy (upper B/W) run Filter—Brush Strokes—Crosshatch (10-4-2 works well for me). Reduce Opacity to 40-60%
8. Merge all to a new layer and call it Sketch 2. Make 2 copies of Sketch 2. Turn off the top one (it’s being left near the top of the stack ready for later) and work on the lower copy.
9. On the lower copy of Sketch 2, smudge the gray areas. Note that you are NOT smudge painting. You are just softening the dark parts of the image. I’ve been using Trimoon’s soften edges #1 brush for this step (it’s a spatter brush with opacity 19%)
10. Run Filter—Stylize—Diffuse—Ansiotropic. (You may want to run this more than once—you might want to make a back-up so you can experiment)
11. Turn on sketch 2 copy 2 (should be right above the ansiotropic layer). Reduce opacity to 50-80%
12. Optional—choose one
a. Turn on the color layer you left at the top. Set to Color Burn and adjust opacity to taste. Sometimes other blending modes give pleasing results.
b. More work but better results. Before turning on the color layer merge everything to a new layer. Run Image—Adjustments—Auto Color on this layer. Turn on the color layer and set to Soft Light.
13. Add a light texture if desired.
Here's the original.