2dartistSee how even beginners can paint an awesome underwater landscape in this sneak peek at Oscar Gregeborn’s tutorial from Issue 120 of 2dartist!
Starting out
It is said that staring at an entirely blank canvas is the most intimidating feeling when it comes to painting, and I wholeheartedly agree. Luckily there are ways of combating this feeling. I have found that looking up references and inspiration puts my mind at ease, and I have a much easier time approaching the beginning of a painting.
Knowing where to look however, can be a daunting task in itself. I like to approach it from multiple angles; the internet is teeming with creative work, but it’s also great to find inspiration beyond the usual portfolio sites. One medium that I enjoy in particular, are art books. I own a handful of them, and look through them religiously every fortnight or so. In this case though, I found myself jumping into the task without much research in advance, eager to start the painting.
Oscar gathered references, and began to lay out colored gradients that represent the palettes he wished to explore
After a good while spent in Photoshop you are going to stumble upon a fair few shortcuts that help out immensely
Getting comfortable
It may sound alien to many of the seasoned professionals out there, but becoming comfortable with the digital medium is one of the biggest hurdles for beginners. After a good while spent in Photoshop you are going to stumble upon a fair few shortcuts that help out immensely. There are two easy techniques however, that I simply cannot live without. While having the Brush tool selected:
- Holding Alt brings forth the Eyedropper tool, and you are free to select any color on the canvas. This means that you can rapidly select a certain color on the canvas, and keep painting with that color at the press of only one key.
- Holding Alt + right mouse (Ctrl + Option for a Mac) and dragging your pen over the tablet, will change the size of your brush.
Mastering these techniques can take some time, but they will definitely speed up your workflow as you paint.
Finding a good brush is equally important. Oscar often toys around with brush settings until he finds something interesting and unexpected
The final piece
See how Oscar completes this awesome image in the full tutorial in 2dartist magazine Issue 120
The final piece