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inklou — Colour and Atmosphere Tutorial

Published: 2012-06-30 08:12:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 51849; Favourites: 2316; Downloads: 6985
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Description The finished piece is here: [link]

you need to at least know your basic way around PS to fully understand this. I didn't bother to include how to practically execute all the settings, but feel free to ask me about it nonetheless!

The subject matter was originally supposed to be Nick from L4D2, but I changed it the last minute because that picture involves a background and I really want to get this silly thing over and done with lololoolololl sorry Nick. So have Bumi instead who is just as awesome.

So uh, I recently promised a tutorial and here it is! Yeah, freaking nerve-wrecking and I swear if this gets a DD like my last tutorial I'm going to make whoever's responsible into shoes. Alright I'm in a hurry to sleep and then head off to the land of the eagles dripping with freedom for 2 days, so I'll be back by Monday.

I guess this tutorial is aimed for anyone that isn't an advanced...PS/colour theory artist or whatever for there ain't much fancy stuff going in there, just really straightforward skills I've learned and just...feel like sharing I guess.

So yeah, I know that I didn't really show how I actually colour LOOOOL uh sorry about that, I'll do one some time later.

Anyways I honestly do not know what I'm talking about anymore because I am tired brainwrcked rofl

Feel free to leave questions and I'll try to answer them huff
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Comments: 69

Rozablanca [2020-04-18 13:47:25 +0000 UTC]

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WolfCryi [2015-03-25 04:36:59 +0000 UTC]

Very interesting, good point about the reflected light on the opposite side of an object from the light source, something to keep in mind. Also like the way you did the finishing touches/ adjustments to this. 

Thanks for taking the time to make this tutorial.

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DisturbingGreen [2015-01-06 10:38:06 +0000 UTC]

i want to cry this is amazing
thanks so much for this

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alice33s [2014-09-16 12:11:08 +0000 UTC]

dude you are awesome! and i actually get how you color here. but in any way, it was totally worth it thanks a bunch man!! 

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wangqr [2014-04-20 04:48:57 +0000 UTC]

Hi Nataliee, Chrissy here. I just realized that I have already saved this tutorial of yours before I knew this is u! (o-o) u r such an awesome artist! Keep up the great arts especially Hannibal fanarts *drools* and I'm glad that i finally found u here

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StudioBlueskies [2013-09-08 03:54:31 +0000 UTC]

very useful tips, i learned alot from this thank you.

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VoltroxAlexander [2013-07-17 10:55:51 +0000 UTC]

Awesome tutorial. xD

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Explosionen [2013-01-27 14:11:55 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for this O_O

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NorikoNyaaa [2013-01-22 21:27:49 +0000 UTC]

Excellent tutorial. Very well explained. Thank you!

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MartinCi [2012-12-24 14:03:23 +0000 UTC]

nice

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TheAssasino [2012-12-09 20:37:38 +0000 UTC]

Like holy fucking crap, ABUSE THAT TOOL.
Best advise evar. Sorry, anyone Else's argument is invalid.

Very nice tutorial and artwork :]

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black-white-check [2012-09-26 19:31:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so, so much for taking the time to make and post this! My colours look terribly flat and it's all well and good to study colour theory, but it helps me so much more to see it used step-by-step. This helps me immensely!

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saydistance1 [2012-09-19 21:11:04 +0000 UTC]

Very helpful. Thanks a lot.

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Errational [2012-09-13 00:26:15 +0000 UTC]

Suppose I wanted to paint someone with black hair. How would that work? On a topic somewhat related to this, what if a main part of the character's color pallette was black?

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inklou In reply to Errational [2012-09-15 07:56:44 +0000 UTC]

having a 'black' palette doesn't mean it has to be black - remember, how a colour projects in your eyes completely depends on other colours surrounding it. Say, if the overall tone of your picture is extremely light (ex pastel), you can totally use colours like a dull dark brown or dark grey to paint black hair, and it will look convincing enough. It is not realistic (quite boring actually) to shade in pure black anyways, as no matter the colour of the material, it will always absorb other colours in its environment because every material in itself reflects light.

So this applies to your second question as well. Since every material reflects light, if you're standing inside a cave lit with candles, some parts of your jacket will reflect orange. Another clean example would be a picture of Catwoman's suit: [link]

Almost 90% of her suit, if you colour pick it in Photoshop, is actually grey-blue (and not pure grey either! This makes everything look less dull.) instead of real black. But it looks convincingly black in your eyes, right?

I hope this answers your questions!

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Errational In reply to inklou [2012-09-15 17:22:24 +0000 UTC]

Thanks a lot! I have a lot to learn.

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Actressgirl88 [2012-08-27 22:55:03 +0000 UTC]

This is really helpful! But how do you make the sketch on a new layler?

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IVbenjamin [2012-08-22 04:51:44 +0000 UTC]

Love the eyedropper tool

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ferretsketch [2012-08-15 20:24:16 +0000 UTC]

What brushes do you use?

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TonyDennison [2012-07-10 03:22:23 +0000 UTC]

Eyedropper tool, eh? I'll have to start playing around with that...

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phobialia [2012-07-09 23:18:59 +0000 UTC]

Really useful. I will try this soon, thanks for sharing (:

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Katarjana [2012-07-09 22:13:44 +0000 UTC]

Any insight to process is helpful. Thank you for taking the time!

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JAYBILANT [2012-07-09 21:44:30 +0000 UTC]

Whoa... o.o This is an incredible tutorial... too bad my skills are too lame to be able to follow such epicness

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Aureta [2012-07-06 02:57:59 +0000 UTC]

Amazing tutorial! It's very insightful.

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nupao [2012-07-06 02:39:10 +0000 UTC]

I have to give you a proper thanks! But right now I don't have the time... wait I have a question... What if I'm painting a black suit? What colors to choose?

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inklou In reply to nupao [2012-07-09 21:43:46 +0000 UTC]

Black would still have colours reflected off of it. It also depends on the material of course, for example, a black leather jacket would have more highlights and also more relfected colours bouncing off of it cus of the smooth surface. But keep in mind that even though your suit is black, never use pure black to paint unless you're shading in the absolute darkest areas (such as clothing folds underneath the armpits or whatever). Remember that how dark a colour looks entirely depends on its relation to other colours in the picture. If you want your black suit to look black, use lighter colours on everything else, etc.

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MsSunnyMuffins [2012-07-04 20:18:06 +0000 UTC]

I colored a leaf using your style. What do you think?
[link]

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MsSunnyMuffins [2012-07-04 19:23:06 +0000 UTC]

You're so smart. It's not fair. That whole. add depth to the hand thing,never would've gotten that. Here I thought my latest drawing [link] was a masterpiece, but it's way to saturated, has no depth, and look at his head, WHY SO LUMPY?!? Man, I want to soak up some of your artistical smartness so I can get on your level.

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JinjooHeart [2012-07-03 01:40:51 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the helpful tutorial and cheers for eyedropper abusers

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CatalystOfTheSoul [2012-07-02 16:47:32 +0000 UTC]

Y-you...

TOTALLY spazzed out reading this. THANK YOU so much for making such a helpful tutorial!!!!!!!!

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JustIRaziel [2012-07-01 08:06:06 +0000 UTC]

holy fuckingcrapp ..thx ;D

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Chetterbox [2012-07-01 05:11:21 +0000 UTC]

More helpful than a lot of tuts I've ever read. You friendliness and buddy-buddy nature helped me connect LOL. ty for it!

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NBQuaternion [2012-07-01 04:03:15 +0000 UTC]

thank you sharing! this will be useful for us! thank you :3

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periwinklepaints [2012-07-01 03:43:27 +0000 UTC]

this is SUPER helpful! Thank you for uploading!

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rayne-rain [2012-07-01 03:19:42 +0000 UTC]

Great tutorial! And really helpful too!

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Limbsart [2012-07-01 03:14:21 +0000 UTC]

This is stunning! Thank you so much for explain your coloring process! It's awesome!

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xEternalSkyx [2012-07-01 02:48:55 +0000 UTC]

It's a great tutorial but the text is a bit small D:

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inklou In reply to xEternalSkyx [2012-07-01 18:57:37 +0000 UTC]

Did you hit the download button?

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xEternalSkyx In reply to inklou [2012-07-01 19:10:28 +0000 UTC]

Oh... I never thought of that.... lol thanks!

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ummiehummie [2012-07-01 02:17:17 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for your time :>

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TimVithor [2012-06-30 23:36:30 +0000 UTC]

Nice!

The color tips will be really useful to me.
:}

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jebiblue [2012-06-30 21:21:09 +0000 UTC]

this is exactly what I needed, I cannot thank you enough! Q____Q

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ARTabstraction [2012-06-30 19:51:36 +0000 UTC]

Thank you....
TT_TT
So very very much...

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cciintra [2012-06-30 18:36:06 +0000 UTC]

most useful tutorial EVER.

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lightshelter [2012-06-30 16:26:31 +0000 UTC]

thanks for your hard work ; u ; the picture looks amazing and so does the tutorial!




commissions [link] commissions

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eLWrey92 [2012-06-30 16:20:38 +0000 UTC]

Much appreciated, thanks!

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InYuJi [2012-06-30 16:10:23 +0000 UTC]

this is helpful. I only know basics of value shading, but color atmosphere. Never really heard of it till now. Thank you ^^. I will experiment with this

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PaintingSymphony [2012-06-30 15:30:48 +0000 UTC]

great Tutorial!

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ReyalsPathelion [2012-06-30 15:13:43 +0000 UTC]

This is an awesome tutorial. Nice work!

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Kiara2909 [2012-06-30 14:16:19 +0000 UTC]

Thank You sooo much!

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