Satyr Hair Explanation

This is in NO way a tutorial, but hey, maybe you can have fun with it anyway. asked for a step by step on my satyr piece, and it was far too much of a mess to break down (turns out it was far over 200 layers, all in crazy orders too, it would take me longer to break it down clearly then to have actually colored it -_-'...) So Cat, if you have any questions on the stuff other then hair just let my know and i'll do my best to explain. ^_^ *thumbs up* (and if this still isn't clear let me know and i'll try to figure out how to fix that)

I'm working in Photoshop (CS 2, if that matters) 300 resolution, with a cintiq. Any tablet should work though. Using a mouse will probably break your arm and not let you get pressure opacity. But there are ways to make it work I'm sure if you are stubborn enough XD

So, #1, draw yourself something. (i love my sketch XD haha) digital, scan, whatever. I just like having some line art. I remove it from the white via channel select and make it in a very dark color (i like brown instead of black) I then set it to multiply. (since i glossed over how to do that if you need to know, let me know... i'm sure there are a billion tutorials on DA about how to do it but I'm not going to link to how i do it just yet... since i'd have to find it... and i just learned word of mouth *rambles*)

#2 Block it in on a new layer under the lines. Don't part anything out like horns or eyes, just a big overall block in. Honestly I recommend going outside the lines unlike what I did... but I was dumb and did it that way TWICE so yeah... old habits. (and i still continue to do it. but for fur, particularly long fur I recommend going over.)

#3 Here is why I had you block it in. It gives you a quick thing to select when you make new layers. (very nice for if you have to deselect for some reason through this whole thing) So go ahead and select your blocked in layer. Make a NEW layer on top of it. I use the Spatter brush (the 27 pixel one, i just make it much bigger if that matters XD) that comes with Photoshop to block in a large general shadow. Just leaving out the spots I know are my big highlight spots (or i guess light spots... ) Feel free to cover more area then I did or be more messy. It really is up to you. Don't spend forever on this part unless you are really unsure of how you want your general shadowing to go. Plus you can go back and change it XD

#4 New layer! Core shadows. Oh, i lighten the shadows and highlights up between steps via opacity. I always make them darker or lighter in the block in stage so i can mess with that and find the shade i want. I just find it faster ^_^ So i add in a second layer of shadow. This just hits up the darkest part of the shadow area like um... under the ribs or side of the arm or under the chin... If this isn't for you, just skip it and practice it later. Its just basic shading stuff. Have fun. Again, don't drive yourself mad spending time here. I was using the same brush as before, just made it a little smaller.

#5 New layer again! Overall Highlights. I'm sure this is just normal lighting but I think of it as the first round of highlights since i like to work from a midtone and go both ways. Work however you like though ^_^ So on the same brush (made around as big as the first round of shadows) brush yourself on some brightness. I don't recommend being too meticulous and covering all the darkness up where the bright is, unless you are doing very short hair. I just like some dark peaking through, it makes it a little more natural to me. Now the lighting on my guy is garbage (its bad on the actual piece too, but I was fine with it, just saying) so don't use it as a guide. ^_^ Just put in some light where you think light would go.

#6 Fast and fun so far right? I just lightened up the highlights. You can make your highlights and shadows as bright or dark as you want, like i said i like to work from the middle out so thats why mine are dull. This is the point I start to actually draw hair. Make your next new layer ABOVE the line art, unless you have it in some style you don't want color over it, then just keep where you are. (oh yeah, and remember to save your work by now XD yay for saving)

#7 New layer! Okay i messed this part up for you and just caught it. I normally go over the whole thing with size 13 fuzzy round brush and draw in hair VERY loosely. Its exactly what I will be doing in step 9 with light hair. Clearly it isn't the end of the world if you miss this step. I just like the texture it adds. So onto what I actually did. I eyedropper tool (the thing that selects color) a very dark part of my picture (usually where my line art is dark) and steal color from there. Then i start drawing in my dark hair. Its really more a shadow for the light hair that is going to go over it. Have fun with that. It will take a while, but you will get good with it, yay practice XD You can probably read tons of tutorials on DA about how to do 'good' hair... or find 'hair' brushes or whatever (honestly i don't think there are good hair brushes anywhere but I can't say I looked too hard..) I like the control of going one hair at a time. SO ANYWAY. Yes, you put in some dark hair. I used a size 5 (i think) fuzzy round brush. I would never go under a size 3 though unless you are on the final highlight layer... i mean you could but... It isn't for me XD (i don't think it looks as good and takes even longer, but feel free to play around and find what works for you!)

#8 New layer time. Here is where it gets hard to see what I'm doing, so again, let me know if it isn't clear enough. I eyedrop the light color and start coloring in hair there the shadow and light meet. I also go over my line art in places to break it up. Feel free to deselect at this step or the one before it if you want hanging hair or whatever. I didn't on my sample since i was making it quickly. I also emphasize the light under the core shadow a bit too... but that is your call.

#9 Again, new layer. You can actually flip this step with #8 if you like, it really doesn't matter. I do it both ways. So take your brush and make it larger (to size 13 or something) and brush on some loose light hair. If you did step 8 you can just go into your color box and scooch the color a bit lighter and you are all set. Remember to not go over ever square inch of fur, just the spots where you have light or want to lighten. Again, not totally necessary, but i like how it breaks the fur up.

#10 Last new layer! (kinda) So set your brush back to a small setting (here is where i bust out the 3) and set your color to even lighter. Attack those highlights! After they look good to you I guess you are done! YAY! or....

#11?! You can keep adding shadows and highlights and different sizes on top or throughout your picture. Some people like to flatten it down, smudge tool, and go after it all again, or just smudge it... If you do that i recommend at least going back over it with final highlights unsmudged. Just remember to keep trying new things and that there isn't a perfect 'right' way. Heck I'm clearly still messing around XD This kind of stuff eats up time, so it is nice to do when you can actually zone out and listen to some music or whatever and just go at it.

Helpful (maybe) tips:

Fur got too light for your liking? duplicate your base shadow (or just the whole darn base) and drop it on top. Change opacity and erase until you like it. I find that easier then erasing and re-adding highlights in a never ending cycle of rage.

I forgot the rest of them but yeah -_-' good luck and I hope you have fun! ^___^ (and if you read all of this you should have NO PROBLEM drawing a zillion little hairs XD *shame*)

Layer breakdown at the end:

Top-

Brightest highlights (#10)
'Light' hair (#8 and #9)
'Dark' hair (#7)
Overall Highlight (#5)
Line art (#1)
More shadow... Core shadow, whatever (#4)
Overall Shadow (#3)
Blocked in base (#2)

Bottom.

~Kip