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Here is the process by which I created “Woman in Blue Shirt”.  I made it in Photoshop, but I believe that the same principles will work in other graphics programs.

First, I created a new layer and blocked out the image using shapes.

Next, I created another layer over the shapes.  I used the brush tool with a 5 pixel tip and painted in the outline of the image.  I created another layer behind these first two layers and filled it with a green background.  Then I deleted the shapes layers.

I created another layer and named it “Eye” (Rename a layer by double-clicking it and typing in the name).  Then I zoomed in and painted one eye, then copied the eye layer and flipped it with the Transform function (Edit>Transform>Vertical Flip) and adjusted the placement. 

Next, I created separate layers for the lips and nose.  I painted half the nose and then duplicated that layer and merged the two sides of the nose.   By doing this I got a symetrical nose.  I painted the lips on the Lips layer.   Note:  in all of the detail work for the eyes, nose, and lips, I selected different size brush tips and various colors.  I used the Smudge tool with an Airbrush tip to blend the colors.

I merged the eyes, lips, and nose layers with the face layer, then picked a larger brush tip and applied various colors.  I used the Airbrush smudge tool to blend the colors.

I made separate layers for the shirt and the hair and applied the appropriate colors and blendings.  

Finally, I zoomed out, made some final adjustments to the hair, face, clothing and background, added a texturizing filter to the blue shirt to make the “weave”,  merged all the layers, and  then cropped the image.  Here is the finished product:

Image and tutorial by Lori Gloyd (c) 2007

In the space before waking
she saw
the eyes upon her
knowing
and knowing she could never know
the place beyond Fran Read the rest of this entry »