020 - IFX tutorial - Painting silk
This tutorial was written for ImagineFX magazine Issue#7.
Visit their site to purchase the magazines!
Painting silk.
I recommend looking at reference pictures to understand how to paint fabrics and folds. Make sure to place the different layers of fabrics in separate layers in Photoshop.Start painting the shape you have in mind, and don’t be afraid to give it some extra contrast as this will be toned down later.
Paint a new layer of fabrics on top, again in a separate layer and adjust the layer opacity of all the fabrics layers (50-85 percent depending on what you want to achieve).
Now, to make this look realistic, add a new layer on top and paint on more coverage to high-lights and surfaces you see from a sharp angle.
This because fabrics are the most transparent when looking directly at it from a flat angle.
Also, adding a thin outline with bright colour helps defining the shape.
Start off with one layer of fabrics with the layer set to 100 percent opacity. Keep the contrast quite high.
Add another layer of fabrics, adjust the opacity of both layers, add more coverage to high lights and surfaces looked at from a sharp angle, and define the outline with brighter lines.