Photoshop: Learn Digital Painting Basics in Photoshop

Photoshop: Learn the software and use a Wacom tablet to easily start creating beautiful digital paintings in Photoshop.

Created byAdam Zollinger (Learn Archviz)

Last updated 10/2021

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Paint in Photoshop using built in and custom brushes
Navigate the Photoshop UI for painting
Understand layers, blending modes, tool palettes, masking and various other important Photoshop techniques
Create a portrait in Photoshop from beginning to end
Mimic watercolor, oil, acrylic, or mixed media in Photoshop
Create your own custom brushes and tool presets
Create beautiful imagery using Photoshop
Feel comfortable using a pen tablet to paint and draw

Course content

6 sections • 24 lectures • 1h 59m total length

Section Overview1:27

A little intro to me and the course. Above you will see the image of the painting I will create in the course. You will follow me from start to finish, but I will also teach you various other techniques that apply to all kinds of paintings in PS, not just this one.
What You Will Need4:08

You need one of these guys. I'll help you figure out which one. Also, you need a computer, access to Photoshop, and a desire to learn.
Awesome Guide To Buying The Right Tablet0:14
Up and Running In The Photoshop UI In Just A Few Minutes4:58
The Most Powerful Features of Photoshop...For Painting6:49
Set up a Photoshop canvas and explore multi-layer painting, adjusting layer opacity and blending modes, while using masks for non-destructive edits and tool presets for consistent custom brushes.

Section Overview2:15
Watch While I Demonstrate My Custom Brushes6:26
In the bonus section at the end there is a download for my custom brushes. There are also links to a few short tutorials on how to load them.
The Incredibly Useful Mixer Brush Tool4:30
Explore how the Photoshop mixer brush tool blends colors, loads paint from the foreground color, and uses wetness, load, and flow presets to mimic traditional oil painting on canvas.

Choose A Reference Image, and Choose Wisely2:19
Start Sketching2:59
Import your photo and preserve proportions by holding Shift while transforming, then trace on a new layer or sketch from reference to begin painting in Photoshop.
More Sketching! It Needs To Be Right7:53
Start Thinking About Colors6:14
Learn to build color palettes in Photoshop using color wheels, analogus and complementary schemes, and image-driven inspiration, then mix colors on a new layer.

Section Overview0:34
Painting Setup3:16
Learn to set up a digital painting in Photoshop, arranging sketch and linework, reference image and color palette on separate layers, and apply watercolor textures with overlay and adjustment layers.
Paint The Base Layer3:24
Create a new layer and lay down a watercolor wash as the base, applying large color blocks for the background, arms, face, and hair, then refine details on top.
Start Adding Detail5:21
Create a new layer, use a watercolor round brush set to multiply to add darker tones, adjust opacity for soft blue gradients and edge softness.
More Detail: Painting Timelapse15:36
Explore portrait painting in Photoshop using layered brushwork, color blending, and a timelapse demonstration, focusing on facial features, hair, highlights, and shadows for realistic results.
Wrapping Up The Painting4:50
Focus the eye on the face by detailing it while keeping surrounding areas looser, and apply layering with a square dry brush and multiply brushes in Photoshop.

Section Overview1:11
Apply finishing touches and explore overlays and special effects to achieve varied looks in Photoshop, using techniques that encourage imagination and experimentation.
Adding Texture12:43
Add watercolor-like texture to your painting by layering paper texture and watercolor overlays, then adjust blend modes and masks to control color and detail.
Adjustment Layers10:14
Blending Modes9:26
Explore blending modes in Photoshop to adjust highlights and shadows, colorize saturation, and use overlay, screen, and multiply effects with masks and a brush.
Farewell2:42
Refine your digital painting skills in Photoshop by using adjustment layers, color balance, and texture overlays to finish paintings. Experiment with curves, highlights, and shadows to create unique artworks.

Requirements

You will need to have a pen tablet for drawing / painting (Wacom or equivalent). I have included an excellent buyers guide in the course.
You will need access to Photoshop. If you don't own it, you can get a trial that will last plenty long for this course. You can also get it for a small monthly fee. I will show you how in the course.
You will need a computer with enough power to run Photoshop. Most desktops and laptops should be just fine.

Description

Photoshop Painting is fun and relatively easy. Follow along with me and I will show you exactly how to create your first Photoshop portrait using a pen tablet (Wacom or equivalent).

*NOTES:

The current price is an introductory rate, and will go up as more lectures are added.
More technique videos are coming soon
You do not need to know Photoshop to take this course. I will quickly cover the basics before moving into more advanced information.
***30 Day Money Back Guarantee*** No questions asked. If you hate the class, just return it. No risk.

What You Will Learn

By the end of this course you will feel comfortable painting in Photoshop using various different techniques. You will also have a good understanding of PS tools and workflows in general. Specifically, I will be demonstrating how to paint a simple "watercolor" portrait from start to finish, but along the way you will pick up on many other techniques that will help you to feel comfortable coming up with your own unique creations. I also discuss techniques for different kinds of paint like oil and acrylic. The course is meant to give you a comprehensive introduction to digital painting while following along with my project.

Course Structure

In this course we will start from the beginning, for those of you who are not familiar with PS. I will go over the UI basics, show how to download PS if you need to, and go over which pen tablet is best for you. There is a link to a fantastic buyers guide if you don't already have a pen tablet input device (They are absolutely necessary to do any serious painting in PS. Cost: $30 - $500 -- cheap ones work fine for this course).
Next I will show you the basic techniques of mimicking different kinds of paint, and continue to teach you about the various tools in PS and how to use them.
The next section will go over how to setup our file and our layers in order to be ready for painting. By this point we will also have our custom brushes ready, and our UI optimized for painting.
Finally, we will start laying down some paint on our digital "canvas". You will watch me paint in real time while I explain my thought process and the PS tools that I am using. I will also throw in some time lapse video of me painting, so you can see the entire process.
To finish of the course, you will be instructed how to polish off your painting with some finishing touches. We will go over things like texture overlays, adjustment layers, blending modes, etc.

Why Take This Course?

Take this course if you think digital painting sounds fun, because you're right, it is. Also, if you want to someday pursue a career in any kind of digital art, this is a great starting point for you. You will never regret learning Photoshop. It is used in so many different applications. This particular application is fun and rewarding. Trust me, even you can create beautiful imagery in Photoshop. Just follow along.

Join Now

I can't wait to get started as your teacher. I'll see you in class.

**Send me a message if you have any questions about the course or want to know about upcoming deals.

Who this course is for:

Take this course if you want to learn Photoshop better in general
Take this course if you specifically want to use Photoshop for digital painting
Take this course if you want to pursue a career in any kind of digital art, i.e. concept artist, storyboard artist, character design, animation, matte painting or even automotive design. All these fields use Photoshop painting.
Take this course if you enjoy painting, and want to learn how to do it digitally.
Take this course if you want to become a better artist.
Take this course if you think painting would be fun, but you don't have all the tools and the know how to paint traditionally.
Take this course if you want a relatively easy way to get started painting stuff.
Take this course if you want to paint with NO MESS!
Take this course if you just bought a Wacom tablet off of ebay, and you want to learn how to use it in an awesome way.

Photoshop: Learn Digital Painting Basics in Photoshop

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Finding Your Way Around In Photoshop5 lectures • 18min

Techniques3 lectures • 13min

The Painting Starts Before You Ever Touch The Brush4 lectures • 19min

Let's Lay Down Some Paint!6 lectures • 33min

Finishing Touches5 lectures • 36min

EXTRA1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: