A making-of & interview with Kitsune: painting fantastic worlds with Adobe Photoshop CC
Interview & article by: Youhei Ogawa
Kitsune is currently working with many magazines and novels, but also dedicates herself to personal illustrations and short movies.
Today we asked her about her favorite painting software, Adobe Photoshop CC, about her origins and about her present and future goals.
Sketch
The brush set I'm using is called "FREE PHOTOSHOP/GIMP BRUSHES!+Explanation by JonasDeRo", it's a free custom set. In particular, I'm using this hexagonal brush called "Hexagon" to paint the initial sketch.
I tried to tilt the illustration and shift the eye-level, so now you can perceive the space better.
I create a new layer on top of the sketch one and roughly add colors. I set the layer mode to "multiply".
After I'm done with the basic colors, I create another layer and set it to "overlay", then I paint over the bits that are supposed to reflect light (the castle, stars, the space around the lamp in the bottom-right part of the screen and so on).
Coloring
Adjusting the overall brightness
Adjusting the composition balance, painting the background
I change the sky colors lightly so they fit the castle. I draw some clouds starting from the brightest section, at the bottom, and make them bigger in the top part so it gives a sense of depth. I change the gradation to orange -> pink -> purple -> blue.
Lastly, I add some details to the part next to the horizon. After painting a distant view resembling mountains, I proceed to fill in the two sides making the mountains bigger and adding some tree silhouettes.
Drawing the character
Finish
Adding parts and fine details
Lastly, I add a kraft paper texture and set the blending mode to "Soft light", before merging all the layers again.
Final adjustments
Done!
Thank you for your hard work!
On Adobe's website, you'll find an even more detailed tutorial.
On the next page you can read Kitsune's interview! We're gonna ask her what brought her to draw such fairytale-like sceneries, and about the secrets behind her talent!