You should utilize Procreate with 3D fashions to create unbelievable drawings sooner. For many of my profession I’ve been creating 2D drawings that can finally be remodeled into 3D. On this tutorial, I’m going to make use of 3D blockout from a program known as Nomad Sculpt, which you will discover on the iPad, then taking that as my reference to work up a portray in Procreate for iPad.
When you nonetheless do not have an Apple desk to create artwork with, check out our information to the most effective iPads for drawing in addition to our deep dive function into the iPad generations to see which is best for you. Additionally, learn my Procreate assessment to seek out out why this app is so good. Lastly, check out our information to the most effective free 3D apps to check out (although I like to recommend Nomad Sculpt).
Use Procreate with a 3D modelling app
I really like this 3D blocking strategy as a result of I can take easy primitive shapes and use them to outline the look of my character in a short time. On this case, it’s going to be a Gundam-style mech design. I can then use that 3D blockout to strive issues like lighting and composition earlier than I ever flip to my most popular portray program.
Having the ability to work out all of the complexities of perspective and general composition earlier than even beginning to sketch signifies that I can begin detailing my design fairly shortly. As soon as I’ve the design locked down I then begin utilizing a really dependable technique of layer administration that I take advantage of in nearly all of my work, and it was a system I used to be utilizing with Photoshop nicely earlier than the iPad got here alongside.
Having the laborious stuff labored out with a 3D program permits me to loosen up and revel in sketching and portray much more. Plus, the advantage of having a 3D blockout is that you may pose it and check out totally different angles and lighting kinds with relative ease. See the underside of this put up for the total accomplished picture, and browse on for a step-by-step Procreate tutorial on utilizing 3D reference fashions.
Glen runs SouthernGFX, a small Cheshire-based studio specialising in character and creature design, which creates property for TV and movie. Shoppers embody SKY, Wacom and Oculus Medium and the studio has a powerful venture listing that options 3D fashions for Sport of Thrones’ home sigils. He is been utilizing and coaching ZBrush for over 15 years and is a Wacom Ambassador for the UK and Eire.
01. Blocking out with Nomad Sculpt
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
Any 3D sculpting bundle can be utilized for this a part of the method, however I like to make use of Nomad Sculpt on the iPad. It’s low-cost and versatile, with plenty of totally different instruments to create the type of shapes we might need for this venture. I discover some nice reference for Gundam mechs, then proceed to dam out my concepts. (Learn my tutorial on easy methods to 3D sculpt on an iPad to stand up to hurry.)
02. Posing with primitives
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
Subsequent I deal with the pose; the precise shapes of every particular person physique half are usually not so essential at this stage. I take advantage of spheres, cubes and some pyramid shapes and block out the physique, arms, legs, and a primary head. I take advantage of the Knife instrument to trim off elements of every of the primitives to get some good chamfered edges that may catch the sunshine. The place wanted, I merge the elements collectively – for instance, the forearm.
03. Sketching the design
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I begin in Procreate with a reasonably large doc (4,000 pixels excessive). I add a screen-grab of the mech design on a layer. I usually use the Procreate ‘Reference’ function, however for this venture it was easy sufficient to have the reference in a layer. I make a layer for sketching and I draw out the fundamental sketch based mostly on my design. I take advantage of the Technical pencil set to 50% opacity for this stage.
04. Inking a layer
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I create a brand new layer and set the sketch layer to about 50% opacity so I can barely see the traces of the sketch beneath my new layer. I then take the Technical pen with a 90% opacity and I start to do a extra detailed line drawing excessive of my very own sketch.
I at all times take my time with these traces as I would like to ensure they’re fairly correct and all the pieces is joined up, as I’ll must flood fill elements at a later stage. Keep in mind you possibly can drag and drop color into a picture and auto-fill it, however ensuring your traces are related means you solely fill set areas.
05. Cleansing traces, making a silhouette
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
As soon as I’ve a very clear line drawing of the mech, I create a brand new layer beneath this one after which proceed to attract out a silhouette. It doesn’t matter what color this silhouette is at this stage, as will probably be used for just a few issues in later levels and will likely be modified as wanted. I take advantage of a mid-grey to start out with because it’s easy and clear, and never too overwhelming.
06. Making use of an Ambient Occlusion layer
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I determine the sunshine was going to be coming from the highest proper. I make a brand new layer above my silhouette layer and beneath the ink sketch. I set this to ‘Multiply’ as a mix mode and in addition set it to ‘Clipping Masks’, in order that it used the silhouette to constrain any portray into the form from the decrease layer. I then paint in darkish areas the place I need occluded shadows – that is principally within the decrease areas and in cracks.
07. Creating the primary lighting move layer
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I make a brand new layer and set this one to ‘Overlay’ and in addition to ‘Clipping Masks’. I place it above the silhouette however beneath the sketch layer. This layer is the place I add the principle lighting particulars, and as I had already set it to come back from the highest proper it’s nearly a reverse of the Ambient Occlusion layer by way of placement. I take advantage of the Primary brush and smudged it the place wanted to create smooth blended shadows.
08. Understanding layer administration
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
It’s actually essential to know one of these layer administration in packages like Procreate and Photoshop. Having a superb understanding of mix modes and easy methods to use instruments like Alpha Lock and Clipping Masks means that you may work in a non-destructive approach, and if you wish to make tweaks later it’s merely a case of fixing one thing on a layer, not on a merged doc.
Learn our Procreate suggestions function for a newbies information to what are, and easy methods to use, Clip Masks, Gaussian Blur and extra.
09. Flipping the picture
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
The explanation we flip this type of picture is to see what it seems like from the reverse angle, as you possibly can typically spot issues earlier than you go additional into the method. I flip the mech and I’m pleasantly shocked that the majority issues appeared to work, and I attribute that to the very fact we began with a 3D reference.
Normally I’d advocate flipping you picture frequently and at an earlier stage to this picture. As a result of right here I am utilizing a 3D mannequin as a foundation for the picture a few of the points that may come up in looser sketching are not an issue – but another excuse why utilizing 3D fashions works so nicely.
10. Making a monochrome background
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I make a brand new layer beneath all the present layers and use a cloud brush to dam out a tough surroundings and a few clouds. I solely use greys, blacks and whites as I wish to play with the worth of the general sketch and I do know that this can change at a later stage. Utilizing monochrome tones for artwork like this can be a frequent tip for digital artwork because it reveals the place the picture’s values want bettering in addition to being simply colored in most artwork apps…
11. Creating the color wash
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
After I was pleased I add a brand new layer and set it to Multiply excessive of the background. I block in a few of the primary color washes, which had been reds and blues initially. I paint some primary colors into the silhouette layer and try this color model in comparison with a desaturated, value-only model.
12. Adjusting hue, brightness and utilizing Curves
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
I wish to discover the color layers a bit extra so I take advantage of the Curves instrument in Procreate and modify the hue, saturation and brightness till I’m pleased with the color stability. Procreate doesn’t have a distinction choice so I take advantage of the Curves function to play with the vary to push the distinction up and down.
13. Making use of texture layers
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
One of many final steps I do is to create some texture excessive of the color layers. I make a brand new layer and set it to Multiply after which use a variety of built-in brushes so as to add speckles, scratches, mud and harm.
It doesn’t actually matter which brushes you utilize, simply discover ones which have some very nice visible curiosity. I would advocate taking part in with opacity and brush dimension and layering textures to get some good results. I buy loads of further brushes and added them to my very own packs, check out our information to the most effective Procreate brushes to see what’s accessible. Additionally, learn our tutorial to experiment with Procreate brushes for extra element.
14. Merging the layers
(Picture: © Glen Southern)
After I’m pleased with the composition, I merge all of the layers down after which keep it up engaged on the picture with Smudge, Blur and including extra lighting as wanted. I alter the background just a few instances earlier than the ultimate picture, so ensure that earlier than you start making last tweaks like this tick the ‘cross’ on the layers you might be pleased with, which ensures these are affected by adjustments.
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