Photoshop brushes assignment

Here are the steps for the current assignment -- using photoshop brushes to make tracings from photos, and to provide textures and patterns.

1. The dimensions for this assignment are 3 in wide by 4.5 in tall, 600 dpi.

2. Bring your reference photo into a layer, and crop it to whatever size you wish.

3. Create a new, empty layer above the photo layer, and use this layer to create black outlines with the Wacom tablet. Choose a relatively thick brush size, say 40 pixels. Once you have your major lines, create a layer mask for your outline layer, make your brush half the size (about 20 pixels), and start chipping away at the edges of your brush strokes, for a sort of "scratchboard" style.

4. Once you're done with the outlines, create a new empty layer under the outline layer, and dial down the opacity of your brushes to create a color layer.

5. For the background, download some photoshop art brushes, and create an abstract texture.

I've posted a link to "Brush King" in the sidebar -- links down free downloadable Photoshop brushes. And here as some links for further reference below.

Overview of the brushes panel:

http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?page=1&cid=B0100

Two digital painting tutorials:

http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/tutorials/photoshop/blackbashi/index.html

http://www.eyesontutorials.com/articles/5298/1/Environment/Page1.html