Brushes used:

• Basic Flo Brush
• Flo Darka
• Flo Lighta
• Darken Line
• Lighten Line
• Lashes Brush
• Standard Blender

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 2000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Building up shadow and light: Gradually layers shadows with darker colors and overlays, focusing on natural eye creases, the pupil, and the edges of the iris to bring depth to the drawing
• Refining details with precision brushes: Uses the “Darken Line” and “Lighten Line” brushes to create crisp, clean lines for the iris and eyelashes, adding texture and definition
• Creating a colorful iris: Incorporates a mix of bright colors like purples, greens, blues, and yellows to form a vibrant, rainbow-like iris, blending hues smoothly for a lifelike effect
• Adding highlights for realism: Enhances the 3D effect by adding reflective highlights on the tear duct, lower eyelid, and iris, making the eye appear moist and shiny
• Smudging for softness: Softens transitions between shadows and highlights, using rounded motions to maintain definition while achieving a smooth blend

Brushes used:

• Round Chalk Pencil

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 2000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Drawing the basic eye structure: Start by sketching the eyeball and eyelids, ensuring the iris and pupil are properly aligned within the eye’s natural curvature
• Shading the eye for realism: Use gentle strokes to create shadows under the eyelids and add volume to the lower lid by drawing two lines that define its thickness
• Adding and refining eyelashes: Carefully place the eyelashes according to their natural direction and curve
• Creating depth in the iris: Use light strokes radiating outward from the center of the iris to mimic the texture, darkening the outer edge for added contrast
• Using highlights to bring the eye to life: Erase areas to introduce highlights in the eye and surrounding areas, especially the tear duct and lower lid, for a more vibrant appearance

Brushes used:

• Soft Brush
• Script Brush
• Turpentine Brush
• Rusted Decay
• Old Beach Brush
• Pine Trees Brush

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 2000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Creating Layers and Using Alpha Lock
  Add new layers for different parts of your painting and use Alpha Lock to paint within a specific shape without going outside its boundaries
• Using Airbrushing Techniques
  Apply the Soft Brush from the Airbrushing section to create smooth gradients and soft textures for skies and mist effects. You’ll also learn how to make adjustments to your brushes
• Adding Light and Shadow
  Simulate light and shadow on mountains using the Turpentine Brush, emphasizing the sun’s position and adding depth with vertical strokes
• Creating Realistic Clouds and Light Rays
  Modify the Soft Airbrush to make fluffy clouds and use radial symmetry to create stunning light rays emanating from the sun

Brushes used:

• Basic Sketcher
• Flo Darka Brush
• Flo Lighta Brush
• Darken Line Brush
• Lighten Line Brush
• Soft Brush
• Standard Blender
• Basic Flo Brush
• Smudgy Hair Brush

Canvas Size:

• 4000 x 3000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Adjusting Photo Warmth: Warm up your reference image using hue, saturation, and brightness adjustments along with color balance for shadows, midtones, and highlights
• Tracing and Line Art Creation: Lower the opacity of your photo and trace key lines using the Basic Sketcher brush to establish guidelines for your painting
• Building Base Colors: Start with broad base colors for the background and dog, using the Base Painter brush to fill in large areas with warm tones
• Adding Texture and Detail: Use the Flo Darka and Flo Lighta brushes to deepen shadows and enhance highlights, gradually building up the dog’s fur texture
• Finalizing with Lighting Effects: Add glow and contrast by setting layers to Multiply and Screen, using masks to paint in shadows and highlights, bringing your dog painting to life

Brushes used:

• Smeary Damp
• Round Smeary
• Dry Mixer
• Thin Lines
• Rake Brush
• Overlay Brush

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 4000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Using a dark base layer: Start with a dark color for the background, enhancing depth and richness in the painting
• Layer management: Separate different elements (e.g., jar, tangerines, flowers) into different layers for easier manipulation and detail work
• Smudging and blending: Use brushes to smudge and blend colors directly on the canvas, creating smooth transitions and realistic textures
• Adjusting colors on the go: Continuously refine colors by dropping them into the palette and adjusting their saturation and brightness as needed

Brushes used:

• Basic Sketcher
• Script Brush
• Soft Brush
• Basic Flo Brush
• Darken Line Brush
• Lighten Line Brush
• Flo Darka Brush
• Flo Lighta Brush
• Rough Speckles Brush
• Grunge Rock Brush
• Standard Blender Brush
• Overlay Brush

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 4000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Refining Sketches: Start with a basic sketch, then refine it by adjusting proportions using tools like Liquify. This helps to create a more accurate foundation for painting
• Layer Management: Organize elements on separate layers (e.g., ice cream, cone, fingers) to simplify shading and texturing. This structure allows for better control over individual elements
• Adding Texture: Use brushes like Rough Spackles and Grunge Rock to add realistic texture to elements like the waffle cone
• Shading and Lighting: Build shadows and highlights gradually. Use the Darken Line and Lighten Line brushes to enhance contrast and detail, making the painting more lifelike
• Color Adjustment: Don’t worry about getting the perfect color right away. Lay down base colors and adjust them as needed, adding warmth and depth with tools like the Overlay brush

Brushes used:

• Basic Sketcher
• Base Painter
• Standard Blender
• Basic Flo Brush
• Flo Darka Brush
• Flo Lighta Brush
• Darken Line Brush
• Lighten Line Brush
• Lashes Brush
• Overlay Brush
• Multiply Brush
• Soft Brush

Canvas Size:

• 4500 x 3000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Sketching Proportions: Using markers and negative spaces to find the right proportions for the eye
• Base Layer Techniques: Blocking in base colors and gradually refining the shapes with a soft brush
• Layering and Blending: Using multiple layers and the smudge tool to soften edges and build up details
• Detailing: Using specialized brushes to refine shadows, highlights, and textures for a realistic finish

Brushes used:

• Basic Sketcher
• Basic Flo
• Standard Blender
• Darken Line
• Lighten Line
• Soft Pastel

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 4000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Soft Transitions vs. Crisp Edges: Learn about the importance of recognizing and applying both soft transitions for subtle value changes and crisp edges
• Value Work: Learn to effectively work with light and shadow to add depth and realism to the painting
• Color Selection: I’ll demonstrate the process of choosing and adjusting colors dynamically to match the reference, enhancing the realism of the artwork
• Creating Shiny Textures: Learn how to make objects appear shiny and metallic

Heya Flocreators! In this more advanced realism painting tutorial we’ll be painting this cute little chipmunk. I’ll guide you through my process from sketch to finish and create a color palette along the way. I have attached it in case you want to use it, but it’s a great exercise to try and pick the colors yourself. You can do it! Grab your pencil and iPad and let’s get creating.

Brushes used:

• Basic Sketcher
• Base Painter
• Darken Line Brush
• Lighten Line Brush
• Basic Flo
• Shader Brush
• Rough Spackles Brush
• Flotastic Brush
• Dibby Dabby Brush
• Smudgy Hair Brush
• Soft Brush
• Overlay Brush
• Flo Darka Brush
• Flo Lighta Brush
• Standard Blender
• Loose Hairs Brush

Canvas Size:

• 3000 x 4000 pixels

Skills Learned:

• Creating a Sketch: Learn how to sketch the chipmunk by starting with broad shapes and then adding details
• Base Coloring and Layering: Learn how to lay down base colors and build on top of those to fine tune your colors
• Detailing and Texture: The use of various brushes to add texture and details to the chipmunk, including fur patterns, eyes, and the surrounding environment
• Enhancing Realism through Shadows and Highlights: Techniques for using layer masks on duplicated layers to refine shadows and highlights without losing underlying details, enhancing the realism of the painting