How to Make a Digital Portrait

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Position yourself in front of a mirror so that you can see your reflection and the computer without changing position or moving your head.

   If this proves too difficult, you can instead work from a photograph of yourself and perch it close to your computer screen.
   
   Use a good painting program such as Photoshop.
   
   It is best to use a graphics tablet, but this can be done with a mouse as well.
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   Step 2: Block in the main shapes using 3 or 4 colors.

   ,, Using one shade lighter, smooth in the skin tone by using a low opacity brush and the smudge tool.
   
   Add a little bit of detail to the hair. , Use a thin brush and darker tone to add the details, such as the mouth and pupils of the eyes. , Use a low opacity brush to add colour to the eyes, lips and cheeks. , Use the burn and dodge tools to add further, more subtle, highlights and shadows to all areas of the portrait.
   
   Continually refine all areas of the portrait by smudging or re-painting where necessary. , Add further shadows and saturation to the lips. , Using a low opacity soft brush, add small amounts of colour around the eyelids. ,
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   Step 3: Outline the features on the face using a mid-shade skin tone colour.

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   Step 4: Add more detail to the painting with one shade darker.

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   Step 5: Add all the main highlights and shadows to the skin tones

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   Step 6: making sure to smooth in the colours as you go.

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   Step 7: Get colourful.

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   Step 8: Use a thin brush and scribble detail in to the hair.

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   Step 9: Take a thin brush and a light hair colour and scribble in detail where the hair highlights.

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    Step 10: Use the push and dodge tools to add further

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    Step 11: more subtle

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    Step 12: shadows and highlights to the hair.

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    Step 13: Finish up all the areas of the portrait and then add a nice background.

Detailed Guide

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