Open an image you want to
trace. For practice, you can
grab any image you like from the Internet, scan something yourself .
Open Photoshop. Check the interface to make sure both the Layers window and
the Paths window are visible.
There are two ways to
accomplish the next step, which is to place your image on top of a plain white
layer:
- Make a new blank file in Photoshop (or any other image editing program that supports Bezier curves).
- Set your image size to match the image you have chosen to trace. For this tutorial, set your image size to 5" x 7" at 300 dpi, with a white background.
- Open your chosen image. It will appear as a second layer named "Layer 1," above the layer named Background.
- Double-click on the image thumbnail in the Layers window, and in the resulting dialog, change the name to "Original Image."
Try this alternate method
when necessary. Open the original image
in Photoshop without creating a new document first. This is useful when you
want to capture the size and dpi of the original, though it takes a couple
extra steps to prepare.
- Right-click on the Background layer thumbnail, and choose Layer from Background... In the resulting dialog, change the name to "Original Image."
- Create a new layer by clicking on the "Create a new layer" button.
Drag the new layer so
that it is below the layer "Original Image."
Click to select the layer
"Original Image." Change the opacity of
Original Image to 50% or so. This will "gray out" the image making
your new copy lines easier to see.
Select the zoom tool (Z). Click and hold in the center of the image you want to zoom
in on, and move your mouse to adjust the size.It does not matter how fuzzy the
original might be, since you are creating your own new artwork and just using
the original image as a guide. However, if your original is very tiny, you may
want to rescale it before you copy (use Image|Size with "Resample"
checked).
Click on the Paths tab. Create a new path by clicking on the 'Create new path
button at the bottom of the Paths window. Double click on it, and rename it.
Select the Pen tool (P). Use the pen
tool to trace over the key lines from
the image you wish to copy, as follows:
- Trace the primary image.
Note that as you create
these anchor points, you'll see the Bezier curve between them. In the end, we
want this curve to match the outline of the drawing, but it's not necessary to
get it perfect on the first pass. It's easier and faster to clean up the lines
using the Direct Selection tool, which we'll cover below. To keep all the paths
on the same Path layer, deselect, then re-select the same path before
continuing. To create a new Path layer for each part, deselect the path, then
start drawing with the pen tool. A new path, entitled Work Path, will be
created. Be sure to double click on the path and rename it before
continuing—work paths are only temporary.
Add the details. First, using the same techniques of clicking, dragging, and
using the Alt (Option) key to break the curves
Clean up the curves. Chances are, the
Bezier lines aren't exactly tracking the original outline of the image. To
clean these up, first select the Direct selection Tool (A) from the tool
palette. As you click on each anchor point, you'll see the handles on either
end of the Bezier curve that control the shape of that curve. Adjust those so
that the line matches the original line as closely as possible. Use the Alt
(Option) key as needed to move a control point independently.
Make it unique! Turn your tracing into your own brand new creation by
moving the anchor points and handles around. You can also modify a Bezier curve
by clicking on the line itself—as you drag, the handles on either end will
adjust automatically.
Draw it out. Once you have a basic
path you like, you can turn it into a line drawing. Switch back to the Layer
tab, and create a new layer above the Original Image layer.
Select the Brush tool (B). From the brush menu, choose a round brush, set it to 5
pixels diameter and set the Hardness to 100.
Switch back to the Paths
tab. Select the Path Selection tool (A)
(Make sure you choose the Path Selection, not Direct Selection tool. It's a
black arrow rather than a white one).
- Click on the line that defines the body of the image, and select Stroke Sub Path.
In the resulting dialog window, make sure "Brush" is selected in
the Tool menu. You can choose to simulate pressure or not. Continue with each
subpath you created ,selecting, right-clicking, and choosing Stroke Subpath
for each one. To clean up any lines, switch back to the Layer tab, and erase or
trim whatever you don't like (or use the brush tool to add more details—even
fill with color). Use various brush sizes and types to make your cartoon more
interesting.
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