[1] Effects

With everything painted, I will now add some effects.

 

 

 

■ Light effects

 

To start off, I will brighten everywhere the light hits.

 

To make the [Airbrush Pen Pressure] sub tool, I set the opacity of the [Strong Airbrush] to 30%, turn on the [Pen Pressure] setting in the [Opacity Effect Source Setting], and then turn off the [Pen Pressure] setting in the [Brush Size Effect Source Setting].

 

I created a new layer called [Light] above the [Draft] layer and set its blending mode to [Overlay].

 

On the [Light] layer, items that have any bright yellow painted parts on them such as the buildings, the bridge, the clouds, etc. will now appear to be brighter and more luminous.

If I paint the light too strong, I can erase it using the [Eraser] tool or adjust the brightness and saturation of the color I'm painting with.

 

 

 

■ Adjusting the brightness

 

I create a new layer called [Color] on top of the [Light] layer and set its blending mode to [Overlay] as well.

I use the [Color] layer to make a partial adjustment to the parts I want to make darker or brighter.

 

Using the [Airbrush] tool I just set, I adjust the overall brightness of the sky, and the light and shadow of the water splashes, etc.

 

Using a [Tonal correction layer], I adjust the overall light and shadow of the painting.

I select [Layer] menu -> [New correction layer] -> [Level correction], to display the [Level correction] dialog.

 

It shows the image contrast levels and allows you to adjust them as needed.

While referring to the canvas preview, I adjust the bottom-most ▲ below the graph by moving it left and right.

 

Although it is difficult to explain, simply put, you can fine-tune the dark areas with the left ▲ (shadow input), the bright areas with the right ▲ (highlight input), and the mid-tones with the center △ (gamma input).

 

This time, I move the [Shadow input] and [Highlight input] toward the center and make the darker colors a little darker and the lighter colors considerably brighter.

 

Note:

By double-clicking the thumbnail of the [Tonal correction layer], the dialog will display again and you can reset the effect’s settings.

 

[2] Details & adjustments

When adding effects, I make finely detailed adjustments while looking at the image as a whole.

 

I add some more unevenness to the surface of the stone bridge and adjust some of the tree's colors because they seemed unnatural.

 

I make fine detail corrections and adjustments while looking at the whole image.

 

[3] Addition of elements

■ Migratory birds

 

I create a new layer called “Birds" and add classic migratory birds in the sky of the painting.

 

Although it is pretty much just a silhouette, I still adjust their size and wing position to create movement and avoid monotony.

 

I create a new layer called "Light" and add bands of sunlight from the breaks in the clouds.

I set the blending mode to [Hard Light].

 

[1] Then I pick a color close to that of the sky and clouds, and with the effect created by the [Airbrush pen pressure], I paint in long, diagonal strokes.

If the color applies too thin, I build it up by painting over it several times.

 

▼ My layer structure now looks like the below image.

 

[4] Completion

Lastly, I look over the whole image again and see if it is in line with what I originally planned.

Letting it sit overnight and viewing it with fresh eyes the following day will make it easier to notice any problems. If there is no problem in particular, then the image is complete.