I’m going to add some more details to the “character” layer from the rough draft.

 

Adding shadows to the character

1. I start off by moving the rough “character” layer above the flat color layers.

 

2. I make a new layer above this and clip it to the “character” layer.

 

3. I change the blending mode to [Multiply] and lower the opacity. With the [Airbrush] tool > [Strong], I add a layer of shading to make the shape of the shadows clearer.

I use colors with low saturation so that they don’t stand out too much.

 

This is how it looks with just the shadow layer.

 

Adding highlights to the character

Next, I identify the brightest highlights in the image.

Just as with the shadows, I create a new layer above the “character” layer, then set it to [Glow dodge] and lower the opacity.

 

Using an airbrush tool, I add color at the brightest parts.

 

This is how it looks with only the highlights layer.

 

This step helps me to get a clearer picture of the finished illustration, which means less hesitation during the painting stage.

 

Merging the layers

I merge the “shadow" and “highlight" layers with the “character” layer.

 

Next, I’ll merge this “character” layer with each of the flat color layers.

This is so I can use the lines from the “character” as I move onto the painting.

If I were to use just the flat color layers, the sketch lines would be gone and I’d have to draw them again. Instead, I’ll break down the “character” into several layers with the flat color layers.

 

I’ll start by merging the “skin" layer with a copy of the “character” layer.

1. I copy the “character” layer and place it on top of the “skin” flat color layer.

 

2. I right-click the copied layer in the [Layer] palette and choose [Merge with layer below] from the menu.

Now the layers are merged together.

 

For layers like the “knee socks” and “pattern” which were clipped to other layers at the flat color stage, I temporarily unclip them to merge the “character” layer, then clip them to the lower “skin” layer again when I’m done.

 

 

I merge copies of the “character” layer with the other flat color layers in the same way.

 

Next, I merge the layers in the “horse” and “horse accessories” folders in the same way.

 

Now my painting preparation is finished.