1.Tools

Brushes:

 "Shikaku brush" brush: https://assets.clip-studio.com/ja-jp/detail?id=1432120

 "Fudepen" brush: https://assets.clip-studio.com/ja-jp/detail?id=1404701

 "Aki sake" brush: https://assets.clip-studio.com/ja-jp/detail?id=1702965

 Soft brush (default).

Photographs of different materials:

 

Selection Tool (M)

Crop / Scale (Ctrl + T)

 

2.Exploration of forms (Silhouettes)

In all design work, it is essential to create as many iterations as possible of the object to be designed. For this, the creation of silhouettes is one of the most widespread techniques. This technique allows you to quickly define the aesthetics and language of the design to be developed.

 

For the creation of our fantastic armament we will start by representing some spots with the "Shikaku brush" brush.

(To create straight lines we will keep the Shift pressed, move the pointer and click where we want the line to end.)

 

Using the pipette (Alt + Click) we will alternate the background color and that of the spots to go sculpting shapes that suggest weapons (sticks / stakes / spears ...). In this phase the aesthetics and thematic of the object are decided.

 

It is very easy to completely change the design of the weapon with a simple variation in the angles and edges that we believe. In this exploration phase it is necessary to let the imagination fly and be aware that we are only testing which silhouettes work best.

 

3. Basic rendering

Once we have created the silhouettes, we will begin to give volume to each of them in grayscale and in a very simple way. The function of this phase is to clearly define the parts that make up the object and how they are constructed.

To make it better understood, I have represented in green the line of "Shikaku Brush" that would go with the background color in a new layer.

 

Then, using the eraser, we remove opacity to the stroke and create gradients or completely erasing the areas that we consider left over

If we have done the above by following the steps correctly, in a matter of minutes it should look something like this:

In the image you can clearly see how the volumes that constitute the objects are. It distinguishes which weapons are sharp, what type and where.

4.Photobashing

Photobashing is a technique that consists of applying photos or parts of them to a drawing. Its objective is to optimize the ratio of time invested / quality in production.

To start using this technique we just need to drag a photo to our canvas:

And the image will open in a new tab.

With the selection tool (M), we select the parts that interest us most in the photo. And once the selection is finished, press "Ctrl + C" to copy it to the clipboard and return to the tab of our silhouettes. Next we make Ctrl + V to paste our selection.

Once this is done, press Ctrl + T to scale and rotate the image as it suits us.

When we have it exactly where we want it, it's time to play with the opacity and start erasing the parts of the image that don't interest us.

5. Choice of materials

Now that we know how to use a photo to provide texture and color to a silhouette, it is time to choose the right image to provide our object with the materials we want. For these examples I have used some photos that I have taken with my mobile, in my house, to common objects (stones, lamps, various ornament objects ...). Although online you can find high quality packs for sale, and sometimes also for free.

Repeating the previous process, we are superimposing photos and playing with their opacity, deleting unnecessary parts etc.

 

Now the silhouettes contain much more information that we can work with (colors / texture). Using the pipette (Alt + Click) we can select colors that come from the photograph and continue painting on top.

6.Details

From among all the silhouettes we select the one that convinces us the most or the one that we want to develop in depth and continue adding details.

With "Shikaku Brush" we add strokes that will simulate a fabric in a new layer:

and with the rubber we erase until creating volume in each strip:

We add a little more detail:

And after adding some broken cloth with "Shikaku Brush" and "Fudepen Brush", we planted the seed of evil in our haunted scepter:

7.Effects

It's time to add some FX to our sorcerer scepter. To do this, we will use a combination of soft brush and the blending mode "Overexpose color". Selecting the green color that we have previously added and apply it in the area we want to spell.

The same layer property also serves to brighten, saturating the areas most exposed to light. We give a stroke of "Fudepen Brush" in a new layer and erase carefully forming a gradient.

8.Render

We already have the spellbound weapon and the range of colors we want. At this point, everything consists of continuing to give detail and adding the elements we want to the design. We add a little more detail and some magical inscriptions to the fabric with "Fudepen Brush".

With the same brush and using the eraser we add more details to the cane and its bottom (knob).

9.Finishing and final touch-ups

Finally, after a few more details, we add a focus mask:

And we already have our haunted staff, ready to sow chaos:

About me

My name is Paul Sirats, I am a senior Concept Artist at YellowBear and a professor of Concept and Illustration at FactoryArte (Bilbao). To see my work you can follow me on my networks:

https://www.instagram.com/paulsirats/

https://www.artstation.com/paulsirats