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Hello again

 

In this month's "automatic coloring" tip, I bring you a quick way to use color references from photography.

I did some color tests before sharing my method of using the Autocolor tool, and I really loved the results!

 

I'm leaving the video process in Spanish.

 

Color References

First, I looked for naturalness in color palettes.

I'm not an expert in color theory and it's very difficult for me to define my own palettes, so my method is to base them on photographs and other illustrators.

 

The best reference for me is the behavior of sunlight in photography, so I decided to observe different scenarios.

I took this photo from my window; you don't need to be a great photographer (I'm not one).

The important thing was to capture the color palette of the sunset sky.

We can directly use the eyedropper tool to select the predominant colors in the image and create our own palette.

Or use a palette generator like "Palettegenerator" where you upload your photo and it will quickly generate your palette with color codes; you can also choose the number of colors you want.

 

This method speeds up the process of selecting the colors you like best.

 

There are a lot of photographic references we can use.

Another example I'll leave is the Instagram @Colorpalette.cinema, which uploads palettes of cinematic scenes with a brief psychological description of color usage. Besides having very interesting light plays, it also serves as a reference for where to place shadows, highlights, and midtones on our characters and objects.

 

To organize your color palettes, create a New Color Set.

 

Color Set > Edit Color Set > Add new settings > Name what you want > OK.

And then add color.

 

 

Sketch and Lineart

It is not absolutely necessary for the lines to be completely closed and defined, but if you want a cleaner result, I recommend doing so.

 

I composed an illustration that would give me depth of planes and shapes.

 

⬧︎The most important thing once your lineart is finished is to set the layer as a "reference layer" by pressing this icon.

Coloring Part 1 - Bases

The automatic coloring layer defaults to multiply mode and paints everything like a photo filter.

For this coloring method, I got better results by coloring the image as a whole, meaning not just the character but the background and objects together.

 

Then I will apply flat base colors that are not found in the previous palettes and that will help define the shapes. (like skin or clothes)

 

It is optional.

 

Coloring Part 2 - Automatic Color

On a new layer, take the colors from your previously saved palettes, define a light source, and start applying shadows, highlights, and midtones. (light and more pastel colors for skin, and more saturated colors for hair, clothes, and objects)

 

If you want a color to be in a single object, then do not drag the color outside the margin of that object's line.

 

Since I wanted to apply the colors to the entire composition, I did not respect margins and used the large "Opaque Watercolor" brush.

⬧︎ To activate automatic coloring.

Go to: Edit > Colorize > Apply selected colors > OK.

You can try all the palettes you want and find the result you like best; it's a very fast method to create very natural atmospheres!

Coloring Part 4 - Details

We might not be satisfied with some areas that were colored, so we can adjust them.

 

With the same "Opaque Watercolor" brush and on the same coloring layer, I drag the colors, selecting them with the eyedropper (right-click or pressing Alt).

 

 

We can add details to the face or define the lines of shadows and highlights.

 

You can also play with the opacity of the base color layer.

 

In my case, I chose a sunset color setting, so I sought to dramatize the shadows and highlight the lights with a new layer in "strong light" mode to add gleam or textures to objects, such as glasses, skin, and books.

 

Coloring Part 5 - Tonal Correction

Once you find a color composition you like, you can modify the colors even further by playing with Color Balance, Curves, or Brightness and Contrast.

 

Edit > Tonal Correction > Color Balance

 

Move the parameters and you can achieve many combinations.

 

Conclusion

I'll leave other examples of my experimentation with different palettes.

Color can greatly influence the perception of time, temperature, and even the mood of your illustrations.

And that's it! This method helped me find that naturalness in color palettes, besides saving a lot of work time.

 

I hope it also helps you, and if you have a question, don't hesitate to leave your comment.

 

★ See you soon and thank you very much! ★