Do you ever want to draw a character's face but can't think of anything?

Are you overwhelmed at the thought of redrawing a picture you don't like?

 

You can easily use mesh transformation on existing images without erasing your drawing.

 

From rough sketch to the final stage of coloring, I'll show you how to solve both of these problems using mesh transformation at various points.

1. Drawing Multiple Characters from a Single Image in the Rough Sketch Stage

1. Draw horizontal and vertical lines on a new layer.

 This helps in understanding directional changes when transforming the face.

2. Add a new layer and draw the face, excluding the pupils.

 

Neutral, closed-eye, smiling, and angry faces are all possible. 

 

Caution: Be sure to draw without the pupils!!

3. Use the eraser tool to clean up the cross layer close to the drawn face image.

4. Select both the Face layer and the Cross layer.

Hold down Shift while clicking the Face layer and then the Cross layer to select both.

5. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

Activating mesh transformation creates a mesh grid over the entire image.

The 16 small squares are grid points that can move the lines of the image.

You can increase the number of grid points up to 10 horizontally and vertically in the left Tool Property palette.

 

In the sketch stage, use as few grid points as possible.

Once coloring begins, increase the number of grid points as needed.

 

Since we are in the sketch stage, we will set the grid points to 4 horizontally and 4 vertically.

 

Before that, let's combine the Face layer and the Cross layer.

Select both layers, right-click, and choose 'Combine Selected Layers'.

6. Freely move the grid points to transform the image.

7. After moving and transforming the grid points, click Confirm.

 

8. Create a new layer above the transformed layer and perform a clear sketch.

Try various transformations with a single image using the Mesh Transformation tool.

2. Creating Face Directions with the Mesh Transformation Tool

1. This is the front view of a red panda's face.

 

We will use mesh transformation to change the front-facing face to look to the right.

 

To aid understanding, the horizontal lines are marked with red and vertical lines with blue, and the right side of the face is filled with gray.

2. Select the image you want to transform and click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation].

The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

3. To make the face look to the right, move the grid points so that the vertical lines (blue) curve to the right like a bow.

 

4. Move the outermost right grid points to the left to reduce the gray area on the right side, corresponding to how much the vertical lines have curved to the right.

5. After completing the transformation, click Confirm and add a new layer on top of the transformed image to draw a clear sketch.

 

Instead of just tracing the transformed image, I tried drawing with raised eyebrows.

6. Let's create a face looking upwards using the same image. To aid understanding, the lower jaw of the face is filled with gray.

 

This time, move the grid points so that the horizontal (red) lines curve upwards like a bow.

 

When a face looks up, the forehead narrows and the lower jaw widens. Therefore, move the grid points to narrow the upper part of the face and widen the lower jaw.

7. Once the transformation is complete, click Confirm and create a new layer above the transformed layer to perform a clear sketch. Based on the transformed layer, this time, I'll draw with lowered eyebrows.

If you always end up drawing in only one direction, try boldly transforming it using mesh transformation!

3. Utilizing Mesh Transformation During 30-50% Coloring Stage

This time, let's utilize mesh transformation during the coloring process.

 

1. Coloring 30-50% (Base color)

2. Coloring 50-80% (Shading and texture expression)

3. Coloring 80-95% (Detailing and highlights)

We'll look at how to use it in each stage.

 

Note: The more well-divided your layers are by facial structure, the easier it will be to make adjustments using the mesh transformation tool.

Current Coloring Stage: 30-50% (Base Color)

• It is recommended to divide layers by structure rather than by main colors used.

• For the eyes (Eyes), be sure to divide them into eyeliner-pupil-sclera.

1. Draw the pupil and sclera on separate layers.

When clicking and moving the pupil layer around, it does not stay within the sclera.

2. With the pupil layer selected, click the 'Clip to Layer Below' icon among the icons above the right layer panel.

 

Let's try moving the pupil again.

You can see that even if you move the pupil layer outside the sclera, the pupil does not go beyond it.

 

The eyes are the most affected part by angle compared to other areas. Make sure to separate them!.

3. Select all layers except the pupil layer and click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation].

The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

4. Add grid points in the left Tool Property palette and move the grid points so that the vertical lines (blue) curve to the left, making the 'overall direction' of the face look 'left'.

5. Click the pupil layer, press Ctrl+T to move it to the desired position, and click Confirm.

 

6. This time, click the eyeliner (eye line) layer, hold Ctrl, and select only the two sclera copy layers. Then click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

7. Increase the number of grid points in the left Tool Property palette and adjust the grid points placed on the image.

8. Click the white lower jaw layer and click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

Again, increase the number of grid points in the left Tool Property palette and move and adjust the grid points on the image.

I've changed the overall direction and expression of the face.

9. Increase the color density. Always check that you are coloring on the layer corresponding to the part you are drawing.

 

10. Click the white lower jaw layer, press the left selection tool (L), draw the part to be erased with the Lasso tool, then press the Delete key.

11. Add a new layer and draw the tongue.

12. I've drawn up to the 50-80% coloring stage.

 

(Summary)

• Be sure to divide layers by structure, but for the eyes, divide them into eyeliner-pupil-sclera layers,

and clip the pupil layer to the sclera layer.

 

• First, establish the overall direction of the face (right, left, up, down), then perform detailed transformations (eye position, structural forms).

 

• Divide layers well by structure to begin serious coloring.

4. Utilizing Mesh Transformation in the 50-80% Coloring Stage

From this stage onwards, the image already has some texture and detailed rendering.

From the current appearance, we will transform it into a widely crying face.

 

1. Click the eye icon on the left of the layer panel to hide all eye-related layers.

 

2. Click the top layer, then hold Shift and click the bottom layer to select all layers.

 

3. Hold Ctrl and click all eye-related layers to deselect them.

4. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

Increase the number of grid points on the left as needed, and move the generated grid points to transform the overall direction of the face to look to the left.

5. To make detailed transformations to the eyebrows, select the eyebrow and ear layers.

 

If you use mesh transformation in this state, the ears will also be included, so

use the Lasso tool to select only the part you want to transform, then click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation].

The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

Add grid points on the left as needed and

move the grid points on the image to adjust the eyebrow position.

6. Select the jaw layer, press Ctrl+T to move it down, and click Confirm.

7. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

Adjust the number of grid points on the left to transform the jaw shape to your desired form and click Confirm.

8. Turn on and select the eye-related layers that were temporarily hidden.

Then click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

Click the corresponding layer of the small tongue and use mesh transformation to widen it.

9. Add a new layer and draw tears.

10. Add a new layer to express the sparkle of tears.

11. Add a new layer to further detail the tongue.

 

We have now completed 80-90% of the coloring.

 

(Key takeaways)

• Always add a new layer and separate layers whenever you add a new part to draw.

• First, determine the overall direction of the face, then proceed with detailed transformations.

• When using a brush, make sure you are drawing on the correct layer for the part you are working on, and not on another part's layer.

 

Let's check how it changed.

5. Utilizing Mesh Transformation in Drawings 80-95% or More Complete

In this state, I will mesh transform it into a smiling face again.

Before that, I copied the entire folder where the crying expression was completed (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) and renamed the copied folder to 'Face level 3 smile face'.

First, let's change the direction of the character's face.

 

1. Open the folder, and with all eye-related layers hidden,

select all layers except those eye-related layers.

 

2. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

3. In the left Tool Property palette, increase the number of grid points as needed and adjust the grid points so that the vertical blue lines curve to the right, then click Confirm.

Now that the face's direction is set, I will use the Lasso tool to transform the detailed parts.

4. Click the layer containing the part you want to modify. I will modify the eyebrows.

5. Use the Lasso tool from the left selection tools to create a selection area around the left eyebrow.

6. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

Increase the number of grid points in the left Tool Property palette as needed, transform, and then click Confirm.

7. Click the layer(s) with parts that need partial detailed transformation, create a selection area with the Lasso tool, then click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] and move the grid points to apply the transformation. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

8. Finally, make all the character's eye-related layers that were temporarily hidden visible, select only those layers, and then click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation]. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

As the face angle moved from front to side, there were significant changes in the eyes as well.

9. With the eye-related layers still selected, use the Lasso tool to create separate selection areas for the left and right eyes and apply mesh transformation.

 

10. Click the pupil layer to adjust its position.

11. Click the eyeliner layer to draw the eyeliner.

12. Let's change the pupil color.

Click the pupil layer and then click [Edit-Tonal Correction-Color Balance] in the top menu.

Move the cursor left and right to see how the image's color changes and decide which color to make more dominant, then click OK.

13. Click the layer where the base color of the character's face is drawn and use mesh transformation to adjust the image one more time.

14. Add a new layer to express the light in the pupils and draw the whiskers around the nose.

 

Always increase the density of the drawing, and make sure to do highlight expressions with light or thin lines at the end of the coloring stage, always on a new layer.

15. To adjust the hue of the character's face color, click [Edit-Tonal Correction-Tone Curve] in the top menu.

You can freely adjust the darkness and brightness of the drawing by modifying the curve on the graph as desired.

The drawing is complete. Dividing the layers by facial features made modifications easy,

saved time, and made image transformation smooth, especially when using mesh transformation.

 

So far, we've gone through three stages of transformation: 1st transformation at 30% coloring, 2nd transformation at 50%+ coloring, and 3rd transformation at 80-90%+ coloring.

 

The common point in each stage was to first establish the overall direction of the face before adjusting the detailed parts.

6. How to Use Mesh Transformation When Layers Are Not Separated

There might be some of you who haven't separated layers, or even finished almost the entire drawing, but still need to make revisions.

 

Let's create an extreme example to explain.

On the right, you can see the layers of the current drawing.

Yes. All images are neatly contained within a single layer.

1. Duplicate the original layer, move it below, and

click the eye icon on the left to hide the duplicated layer.

 

2. Select the original layer.

3. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

4. Maximize the number of grid points in the left Tool Property palette.

5. Move the generated grid points to apply transformations.

 

I lowered the nose and raised the eyebrows. Lowering the nose automatically made the character's eyes bigger.

Even with 10x10 grid points, the image wasn't broken, but further detailed adjustments are needed to achieve the desired image.

 

I'll select the Lasso tool and adjust the eyebrows first.

If layers are not separated, problems arise from this point.

 

6. Click the original layer, then use the Lasso tool from the selection tools to create a selection area for the part to be transformed.

7. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

When I raised the eyebrows using grid points, a blank space appeared in the image.

8. Click the eye icon on the left to make the duplicated layer below visible.

 

The blank space in the original layer was filled by the duplicated layer below,

but there are visible cut marks and the fur texture direction is different.

 

9. Select the duplicated layer and apply mesh transformation.

[Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu, shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

 

Move the grid points to transform the duplicated image so that it fills the blank space as naturally as possible.

10. Add a new layer and move it to the very top.

11. Use a brush to correct the transformed part.

12. To make detailed transformations around the nose, click the original layer again.

13. Use the Lasso tool from the left selection tool (L) to create a selection area for the part to be transformed.

14. Click [Edit-Transform-Mesh Transformation] in the top menu. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+T.

15. Add grid points in the left Tool Property palette as needed and transform them.

 

Because there is a duplicated layer below, the blank space created by mesh transformation appears to be filled.

However, if you zoom in closely, the fur appears to be cut off.

16. Add a new layer again, move it to the very top, and use the brush tool to connect the broken fur.

Even with a single original image, it was possible to transform it using mesh transformation.

 

However, there was a clear difference in the time and difficulty required for modifications.

 

Everyone, please make sure to separate and organize your layers for enjoyable drawing!.

I hope the video was helpful. Thank you.