Using the posterized layer as a guide, we’ll start tracing shapes that will be details of our model’s skin. Lets concentrate on the belly and leg part first. When you posterized your picture’s color depth was reduced and the boundaries of the shades are shown. Take a look at the image below, it is a zoomed in picture of the posterized belly part. You’ll just have to trace every color that you see in this picture.
This is where you’re going to need the patience part. It really takes awhile to finish a vector portrait. You can also see clearly which color is on top of other color. Basically darker shades should be on top of a lighter shade. Every color shade must also have its own shape layer. You can create a new shape layer by clicking on create a new shape layer option in the shape tools option box. Don’t forget to use the add to shape area option to add a new shape in the current shape layer. The following thumbs are arrange in order in which they are created with the last thumb as the top most layer.
You will notice that each color shades have a very slight difference. Also the last 3 frames are actually highlights. I usually trace highlights after I work on the darker shades. Color are selected by moving the color selector slightly towards the darker side of the color palette or lighter side of the palette, depending if you’re working on shadows or highlights. Here’s what it looks like when its put all together:
Notice the details that are showing on the belly part of the skin. Using the same techniques, continue working on the shading and highlights for the other skin parts. You can organize your layers using the layer folders found on the layer palette. I highly recommend that each part should have its own folder.
Simply drag a layer to the folder that you created to include it in that set. Also, mind your layer arrangement. After you finished working on the other skin parts, here’s what you should have by now.
This is with the posterized layer off and the background layer on. Click on the link below to proceed with the tutorial.