Lady in Hat
I created this image in SketchClub using primarily gradient-filled shapes. You don't need to be able to paint to create an image like this one in SketchClub. Then I used iColorama to make it more interesting.
I started by painting a skin-toned shape for the head and neck, using the Vector tool. Then on a new layer above the skin tone layer, I used the Vector tool to create a blue shape for her dress. On a layer above the dress layer, I used the Vector tool to create shapes for her eyes, selecting a color to match the blue of her dress. Then on a layer above the eyes, I used a pen to draw lines above her eyes.
On a new layer above the other layers, I used the Vector tool to create smaller black shapes for her pupils. Then on a layer above the pupils, I used a soft round brush to paint a white glow as a catchlight in each eye.
I went back to the dress layer to complete the shape so that it extends to the edge of the canvas. (Sometimes if I’m zoomed in, I don’t realize that I’m not working all the way to the edges of the canvas.) then on a new layer above all the other eye layers, I used a soft round brush to paint a light blue reflection in the iris of each eye.
On a new layer just below the iris layer, I used the Vector tool to create black shapes slightly larger than the irises, to make black edges for each iris.
On a new layer just below all the other eye layers, I used the Vector tool to create black shapes for the outer edges of her eyes.
On a new layer just above the previous layer, I used the Vector tool to create light gray shapes for the whites of her eyes.
I went back to the skin tone layer, and I used the magic wand tool (it’s the right-most one on the toolbar at the top of the screen), and I changed the hue and brightness of the skin tone.
Next I went to the bottom-most layer and used Color-Fill to fill the layer with a light purple color.
On a new layer just above all the other eye layers, I used the Vector tool to create black shapes for her eyelids. Then on a layer just above that, I used the Vector tool to create orange shapes for the light part of her eyelids.
On a new layer just above the skin layer, I used the Vector tool to create a white shape for her nose. Then on a layer above that, I used the Vector tool to create shadow shapes for her nose.
On a new layer above the previous layer, I used the Vector tool to create red shapes for her lips. Then on a new layer just below her lips, I used the Vector tool to create shapes for shadows above and below her mouth.
On a new layer above all the eye layers, I used the Vector tool to create black shapes for her eyebrows.
On a new layer Just above the skin layer, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for her face.
On a new layer Just above the previous layer, I used a soft round brush to paint some pink into her cheeks. Then on a new layer above all the other layers, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for her hat. On a new layer above that, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a lighter shape for a highlight on her hat.
On a new layer below the lowest skin layer, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for the inside of her hat.
On a new layer just below the dress layer, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create shapes for the edging on her dress, pointing upwards. Then on a new layer just below the dress layer, I used the Vector tool to create additional shapes pointing downward. For both of these layers, I used several different shades of off-white and pale blue for the shapes.
On a new layer just above the neck layer, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a shape for a shadow on her neck. On a new layer just above the layer with the inside of her hat, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a shadow on the inside of her hat on the left side. Then on a layer just below the face shape layer, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for the shadow on her chin. Then on a new layer just above the face shape layer, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for the shadow on the left side of her face.
On a new layer just above the face shape layer, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create shapes for shadows under her eyes. Then I went back to the layer with her neck shape, and I used the Vector tool in erase mode to cut away part of her neck, to make it more slender.
On a new layer just above the dress shape layer, I used a textured brush to paint a texture onto her dress. Then on a new layer just above that, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a shape for a shadow at the back side of her dress. Then on a new layer above the neck layers, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for a darker shadow on the left side of her neck, and I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a shape for the shadow under her chin, cast onto her neck.
On a new layer just above the dress shape layer, I used the Vector tool to create a shape for a dark shadow on the left side of her dress. On a new layer above all the other layers, I used a small soft round brush to paint a white highlight along the right side of her face and neck. On a new layer above the face shape layer, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a round shape for the highlight on her chin.
On a new layer just under the layer with the shape for the front of her hat, I used the pipes brush to paint a short veil hanging from the inside edge of her hat. Then on a new layer just above the layer with the shape for the inside of her hat, I used the same brush to continue painting the veil. Then on these two layers, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create shadowy shapes around the pipes brush strokes.
On a new layer just above the lips layer, I used a soft round brush to paint shadows and highlights on her lips. Then on a new layer just above the background color layer, I used the Vector tool with the gradient switch on to create a shadow shape on the background.
On a new layer above the other layers, I used the Vector tool to create shapes for earrings, making the one in shadow a shade darker.
On a new layer just above the previous layer, I used a soft round brush to paint highlights onto the earrings.
On a new layer above the background layer, I used a textured brush to paint a dark texture onto the dark part of the background, and a light texture onto the light part of the background. Then on a new layer above the other earring layers, I used a soft round brush to paint shadows onto the earrings.
On a new layer above all the other layers, I used a soft round brush to paint sunbeams coming from the upper right.
On a new layer just above the other eye layers, I used the Vector tool to create shapes for reflections in her eyes. I saved the image to my camera roll.
I opened the image in iColorama, and I used a preset under Adjust/Tonelab at low opacity, for tonal separation. I used Effect/Levels for increased contrast. I used Effect/Light at low opacity to add highlights on the face, using a brush mask to keep the highlights from any other areas. I used Effect/Sharpen preset 3 for a bit of sharpness.
I used the last preset under Style/Water at low opacity. Then I used Effect/Raise for emphasis.
I used Style/Tensor preset 6, using the same image as secondary image. I experimented with the Amount and Opacity sliders.
I used Brush/Paint with a square brush with a soft edge to paint a border around he edges of the canvas. I used the color picker to match the colors I used with nearby light colors in the image. I set the opacity slider to low to medium. Then I used Effect/Blur preset 2 at a very low radius and low to medium opacity with an inverted brush mask to blur the edges and background a bit.
I used the Saturation slider in Adjust/Vibrance with an inverted brush mask to reduce the saturation of portions of the image.
