Since I was asked how I did it, and didnt want to thread jack, i started a new thread here with instructions on how I made this photo. (This is my first time trying cell shaded styled photo manipulation, so bear with me, there may be other methods).

 

First get your original photo. . .

My original photo was somewhere around 2000x3000px.

 

I like to zoom in about 200-300% and begin "inking" the main details of the car. I used a 3px brush, set at 100% hardness for the main details and a 1px or 2px brush for smaller details.

 

Inking takes a bit of time. Especially around the curves. There is a way to use the pen tool to create a smooth curve path, (i prefer using the brush tool).

For easy straight lines from two points in photoshop, click on one point, hold down the shift button and click to the next and it will make a straight line between the two points (this is very handy).

(Note: What you decide to ink is soley up to you. At first I planned to ink the crease going across the door of the Z, but decided later it would be better to show it using shading.)

When your done inking, turn off the photo layer (click the eye next to that layer), you should have something like this. . .

 

Now comes the fun part, adding color and shading.

This time around I'll make a yellow one, so it's easier to see the color. Just color the entire outline, dont worry about coloring the headlights, windows, etc. We will color/shade this in on seperate layer ontop of the color.


Something like this. . .

 

Begin making the windows (or headlights, tail lights, whatever you wish).

I use the eyedropper tool (highlighted in red in the corner there) to sample the color of the original. Then draw the window on a new layer.

TIP: Bring the orignal layer up again, and make a new layer over it to duplicate the color pattern.

It should look like this...repeat this step for all the other stuff, tails, headlights, sidemarkers, everything.


Oh, and add those light relflections for extra tyte JDMness bonus points and horsepower. y0!

 

Done yet? You should have something like this.


Look at all that extra JDM points

 

whoops. . .

 

Start shading...this is what gives the picture depth.

Same deal, duplicate the pattern on your original. I like to work with a grey on a new layer. Color it in and then set the opacity on the layer to 40% or so, however you like it.

 

So your done already...it should look something like this.

 

Do the wheels. Any wheels you wish. Same process you used to do the body. Dont sweat too much about the tire portion, they will be filled in with shadow.

Should look something like this. . .

 

add your shadow...make a new layer underneath all other layers. Just cut use the lasso tool and make a cut out and fill it with black. Tweak it by erasing edges with the eraser.

 

Underneath the shadow layer, drop in your background, something that matches up well with angle.

 

Tweak your picture using whatever methods you wish.

Heres the final product.



Have fun making your own, and post them so we can all see it!!!

 

Cool lesson.

 

Thank you Dsmal!

 

wow thats sweet ... one question.. im new to photoshop .. do u prefer to use a mouse? or one of those pencil tablets?

 

Your welcome

I've been using PS for the last couple years and I've always used a mouse. I've never tried using a tablet, so I cannot say if I like it or not, but I'd imagine it'd come in handy, especially on a project like this (drawing curves freehand).

I hope your all gonna make a cell shaded photo, I really wanna see what you all come up with.


Al

 

im gonna work on one this week

 

Good tutorial. Looks like Japanese animation.
Wheels don't match well though.

So you really drew all your curved lines freehand with the mouse huh? Pretty smooth. I can't do that. I make tiny shift clicks to make a curve usually.