i made this for my DA 2k milestone as you might notice at the end result, i've been getting some questions lately about how i actually do this, and now i will show everyone.
have fun.
1. begin to sketch.
2. add some changes till you like it.
3. Make a clean cut, by lowering the opacity overall and redraw everything with a thicker brush and fix up some errors.
4. add ground colors.
5. add smooth shadows.
6. add hard shadows + dynamic lighting ( the way you prefer )
7. add a light source, and create some depth with more shadows to make it look more realistic. and finish the final touches. My end result:
if you still have question feel free to ask them.
things that might come in handy:
-Use soft brushes for a smooth skin
-lower the opacity till you find the right tones
-always use black & white to add dynamic lighting.
-use a reference if you don't know what to do
-study humana anatomy to learn the right proportions.
-Never give up!!
Programs used:
Adobe photoshop cs5
Wacom Bamboo tablet