In case any of the other Twitter folks were interested, this is how I color pencils sketches in Photoshop.  I’ll be showing you how I made dis:

Okay, let’s go!

First, take your pencil sketch.  I photograph mine, but you can scan them, too.

My pencils looked really washed-out, so I hit them with Auto Levels.  You can also use the levels to adjust on your own, I just find the auto levels are quicker.

Double-click your pencil lines to unlock the layer.  Make a new layer, drag it under your lines, and set your lineart layer to Multiply as the layer style.

Fill in the bottom layer with a light grey.  Make a new layer over it- you’ll be coloring on this layer.  I like the start with the hair, since it’s usually the most time-consuming part, and will usually be covering over portions of the skin and clothes.

Go slowly if you need to!  When you’re coloring, try to color over your lines a little bit to darken them a touch.

Make each color a new layer.  Don’t be afraid to be a little messy- you can always erase and undo mistakes!

Okay, now pick two colors and make a new layer on top of everything.  This part is optional, but helps to add color to the pencils and background.  Make a gradient in this new layer.

Set the layer to “Overlay” and turn down the opacity until you’re happy with the colors.  I went with about 50% for this image.

Make a new layer on top of your lines but under the gradient overlay layer, and pick a medium to light grey.  It’s shadows time!  Decide where your light source is, and start drawing in rough shadows.

Set this layer to Multiply.

Use the smudge tool, set fairly large, to help blend the shadows in.  Just go over them lightly to blend them.

You can make another multiply layer over this and color with the same color to make darker shadows if you want.  I didn’t do that for this tutorial.

Make a layer over your shadows, pick white, and start coloring in rough highlights.

Set this layer to Overlay and decrease the opacity until you’re happy with the highlights- make them as light or as soft as you want.  I went middle of the road here.

Use the smudge tool to blend these in.

Do some final tweaking, and you’re all done!

ink, colored pencil, soft pastel.

Hole for a Heart – Digital

Freehand- Untitled – Graphite

“Sunny”- ink and soft pastel

“Sanctus”- ink and watercolor.

"Arches"

Alkonost Hatchling

Tentacle Head

"Franken"

The Rabbit

Self-Portrait

The Queen - 5/22/12

Marching Ants

Yellow Shirt

The Queen - 5/21/12

Untitled- mixed media on canvas

I had some tiny canvasses- about 3″ x 4″- and decided to paint a little shadowperson for a friend on Twitter.

For Rosa - Acrylic and Ink