In this tutorial, Hatice will show you how to paint a winter bird scene. This tutorial will go over some basics of painting as and show you a technique for painting snow.

Preview of Final Results

“Soundless Daydream” Painting Photoshop Tutorial

For this tutorial I will be using Adobe Photoshop . I suggest that after following this tutorial, you find out what works best for you. The concept is about a little cartoon bird character who is annoyed by snowing. The first step, which is the most important step, is composing the concept and making the best sketch to start painting. For the sketch work Photoshop File size is 640x855. Resolution can be 72 for now.

Step 1

I always start off with a sketch for my concept work. So, I began by thinking about the figure of the "bird"

Step 2: Choosing a brush

Chose a simple standard brush.

After that from brush panel choose "Other Dynamics" with the numbers as shown on the picture.

Now try your brush.

Step 3: Color Scheme

Here are my color selection. You must go to the Color palette and actually select the individual colors that you want to. Background will be a cold blue. And others for the bird's color.

Step 4: Coloring

And now we are going to begin adding colors and some details. Now change the file size as 3000x4000 . Resolution must be 300.

You will be more comfortable with the big file size when working for more details I have two layers . A blue color has been added into the background area on the new layer. The reason for painting on a new layer because of you need to make corrections later in the painting. It is much easier to fix errors if the main elements of your painting are separate entities.

Create another new layer and begin adding the bird colors. And also I have created another layer for the background blue area.

Here I work out the general look that I'm aiming for. I'm now adding colors for the bird with my brush.

And also I do add some strokes with the smudge tool.

Step 5: Details

Using the same brush and a smudge tool, continue to paint the rest of the body and also add some light colors. As you can see in below image.

And I try a new background with the Gradient Tool. For the Gradient Tool Shortcut key is the G.

When working digitally there are too many Shortcuts. You can easily learn when you are painting.

Since I already decided upon the colors, now I can start to add details. I continue smoothing and adding highlights where appropriate.

Here is the result.

And here is a close screenshot for the tree branch with some snow accumulation. Maybe I can change later its outlook. Those snow painted with the same brush. Now I'll choose another brush for the more detailed snow sight.

Here is my snow bush selection. I'm not making any changes with this brush. Same standard adjustment.

Here is my painting for the snow. You must do lots of try to catch the same result.

I continue to work on the eyes and it's feathers with a smaller brush;

I also add some snow particle on the bird's beak.

After, all these steps are completed if you wish you can add some little red fruit with the snow like the way I did.

Final Results

I use Photoshop's color balance tool (Image > Adjustments > Color Balance) to change clouds a little bit. And here's the final image. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this detailed making of the whole artwork.