5 Tips to Enhance Digital Fantasy Art in Photoshop

Published on 21 July 2023 7 min read

Use custom brushes for detailed textures
Manipulate light and shadows for realistic effects
Adjust colors and contrast for visual impact
Apply layer styles for depth and dimension
Experiment with blending modes to create mood

If you're a digital artist eager to make your fantasy art even more enchanting, you've come to the right place. Let's dive into some of the best tips and techniques that'll take your art to the next level. Our focus will be on Photoshop, a top choice for digital artists around the globe. We'll explore how to use custom brushes, manipulate light and shadows, adjust colors and contrast, apply layer styles, and experiment with blending modes. These are all key to getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop. Let's start our creative journey!

Use Custom Brushes for Detailed Textures

Texture is what makes digital art come alive. It gives your fantasy creatures a believable skin, your ancient castles a weathered look, and your enchanted forests a touch of mystique. One of the best ways to add texture in Photoshop is by using custom brushes, and here's how:

Choosing the Right Brush

Photoshop comes with a vast array of brushes, but not all brushes are created equal. For adding texture, you want a brush that gives you control and diversity. This is where the custom brush feature comes in handy. With custom brushes, you can create your own unique brushes or import ones made by other artists. So, your first step in getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop is to select a brush that suits your needs.

Creating a Custom Brush

Start by creating a new document. It's best to keep it small, somewhere around 500x500 pixels.
Next, draw or import the shape you want for your brush. This could be a simple dot, a complex pattern, or anything in between.
Once you're happy with your shape, go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. This will turn your shape into a brush that you can use on any project!

Remember, the beauty of custom brushes is that they're completely personal. You can make as many as you need, tailored exactly to your style.

Applying the Brush

Now that you have your custom brush, it's time to put it to work. When applying your brush, remember to change the size and opacity to fit the texture you're trying to create. A smaller brush size and lower opacity will give you a subtle texture, while a larger size and higher opacity will make a more pronounced texture. Experiment with different combinations to see what works best for your art.

Brushes are your magic wand in Photoshop; they can turn a flat, lifeless image into a textured, vibrant piece of fantasy art. And remember, practice makes perfect when it comes to getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop.

Manipulate Light and Shadows for Realistic Effects

Light and shadow aren't just about making things look pretty—although they do that too! They're about adding depth and dimension to your fantasy art. When done right, they can make your art come alive. Let's look at how you can master this technique in Photoshop.

Understanding Light Direction

Before you begin, it's important to understand the direction of your light source. Is it coming from the front, back, or side? Once you have this figured out, it becomes easier to add shadows and highlights in the right places. It's a small step, but a crucial one in getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop.

Adding Shadows

To add shadows, you can use the Burn tool in Photoshop. This tool darkens areas of your image, creating a shadow effect. Here's how:

Select the Burn tool from the toolbar.
In the options bar, set the range to Shadows and adjust the exposure to control the amount of darkening.
Brush over the areas where you want to add shadows.

Remember: Shadows aren't uniform. They vary based on the shape of the object and the direction of the light. So, don't be afraid to play around with the exposure to get the look you want.

Adding Highlights

Just like shadows, highlights also contribute to the realism of your image. To add highlights, you can use the Dodge tool in Photoshop. This tool lightens areas of your image, creating a highlight effect. The steps are similar to adding shadows:

Select the Dodge tool from the toolbar.
In the options bar, set the range to Highlights and adjust the exposure to control the amount of lightening.
Brush over the areas where you want to add highlights.

When adding highlights, keep in mind where your light source is. The areas closest to the light should be the brightest.

Manipulating light and shadow is like telling a story: the more convincing your story, the more engaging your art. Keep practicing, and you'll soon see your digital fantasy art in Photoshop improve significantly.

Adjust Colors and Contrast for Visual Impact

Color and contrast are like the seasonings in a meal—they can turn something good into something truly spectacular. With the right tweaks, you can give your digital fantasy art in Photoshop a stunning visual impact. Here's how:

Choosing the Right Colors

Choosing the right colors can make or break your artwork. It's not just about picking your favorite colors, but about picking colors that work well together and set the right mood. Photoshop's Color Wheel can be your best friend here. You can choose analogous colors for a harmonious feel, or complementary colors for a bold, dramatic effect. Remember, the right colors can take your digital fantasy art in Photoshop from good to great.

Adjusting Color Balance

Ever noticed how some images seem to have a 'warm' or 'cool' feel? That's color balance at work. In Photoshop, you can adjust the color balance to give your image a whole new vibe. Here's a quick step-by-step:

Go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance.
Play around with the color sliders until you're happy with the result. You can adjust the balance for Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights separately.

Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. Like all things in art—and life—it takes practice.

Enhancing Contrast

Contrast is all about differences. It's about making light areas lighter and dark areas darker. A well-contrasted image can pop off the screen. Here's how to adjust contrast in Photoshop:

Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.
Slide the contrast slider to the right to increase contrast, or to the left to decrease it.

Be careful not to overdo it, though. Too much contrast can make the image look unrealistic.

With these tips, you're well on your way to getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop. Remember, the key is to experiment—try different colors, play with color balance, adjust contrast levels. You might be surprised at what you can create!

Apply Layer Styles for Depth and Dimension

Layer styles are like the magic wand of Photoshop—they add depth and dimension to your digital fantasy art with just a few clicks. So, how can you use them to make your artwork pop off the screen? Let's dive in.

Add Shadows with Drop Shadow

A good shadow can do wonders for your art. It can make objects look 3D and rooted in their environment. In Photoshop, the Drop Shadow layer style makes adding shadows a breeze. Here's how:

Select the layer you want to add a shadow to.
Go to Layer > Layer Style > Drop Shadow.
Adjust the settings to your liking. You can change the angle, distance, spread, and size of the shadow.

Remember to keep it realistic—think about where the light is coming from and how it would cast a shadow.

Create Highlights with Bevel and Emboss

Just like shadows, highlights can add a lot of depth to your artwork. The Bevel and Emboss layer style can help you create realistic highlights. Here are the steps:

Select the layer you want to add a highlight to.
Go to Layer > Layer Style > Bevel and Emboss.
Play around with the settings until you're happy with the result. You can change the depth, direction, size, and softness of the highlight.

Again, keep in mind the direction of the light. Your highlights should be on the side facing the light source.

Add Texture with Pattern Overlay

Texture can add a lot of character to your digital fantasy art. With the Pattern Overlay layer style, you can add texture to any layer. Here's how:

Select the layer you want to add texture to.
Go to Layer > Layer Style > Pattern Overlay.
Choose a pattern that fits your artwork. Photoshop comes with a bunch of patterns, but you can also download more or create your own.

Remember to keep it subtle—texture should enhance your artwork, not distract from it.

By using layer styles, you can add depth and dimension to your art and take a giant leap forward in getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop. Just remember to experiment and have fun with it!

Experiment with Blending Modes to Create Mood

Blending modes might seem like a complicated subject, but they're really just a tool to help you control how layers interact with each other in Photoshop. And when you're creating digital fantasy art, they are a fantastic way to convey mood and atmosphere. Let's explore how you can use them to your advantage!

Darken Your Artwork with Multiply

Want to make your scene look like it's bathed in moonlight or shrouded in shadow? The Multiply blending mode is your friend. It darkens your artwork by multiplying the color information of each pixel. Here's how to use it:

Select the layer you want to darken.
In the Layers panel, find the drop-down menu that says "Normal". This is your blending mode menu.
Select "Multiply".

Keep in mind that Multiply will darken the whole layer, so you might need to use a layer mask if you only want to darken certain areas.

Lighten Your Artwork with Screen

If you're going for a sunny scene or a magical glow, the Screen blending mode can help. It lightens your artwork by inverting both layers, multiplying them, and then inverting the result. Here's how to apply it:

Select the layer you want to lighten.
In the blending mode menu, select "Screen".

Just as with Multiply, Screen will affect the whole layer. Use a layer mask if you only want to lighten certain areas.

Add Drama with Overlay

For a more dramatic look, try the Overlay blending mode. It can make your colors more vibrant and your contrasts more pronounced. Here's how:

Select the layer you want to make more dramatic.
In the blending mode menu, select "Overlay".

You can adjust the opacity of the layer to control the intensity of the effect.

Blending modes are a powerful tool for getting better at digital fantasy art in Photoshop. By experimenting with them, you can create a wide range of moods and atmospheres in your artwork. So go ahead and start blending!

If you enjoyed our tips on enhancing digital fantasy art in Photoshop and want to take your skills even further, don't miss the workshop 'Transforming Sketchbook Drawings From Analog To Digital' by Darren Shaddick. This workshop will guide you through the process of bringing your traditional art into the digital realm, allowing you to create stunning and unique digital fantasy artworks.