Using the marquee tool and a good solid brush, I fill in the basic color areas. Each color area is on its own layer. I use the marquee tool for the smaller areas (selecting the space and then filling with color), and the brush for the larger. This allows for varying degrees of control and blocking in color. Once each is on a layer all nice and crisp, I usually hit the preserve transparency button for each. Then I can do anything I want to the color without going out of the lines.

Because I knew I was going to use a lot of filters and effects in the initial coloring, I decided to block in the various panels using my straight-edged marquee tool. The floor is one section of panels, the wall another. I have the light gray covering in one big block on the bottom, and the other colors are on their own layers on top of it. All the darker gray of the floor is one layer, all the lavender is on a separate layer. The same goes with the walls. This makes things easier down the road. The shadow is just a black filled area on its own layer set to multiply with the opacity turned to about 63, I think.

Don't panic. I know it looks like a big step, but it's really not. Remember all those colored sections seperated on their own layers? Okay. For example. Take the lavender panels on the wall. I'm trying to remember in 5.0 terms, so forgive me if I miss something of the earlier version. In 6.0, this is so much easier, BUT...those panels... I have made them a darker gray. On that, take your gradient tool with a rich dark gray and set it to foreground to transparent. There should be an option for that. Set the tool to 'multiply' and bring the opacity down way low. Gradually gradient the outside so that the lightest part is near your light source. Here, that would be the case containing the diamond. That's how I got the gradient. As for the beveling, there should be a function of 'bevel and emboss' in your tools? section up by file and edit. I chose a bevel that was 'inner bevel', the darker of the bevel a black set to multiply at about 75%, the light side is a light warm gray on a low setting of color dodge, or a medium setting of screen. Use whatever seems right.

There should also be a choice for drop shadow. I used that on the columns in the back. The reason why the shadow seems to go behind the panels is because the beveled panels are sitting in layers above the columns. You'll notice I use a lot of 'multiply' and 'color dodge'. I think those are the better way for nicer lighting. If you use whites for your highlights, it tends to chalk out your colors, but the color dodge changes the surrounding colors to richer light hues, simulating light a little nicer. As does multiply for the shadows. It augments each color a richer dark, rather than just tinting black over, which tends to flatter out the depth of the shadow.

Well, between gradients and bevels, drop shadows and such, that's how I did the panels in the beginning. This is why it was so convenient to keep the sections on separate layers. If they're not touching, then the beveling treats them singularly, allowing for some interesting combinations of depth.

The graying you see on the floor around the panels is the 'satin' function in 6.0. It's not in the earlier versions, so I can't tell you an easy way save just doing it by hand. But, this changes in my later pics, so don't worry too much about it. ;}

Here I've mocked in the case on the right, and done some hand-work on the consol on the left. I can't really tell you too easily how I do my hand-work here, as it's the part of my craft I've been learning for years. But in future tutorials and tips, I can probably explain better. I mainly used the gradient tool, and brushwork with separating layers for the elements. It's a bit long for here, tho. For now, take this as one of the steps I did to get towards the finished pic. ;}

I've finished up the detailing on the left consol, and took to the detailing on the right. Here, again, separate layers, gradients using 'multiply' and sometimes 'color dodge', and a LOT of brushwork. Would you like a future tutorial on brass made quick and easy? I'll explain that then. As for the glow, for you 5.0 users, take a fuzzy brush, a light green and streak some color. I also took the fuzzy eraser at various opacities to lighten up where I wanted more transparency.

Okay, I decided I didn't like the blue, so I did an edit>adjust>hue/saturation (ctrl-u, for the shortcut) and fiddled around with the hue and saturation until I found something I liked with the developing colors of the background. This way is a bit easier and a whole lot faster to experiment with color changes rather than picking new colors and using the fill tool. You can preview just about everything very nicely.

Then I took a lighter color and a fuzzy brush and streaked it down the parts I thought the highlight should reside. Once I got them in the general area, I did some magic with the smudge tool (the hand with the finger downwards ;}. To create the wrinkles in the leather/rubber/cloth/whatever, drag at about a 85% pressure from the darker color to the light, and then right next to it, from the light to the dark. Play with this enough, and eventually you get some nice wrinkles. Voila!

Using the same techniques, I fuzzed in some tones on the armor, and started smudging them. It's quick, and it's easy. Saves time and frustration of trying to do all those creases by hand!

I also did some reflective lighting of the uniform with a warmer, more rosey tone.

Smudging, I worked in and more carefully pushed the details of the armor into place. It's easy once you get a feel for it. Just experiment with the different brushes. Sometimes I wanted a more smooth gradation, so I chose a fuzzy brush, sometimes I wanted it to be more metalic and irregular. I used a harder brush then. If you keep your elements on a separate layer, it's so much easier to work around them for the shading. This particular illustration probably had close to 50 layers and was about 140 megs saved. Yes, that's huge. But I like my layers, and I like being able to print anything to my portfolio. This piece is actually 8.5 x 11 at 300 resolution. With more resolution than needed for simple web use, I can make print quality hard copies. Sure, it takes some space, but it's a lot easier to downsize than redo for lack of pixels... ;}

Don't panic #2. So you don't have the contrast you want in your pic? Stuff not dark enough? Well, that's easy! The ONLY thing I did her was play around with my levels. Go to edit>adjust>levels (ctrl-L) and move the left-most triangle to the right a bit, move the right-most left a bit, and depending on whether or not you want it deeper or lighter, move the middle right or left. I moved it right for the deeper hues. That's all I did on these layers. Try it. It's a cool shortcut. ;}

Here I took a fuzzy brush and started filling in the skintones and hair. Now, this takes a bit of anatomy and lighting knowledge, so practice and research is mostly helpful. There's no secret filter to make the wrinkles of the skin look just right. But if you work at it, it'll start working for you. Either way, the very same techniques I used on the uniform, I used here. Remember to use layers to your advantage. They're quite helpful for blocking off and remaining changeably your friend. ;}

Okay, I played around with the smudge tool, multiply brush and color dodge here. For the multiply shadow shading, I selected a rosey brown hue. For my use in color dodge, a very pleasant sandy-flesh. I like it a bit on the tan side for color dodge. It's a little sunkissed that way. Make sure you don't have either brush too deep in opacity. Keep them light, build up the colors. For multiply, I mainly used it at about 43, for the color dodge, usually somewhere between 13 and 23.

So I cheated. So sue me. ;} No, the floor is not the result of any filter or brushwork. As you may have read in an earlier post, this floor is an old pie tin I scanned in and augmented. Here, the key is the panels. Remember the separated panels by color? Okay, I took the pie tin which was the size of the whole floor and kept it there for the bottom light gray layer. Then, I duplicated that layer and selected the shapes of the dark gray panel layer (click on the dk gray layer with your mouse while holding down your cntrl key---shortcut selecting ;}. Make sure your duplicate pie layer is highlighted. Inverse the dk gray selection you made by hitting crtl-shift-I. This makes not the panels selected, but the rest of the panel layer. Now, while you're still on your duplicate pie layer, hit delete. This should clear out the pie layer leaving the texture in the shapes of the dark gray panels. Now you have panels with the new pie texture. Then darken it with your layers adjustment (edit>adjust>layers--in case you forgot. ;}

I then added bevels (color dodge for the highlighted side. it does nice stuff) and gradients (lightly multiply your gradient tool, else your texture with flatten out!). That's it. There's the floor. Now, in 6.0, I also did some texturing of my pie tin, but that's a bit of its own tutorial, too, as 6.0 has the nicer interface to deal with such things. The 5.0 version is longer. I'll get into that later. I also did some handwork on the items of the back wall, and did an overlay green of the consol on the left. Also, I created a couple layers behind the objects with some fuzzy -brushed glows in a light tone (blue or purple) and set the layers to color dodge, varying the opacity as necessary. Finished up the brass buckles, and did the leather. I DO have a leather tutorial coming soon. It's quite easy. Stay tuned. ;}

Some texturizing of the left consol, the right case, and I did the work on the toolpack and the wires/panel.

Oooh! The FUN part! Lighting! Here, I took a deep, dark, rich purple and covered the whole thing in a layer on the top. From there, I turned it 'multiply' and erased the parts of the spotlight and it's details. The erasing also included parts of the under-uniform where I wanted a bit of the reflection to shine through more. That's a quick way to make sure your shadows aren't completely flattening your pic. Just lighten the shadow in areas that have some additional lighting of their own. ;}

Using a very fine brush, I streaked laser lines of a bright red and set the layer to color dodge (told you I used it for everything. ;} I toned down the opacity on it and duplicated another layer over it which I finally found a use for the dissolve function of the layer. This layer option, when the opacity of it is taken down to about 33, looks like little specks of light simulating the dust that the lasers bounce off of. Finally! I could never use that darn layer option before. ;}

Of particular smiles on my part, notice the difference between the round edge of the front shadow in this step in contrast to the one before. See the ruddy brown edge? This was a purply-brown taupe that I used on 'overlay' in the layer option to simulate the shadow's penumbra. All shadows have them of some amount. I was quite happy I could pull it off in this piece. First time I remembered to try it. ;}

Okay, all this is done with a light mint green on a color dodge layer. I varied the opacity of my brush and just gradually built up the glows of the objects. Take into account that glowing things generally glow ONTO stuff, so don't forget to worry about the reflective lighting. For example, see the glow glinting off of the armor and the boots... ;}

Well, then here we are. Add a diamond you find on the web, make a real nice lens flare that isn't too obnoxious, sign your name and you're done! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away! I hope this is useful in at the very least seeing how to construct more complex illustrations. I had a lot of fun doing this one. ;}

Enjoy!