Draw a realistic feather using Photoshop – Da Clipping Path

Draw a realistic feather using Photoshop – Da Clipping Path

Draw a realistic feather using Photoshop. In this Photoshop tutorial, we’ll look at how you can draw a realistic feather. The lesson is prepared for advanced users of Photoshop. Feathers are magnificent and always of great interest for photography. Unfortunately, feathers are one of the most complicated objects in nature, and therefore they are rather difficult to create. This lesson offers you a detailed approach to creating a simple pen, on the basis of which you can further create more advanced and complex variations of feathers.

Create a new document (File> New ), the size and background do not matter much, but the dark background is more preferable, since the pen will be light. Let’s start with the “core “of the pen. With the Pen Tool – Feather (Pen Tool / “P” Key) draw something like this:

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Draw a realistic feather using Photoshop

Fill in the drawing with a soft, yellow-gray color ( # A8A48F ) and name this layer Shaft .

Now we need to give the basis of the 3D effect.

Create a new layer. (New Layer / Shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + N”)) Use a soft brush of small size in white color (or light shades) to draw the middle of the rod from the tip.

Next, apply: Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur with a small radius to get an easy smoothing effect. With transparency (opacity) and mixed mode (blending mode), to obtain the desired effect.

Then merge the top two layers. Ctrl + click on our layer in the layers panel (select an image). Then choose Burn Tool – Dimmer (Tool Dimmer / Key “O”) with a low value (Exposure = ~ 14% or less).A little darken the stem of the feather in the lower part. We get approximately the same result:

Now try to add a bit of realism. The base is not just pure white; it has brown and blue hues, and also resembles the color of the bone. Still retaining the selection of the base of the pen, create a new layer. With a soft brush, paint the bottom of the rod and the tip with a dull brown color (for example # 5E4F27 ). Slightly reduce the Opacity of the layer, and change the blending mode to Soft light (Blending Options > Soft light ).

If the brownish contrast is too high, smoothen it with the (Blur Tool / “R” Key). We call the layer Dark Stripe. DO NOT remove the selection.

Create a new layer (New Layer / Ctrl + Shift + N)). Choose a light blue color and a soft, uneven brush draw a few spots along the length of the entire base. We change the miscibility of the layer to the color one. (Blending mode > Color). Call the Blue Spots layer.

Create a new layer. With the same brush, now draw a few small white spots, especially on most of the rod. Changing the transparency (opacity) layer to ~ 66% . Blending mode > Screen .

We call the layer Ivory Spots .

As you can see, most spots are almost ” invisible “, but they betray the pen more volume and realism.

Now proceed to the pen itself. Remove the selection from the rod, and create a new layer, placing it under the “Shaft ” layer.

Thus, it seems that the feather grows out of the rod, and not just glued to it.

Selecting a brush with a diameter of ~ 5 , set the following settings:

At a certain distance from the tip (approximately in the middle of my version, which represents only a part of the pen), draw in the opposite direction from the rod in a yellow-gray color ( # E0DECD ). We make several long and short strokes, depending on their position. Correct using the Smudge Tool – Finger (Finger / R Key).

You can also use a brush with a low Flow value (~ 30) for smoothing. Let’s call this layer Little Feathers, to distinguish it from the main part of the pen, which we have to do.

On a new layer, with a darker color ( # BAB6A2 ), sketch a little of the middle of the bottom of the pen.

Next, work with Smudge Tool – Finger (finger tool / key “R”) ( diameter ~ 3 , Strength (intensity) ~ 25 ) pen. It takes time..

Now create a new layer, placing it above all others. Brush, diameter = 5 , darker color ( # 837B65 ) draw a shadow (from the stem) on the feathers. Next: Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur) with a small radius (~ 1.7 – 2.0).

Change the layer’s clarity to 85% and set Blending mode to Multiply .

On two new layers (two are more practical than one), draw the main parts of the pen with the Pen Tool Tool – Feather ( Pen Tool / Key “P”), and then fill them with the color # E1DDCD .

Notice that one side of the pen is smaller than the other. We call the layers “Left Side ” and ” Right Side “. Use the Smudge Tool – Finger (without changing the parameters since the last use) to smooth out the edges and give them a more realistic shape.

Now, in the same way as for Little Feathers, create a shadow from the bottom, dark lines of brown ( # B3AC8D ) and gray ( # 99947F ) colors. Remember that dark bands in this case do not just start from the rod, but also go to the outer part – they pass from the edge inwards. This is a rather lengthy process, but the more time you spend, the more realistic the result will look.

Add more blackouts as follows: New layer, ctrl + click on the “Right Side” layer , select the Lasso Tool Tools – Lasso ( Lasso Tool / Key “L”), and by pressing Alt on the keyboard, exclude the middle part from the selection. The same is done on the “Left Side ” layer.

Do not be afraid to cut the area, thereby you will achieve an easier effect.

Fill the selection with gray ( # 99947F or darker). Then: Filter> Noise> Add noise (Filters> Noise> Add noise) with the settings:

Distribution: Gaussian (Gauss);

Monochromatic (Monochrome);

Amount (Degree): 100;

Then:

Filter> Blur> Motion blur (Filter> Blur> Motion Blur) with the following settings:

Distance: 35;

Angle (Angle):-48°(relative to the direction of the feathers);

Transparency of the layer to 50% , set the Blending mode to Darken.

Next we work with the Smudge Tool – Finger (the Finger / Key “R” tool) and the Eraser Tool – Eraser ( Eraser Tool / Key). Large diameter and low Opacity (about 30 ) to adjust the shadow and brightness of light for the ” wave ” effect.

This can be stopped, but if you want to give the pen the finishing touch, create a new layer, placing it above all others. Select a dim brown color and use the Gradient Tool – Gradient ( Gradient Tool / G key) ( Foreground = Transparent ).

Ctrl + click on the “Left Side ” layer (in this case this side is more distant from us).

The Opacity (Opacity) to 45% , the Blending mode (Blend Mode) = the Color the Burn (Color Burn). Then move it all a bit down to create a bending effect.

Change the shadows, blending, and adding layers. That’s all.