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70 Technique

Any version of Illustrator

Perfectvectorportraiture

Digital portraiture isas in demand as ever,

particularly for editorial.Simeon Elson shows youhow to get in on the actthe easy way, whateveryour style

When it comes to portraiture, Illustrator is one of the

most flexible and powerful tools we have at our disposal in the

creative world.Because Illustrator is a vector graphics program,shapes can be swiftly and easily formed to produce portraitsthat are striking and fresh yet still have a great likeness to the

photo reference.Such portraiture skills are often required in editorial,

from fashion all the way through to business magazines. I am oftencommissioned to produce portraits to accompany magazinearticles. For example, my brief for a Touch magazine commission foran article entitled ‘Adele Vs Duffy’ was to illustrate the two singers ina boxing ring, complete with boxing gloves on, fighting for the No 1chart position. Many editorial clients have very tight deadlines, sobeing able to create quality contemporary portraits quickly is a veryhandy skill to have. Using Illustrator, I’ll show you how.

Simeon ElsonA freelance

illustrator andgraphic artist basedin London, Elson’srecent clientsinclude Touch magazine, 2DarcEntertainment andBlack Enterprise magazine. You canfind more of hiswork at www.simeonelson.co.uk

Time needed4 hours

SkillsUsing blendingmodesWorking withtextureelementsEffectivecompositionAdding shapesusing thePathfinderpalette

Computer Arts December 2009 www.computerarts.co.uk

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71

02 Next, click the Create New Layer icon in your Layers palette. Double-click the layer and name it‘Black Bits’. Then set your Colour palette mode to Grayscale. Within this layer, using the Pen tool we will sketchblack shapes to form the portrait’s features, outlines and shadows.

01 The first step is to select your photo reference. One that’s done, open a newdocument in Illustrator and click File>Place to place it in the document. Double-clickon the image’s layer and, in the resulting dialog box, name it ‘Photo Reference’. Also besure to tick the Lock box, as we don’t want the image moving. Now go to File>DocumentColor Mode and select CMYK.

04 Continue drawing shapes around yourmodel’s main features such as eyes, mouth andnose, plus any other outlines and the deepestshadows. You should see your portrait’s structureand pose begin to form. Try to create interestingabstract shapes – the more irregular, the better.

03 Starting with the eyes, select the Pen tooland click where you want your shape to begin. Go toWindow>Transparency, and type 0 in the Opacitybox. Begin drawing around the eye, as shown in thescreen grab. When you have finished each shape,set the Opacity back to 100%.

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09 We need to fill the rest of the image with white.Create a new layer called ‘White Base’ and place it above the‘Photo Reference’ Layer. With only the ‘Black Bits’ layer visible,using Grayscale colour at 0% trace around the face, arms etc.Be careful not to go outside the black lines.

07 Repeat the Step 6 process on two further layers; the second layer will benamed ‘Medium contours’, with the third being ‘Darker contours’. Set the Grayscalecolour percentages accordingly, with the ‘Medium contours’ layer ranging from 22% to27%, and the ‘Dark Contours’ layer from 35% to 55%. These amounts are my guidelinesuggestions, but feel free to experiment.

06 Now we need to build detail by highlighting the tones of our model’s skin,starting with the lighter areas. Create a new layer and name it ‘ Lighter contours’. Setthe Grayscale colour percentage to 16% and begin drawing shapes around the lighterskin contours. Adjust the colour percentage slightly where needed.

08 Add highlights to the various elements – I selectparts of my model’s eyes, lips, top, trousers and shoes. Create alayer for each area in order to stay organised. Set the whiteareas to Grayscale colour 0% (the darker areas will vary.) Thisprocess is particularly important for the eyes, to avoid themappearing hollow.

10 It’s texture time. Create a new layer above the ‘Photo Reference’ layer. I namemine ‘Green Gradient’. Switch your Colour palette mode to CMYK. I select the Rectangletool and set the Fill to the Radial Gradient colours I want, then draw a rectangle andchange the blending mode to Overlay.

Computer Arts December 2009 www.computerarts.co.uk

72

05 Check your progress ever so often by clicking the eyeicon on the ‘Photo Reference’ layer. This will show you how yourportrait is forming against a white background. Remember tobe consistent if you’re using curved shapes, by using themthroughout. The same goes if you are using straight lines.

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11 I create a new layer named ‘Texture’ belowthe ‘Green Gradient’ layer. Source a suitable textureimage and open it in Illustrator. Then set theblending mode to Darken and the Opacity to 80%.

12 I duplicate the ‘Black Bits’ layer and placeit below ‘White Base’, then name it ‘Glow’. I lock allother layers and select all, then go to Window>Pathfinder and click the Add Shape icon. I then goObject>Transform> Reflect, then select the VerticalAxis option, setting the angle to 90 degrees.

13 Now I setthe Fill gradient toappropriate colours,and the blending modeto Colour Dodge at anopacity of 60%.Position as you see fit.I lock all layers below‘White Base’, select allthen go to Edit>Copy. I

create a new layer onthe top of the pile, lockall layers beneath andgo Edit>Paste in front.

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14 I click theAdd Shape icon on the

Pathfinder palette andname the new layer‘Stroke’. I place it belowthe ‘White Base’ layer,setting the stroke to10, the blending modeto Overlay and theopacity to 40%. Finally,I change the strokecolour. A fewcompositionalalterations later and job done.

Simeon ElsonThe illustrator andgraphic artist pickshis finest moments

Visual C V

In pic tures: a guide to

the career and work o f

our Technique wri ters

‘Corporate Fitness’

– August 2009

Another highly

conceptual

promotional piece

mixing pixel and

vector art.

‘Rahzel Live’ – June 2007

This was a promotional piece, referencing

my own photos. I like the use of textures,

composition, energy and silhouettes.

Flyer illustration

– October 2007

This was

produced for

promo company

The Flying Squad

2001. I wanted it

to be energetic,

so I used lots of detail, lighting effects

and silhouettes.

Black Enterprise

magazine

illustration –

July 2007

I’m particularly

proud of the colour

scheme,composition and

the strong sense of narrative in this

editorial illustration.

‘Cometh the Man’ –

July 2009This is a self-

initiated piece. I

wanted to create a

striking creative

portrait of an

identifiable figure by utilising black and

white with colour.

Technique 73Perfect vector portraiture

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