JMiller
Elite Cafe Member
Here is a way to clean up sketches if you use CS5... CS4 & CS3 will do the same, I don't know about regular PS though(Note: I use an Intuos 4 but a mouse works just as well). This is how I clean up my sketches, it comes in handy as I can be heavy handed and a bit messy sometimes when doodling. It will remove eraser marks, smudges and mostly I find it useful instead of using tracing for adjustments, fine tuning or making corrections to your sketches. It may seem like a lengthy process but is really quick when you get the hang of it, plus you have the advantage of saving them on file for later use.
Step 1 - Sketch & ink.. inking is not mandatory but better to have a decent line.
Step 2 - Scan inked sketch or really good picture
Step 3 - Layer 0, this unlocks the layer
Step 4 - Go to adjustments, then levels
Step 5 - adjust your black and white levels... black to about 100, white 200. Of course you can play with this to your preference. Then use the dodge tool to to help eliminate any grey's, eraser marks & smudges.
Step 6 - Press Ctrl+Alt+@ and then the delete key. This locks your lines and delete's the background leaving only your image.
Step 7 - lock the transparent pixel and press key D for default colors. This locks your lines/ image again and fills with black to help darken/ saturate your lines then unlock transparent pixel... not always necessary but helps if you have faint lines, especially if you don't ink.
Step 8 - Create new layer and put it under layer 0.
Step 9 - Take your bucket fill and switch foreground/ background colors and back fill with white, then merge visible layers. You can stop here if you have the image you want, reduce the size/ enlarge whatever you need, but for practice and refinements I go a bit further.
Step 10 - Use your magic wand tool and click on any part of the black line, right click and select similar(this helps ensure all lines are selected), right click again and copy via layer. Go to file and create new, go back to your image and use your move tool and move the copy to the new window. You will have to adjust the canvas size which will vary to accommodate the image. Repeat the magic wand and copy via layer.
Step 11 - Almost finished.... use your move tool and you have a copy of your image you can place on the canvas where you want. While on the same layer go to edit/ transform and you can flip horizontal/ vertical and or rotate to place however you want.
Step 12 - Select paint brush, set Opacity to 30% & flow to 60%... again this subjective, whatever your preference.
Step 13 - Go big on your brush size and pass over your image. Left click and hold with each pass and your image will lighten until you are satisfied. I go until the image is faint that way when I print it's just enough to see the outlines and I can then refine, make adjustments and tweak my sketch as many times as I want.... don't forget to save image or you will have to do over!
Step 1 - Sketch & ink.. inking is not mandatory but better to have a decent line.
Step 2 - Scan inked sketch or really good picture
Step 3 - Layer 0, this unlocks the layer
Step 4 - Go to adjustments, then levels
Step 5 - adjust your black and white levels... black to about 100, white 200. Of course you can play with this to your preference. Then use the dodge tool to to help eliminate any grey's, eraser marks & smudges.
Step 6 - Press Ctrl+Alt+@ and then the delete key. This locks your lines and delete's the background leaving only your image.
Step 7 - lock the transparent pixel and press key D for default colors. This locks your lines/ image again and fills with black to help darken/ saturate your lines then unlock transparent pixel... not always necessary but helps if you have faint lines, especially if you don't ink.
Step 8 - Create new layer and put it under layer 0.
Step 9 - Take your bucket fill and switch foreground/ background colors and back fill with white, then merge visible layers. You can stop here if you have the image you want, reduce the size/ enlarge whatever you need, but for practice and refinements I go a bit further.
Step 10 - Use your magic wand tool and click on any part of the black line, right click and select similar(this helps ensure all lines are selected), right click again and copy via layer. Go to file and create new, go back to your image and use your move tool and move the copy to the new window. You will have to adjust the canvas size which will vary to accommodate the image. Repeat the magic wand and copy via layer.
Step 11 - Almost finished.... use your move tool and you have a copy of your image you can place on the canvas where you want. While on the same layer go to edit/ transform and you can flip horizontal/ vertical and or rotate to place however you want.
Step 12 - Select paint brush, set Opacity to 30% & flow to 60%... again this subjective, whatever your preference.
Step 13 - Go big on your brush size and pass over your image. Left click and hold with each pass and your image will lighten until you are satisfied. I go until the image is faint that way when I print it's just enough to see the outlines and I can then refine, make adjustments and tweak my sketch as many times as I want.... don't forget to save image or you will have to do over!