Lighting exercise IV - Step by step process

In this exercise I didn't use a reference pic, what is new since I always use one:

1. Quick sketch, nothing planned, I just wanted to draw a girl's face

2. Placed some greys and volume

3. Liquify and details. I do liquify a lot, to do it I first flip the image to check the flaws easily.

4. Added color: new layer in color mode. But that is just NOT ENOUGH to paint a grisaille. If you just stop there, your final illustration will look cheap and dead since your lights and shadows are white and black. And we don't want to look cheap and dead ~(˘▾˘~)

5. So, I added more color layers: overlay, soft light and color burn are the ones I use the most. *TIP: Add a Divide layer to make the skin look iridescent

6. Some detailing and liquify.

7. More detailing and a simple background.

8. Final color, brightness and contrast adjustment.

It took me like 1 hour painting and 2 hours trying contrast and color balance, etc... lol
Only Ps and one brush... THE BEST BRUSH EVER, the one I use 95% of my life ♥

Here is the final version... wich is not definitive like I said there->


I hope this could help you somehow, or at least entertain you :>