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How to: Digital Watercolor with SketchUp

studioINSITE
studioINSITE

Jim Leggitt developed a digital watercolor method that takes the hybrid process of 3D modeling and hand-illustration one step further. The process involves using SketchUp to model a site and compose a view, exporting the lines and image separately, then combining and hand-coloring the print before applying a watercolor filter in Photoshop. This gives the final image the authentic appearance of a hand-painted watercolor while retaining the benefits of 3D modeling for the underlying composition. The method was applied to illustrate a children's hospital healing garden.

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hand drawn digital watercolor with sketchup by Jim Leggitt how to:
Jims new Digital Watercolor method take the hybrid process one step further and adds filtering with Photoshop to give the image a soft watercolor- like appearance. This studioINSITE project is for a childrens hospital healing garden.
Step 1- Base SketchUp model The base SketchUp model was constructed by importing and autoCAD site plan and populating the model with the different elements and topography.
Step 2- Background site photo The digital photo was taken at the location - used to create a realistic background context
Step 3- Selected view and exported jpeg -Eye level view is populated with 3D people in the foreground and several in the distance. Carefully compose the scene and adjust the sun angle to highlight the shaded areas. -Export a 4000 pixel wide jpeg of the view with the edges turned off (an important first step in the digital watercolor process).
Step 4- Exported edges -Turn off all faces, sky, and shadows in the SketchUp model. Export just the edges of the model at 4000 pixels wide and save a jpeg (I added a colored background and frame to the jpeg in this image to improve seeing the linework against the white background).
Step 5 - Composite SketchUp View -In Photoshop, bring the two jpegs together and give the linework layer a 50% transparency -Lighten the entire image and print it on 11x17 coated bond paper. -Why lighten the jpeg? - youll be adding back color with markers and pencils.
Step 6 - Hand Illustration and Coloring -Apply Chartpak AD markers to the print. And trace over much of the computer linework with a hard graphite pencil. -The overall image looks entirely different than the computer generated version once the hand drawn elements were applied to the print!
Step7 - Digital Watercolor Filter -Scan the artwork at 300dpi and open the image in Adobe Photoshop. Apply a watercolor filter to the image, save and then adjust the levels to increase the dark shadows and highlights. - The final jpeg had a strong appearance of a hand painted watercolor - with much more character and authenticity than if it were a straightforward exported view from SketchUp!
to see Jims blog post of this presentation click here: http://jimleggitt.typepad.com/jim-leggitt-drawing- shortcuts/2013/12/hand-drawn-digital-watercolor-with- a-sketchup-model.html studio-insite.com

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How to: Digital Watercolor with SketchUp

  • 1. hand drawn digital watercolor with sketchup by Jim Leggitt how to:
  • 2. Jims new Digital Watercolor method take the hybrid process one step further and adds filtering with Photoshop to give the image a soft watercolor- like appearance. This studioINSITE project is for a childrens hospital healing garden.
  • 3. Step 1- Base SketchUp model The base SketchUp model was constructed by importing and autoCAD site plan and populating the model with the different elements and topography.
  • 4. Step 2- Background site photo The digital photo was taken at the location - used to create a realistic background context
  • 5. Step 3- Selected view and exported jpeg -Eye level view is populated with 3D people in the foreground and several in the distance. Carefully compose the scene and adjust the sun angle to highlight the shaded areas. -Export a 4000 pixel wide jpeg of the view with the edges turned off (an important first step in the digital watercolor process).
  • 6. Step 4- Exported edges -Turn off all faces, sky, and shadows in the SketchUp model. Export just the edges of the model at 4000 pixels wide and save a jpeg (I added a colored background and frame to the jpeg in this image to improve seeing the linework against the white background).
  • 7. Step 5 - Composite SketchUp View -In Photoshop, bring the two jpegs together and give the linework layer a 50% transparency -Lighten the entire image and print it on 11x17 coated bond paper. -Why lighten the jpeg? - youll be adding back color with markers and pencils.
  • 8. Step 6 - Hand Illustration and Coloring -Apply Chartpak AD markers to the print. And trace over much of the computer linework with a hard graphite pencil. -The overall image looks entirely different than the computer generated version once the hand drawn elements were applied to the print!
  • 9. Step7 - Digital Watercolor Filter -Scan the artwork at 300dpi and open the image in Adobe Photoshop. Apply a watercolor filter to the image, save and then adjust the levels to increase the dark shadows and highlights. - The final jpeg had a strong appearance of a hand painted watercolor - with much more character and authenticity than if it were a straightforward exported view from SketchUp!
  • 10. to see Jims blog post of this presentation click here: http://jimleggitt.typepad.com/jim-leggitt-drawing- shortcuts/2013/12/hand-drawn-digital-watercolor-with- a-sketchup-model.html studio-insite.com