Drawing Anime in Photoshop

• Draw illustrations directly in Photoshop
  
  You can draw anime in Photoshop exactly as you would with traditional pen and paper if you use a digital pen and tablet. A pencil technique can be created by setting the opacity of the pen as pressure sensitive. A bold ink look can be created by keeping the opacity non-pressure sensitive.
  
  Block out the figures first using simple shapes. Anime characters' heads and chests can be created with ovals. A cross shape can be placed on the face to create guideline for the facial details. The eyes can be created with oval shapes that have small circles inside them for pupils and irises. The nose can be created with a sideways "V" shape and the mouth with a small line. Create the hair with curved triangular spikes for a classic anime look.
  
  

Using Layers

• Layers make coloring anime much easier
  
  One of the best reasons to use Photoshop for anime is to color your line work. Use layers to color your anime line art as this will allow you to color without disturbing any of the original drawing.
  
  Click the layers tab and select "add new layer." Double click the line-art layer to unlock it and place this above the new layer. Set the line art to "multiply" and you can now add color to the layer below. Try to add only the basic colors at this point. Add one color for the flesh, one for the clothes, one for the hair and one for the background.
  
  

Light and Shadow

• Light and shadow makes anime illustrations look professional
  
  Use extra layers to add light and shadow to the anime illustration. Create two new layers. Add brighter versions of the base colors with a layer on top of the base color but below the line art. Add the lightest colors where the light is directly shining. If you are going for a cell-animation-style anime piece, add a thin band of lighter colors. If you are creating a more painterly look, use repeated strokes to build layers of light colors. Place the shadow layer under the light layer. Follow the same techniques but use darker versions of the base colors to create shadows. For instance, a beige face could have brown or tan shadows.