TUTORIAL: How to paint a Portrait of a woman with a mouse.

Level: Intermediate.

This tutorial will show you how to paint a portrait of a woman using a Computer Mouse in place of a digital tablet.

Software used:

Gravit 3.1.3.0: Gravit is a Vector illustration Software. It is a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Download Link for Gravit
GIMP 2.10: It is a Photo Manipulation Software; A free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Download Link for GIMP

Prerequisites:

You should have an intermediate knowledge of the Applications listed above.

$C:\Users\user\Documents\Surpass Graphics\PROJECTS SURPASS GRAPHICS\woman painting\10.png$

The Goal

Step 1: Sketch the Lady.

Sketch the lady on a plain white A4 paper and scan the image to my PC or simply take a picture of it with your smart phone and transfer it to your PC.

$C:\Users\user\Documents\Surpass Graphics\PROJECTS SURPASS GRAPHICS\woman painting\wp_ss_201901d11_0005.png$

Sketch

Step 2: Make a vector illustration of the sketch.

Note: We are working with GRAVIT now.

Open the image of the sketch in GRAVIT. Use 2000 x 2000 px as your canvas size.
Tip: painting with a large canvas allows you to add more details later.

Make outlines around the lady using the path tool .

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\outline and photo.png$

The sketch with vector outlines

The vector illustration does not have to be detailed. We will use it to create LAYER MASKS for easy painting in GIMP.
I want the lady to have a white skin so I used light yellow for the skin. (HEX: #F2D493)

the Shirt is light red: #DD5757 [in HEX]

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\vector with color.png$

Vector Design

Step 3: Creating Sithouthes for the layer masks

Now, we need to export different parts of her body as sithoutes. This will help us create layer masks easily with GIMP.

In Gravit, toggle the visibility of all objects except the face.

Layers panel in Gravit

Fill the face path with black (#0000)

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\face.png$

Face Layer

filled with Black (#000)

Make the fill of the face black and export it as a PNG

Note: export in 2000 x 2000 px. That was the size of our canvas.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 for other major parts of the lady.

Do the same for the Hair, lips, eye brows, hand and shirt.

Note: If we were using a Digital Tablet, we would easily skip Steps 3, 4 and get right into painting the lady.

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\hair.png$

Hair.png

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\neck.png$

Neck.png

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\hand mask.png$

Hand.png

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\shirt.png$

Shirt.png

$C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\eye brows.png$

eye brows.png

lips.png

Step 5: Export the outlines of the design (GRAVIT)

Move all the objects into a layer and toggle outline on the layer.

Make the canvas transparent and export as .PNG

$C:\Users\user\Documents\Surpass Graphics\PROJECTS SURPASS GRAPHICS\woman painting\ouline dd.png$

outlines.png

Outlines.png (Note: make the background transparent)

This will serve as a guide when we start painting.

Step 6: Create a document in GIMP

Note: we are using GIMP now.

Create a document in GIMP. The image resolution has to be 2000 x 2000 px so that the images we exported from GRAVIT will overlap and fit.

Step 7: Create the layer masks in GIMP

Import the images into GIMP as layers. Hand.png, Hair.png, Face.png, Shirt.png, lips.png

Create layer masks around the various images you exported from Gravit. And apply Gaussian Blur (1.50px) to the layer masks to smoothen the edges of the layer mask.
Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Note: Filters is at the top of your screen

Project Status

Layers Panel

Note: These masks are very helpful when painting with a mouse. They cause your paint brush stokes to stay within the area of the mask.

If you are having a hard time creating Layer Masks in GIMP, check out this tutorial.

Step 8: Painting the Face

Currently, that is what we have as our face layer in GIMP.

Paint over the face layer with yellow #f1d393

Open the outline of the Vector, outline.png, in GIMP. Place it on top of all the layers

We will be using the Airbrush tool and painting with a very soft brush.

airbrush tool

Tool options

Before you start painting decide where you want your light source to be.

My light source is in front of the lady.

Note: The elevations and elevations on the face will have different colors.

Make the depressions darker and the elevations lighter.

Project Status

I use the L to get brighter and darker variations of the base color; in this case, light yellow.

Foreground color selector

Adjust color and paint till you get the desired skin color.

Without Layer Mask

With Layer Mask

Step 9: Painting the Lips

Go to the lips layer.

Note: Make sure it is not beneath the face layer.

lips

I did not just pick a red color; instead, I adjusted the color of the skin (which was: #f6cf95) to get a suitable color for the lips using the L and R sliders.

Foreground color dialog box

The R range adds or removes red from the color. The L range makes the color lighter or darker.

lips

We are still using the soft airbrush. Use the L to get a darker color for the darker areas of the lip. Also do the same for the lighter part.

Note: The Layer mask on the lip Layer will make your brush strokes stay within the layer.

Step 10: Painting the rest of the face

Create new layers and paint the remaining parts of the face. Eyes, eye brows, pupils, eye lashes.

Each of them should have their own layer.

Note: Working on different layers allows you to adjust parts of the design without disturbing other parts. Mistakes become easier to handle this way.

Project Status

I adjusted the lips and the eye brows to make her look happier.

Step 11: Painting the Hair

Now, we will be using the Paint Brush tool (P) and the Bristle 02 brush.

PaintBrush; Bristles 02

Paint over the hair layer with light brown: #e39d52.
Paint with the flow of the hair.

Project Status

Create a new layer above the hair layer and call it MORE HAIR.

We will be adding more detail to the hair on this new layer.

In the Tool Options tab, enable smooth stroke. Increase Quality and Weight as shown below.

Pro tip: The Smooth stroke option makes your strokes a lot smoother even when you are painting with a mouse.

smooth stroke

Paint the darker and lighter parts of the hair using the Bristle 03 Paint Brush Tool,

$C:\Users\user\Documents\Surpass Graphics\PROJECTS SURPASS GRAPHICS\woman painting\01.png$

Hair 01

Hair 02

Making the Hair Reddish

I changed my mind half way and decided to add a little red to her hair.

COLOR > COLOR BALANCE

Note: The Color tab is at the top your screen.

Color

Increase the red till you have your desired color.

Color Balance dialog box

Still using the Bristle 03 Brush, I painted black on the hair. Paint Brush Opacity: 50%.

I used a soft eraser to smoothen the outerline part of the hair.

Hair 03

Create a new layer and paint shadows around the edges to give depth.

I painted black (#000) using a soft brush and then reduced the opacity of that layer to 50%.

Hair Shadows

Step 12: Paint the rest of the lady

Still using the outlines as guide, paint the remaining rest of the lady; Shirt, hand, and neck.

Project Status

Step 12: Final Adjustments

Project Status

Remove the outlines.png layer.

The painting looked too yellowish to me so I made a few adjustments to the lady's skin.

Adjusted the Brightness, contrast, color balance > yellow.

Note: these adjustments can be found at the top of your screen under the Color tab.

$C:\Users\user\Documents\Surpass Graphics\PROJECTS SURPASS GRAPHICS\woman painting\10.png$

After some Adjustments

Congratulations! You are now a super human who knows how to paint with a mouse. Impressive! ☺

Not many people know how to paint with a mouse.

This tutorial was made based on my knowledge and experience. If you know of easier ways to paint with a mouse, feel free to share it in the comment section below.

If there is any part of the tutorial you don’t understand, let me know in the comment section below.

Surpass Graphics

TUTORIAL: How to paint a Portrait of a woman with a mouse.