Project 2 - Sean Walden

So... where to begin. I started off creating all of the black shapes (boots, mask, cape, etc.) with a combination of the pen, brush, and pencil tools. I then made a new layer, and did relatively the same process for the highlights on the black areas. I used a gradient to color these areas, to sort or fake a 3d look.

I then made a new folder and layer and started blocking out the gray areas using pretty much the same process as stated above, and adding in the highlights on a separate layer.

I then once again made a new folder and layer to create the belt, which if I remember correctly was done entirely with the paintbrush tool. I selected each bag on the belt individually and colored it with a radial gradient, and then manipulated a linear gradient on the buckle to give it the correct look.

I used a combination of the pencil and paintbrush tools to add in the detail lines on the legs and chest. At this point my preference is still the paintbrush tool just because of the free feeling it allows while using it and it doesn't look quite as blocky as the pencil tool.

I then made a very simple shadow, by creating a box and putting a linear gradient on it, and masking it off in the shape that I wanted. I placed the bars on either side of the subject using the align tool to give the picture a more completed feel and proceeded to make stars or splotches or whatever you prefer on the sides.

I then made a diamond shape behind the figure. By duplicating the figure, I was able to then color the duplicate a little darker than the diamond, duplicate the diamond and use that as a mask for the diamond shadow.

I grouped the layers together in a very specific order so that I could cover up certain things. For example, The layer that contains the boots and gloves were placed over top the layer with the pants so that I could extend the pants down further and it wouldn't matter because they were covered by the boots. I found that naming your layers was very important in this project. I only had a few but I was already starting to get mixed up until I started naming them.