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Tracing Man: by Matt Kloskowski

This document provides steps to trace an image outline using the pen tool in Photoshop. It describes tracing an image, duplicating the layer and adjusting it, selecting highlights to trace, tracing those highlights, adjusting the layers, and resizing the image while maintaining quality.

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65paulosales
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61 views4 pages

Tracing Man: by Matt Kloskowski

This document provides steps to trace an image outline using the pen tool in Photoshop. It describes tracing an image, duplicating the layer and adjusting it, selecting highlights to trace, tracing those highlights, adjusting the layers, and resizing the image while maintaining quality.

Uploaded by

65paulosales
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tracing Man
by Matt Kloskowski
ExtremePhotoshop.com

This week we're going to dive in with the pen tool. First, we'll trace the outline of an image. Then we'll see how
we can use Photoshop to help us determine where the highlights are and add in some highlights to produce a
very nice effect. Even better, you'll see that it doesn't matter what size the image is to start with - if we use the
pen tool and paths, we can resize it with no image quality loss. For those of you not familiar with the pen tool, I
suggest you do your best to learn it. For years I used Photoshop and did my best to avoid that tool like the
plague. Finally I made a conscious effort to learn it. I made it a goal to trace one object every day for 2 weeks.
At the end of that 2 weeks, I was no longer afraid of the pen tool and I opened up a whole new world of
Photoshop and illustrator use. I know that I can draw any shape I want and I don't have to rely on selections
and the marquee tool anymore. So please, take my advice - learn this tool. I promise you won't regret it. Ok,
that said, lets jump in.

Step 1: Find an image of a man, woman, or whatever that you want to trace. Try not to make it too difficult.
Start with an easy pose. I've used an image of myself back in my modeling days - not bad looking am I (just
kidding). Anyway, you'll see that my image is pretty small - I did that on purpose. We're going to resize it later.

Step 2: Ok, create a new layer above your image and drop the opacity of this layer down to about 20 percent
(you'll see why in a second). Hit D to select the default foreground and background colors. Then, select the Pen
tool (P) <a href="images/step2_pentool.gif"> and look in the top left of Photoshop's toolbar. You'll see a picture
of the pen tool and then you'll see three icons to the right of it <a href="images/step2_fillpath.gif">. Select the
one to the far left so we create a filled path. Also, it may help to zoom in on your image quite a bit (I zoomed in
about 400%). Now the hard part - start tracing the outline with the pen tool on your new layer. You'll notice it
starts filling in with your foreground color. Thats ok, and that is why we dropped the opacity - so you can see
through and still trace. Some tips: Don't be meticulous - its OK if its not perfect. No one will know and you can
call it your style. Also, when you get around the sleeves and cuffs, just click the mouse once and create sharp
edges instead of trying to match the contours exactly. In fact, look for anyplace in the image that you can do
that. Its much quicker that way and I don't think anyone will notice.
Step 3: OK, hopefully you survived step 2. If you did, then the rest should be a breeze. Next, make a duplicate
of your original image by selecting the layer and hitting Ctrl + J. We're going to try to bring out some highlights
for us to trace so go to Image->Adjustments->Posterize. Type in 2 for the Levels setting. You should have
something like this.

Step 4: Now here is where your individual taste comes in. Look for some highlights that would be good for
tracing. Part of this style is to try to make those highlights merge in with the outline of the main image you
traced so they become part of the background. That way , when someone looks at this image, they're eyes must
finish the figure in the picture because its not going to look complete. If this doesn't make sense yet it will. Just
follow along. I've circled the areas I chose (only choose a few to start with).

Step 5: Now create a new layer for each area of highlights you have chosen (Tip: don't choose a lot the first
time you do this - 2 will be just fine). Then follow step 2 again but change your foreground color to white and
don't forget to drop the opacity. Also, don't worry if you go outside of the main outline when you get near those
edges. We can delete that later and no one will see it. Here is what I came up with. (Note: I changed the
background color so you could see what I've done).

Step 6: Now that we have all layers done, we can go back and raise the opacity to 100% for them.
Step 7: OK, if you followed along and used my image, you'll see that if you zoom out your image is quite small.
Maybe you need this much larger. Never fear!! Just link all three of your layers together by clicking the little box
next to the right of the eye icon in your layers palette, hit Ctrl + T to bring up free transform, and drag the
edges of the bounding box anyway you wish. You won't lose any quality because these layers are vector shapes.
The are not rasterized yet and will not degrade as you resize them. Of course you'll need to make sure your
canvas is as large as you want to make your new image by going to Image->Canvas Size and make it as big as
you need it.

Step 8: Thats pretty much it. You can now rasterize the vector shapes if you need to (I would keep a copy of the
original layers though) by right clicking on the layer and selecting "Rasterize Layer". Hopefully, you've made it
through this one ok. If you've never used the pen tool, it can be a bit intimidating at first but keep at it. Try
some tutorials that are out there on the web and practice. I don't think using the pen tool comes easy to anyone
at first but it is well worth the effort to learn it.

Step 9: Thats its for this time. As always here is an image of this technique in action. You can download the psd
files I used in this tutorial at my web site (www.extremePhotoshop.com) as well as some links to sites that have
pen tool tutorials. Also, please don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions. I really enjoy getting
feedback and helping out when I can. Good luck!
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