Theodoro Gomez Jr Space Adventure tutortial

Tools and Medium
I went with my Wacom Blueberry Tablet and Light Pen to sketch, draw and color "Space Adventure" as well as to color in Adobe Photoshop, which is the medium.

The Background

What's more fun than space scenes?! We've come a pretty good ways since Wally Wood's time. The computer programs now offer so many options when it comes to supplementing your line art with color. For this background, I wasn't so much considering what I had previously sketched and drawn out. Instead, I wanted to have a background that might stand on its own as an actual rendered space scene. This would include stars, planets and nebuli. Here's how to do it. For stars, I begin with a blank canvas that I fill with black. Then Noise (1) is added. The amount you choose is up to you. You don't need much to give you the amount that you then apply Threshold (2) to. This will give you those little specks and dots for that starry background. After that, you can duplicate, rotate, reverse and enlarge that layer a bit and then set its Layer mode to Lighten (3).
For more character in the stars, like constellations and galaxies, you can adjust the Scatter on your Brush tool setting to give a more seemingly random pattern of dots and specks in a brush stroke. Play with it. A lot of learning is experimentation and retention.

After you've created your stars and constellations, create a new layer by pressing Shift+Ctrl+N. This part is kinda cool. On your new layer, set the new Layer mode to Linear Light. This new layer will saturate your star patterns with whatever color(s) you choose. Try simple gradients to begin with and move on to more intentional patterns from there.

Now that the stars element has been established, you can add planets. I created a new layer and used my circular Marquee tool to create a circle that I then filled. I created more seemingly random patterns of land and clouds, emphasizing on them as I went along with my simple Photoshop brush. Remember to experiment using your layers and the Layer modes. The overlay mode helps for highlighting. You can get as involved as you like.
	I added rings on another layer. Enter the Quick mask mode by pressing the letter Q. The Quick mask mode is essentially another more directed and intentional method of the selection tools. This turns the screen into two shades: red or clear. The clear portions are what will be your selection when you exit Quick mask mode. So, while in Quick mask mode, render clouds and a radial spin effect at a high setting (you can adjust the brightness/contrast in this mode to have more definition between rings). Then, using Free transform skew, rotate your Quick mask selection to wrap around the planet that was created. You may have to do this a number of times, and again, experiment with it to get the desired effect.
Once you've decided what you like, exit your Quick mask mode by again pressing Q. Now you have your "dancing ants," which is what you will fill or shade however you may please. After this, I applied a Layer mask to the ring layer where I masked off the portion of rings behind the planet. That's that for the space scene. Live Long and Render!
. I credit everything I know to my instructors at Collins College (1997–2001), with special acknowledgements to P.J. Webster (R.I.P.) who, in little ways, showed me A LOT more than just how to use computer software. And Yamil Rodriguez and Chris Bermudo for being the kind of peers you don't find often enough in this industry. These gentlemen taught me a lot. Thank you!



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