colour blending option won't turn off?

[Kate12345]

If I go to tools, colour options and turn on or off 'colour blending', it doesn't seem to make any difference. I want to layer dark, medium and light shades to create depth, but it continues to mix them. The doesnt work well with fur and hair, especially if I am layering paint on the same AR layer. I find I am having to create a new layer each time then merge them. I did this cat almost entirely in AR but couldn't get the depth effect in AR, so gave up and went back to photoshop to finish painting it.

I also found it difficult to be subtle with the paint, as I like to be fairly photorealistic. I really struggled with the legs, although the back and tail were fairly OK. face too was ok in AR, but I find i am having to use photoshop to finesse the painting. I'm sure its because I am not experienced enough, but I find even the pencils don't get the clean line I want. It maybe because the paint is mixing despite 'colour blending' turned off? The colour blending is also turning creamy colours green when I am trying to blend in a blue grey colour. Any advice? Tia

[markw]

Hi Kate,
The Colour Blending option you can toggle On/Off is actually ‘Real Colour Blending’. When ‘On’ yellow + blue will give you green. Off and it will give you something “greyish” containing elements of both colours.
Either way any new paint will always blend with existing paint.
As an alternative to, or in addition to, using separate layers to avoid accidental mixing have you tried the Oils with “Instadry” turns On?
Bellow is a quick example of RCB On and with it Off.

I’m thinking you may have to get into more specific examples of what you are after with the pencil?
Perhaps a screenshot or two, say in PS and from AR so we can see what you have and what you are aiming for?

[Somerset]

The behaviour of colour blending depends on the tool you're working with - just like in real life. For example, if you work with the Watercolor-Tool, you will have to paint more dry (with less thinners, dry paper and maybe Insta-Dry), if you don't want to blend the colours into each other. Almost similar with oils. Maybe some Brush Heads of the Sticker-Spray-Tool will do what you're looking for, because they don't blend.

And if you want clean lines with the pencil, turn down the Smoothing and mark the checkbox "Precise". The pencil usually draws grainy strokes because that is characteristic for pencils. If you prefer absolutely clean and hard strokes, you should use the Ink Pen instead.

Just play a little bit with the adjustments of the certain tools and learn what they are doing. I think you will find what you are looking for. And if you find an adjustment that works fine for you, create a preset outoff it, so that you can recall it whenever you want with just one click.

"Real Colour Blending" means a special way of colour mixing, as markw said. It has nothing to do with how much the colours blend into each other. I think it's colour mixing that follows the colour-sequence of the colourwheel, whilst the other colour blending mode blends the colours directly, without mixing intermediate colours.

[Enug]

Kate if it's any consolation I too have to paint on a new layer when I add another colour when using the airbrush. If I don't the tool won't add a colour at all or it's not the shade I want. Even then I will find that blending a light colour on a layer over a black layer will give me a 'fringe' of undesired colour.

Two layers here.

[mikahawkins1]

@markw Thanks for explaining the difference.

[Kate12345]

That explains it perfectly. I thought it was simply turning off all colour blending, not just the colour mixing ability. I've found Insta Dry but it is only in oil paints. The custom brushes don't have it and I have made some hair brushes there and there is also a ready made hair brush. So it looks like I will have to use layers but the effect is just better in photoshop for some reason. That is frustrating as creating layers interrupts the flow and I have to stop and think about the layer I am on. I did create hair brushes but have forgotten, how so I'll see if I can alter the settings and save them as a new brush (if I can remember how). Painting the cats legs was what sent me back to photoshop, because I just couldn't get a soft enough fur look, but it may have worked if I had a bit more practice time.

perfect answer re the pencil strokes. The smoothing works well, and I can see in settings how to do this now.

I have not ventured into the airbrush yet at all. At the moment it is a bridge too far, and I am saving that fun experience for when I am a lot more confident in some basic techniques.


With the cat it was the legs and finishing of the fiddly bits that I didn't manage so well in AR, but its something I really need to practice a lot more with. When I do animals, I do an underpainting (tracing colours is great for this), then a layer of fur in a fairly uniform way, tracking the animals colouring, and then I do the finessing, with the eyes, highlights and all the other special bits that make the animal come to life. Its the last stage I am struggling with, but I do think it is just inexperience. I used the sparse bristle brush in the sticker set to make hair because it doesn't blend, but it doesnt look very nice.

Can I make a custom oil brush like the ones with Insta Dry available?

[markw]

Hi Kate,
You can effectively make any Custom Brush that picks up colour a kind of “Instadry” by opening the Brush Designer panel > Colour Settings tab > deselect Pick Up Colour.
Close the Designer window by clicking Save.
And if you want to keep this brush as a new Preset best to do that now.

[Kate12345]

Thank you Mark. Thats my next project, then. Create lots of brushes to get the effect i want in AR. Lots of practicing ahead

[markw]

I have this basic Fur & Hair Custom Brush if you want to give it a try to get you started
Basic Fur & Hair.arpack
I had tried to attach it to my post last night then realised this morning it was the wrong ARPack so removed that one. Sorry folks

[Enug]

Mark, I had a look at the hair and fur brush you offered Kate (you knew I would) and it looks like something I could use. Do you mind? Presuming I have your approval, I would like to try it out on yet another kitty. Cheers!