Digital Painting In Photoshop Wallpapers and Tutorials: Burning Candle

In this lesson I’ll tell in details how to draw burning candle. The flame is in general complex enough theme, and there is a set of ways to draw it. I’ll show you one of them which I use.

Step 1. No effects will rescue figure if it is wrong for constructing. It is better to give to this step enough attention because to correct a mistake will be then practically impossible. But first of all - color of a background. I choose dark-brown. Then we take a brush, and on a separate layer draw auxiliary lines. They will help to represent a candle correctly.

Step 2. When the sketch will be ready, we start to work with fire. For this purpose we create a group, and call it fire, and in it we create a layer fire. Blending Mode of group (not a layer, namely group) it is changed on Color Dodge. Then we choose white color, we take the Brush Tool (Opacity: 10 %), also we draw fire.

Step 3. We return brushes Opacity - 100 %. What to start drawing a candle, we need to choose three colors: the basic, is darker than the core and brighter. The most light part - top, then bottom right, and the most dark - bottom left. On a sketch it is drawn a candle of the form of a smooth parallelepiped.

Step 4. With the Blur Tool we soften corners. Transition between colors becomes soft, but lines should remain direct and equal.

Step 5. We draw a candle, which only pair seconds back was burned. Therefore on it should not be a drop of the fallen asleep wax and dimples at a match. But as the candle conceals quickly enough, we’ll draw a drop of hot wax under fire. For this purpose we use Brush Tool and Blur Tool.

Step 6. And nevertheless wax has had time to flow down a little on a wall of a candle. We draw a drop the Brush Tool (two shades, more light and more dark, than a background on which we draw it) then we smear it by means of the Blur Tool. We do not forget to draw a shadow (even with more dark shade).

Step 7. We create reflection of the flame. We copy a layer with fire, insert into the same group, we reflect it on a vertical. We have exactly under a flame, and by the Eraser Tool we wipe superfluous.

Step 8. The candle too should be reflected from a surface on which it stays. To create this reflection, we allocate a small part of a candle from below, we copy and it is inserted on a new layer. Fill a layer about 45 % are lowered, an elastic band we create effect of gradual disappearance. Then by help of the Burn Tool we draw a shadow between candles and a surface. Then we choose a usual brush of black color and we draw a match.

Step 9. We draw the match (its tip should be an orange shade since it is heated by a flame).

Step 10. There is flame, it is time to draw light which it creates. Using the Dodge Tool (Highlights, 100 %), we clarify a drop of wax.

Step 11. Then by the same tool we clarify the top part of a candle. It should be the most light.

Step 12. To draw smoke, we’ll create a New layer in group Fire. We choose white color (Opacity: 30 %), a brush it is adjusted, as on pictures. Reducing the sizes of a brush, we draw smoke.

Step 13. We start working with light. To draw rays, we will have to Create new group (with precisely same adjustments as group fire) and to place it the last in the list of layers (the lowest, not including the background). Using the same brush (Opacity: 50 %), we draw a circle from a fog around of the candle (the more close to the center, the more brightly).

Step 14. Let’s apply to it filter Blur - Radial Blur with adjustments, as on pictures. Then press three times of a combination of keys Ctrl+F to repeat this action three more times.

Step 15. Let’s black out a little bottom of the candle. For this purpose we use Burn Tool (midtones, 50 %).

Step 16. With the same tool we’ll black out edges of a background. It will make light from a candle even brighter.

Step 17. Let’s make color of a candle more sated. For this purpose we choose Airbrush Soft Round, the size big (on all leaf), Opacity: 50 %, also we draw something similar to a fog of the oval form. Then we change mode of a layer on saturation.

Step 18. By the Blur Tool we smear the internal area of a flame (including on layers with a drop of wax, from candles). Now fire looks more plausible.

Step 19. We change brightness and contrast (Image - Adjustments - Brightness/Contrast) of the layer with reflection of a candle to receive a violet shade.

Step 20. Using keys Ctrl+U, we cause menu Hue/Saturation, and we change adjustments as on picture.

Step 21. The smoke has turned out too bright. We will correct it by the Eraser Tool (Opacity: 35 %).

Step 22. By means of usual brushes we draw near a candle - a match. Representing an easy smoke which proceeds from it, we show that a candle was lighted up several instants ago. We do not forget to put a shadow and light, to give matches the correct form.

Step 23. By means of Dodge Tool on low adjustments, we’ll clarify a surface around the candle since on it rays of light too fall. As I cut out a superfluous part of a cloth by means of crop tool, that the candle would take of the central position.

Step 24. By Dodge Tool (Highlights, 65 %) we’ll clarify the top part of a candle because wax passes light.

Step 25. By means of Smudge Tool we’ll extend the flame. And smoke we will lift a little above.

Step 26. We correct a drop of wax. Because it is closed from direct rays of light, it can not be such bright. It should even be a little bit darker than a background on which it is located. We use Eraser Tool and Burn Tool.