Today, I’m going to show you how use brushes and Layer styles in Photoshop CS5 to create eye catching digital illustration. Layered PSD file included. Let’s get started!

Final Image Preview

Start working by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) in Adobe Photoshop CS5 with the size 800px by 1280px (RGB color mode) at a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Use the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill with #120807 color the new background layer.

Create a new layer which must be filled with white color, applying the Paint Bucket Tool (G). Insert the mask on the layer by choosing Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers panel. Apply the next filter on the mask Filter>Render>Clouds.

Let’s rasterize this layer by creating firstly a new one above and then press CTRL button to select these layers. Finally press CTRL+E to Merge Down. Insert the mask on the layer by choosing Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers panel and choose the Soft Round brush of black color (set Opacity to 40% in Options bar).

Use this brush to paint in the mask to hide the next zones as it is shown next picture.

Set the Blending mode for this layer to Vivid Light.

Find a stock photo with a model represented on it, I used this photo from deviantart. I would like to thank the author of this photo, or if you prefer, you can substitute similar image of your own.

Remove the background using your favorite tools like Pen Tool (P), Magic Wand Tool (W), Magnetic Lasso (L) or even a simple Filter>Extract and insert it on a new layer in our main document.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Bevel and Emboss style for the girl’s layer.

Add Gradient Overlay.

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next result:

Next step we’ll download sets of brushes for in Adobe Photoshop, named: rebelFive_Linear_Brush_Set_1 and Florar_and_Enchanting_II_by_Coby17.

Create a new layer, choose the next brushes from rebelFive _Linear_Brush_Set_1 set and change the Foreground color to white.

Add the next brushstroke. The layer should be situated under the girl’s one.

Set Fill to 88% for this layer and change the Blending mode to Color Dodge.

On the next new layer we’ll apply the next brush of the white color from rebelFive_Linear_Brush_Set_1 set and place the layer under the girl’s one.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay style for the brush’s layer.

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next gradient on the layer.

Next create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and apply here the next brush out of the earlier mentioned set of brushes of white color too. The layer needs to be situated under the girl’s layer.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay style for the brush’s layer.

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next result:

Create a new layer and use here the next brush of white color from rebelFive_Linear_Brush_Set_1 set. The layer will be situated under the girl’s one.

Set Fill to 57% for this layer and change the Blending mode to Vivid Light.

Let’s create the next new layer and select the next brush of white color from the same set of brushes.

Add brushstroke and place the layer under the girl’s one too.

Change the Blending mode to Vivid Light for this layer.

Insert the mask on the layer by choosing Add layer mask on the bottom part of the Layers panel. Select the Soft Round brush of black color from Brush Tool (B) and set the Opacity to 20% in Options bar.

Use this brush to paint in the mask to hide the next zones on layer as shown.

Let’s create a new layer and apply here the Soft Round brush to paint the background with the color #F300F3 (Opacity 10%).

Place the layer under the girl’s layer.

Next choose the Pen Tool (P), set the drawing mode on Shape Layers in Options bar and draw the next shape as shown. Place the layer under the girl’s one.

Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Drop Shadow style for shape’s layer.

Add Inner Shadow settings:

Apply Gradient Overlay:

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next styles on the shape.

Make a copy of the last made shape and use the Free Transform (Ctrl+T) command to change the sizes and copy’s placement on the canvas.

Go to Layer Style and change the settings for Drop Shadow.

Set the new settings for Inner Shadow.

Change the Gradient Overlay settings.

Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and change the color stops as shown. Click OK to close the Gradient Editor dialog box.

We’ve got the next result:

Create a new layer under the layer containing the copy of the shape’s layer and choose the Soft Round brush of the color #DF0028 (Opacity 10%).

Use this brush to paint the background as shown.