Hi, Folks:

Well, I had hoped to present this episode as a pod cast, but I’m still on the steep and deep part of the learning curve with that, so maybe next week.  This week, I’m covering how I set up files in Photoshop.  First, however, I must state the obligatory caveat: This is the system I use, which may vary from other similar tutorials.  There are multiple ways to accomplish any task in Photoshop, and the methods I describe are simply my favored way of approaching them.

This assumes that you have scanned your page in at 600 dpi (aka ppi) and it was either scanned in whole on an oversized scanner or you’ve already combined two smaller scans into a larger picture.  Pages are typically drawn at 11” x 17”, so standard scanners will require that you scan the page in two halves and then ‘stitch’ it together.  I’ll cover this more in the future if anyone is interested in that process.  After being scanned, the page size is reduced to full bleed dimensions, 6.875” x 10.5” inches still at 600 dpi.

In any case, in the layers palette I arrange my page into two folders, the upper one called “Lettering” and the lower one called “Art.”  I’ll cover the lettering folder and its contents in a future Tech Thursday.

In the Art folder, there are various layers.  On top, if you have any color holds or special effects that cover the ink line work, there is a layer called “FX.”  FX can actually be multiple layers, or even a whole folder of individual FX layers, as needed.

Next down is the “Line Work” layer.  This is the inked image, and the layer is set to “Multiply” in the layer mode pull down menu at the top of the layer’s palette.  Multiply effectively makes the white of the line art invisible, and that allows the colors from the layer below to show through.

Next down is the “Color” layer.  If you wish, this can be broken down into several layers, perhaps, from top to bottom, a Highlights Layer, over a Shading Layer, over a Color Flats layer.  I tend to simply have a Color layer most of the time, finding that sufficient for my needs.

In the Channels menu, there will be four or five channels already there, depending on whether you choose to work in RGB or CMYK.  I’m not going to address the ongoing debate over working in RGB or CMYK: I will simply say that I work in RGB, and I’ve never yet had a gamut warning or printing mishap when converting RGB to CMYK for printing. 

Below the existing channels, you can create channels as needed.  These new channels, called Alpha Channels, can be reselected later as used as virtual friskets.  For example, if I were to select a color with my wand tool, I could save it as an Alpha Channel, and then any time I need to use that selection again I can simply go to my channels, select it, and use it again and again.

The first alpha channel you need to make is one of your flats.  Back in the layer’s palette, select the whole colors layer (or flats layer, if separate), then create a new channel.  Paste this into the flats, and all your shapes are preserved there for later use.

As you go, you may need to make numerous Alpha Channels.  This cost little in terms of memory, and they channels can be combined and modified on the fly.

There, in a nutshell, is how I set up comic pages for coloring in Photoshop.  While this system works well for me, I have no doubt that you will soon fine variations that suit your workflow better.  That’s fine, because Photoshop is extremely flexible, and every artist approaches his work differently.

Scott.