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How Do You Paint a Fur in Photoshop?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 11:27 am

Fur can be one of the trickier things to paint in Photoshop due to the amount of detail and texture that’s required. In this article, we’ll go over some tips on how to get a realistic fur effect using layer styles and some simple brushwork.

One of the first things you’ll need to do is create a new layer for the fur. You can do this by going to Layer > New > Layer.

Once you have your new layer, you’ll want to fill it with a solid color. This color will act as a base for the fur, so choose something that’s close to the color of the fur you’re trying to create. For this example, we’ll be using a light brown.

Next, you’ll need to add some noise to your layer. This can be done by going to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.

Add enough noise so that the fur starts to take shape, but don’t go overboard or it will look unrealistic. Once you’re happy with the amount of noise, go ahead and apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur).

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Now it’s time to start adding some depth to the fur. Create a new layer and set it to Overlay blending mode.

Using a soft round brush, start painting in some darker areas on the fur. Where you place these darker areas will depend on where the light is hitting the fur. For this example, we’ll be placing them along the top and sides of the fur.

To add even more depth and realism, create another new layer and set it to Soft Light blending mode. On this layer, start painting in some lighter areas of fur using a white brush.

Again, where you place these highlights will depend on where the light is hitting the fur. Once you’re happy with the way the fur looks, go ahead and merge all of yourfur layers together.

The last step is optional, but if you want to add even more realism, you can create a new layer and paint in some flyaway hairs using a small brush. Set this layer to Screen blending mode and paint in some white hairs along the edges of the fur.

Conclusion:

With these simple tips, you should be able to get a realistic fur effect in Photoshop. Just remember to experiment with different colors and blending modes until you find something that looks good.

Dale Leydon

Dale Leydon

Sysadmin turned Javascript developer. Owner of 20+ apps graveyard, and a couple of successful ones.