I just wrote this for my best friend because she was having some Photoshop issues. She couldn't figure out how to colour in her line art without going over the edges. So yeah... I e-mailed her these tutorials.

You'll need some basic knowledge of Photoshop to be able to do this but I hope it helps ^^

First thing you need to do before you start either of these tutorials is to get some line art (whether it be yours or something you just wanna try colouring in on). If it's yours I highly reccomend inking it before you scan, esspecially for the second (more advance way of colouring).

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Anyway to scan via Photoshop (for those who don't know) you will need to go to:

File > Import > (name of scanner)

A window should pop up that lets you preview and stuff, this changes depending on what scanner you have (plus I don't have one hooked up to my laptop at the moment) so a screen capture doesn't really help. If you are scanning line art though it's always better to scan it on a "greyscale" setting ^^

The simple way:

Scan your picture. Then once it's opened in Photoshop you need to make a new layer.

Layer > New > Layer

Then a window will pop up and you'll need to change the layer mode to multiply:

Like So

Fill it with a neutral colour that isn't going to be used in the background (like a grey-green or red-grey), it makes it easier to see what you are colouring than just on the white.

Make a new layer exactly the same and on this layer you colour your mid-tones (or flat colours) and it'll make it look like the colouring is in the lines.

For your shadows you just make another layer (exactly like how I showed you before) and use the same colour as your flats for the shadows (it makes it appear darker automatically).

For the highlights you make another layer but instead of changing the layer mode to multiply you change it to screen (be careful though screen has a tendancy to cover up your line art, it can be a right pain in the ass, but I don't think there's any way around it).

The result (this is a different image I know, but I don't have time to finish colouring the one in the tutorial *weeps*) should look something like this (when all your layers are merged)

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The Advanced way:

This is the way I tend to do things... I find it easier cos when you get to the highlight parts cos it doesn't cover your line art!

Scan your piccy into Photoshop, then you need to copy the layer. On the layers window drag the background layer to the little icon that looks like a piece of paper:

Like so

Then you drag the background layer (with the little padlock on, not the copy) into the little bin next to the place you just dragged it. This deletes it, cos that layer is rubbish won't do allow you do the following...

You then need to get rid of the white on the piece. So in the box with the layers in, you need to click the tab to channels and make a selection by clicking on the round thing:

Like This

Once it's highlighted just press delete and poof the white is gone! Before you deselect it you need to make the line art darker soooo... What you do is click on the layer tab (next to the channels one) and click on the "lock transparency toggle":

here's another amazing image to show you what I mean, aren't my red circles amazing :)

Then all you need to do is make a new layer (with the layer mode on normal) and drag it in the layer window so its under your line art. In this layer you colour your flat colours. If you want you can make a layer underneath that with a nuetral colour on (like before) it makes things easier to see again.

For you shadows just make a new layer (with the layer mode on multiply) on top of your flat colours (but belowyour line art). Do the same for your highlights but change the layer mode to screen.

The result should look like this (once again a different piece of art all because I don't have time to colour it and make the tutorial as I go along).

You can decide for yourself wether or not you keep the neutral colour in as a background on both these tutorials. It really depends on if you are putting another background in or if you want white there...

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It seems the longer way of doing things but I really reccomend the second way to colour. The first way I normally end up going around the highlights layer with an eraser, which takes a gazillion hours.

I hope those screen captures will do ><;; I don't really have time to mess around cropping them and things, sorry! If they aren't ok tell me and I'll edit it and put better ones up after tuesday (when I will have handed in my uni work).

Oh and if you want any more help with colouring in Photoshop then PM me, and I'll try my hardest to help!