This image is a preliminary experiment for the A-line series I did for a faculty art show last fall. I have always liked it and felt that it was a good match for this weeks Illustration Friday.

In photoshop, I use a layer for each color. I am using the multiply mode on each layer so that the colors look like they have been overprinted. I added a slightly different texture to each layer so that the color would build up in a more natural way. I started each layer with a solid block of color and then used the eraser tool with a hard edge brush to remove the area that I didn’t want to print. It makes it feel like a woodblock print.
Layer 1 is a white background layer.

Layer 2 | Light green

Layer 3 | A light green with a different texture

Layer 4 | a light green to darken some of the areas

Layer 5 | a light blue for softness

Layer 6 | main line layer in blue

Layer 7 | a gradation from blue to green

Layer 8 | A light blue that adds a halo

Layer 9 | the flowers and a bit of shadow inside the bell of the instrument