Corset Tutorial

1. Open the base you want to work on.

2. I have included a few palettes to get you started, but please try & experiment with your own colours. Use your own judgement when selecting the colour of the seams and panels! 3. Create a new layer named Corset above your base by going to Layer/New Raster Layer... or clicking on the new raster layer icon on the Layer Palette.

Set your Foreground colour to a dark shade of the colour you want your corset to be.

4. Make sure your Paintbrush is 1 pixel in size. Draw in the outline of corset. If you were going for accuracy, you could narrow the waist of the base first, but it's up to you.

I'm going for a fairly simple, overbust corset.

For great corset inspiration, visit Gallery Serpentine

I find it helps to Zoom in on the image & use precise cursors for this.

5. Use the Eraser & Paintbrush to tidy up & streamline the outline of the corset. Ensure that it is not more than 1 pixel thick at all points. 6. Decide where the centre of the corset should be (by base is standing at a slight angle) and draw in where the 2 edges would meet.
7. A corset is usually made up of several panels. Using a slightly lighter shade, draw in the seams between the panels. 8. Using the Flood Fill & paintbrush tool, fill in the panels. Use a darker shade for the outer panels, working up to the lightest shade at the centre. The centre would "stick out" the most, so would catch the most light! 9. Click on the Lighten/Darken tool.

Put a tick in the Swap Mouse Button box. Use the settings from the above link, only set the Width to about 4 & Opacity to about 20.

Start by darkening the corset under the bust, working up slightly as shown above.

10. Continue "Darkening", bringing the shading down to the waist. Zoom out often to make sure it doesn't look to heavy.. 11. Drop the Size of the brush down to 1 & the Opacity to about 35. Gently, shade along either side of each seam to add definition. 12. Use the same size brush to add small folds to the fabric where it would be stretched/under pressure.
13. .

Take the tick out of the Swap Mouse box.

Keep the Size as 1, but drop the Opacity to about 20. Add some highlight across the bust and on any folds you want emphasised.

14. Create a new layer, called Lacing, above the layer called Corset. We're adding this as a new layer just in case we mess the lacing up, it won't damage your corset!

Using a dark colour, add your lacing. I have used a squat V shaped pattern, but a cross works as well. Don't be afraid to experiment.

15. If you want, you add add some lace or edging to your corset. I'd advise doing this on a new layer too!
Your corset is finished!
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