Before we start on tutoring a living being, let’s start with cars first. If you ask me why, because cars aren’t so curvy like our body. You will find plenty of basic shapes. Well, to be honest with you, I’d rather learn it slowly. Okay then, start your Photoshop™, buddy!

Well, what’s for start? An image of a car, of course!

Then you should decide where to work first! I prefer working on the rear tire first, no reason. Then I start with something complicated from the rear tire such as this axis:

Here is an example, all you have to do is break those colors into shapes. Just like the picture shows. If you see black shadow, make it shape. If you see blue metals, make it shape. Just as simple and as dilligent as that! Wow, do vector artists waste time like this? Of course, not! You can learn useful shortcut keys that will make you work as fast as clerks in the cash register machine. You need to be fast, don’t always switch tools with mouse. Even tough you score the fastest clickers in DoTA, your other hand always stick on the keyboard.

Sample shortcuts with PEN TOOLS:
SPACE = to switch between any tools with HAND tools. It is useful when you wanted to use hand tools to drag your workspace while quickly switch to the previous tool if you are done dragging.
SHIFT+CLICK = You can select points
CTRL+DRAG on point(s) = To move point(s) as it was selected
CTRL+ALT+DRAG = To duplicate a vector shape by dragging them
CTRL+DRAG on curve = to make perfect simmetrical curve

From the picture, you may know that I used blending options on some shapes. Those are: OUTERGLOW on some highlights shapes, also to make shadows effect by using darker color to glow. I also used GRADIENT OVERLAY, yup, too lazy to draw multiple shapes that look like gradients.

After few repetation on the other objects, then the rear tire is done! One thing is that you don’t have to be precise if you only draw it for 1024 x 768 screens. But if you want to print it, you must have attention to details. Misprinted shapes are often happens if you lack of attention. To prevent this, always check in higher resolution, 300 pixels/inch is the standard for any prints.

If you learn how I work from the previous pictures, then I tell you those shapes are classified into many groups. I classified the tire components by the size. It ease me if I suddenly want to change a shape, because I don’t have to browse each of the hundreds shape for it.

That’s the drill. Now, make the shapes for each of the parts. Front tire, body, and the ferrari logo. The result will be like this:

Here are my tips:

1. Attention to details, if you see the color of one part is different, make another shape! Make every shapes for every color.
2. Make every shape count! Group your shapes as you progress to other part of the picture
3. Avoid using too many blending options, it won’t look like vector image anymore
4. Don’t be too stingy with your file size, rasterizing can save space but it can’t be edited anymore
5. If your computer can’t handles big shapes, minimize the whole picture resolutions (you will find it difficult for some details, though)
6. Always save for every shape you made! Photoshop don’t support file recovery.
7. Set the Undo actions higher for better editing. Make it from Edit>Preference>History State
8. Don’t forget to eat! Tell someone to remind you, otherwise you’ll be sitting duck, afraid of losing the mood if you step out
9. Always keep your health up by doing a little stretching exercises

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