1. I start with a neutral background. I like working with neutral backgrounds because it allows you to see color and shading better than working on a plain white background.

2. My original sketch, if done in pencil, will be scanned and pasted in it's own Photoshop layer at the top of my stack of layers.

3. This allows me to change the sketch layer setting to "Multiply" so I can see through it to color and paint in another layer underneath.

4. I then create another layer *between* the sketch layer and the background. In that layer, I'll fill in the areas of skin with a generic fleshtone as a base to build my shading on. I will also rough fill the base hair color so I can use it to compare fleshtones with as I work. I will use this layer primarily to build up a good foundation of shading and coloring.

5. Much of the fleshtone shading I do is with the dodge and burn tools. I use a pressure-sensitive Wacom Intuos tablet, which I recommend to all digital artists. The dodge and burn exposure setting is very low (10-15%), and I will select the box to vary the exposure. The colored bar above shows how 6 tools used on the base generic fleshtone will look, built up gently. Left to right are the Dodge tool set at Shadows, then Midtones, then Highlights, and the Burn tool set at Shadows, then Midtones, then Highlights. You can try this experiment yourself for practice.

6. I also use the Airbrush tool to build up color over my base colors. These are my Airbrush settings: 70% Pressure and I select the box to vary the pressure. Again, I use a very light hand with my pressure sensitive tablet. In the colored bar above, I've built up some fleshtones gradually over black and white stripes so you can get an idea how translucent the color goes on as I work.