This tutorial was made in PSP7 but can be used for other similar paint programs that support layers and some sort of lighten/darken tools!
What we are making:
Base
Step 1: Prepare your base and draw your dress. You can either choose one color OR you can choose a main color and lighter to darker shades of that color. I always use just one color and use my tools for all my shading. *If you choose more than one color you will need to shade your dress before moving on to the next step.*
Step 2: Grab your retouch tool. Set it to darken. You can choose your own settings (which I recommend) or you can set them as I do. What you will need to do is to draw all the creases shadows and folds on the dress with the darken tool. My settings:
My Dress:
Step 3: Now we need to work on making the bottom look 3D or more like a real dress with folds. Like the skirt is hanging. We are still using the darken tool. You need to run it along the bottom of the skirt only where it is the shortest part of the hemline is though.
What it should look like now:
Good. Now you should run it up in a line to make the dress look as if it is gathering. As you go up toward her head you need to make it a bit lighter....like this:
Ok, I know what you are thinking. It doesn't look good...well, there is plenty more we need to do.
Step 4: Now switch to lighten...my settings are:
Use the tool to draw a bright line up toward her head from the longest part of the hemline...while you are at it highlight the entire dress a small bit and extra highlight under the creases we made earlier. This is what the dress should look like now:
Step 5: Use your selection tool and select the entire dress. Once you have the dress selected you need to go to effects/blur/soften. Now you need to do the lighten and darken once more.
Congrats you have now made a dress that looks gathered. You can use this technique for many other things. It is a fabulous technique!!!