Marilyn Monroe

Importing Images:

The best way to import an image and it not be blurred or badly damaged is to click File and Place. The original image used to create this photo is a publicity still for the 1953 film Niagara - all rights reserved to the original copyright holder.

Layers:

Double clicking on image enables isolation mode to exit this mode click esc on your keyboard. If you click on the layer and lower the opacity down to 50% of the image, then lock it in order to trace a new layer.

Trace around the face to start with and once you have joined this up you can add anchor points to create softer curves within the face. 

The circle symbol, which appears shows that this would create a closed shape.

Hold down Alt and click on the handle to adjust its position.

Click on the anchor to remove the last curve handle.

Selection tool (objects-groups of objects).

Direct selection tool( handles and anchor points).

When creating two neighbouring cures you can smooth the join by selecting the circle and moving up.

After creating the outline of her face we now begin tracing around the hair.

Once this step has been completed you can trace around the shadow cast below her head (while tracing make the base outlines invisible).

Shadow:

To create the shadow cast underneath her jaw trace around the shaded area as seen on the photograph with the pen tool and then select a light brown colouring which will compliment well against the peach colour used for her skin-tone. Take off the stroke to the tracing and select an appropriate fill colour.

Eyes:

Draw around the dark area of her eyes which indicates she is wearing eyeliner and then invert the foreground and background colours. While tracing around this area be careful not to join up the end anchor point with the beginning anchor point; otherwise the shape required will not be in place.For the eyelashes create a simple curve and then open

the stroke options, add depth to the line by expanding the weight to size 3/4 and then select show options; this opens up more advanced details for the profile of the lash. Change the profile to width profile 4 – this starts off thick, which simulates the look of an eyelash to which we require. While you have the lash selected hold down the Alt key and drag to create a duplicate.

To create the Iris and Pupil:

Hold down the shift key to create a perfect circle and hold down Alt if you want to create it from the middle outwards. Use the Scissors tool to remove unneeded parts of the shape. When using this tool select one point on the path and select a second point, this will bring up a dotted line to denote where the scissors will take away from. Then using the selection tool delete this top half. Create the light highlight within the eye by simply creating an oval like shape. Repeat this first step to create the pupil.

Select all elements of the eye and go to object in the menu bar and select group. While holding down alt drag this across and then use the reflect tool to create the left-hand side eye. You may need to alter the angle of the eye and the pupil in order to achieve a realistic look.

Defining the Hair: 

You can go back to the original image and trace over this to get a shape you want to use to shape Marilyn Monroe’s curls. The easiest way to do this is by creating another art-board and while holding down alt(to duplicate) drag the original image to the new board alternatively if you prefer to do this step traditionally simply print off the image and use tracing paper to practise.

For her nose simply create curved lines to imply the curvature of her features(you don’t need to draw the whole nose and if you were to do so this may look very odd when using fill or outline.

For the beauty spot simply create a small black circle.

Follow the same steps mentioned above. Though this time after filling the shapes in with colour we can then add some black stroke lines individually onto the top of the lip to give definition.

For her eyebrows we have crated two simple curved lines and then altered the profile style to width profile 4 and then applied a curved cap as to soften the thick end of the brow.