Recently, I began to delve deeper into Adobe Fresco, inspired by how flexibly this program combines raster, vector, and live painting. I wanted not just to “test” it, but to really work with it – from organizing the workspace to exporting the finished project.
Setting up the workspace: everything at hand, and nothing extra
First of all, I decided to set up the workspace so as not to get distracted and not waste time. Toolbars, brushes, layers – everything can be dragged, hidden, or fixed.
🎯 Conclusion:
If you, like me, do not like chaos on the screen, customizing the interface in Fresco is a salvation. A couple of minutes, and the interface starts working for you, not against you.
Brushes: pixels, painting, or vector? All at once
Fresco has three types of brushes:
- Pixel Brushes – for traditional painting. Soft, textured, realistic.
- Live Brushes — imitate the behavior of real watercolor and oil paints.
- Vector Brushes — for clear, scalable lines.
🖌️ What I tried:
I drew a portrait using Pixel for the base, Live for fills and highlights, and Vector to add a clear outline. The result is a hybrid of classic and digital techniques. A pleasant surprise — the transition between brush types is seamless.
Illustration from scratch: step by step
I set myself the task of drawing a full-fledged illustration of a character. I started with a pencil sketch, then gradually filled in the color, worked on the lights and shadows, added textures and final touches.
📌 Important:
Layers and masks here work almost like in Photoshop. I used several blending modes — Multiply and Overlay — to add depth.
Advanced techniques: masks and export
I tested masking to carefully work on the light on the face. I also checked how Fresco exports files to different formats — PNG, PSD, PDF. Everything is stable and fast.
🔁 Fact:
Files can be sent directly to Illustrator or Photoshop. This is very convenient if you are finalizing projects at other stages.
What happened: real projects in real work
In the end, I made several projects: a portrait, a character card, and even a logo. Fresco did not let me down. You can not only draw in it — you can work in it.
If you are just starting out, take a look at the article with the basics and examples of projects in Fresco — it helped me structure my work and understand the power of this tool.
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