Like MasterBlaster, I use Rhino to create 2D curves because the tools are simply awesome, quick and precised. It gives me all the accuracy, such as radius and curve profiles. A few days ago I had to create quite a few icons and I did it really quick in Rhino instead of illustrator. It also helps to put things in scale. I will basically create the curves to prep it for rendering, save it as ai file then copy and paste onto photoshop for photo realistic orthographic view renderings. I don’t really want to show any example now cus most of them are for work.
For renderings that involve perspective, I haven’t had to do many of them, but I was lucky enough to attend a Scott Robertson workshop years ago. His tricks still stuck in my mind. I create paths and render all in photoshop. Not a big tablet user, so mouse works fine for me. This one was for fun.
For this particular rendering, I didn’t plan anything. I started creating the body of the “thing”, then thought I should give it a cockpit and wings, then a propeller, and realized that it became a plane. so I didn’t even have an underlay for it.
Most of the tools I used are path tool, fill, dodge and burn and of course, air brush. I used the distort tool to create reflections of the ground onto the underside of the body. I used spin blur to make the props, then squeeze it to make it look like a side perspective. Otherwise, there’s no filter applied. All of the high lights and parting lines are stroked path with airbrush just like how you would do with traditional mediums. I didn’t use the emboss tool, they tend to look fake. I do use them for work for the sake of future changes.