threw together a quick guide for @lifeofblink and anyone else who may wanna see how I render lips! note that I didn’t use a reference and I am by no means a professional so use that as you will!
1) I use black lineart on a layer set to overlay so it corresponds with whatever color is underneath. I color on a separate layer below the lineart!
2) I set my brush to vivid as a fast way to find a warm tone for lips. In general, when I paint faces, I use this method for warm tones on the mouth, cheeks and nose.
3) This may be a general tip but since I primarily paint darker skin tones, I make the upper lip darker and add a paler pink to the bottom one. I pick the darker tone from the lineart, since that’s now a darker red. I make sure to use a soft brush to blend the bottom lip.
4) Here I refined the shape more and added deeper shadows. I also sometimes add lines for a bit of realism on the bottom lip, but not always. I toned down the pink a little using the base skin tone.
5) I used a mostly hard brush for highlights to contrast the soft blending on the bottom lip. The finishing touch for making plump and inviting lips!
This can be expanded on when using photos for reference and something I should revisit. I hope this helps!


















