Holy crap..I can't stop drooling over this workshop in Issue 41. I've see Marta's workshops since the beginning of time and have always been a fan, but this one was so astounding from the tips on color choices to the "always hard for me black socket for eyes start" tip. And the fact it spanned 6 pages without being trimmed to less left me wanting more.

Then I saw it said "Part One"

*faints

I can't wait for the next part either! I think it'll be even better, and that's saying a lot.

*sigh* what can I say, it always is so much pleasure to hear you like my tuts... But well, to be honest, (crap!) you made me all stressed out now, I hope I won't disappoint you! The second tutorial was very challenging to prepare and is quite different from the first due to its nature but I hope it will be an interesting read. :)

Ooooh I should get my issue soon i can't wait!

Has someone picked Neeko up off the floor yet? lol

Adrasteia:

Ooooh I should get my issue soon i can't wait!

Has someone picked Neeko up off the floor yet? lol

No, wait,...I like it down here. It's nice and cool.

I agree with everything that has been said, i especially love your reference to thinking in 3D is really helps to think in form this makes the brush strokes go in the right way.

thanks heaps 

*joins neeko on the floor* - what a great tutorial, I'm surprised it left neeko weak in the knees!

Well I am now armed with my magazine (and back issues with Marta's tutorials in), some good music and there are chocolate brownies in the oven.....let the highlighting, skin tone, facial structure, wavy hair etc commence!

Nem

Hey Marta i have a question if you're around? (i know you'll drop in sometime) do you use models or refs for your images? i've just watched your video (again) and you already know how much i love them, but the faces you paint are so stunning, i just wondered if they were from your head?

I'm sure you are going to say 'no refs' at this point & depress me! lol

Can't wait for the second installment of the face painting tutorial!

Hey dear,

Sure thing I'm around,  I tend to lurk on these forums a lot! As for refs, it really depends: If by reference you mean something I look on and copy, then not really. However, when I see something inspiring or useful, lets say a cool facial feature, a nice composition or perfect anatomy shot, I tend to save the image on my harddrive for later. I think it is a wonderful thing to have such a folder of inspiration/educational shots at hand when your creative juices stop flowing.

As for videos themselves, I always do some preparation sketches beforehand so they look cleaner: For example, for the Face painting pt I workshop, I've done some messy sketches of eyes and lips (around 10 total) at first, and then decided what it is that I want to paint real-time on the video. I am not really comfortable with improvisation and prefer to define what it is that I am aiming for as soon as I can.

As for other references, I used to pose myself in front of a mirror, but since it was way too annoying to jump between my mirror and computer every 5 minutes, I use my mom to pose instead. :P

Adrasteia:

lol that's ok I've got plenty of cake to go around - and unlike Nickillus I won't feed it to you via catapults lol
Nem

Woah, woah woah. When did we get cake in here?