Sketches/WiP/Critique

Re: PIECE #2

Graive — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:06:04 GMT

Interesting... The first pic reminds me of Scarlet Johanson... Intentional? :P Was she holding a can of genuine draft?

Re: PIECE #2

DanLambert — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:44:15 GMT

Honestly I would advice against using the swords as your main light source, especially as you said yourself; you don't have a clue what your doing. It is so incredibly difficult to do something like that properly, you need such a masterful knowledge of forms and the way light behaves, and in all honesty I don't think you are ready to do it well; very few people can (I know for a fact I certainly can't). I would suggest using a broader light from a top corner and using the glowing swords as secondary lights to introduce some interesting colour, and help describe the forms better. They will also help with subtly defining things in the very dark areas. I'm looking at it and imagining the light coming from behind her so that her front and face are almost completely in shadow. Then the red sword throws up some illumination and it's creating a cool backlighting effect on her hair, while the green sword is subtly illuminating her face from below, as well as the forms on her torso which you've already begun to do.

Also maybe try working greyscale for now until you have your values down, before you start worrying about colour. Do a few quick paintovers of a few different lighting scenarios and decide which one you think is working best.

I want to say pleeease don't think I'm picking on you. I admire the kind of scenarios and scenes your trying to create, and that your thinking about the lighting and the whole image as oppose to just a character. I'm just trying to make sure you don't try to run before you walk as you clearly have the skills to create great images!

Peace!

Dan

Re: PIECE #2

demajen — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:39:56 GMT

Update #2. Haven't had much in the way of time or inspiration to do more on this over the last few days. Plus painting bright light on dark backgrounds screws with my eyes quickly.

Working on the sword in the foreground. Once I get the amount of glow generated right, I figure I can add in the background highlights and stuff with proper intensity. Guesswork mind you. Haven't actually got a clue what I'm doing this time. >_<

PIECE #2

demajen — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:09:20 GMT

So building on what has been said, for my second piece revisitation I decided to look at one where I can play and muck about with lighting a lot. Chosen a piece from 2003 this time. Here's the original. Beware. Its shocking!!

This was before my days of Painter. It hurts me just to look at it, but anyways. I figured I could play around with the lights in this and just use the two swords as light sources. Unfortunately I couldn't find the original PSD file, but I did manage to find what might be the original scan, so here's WIP #1 on it.

Very rough so far, but I'm not used to this directional lighting stuff (all my pieces tend to be ambient-centric), so I'd like some constructive crit as I go along if possible ^__^

Fire away!!!!

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:42:37 GMT

Thanks matey ^_^

Had a chance to do some final tweaks on the picture today. Rejigged the lighting a bit, did a bit more detail work on bits and pieces, redid her one eye which -- while accurate to the reference -- didn't look right on the canvas, and generally mucked about :D

All in all, am pretty pleased with this now. Next time I may as well start the piece entirely again from the pencil sketch rather than working over the old PSD file, as I think I probably spent a good 7 or so hours fixing stuff from my first attempt, but nevermind!

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

fabledgoat — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:59:56 GMT

definitely substantial improvement between those two.

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:25:03 GMT

The original version of the painting from 2004 had a frontal light source but no actual background at all, so it wasn't something I thought about (and to be honest, it rarely is something I think about - most of the scenarios I paint are full of copious ambient lighting anyways).

Perhaps the god rays in the background are too bright, or perhaps I should dapple some sunlight on various bits of her body... either way I imagine her under the boughs of a fairly light tree.

Good catch with the god rays actually... I'd completely forgotten that I added those in separately, and they definitely don't match up with the lighting on the tree. Might flip them over and have them coming from the other side, which would make the darker area of the tree more natural.

I should probably make her skin glow a bit more: might try a few soft light/adjustment layers to give her that slightly ethereal lighting bloom effect. She is a sidhe queen after all. Will probably also do some work on the crystal - and yeah, that wrist, good spot again! - to make it look a bit glassier.

Either way it definitely looks better than the original version xD

Wish I could say I'm proud of my skill advancement, but there are people around here who've been painting for far less time than me who are far better than I.

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

DanLambert — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:09:54 GMT

It's looking good man, and the pose is much more natural now. Although that wrist holding the crystal is looking a bit wide. Also I think the speculars and contrast on the crystal would be much more extreme.

However lighting should be one of your first concerns, so when you suddenly throw in a completely new environment and lightsource it's going to be difficult. The new environment suggests a strong summers day lighting, slightly behind her. That would mean that she would be predominantly in shadow, whereas the lighting you actually have on her is from above and in front of her, and also no where near as strong. Also adding all that new lighting colour and green everywhere should have a big affect on her skin colour. Also the tree doesn't seem to fit either, the lighting looks to be in the wrong place to the background. These elements are making the image look cut and pasted together, as oppose to all being part of one.

But It sounds like your pretty much done with this one now, so for the next one, try to get a clearer idea before you begin. Maybe do a colour study sketch before hand.

I meant to say before, the rendering on the face is great, and I really like the details and drapery on the cloth.

Peace!

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

fabledgoat — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:41 GMT

there we go. looking much better now.

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:42:43 GMT

Almost done I think. Already spent a good 20 hours or so longer on this than I planned too >_<

I dunno if I should work more on the hair or not. Pretty pleased with its vagueness right now, but will see how I feel at the weekend when I have more time.

Anything you lovely arty types can point out/critique for moi?

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

fabledgoat — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:14:07 GMT

looking much better with the new background. skin still seems off though as the top portion of her has deeper shadows than any other place on her body.

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:10:41 GMT

Quick update. Decided to change the background after I saw a nice sunny photo and figured it was more summery. This also gives me a chance to give a really ethereal feel to the picture, as well as to experiment with some rim-lighting which I've never used before (though frequently should have). Obivously I need to blend everything in to the new, much more saturated, background, but that's half the fun, right? >_>

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:46:00 GMT

Spent a couple of hours on this today sorting out anatomical issues et cetera. Quite a hard slog for a picture that was supposed to be a quick touch-up and improve. Got carried away.

Changes made:-

Skirt shortened. Waistline altered. Her left hip curved more. Her right arm completely changed. Her left arm tanned up slightly. Darkness around her face and jaw toned back a bit.

Is it generally looking like a better, more natural pose now?

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

demajen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:49:49 GMT

bubs:
Her left eye doesn't have the roundness of her right which is also making it look larger. I think the problem with the hand holding the crystal is it's looking off compared to where the wrist is, kinda like she's holding a can of coke for an advert (ie awkward position just to show product rather than holding something naturally) i tried to find a reference but this was the best i could find, i think something along these lines would work better but obviously slightly more open for a bigger crystal

Heehee as it turns out, I found the original reference pic, and she's actually holding a can of what looks like really cheap lager, so that's what I was working with.

And then I got reference of me holding a Pringles tube, which I think is equally naff >_<

Yeah the more relaxed grip looks better, and I definitely need to even out the arms. In a way I agree with Kazky - the original arms looked pretty good, but that's 'cause they were kinda thrust into pockets. While I know skirts like this can have pockets, it looked...I dunno...

Either way, I have both positions saved should I change my mind (again).

And yeah Fabled, the darkness round her face is a bit weird, because I didn't actually paint it that dark. Must be a result of the overlay layers I hadn't noticed. When I recover from this horrid flu I'll work on this a bit more. Thanks for all your input ladies and gents. Much appreciated! ^_^

Re: Revisting an Old Piece

kazky — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:47:07 GMT

can i really throw a spanner in the works & say i much preferred her left arm in the original position.