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  • #459802
    dlambson
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        Hello..my apologies for not visiting this forum more often. It would be really nice if there were more activity here, but obviously that only happens if people visit more often!! :) I’ll try to do better.

        I’m fairly new to digital art..I’m tackling a scene that I’m beginning to feel is beyond my skill level. I feel like I’m at a loss this afternoon where to go further with this..I know I need to tighten detail on the scales and the background..I guess I’m just not really sure about HOW to do that. I would appreciate some direction and critiquing from a more experienced eye.

        Another question..I hate working with that murky gray background, but almost every tutorial suggests it. Does anyone here work a different way?

        Deborah

        A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

        #667774

        To me, the background seems unfinished. The figure seems to float above the surface.

        Doug


        We must leave our mark on this world

        #667784
        anchopancho
        Default

            Hi Deborah,

            please do not despair. I can understand your problems well, but they can not be solved at once. We say here in Europe “Rome was not built in a day” :-)

            It’s the same with painting. Everything needs time and practise. I am prof. Juggler/Sircusartist and we talk about “hours and hours of frustration” but we do not capitulate :-)

            At first, it does not matter if you’re digital or traditional. The crucial things are a certain know-how how to approach a picture.

            You are already on the right path. You work from rough to fine. At the beginning is a good and strong drawing, then details are far from important, you block the basic colors.
            Soon there will be an important work, which comes far before the details, light and shadow. This is determined roughly by light and dark tones, and
            how the figures become more plastic and three-dimensional.
            It does not matter so much whether you make the background at the beginning or the end.
            Digital you can work mostly as in Photoshop with “layers”.

            Do not be overly distracted by technical issues like program details.
            The goal is to “paint”!

            If you want to see how I act, I have on my website too
            in the digital works, the “WIPs” with set. It’s not about being a poaster, it’s about showing you how a way can be, it’s my way, it’s close to
            “normal” way off and you can see something the individual steps.

            Look here (hope, that is allowed to post the link).

            A good teacher online is Aaron Blaise. He was Artdirector at Disney and he knows very well to draw and paint digital and traditional. On his youtub Chanel you can find tons of tutorials!

            #667778
            dlambson
            Default

                I’ll work on the shadows. Thank you Doug..I know Ive yet to complete I just am a little lost and figuratively threw the brush down. 😬 Thank you Ancho for the in depth guidance and examples. Values and shadows, yes.
                The background is not in my minds eye yet so that is not helping..

                Deborah

                A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

                #667785
                anchopancho
                Default

                    There is a great digital artist in Singapore, named Dong Jun Lu.

                    This pic from his gumroad workshop is very similar in the composing point of view to your concept. Maybe you can extract some Knowledge comparing
                    Light and Shadow and going forward to paint in that tonal values in your pic.

                    #667783
                    floblue
                    Default

                        I’m sorry I can’t help you much. I am pretty new to digital art also. I have photoshop and some of the other programs but I found that working in Procreate on an iPad Pro is super simple. I also use Affinity photo and Affinity designer. They are a one time purchase.

                        #667779
                        dlambson
                        Default

                            That’s wonderful similar artwork Ancho..I will study that.
                            I use photoshop CC and a cintique Flo..lots and lots to learn but I love it. Thank you for your input!

                            Deborah

                            A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

                            #667786
                            anchopancho
                            Default

                                @Deorah

                                glad to help you. at any level of skill as painters we are on the same long way.
                                Help is nice but we have to walk any step of this way with own feet, making own experience and trying to reach own skills. on this way we feel sometimes
                                lost and alone. But look. Everybody is on the same way :-)

                                I can tell you some experience about using photoshop and tablets. If I work
                                on a tutorial with procreate, to me it seems very similar, in the main direcction the same.

                                Real difference you´ll find in the fine motorics and eye/hand coordination with
                                the tablets. I have bought once a cintique companion with own windows and
                                immediately I got very very lucky with that. If you have possibility in a
                                shop-exhibition try it out. There is so huge difference when it comes to
                                drawing or painting. In drawing with digital pencil you will find very fast
                                the big advantage of a special painting-tablet!

                                #667775

                                Looking great so far! With digital there are many ways of doing things, you have to find the techniques that suit you best.

                                Having a grey background helps with judging values and colours.

                                Is this your usual sort of subject? You might like the fantasy/scifi forum. It’s quiet there too, we could use more members.

                                C&C always welcome. Michelle

                                mkmcreations.com
                                Every painting is a new adventure.

                                #667780
                                dlambson
                                Default

                                    Thanks so much Michelle..no, this is not my usual subject but I had lots of fun going there. I’ve downloaded some fantasy art magazines but they’re loaded with dark fantasy..so that must be the thing. I did enjoy this though, so you might see more of me in the fantasy forum. 😀

                                    Deborah

                                    A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

                                    #667781
                                    dlambson
                                    Default

                                        I thought I’d post the finished result. Of course, I can see where there could be massive improvement but honestly Im dead sick of it. :lol: I’ll try to remember what Ive learned for the next one and do better.
                                        Thanks again for the guidance @Anchopancho @LavenderFrost @floblue @Yorky Much appreciated!

                                        Now that I look at it here, maybe I don’t have enough of a foreground showing in this closer crop. ??

                                        Deborah

                                        A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

                                        #667776

                                        Looks great and I think the crop is fine. I understand wanting to be done with something. Funny thing, I usually work with acrylic or digital, and my digital paintings tend to take a lot longer.

                                        C&C always welcome. Michelle

                                        mkmcreations.com
                                        Every painting is a new adventure.

                                        #667782
                                        dlambson
                                        Default

                                            Oh glad that’s not just me Michelle..May be it’s because there are so many options and you can go back and forth and muck about with different ideas using layers. Whereas, traditional medium for the most part once you lay it down you’re somewhat committed. I paint in watercolor as well, so especially that medium..so locked in. I love the freedom of digital methods and the unending possibilities…its so wild. I’m just beginning but am really enjoying. I fussed with this one some more and extended a wee bit in the front so there’s a tad more foreground.
                                            btw, my mother grew up in Killarney, Ma..Pleasant Valley. :-) Beautiful province.

                                            Deborah

                                            A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything. :Irish Proverb

                                            #667777

                                            Yeah, I think that’s the problem, you can keep undoing things but with real media you just have to move on.

                                            I’ve heard of Killarney but never been there.

                                            C&C always welcome. Michelle

                                            mkmcreations.com
                                            Every painting is a new adventure.

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