Photoshop WIPs

figure 1.1 - Sketchlines Showing

figure 1.2 - Sketchlines removed on the somewhat finished parts.

It looks almost as if it was done with chalks...

figure 1.3 - Added hair last night. Wasn't able to finish though.

I also thought of adjusting the colors to something warmer and stronger.

Made some changes to the shadows... I think I like it better now.

After several days of searching thru the net for my tablet drivers I finally brought home one that worked. Obviously I was so excited that I jumped right in. The above is the product of last night's burst of excitement(no not that kind! :P).

The pose is from a black and white photo that I traced in the computer. Admittedly my drawing skills has suffered the most after my extended break(12 years?) from traditional painting. Since the point of the excercise is to get a feel of the digital painting media I just opted to do a quick trace using Photoshop's layers(kinda like tracing paper technique. ;)). I then proceeded to paint in.

By 12:14 a.m. I was too tired to continue work on this and decided to just set it aside for another day. Looking at my unfinished work, I realised the following:

• My brush style needs work. It comes out too gritty than I'd prefer.
• I can paint and sketch more steadily if I keep the button assignment on the pen tip as "left click". Switching it to the 2nd button makes painting unsteady...
• I need to get used to the weight at the top of the pen. (the wire connecting the pen to the tablet adds weight and has a certain pull which interferes with my strokes... hoping for wireless just about now...)
• I need to learn how to blend colors seamlessly...
• The smudge tool is really evil...
• I need to learn when to use the blur tool and how to use it correctly.
• I may have used the wrong color for the shadows. it didn't come out the way it should.
• That I truly needed to sleep...

Linda Bergkvits' tutorials are great help.

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Thursday, Feb 23, 2006

I tried doing hair as it is described in Linda's tutorial. I wasn't able to get into the greater part of the detailing. It involves making lots of tiny strands that follow the flow of the hair... It's gruelling but I have to say that I've never had so much fun painting hair before.

I also decided to test color adjustment. I tested it out on figure 1.3 and the colors came out okay but I don't know if I'll keep it.

One Sunday Afternoon

Nope. That's not the painting. :P You are looking at my look before you leap tool. I use this tiny piece of water color paper to test out my chosen colors. When this piece of paper starts to look harmonized then you'll know you picked the right colors. ;)

I think this piece of paper is proof that I'm still lacking in confidence and mastery of watercolors... I keep having to test out my brush load here before applying it on the paper.

Anyways on to the point of this post. I bought two books around late december to early january last year. It was Winsor & Newton's published books on watercolor landscapes and it's pretty helpful. It offered much insight into specific techniques or howto's on topics such as rocks, skies, mountains, water etc... I promised myself that I would test it out but I had to put that on hold as I've been otherwise preoccupied with... uhm... err... conquering the world. :D What can I say... watching 10,000 legionaires hack away at another 10,000 barbarians... it just brings tears to my eyes. (it saves me money too since I haven't been going out. :D)

Fortunately I realized that this was taking me away from my... ahem... artistic retraining so yesterday I picked up a piece of watercolor paper dipped it in warm water for a minute or so, hung it to dry and when it was stretched I went on to make this:

Lake Scene No. 1

10.7" x 7.2"

watercolors on watercolor paper(340 gsm)

So there's my somewhat successful painting. lolz. I did the excercise advised in the book. Followed his chosen palette and found that for the first time it actually matches the colors that I have in my box. :D

Here are a few things I learned in this excercise:

• Never wear white shirt and shorts when you paint. One way or another the paint ends up on it. :P
• It's possible to finish the painting in around 30 mins to an hour. I just spend so much time walking around, watching TV, eating, doodling and day dreaming in between sections that I end up finishing it in 4 hours. lolz. yep I take the term Leisure Painting to a whole new level.
• Slow moving persons like me have 1 in a million chance in becoming a watercolor master if I don't change... atleast when I'm doing watercolors(hehe...). The timing is critical and my sky is clear evidence. I realise that preparing the colors you will need to paint a section (ex: sky) should be prepared in advance when you're painting wet-in-wet(watercolors... duh!). This becomes even more important if it will be necessary to lift colors at the end.
• I have to remember to fade the colors as it goes farther so that depth is simulated.
• I should use more water when I'm doing a section in which color lifting will be necessary.
• I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. I must face my fear, I must let it pass thru me. When my fear is gone only I shall remain. Oops... got carried away there. :P

That's all folks. Till next painting session. ;)

p.s. first one to find the house gets a kiss from me... you know tiny chocolates from hershey's? yep... just one. :P

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5:14 p.m. - Here's a little something I doodled in Photoshop while waiting for my off. :D

Painted with a mouse... I think I'll have to rest my arm for 7 years. lolz

It looks like crap but atleast I'm discovering new things. I made custom brushes on the fly and used and abused the dodge and burn tools. I think that mountain looks silly... don't get me started on the rest. lolz.

Would it be too much to ask if someone gave me a gift one of these days and when I open the box it turns out to be Corel Painter? Yeah... that would be too much...

Photoshop Test Run

Digital painting world here I come...

This is a test image I did on photoshop. I'm getting interested in going digital. I won't drop my traditional art of course. What I learn in both mediums turn out to be interchangeable.

I think I spent more time trying to find out how to achieve neutralizing the colors than I did painting the damn thing. lolz. The workflow is pretty much the same as dealing with acrylics. You just start with the base colors and work from there.

I miss my ancient tablet. Painting with the mouse sucks like hell...