Robert's sketches
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Hello again. Here are some studies I have done recently. I am still not happy with the technique I have been using. Normally I will block in the colours, which is all fine and good, but then for the rest of the time, trying to refine it, it become a gigantic mess and is quite difficult to finalize anything. :/
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what are you having trouble refining? I think some of your problem is you are blending wrong colors into each other, which always looks bad. if you are more careful to put down more hues, as hues will shift A LOT as the roll around form [you have your local color, then shift from primary ligh source, environment light source, subsurface scattering, radiosity etc] Especially with this reference, you can really see the saturation at the edge of those really dark shadows where the form is rolling. On skin especially due to subsurface scattering, you're going to be a sliver of saturation on the edge of shadows of rolling forms.
something I find really useful on color studies, is if you are having trouble finding the right color, make a new layer on your reference image, and try to paint the color down on top of that color, as far as cheating goes it's probably only 1 step above using the eye dropper... but it will allow you to see just how far off u are, and WHY u are off. and I think it's like baby steps, to being able to see colors better...try not to depend on it, but when you are really just having a HARD time finding that color...it can really help without making you feel like you are *completely* cheating...
anyway, I'm not sure how coherent this post is, because I've been up for just over 2 days now making sure I'm meeting all my deadlines. But I think the important thing to take away from this is if the colors you are laying down aren't blending into each other well,I have found it is very often because you need to add another color/hue between them. Real life has MANY MANY hue shifts. -
Hi texahol, thanks for the insight. :)
I think I understand what you mean, that say on the leg, it goes from a pink to a brown and finally to the shadow, whereas mine doesn't have that range of colour? -
basically yes, you are trying to use too few colors to describe the form...as well as your hues are off in quite a few places...a bit too desaturated overall.
i think it's explained pretty well here, tho a bit generalized? http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm#skin_tones -
nice suggestions texahol, especially second point, get as close as possible to the reference picture's color, that will train your eye, I don't want to go to too intercultural to me the points of painting from reference and something you need to take care are
1, get as closer as you can to the reference's color, in general not in detail, the value you have are around mid tone in the background, also you are lack of cold color, that girl skin tone need to have more cold red, need to have more cold color in mid ground too
2, please use big brushes to define the form first, without the form defined details are useless, you seem look at detail too much instead of form
3, edges control, all edges on yours are similar
4, please get the post right and observe the realistic believable way how human react to the environment, her chest is pointing up and he weight is leaning to her right leg
this is a nice photo so I can't stop do another one myself
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Thanks Herman, yours looks great :)
In this one, I tried to pay more attention to edges and used bigger brushes to start with. Tomorrow ill try colour again keeping in mind what you pointed out.
Texahol
Thanks for that link. It's gonna take a while to absorb all that info :)
anyway here is my greyscale attempt.
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Hey Rob!
I think with master studies it really helps to try and get the proportions and shapes exact to the original. Try using plumb lines as a means to check your proportions. This is going to help you get the values right as it's going to be easier for your eye to compare the two paintings. With Sargent, pay attention to his brush strokes, your study looks a bit muddy since you won't careful with your brush strokes. I posted an article in the break area ( http://www.dreamgauge.com/forums/discussion/7/recommended-art-booksreading-thread/#Item_5 ) which is notes on how Sargent worked, I think this will help you with your future studies.
Also personally I think Sargent is really best to study in full colour, his colour is really magnificent!
:orange:! -
Hey Rayk,
Next portrait I'll do ill make sure to use a grid to get it exact, if that is what you mean by plumb lines. I read the Sargent notes but it still doesn't make a great deal of sense to me yet :/. Anyway thanks, I will be sure to keep as much as i can in mind for the next one :)
But here is a work in progress, was sick of doing people allllll the time so I'm attempting an animal. I am a little lost at the moment as how to proceed next. But here is what I have so far+ ref.
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that's a really hard reference image to use for value studies. As you can see it's a very diffuse light source, which is from the haze. When the haze cuts out the sun, your light source is the entire sky... which is a very big generic light source, and will break down readability of form.
Secondly, it looks to me like the photo has been post-processed with some light photoshop/darkroom [or could just be a bad exposure] The values are blown out, especially on that large elk.
I think one of the most important things when looking for reference for value studies is making sure that you have a strong defined light source, and a full range of value in the image. Master studies are good because the old masters will almost always meet those requirements. -
texahol:that's a really hard reference image to use for value studies. As you can see it's a very diffuse light source, which is from the haze. When the haze cuts out the sun, your light source is the entire sky... which is a very big generic light source, and will break down readability of form.
Secondly, it looks to me like the photo has been post-processed with some light photoshop/darkroom [or could just be a bad exposure] The values are blown out, especially on that large elk.
I think one of the most important things when looking for reference for value studies is making sure that you have a strong defined light source, and a full range of value in the image. Master studies are good because the old masters will almost always meet those requirements. -
Arg, I agree with both of you, so i stopped that one, Going to do some from the reference section :) And I think ill get stuck into some master studies now thanks to Herman explaining how plumb lines work >___<
But anyway, here is some studies from hogarth, I wasn't being that careful with them as i was just doing them as quick as I could to refresh the rules in my mind. I also usually don't draw hogarth studies on the computer but I thought I would this time to show the sort of thing I do in pencil till I get a scanner.
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nice studies man, keep going with them :)
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Thanks Peter
Here is a study I started, not so sure now if it was the best choice looking at it now. Everything about painting it is confusing me. I've started over a few times now, but I thought I would post it as it is for tonight.
I was shown this procedure but it seems like a 3d render rather than a real painting.
http://adamscreation.blogspot.com/2009/08/its-depressing-being-second-tier-street.html
So is it best to block in say, the mid range colours, then shadows, and finally lights? I need some sort of procedure so its not just a big mess of splotches.
:/
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hi mate, here is same as I told to rayk, wrong negative shapes ;) watch carefully and in my opinion the figure from the ref has longer and thinner legs than your
cya! -
Also to add to peter, check the size of the head! The head in your one looks a bit too big, try using plumb lines to cross check to make sure you got the size right.
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Hi Peter and rayk,
I see what you guys mean, I was using plumb lines while I was drawing, obviously not enough. Anyway, I tried adjusting this one last night and attempted blocking in the colours while zoomed out as far as I was able.
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Hi Robert. Peter and Rayk pretty much summed it up, but I thought I'd post a mark-up I did to show you how close you are. You only need to make minor tweaks. The overall height is just about spot on so it's just what's in between :smile:
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Thanks AlstonInk, ill fix that one when i get back to it :)
Here are a couple I did keeping zoomed out as far as I could.
And a building from a couple of days ago. And yes I know the perspective is fucked :)
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more attempts, the value is wrong though as herman pointed out, and the colour, and everything pretty much so I will do a new one.
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I am agree about the values and want to add that the head construction is little bit wrong look for example the nose yours is too long and thin and your face in overall is longer than the ref one ;) keep working on it! cya!!!
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i think the ice blog one you have some improvement, time to take care the edges, and really push what you think is cool and throw away what is not, try to push your audience to look at a spot, I paint one to show what i mean also i add some thing just for fun hope your don't mind
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