Learning a New Art Style?

Kuneko

Hi,

I'm interested in developing my texturing skills. I'd like to learn how to paint something similar to this character from darkhorse.com. It's unlike anything I have ever tried to do before so I really don't know where to begin. Could anyone help me with this art style? Where would I get started?

Gannon

Pick a piece and do a study or two. Just try to replicate the forms and colors.

Kuneko

Thank you for the reply

I tried this morning, spent just over an hour in Photoshop:



Last image is the original. I painted over it for my attempt...

I like the sketched effect of the original. Mine seems almost blurry in comparison. I realize that I'm not very good at this but are there any particular techniques I could practice to improve? This is something that I really want to learn

AimBiZ

To get into that style it would help a lot to think about the process behind it. The original is based on a tight drawing but you tried to replicate it by just using tone. Technique informs style a lot.

Kuneko

Well, that's why I am here. I would like to learn the process and techniques needed to create such artwork. I really have no idea what I am doing. What would you call this style of art, what techniques are used to create it?

moose

Kuneko wrote: »

... I really have no idea what I am doing. What would you call this style of art, what techniques are used to create it?

Welcome to the club

i would worry less about what the style is called or how much/how little time you spend on something, and the process behind it as AimBiz mentions.

The techniques i can see: a well done, tight drawing, then colored, a similar workflow to comics, probably. From the values on the skin, it looks like a solid color base was filled in to define the areas, shadow was added as a darker version of that same hue, and lighter areas were color dodged/added in to get highlights. It doesn't look like a lot of work went into refining the linework after colors were done (or before), giving it a cool rough/rugged look. The darker areas under the pecs are likely a result of the line drawing. I'd guess the colors were done on a layer above the drawing, as opposed to the drawing being the top-most layer on multiply... but its impossible to really know until you experiment (like you did!).

In your step by step, will be straight forward, but may be like you're trying too hard. The 2nd step looks great, then the next few get a little "muddy" and soft compared to the original. In your second step, it looks like you were putting blocks and blobs of value down to shape, but you weren't over-working those values. I would try starting with a brighter base, and putting the shadows and highlights in similar to your 2nd step, after you are set on a base color by doing less smudging/blending of the colors.

There are benefits to starting dark and "building up," but you may also find starting with a color and adding shaodows and highlights will allow you to see the form earlier, making it so you do less exploration and "sculpting" with value.

Ssjtroll

To start off this is a good first shot, but the one you are trying to mimic has a much finer detail. The attempt you did looks unfinished and blurry. But that doesn't mean stop with it , make sure to use a smaller brush for those blacks. Also with no feather and that will help with some of the blurry result you are getting. So just pile on some more layers, just keep getting more precise detail.


Also watch some of your values, If you are having troubles seeing if you are going to light or to dark is just put the images side by side and squint at them.

Keep up the good work!

Kuneko

Thank you both for the replies I will try out your suggestions

BTW I only mentioned that I spent an hour on it because it was only an hour. I can see that my technique is lacking so I didn't see the point of spending any longer on it. It's nice to experiment and all but I really have no idea. I'm also without a graphics tablet for now so mouse only

Also with no feather and that will help with some of the blurry result you are getting

Do you mean the hardness setting of the brush? I only used one of the basic round brushes for this. Are there any PS brushes particularly suited to this kind of painting?

moose

word, wasn't meant as a criticism, its something i like to keep in my head when trying something new and wanted to mention it. The first few things you do should be about the experimentation, but you already know that

basic round brushes are fine, i also like to use a square brush that is feathered at the top & bottom, set to rotate on stroke direction too.

Saigo

Kuneko wrote: »

I'm also without a graphics tablet for now so mouse only

Wow, I can't even imagine drawing anything like that with a mouse.
Anyway, the guy that drew it has a deviantart with many pics in similar style and some comments on how he made them, you should check it out if you haven't already:
http://andybrase.deviantart.com/
mostly he's using a pencil. Not sure if he colored the one you posted, or just pencilled it too.

Gannon

Haha, you look like you're headed in the right direction. Moose nailed it in his critique and just to re-affirm what he said about learning new art styles -

We all don't really know what's goin on, it's up to us as artists to try new things on our own to develop and create new workflows to replicate things we see. There's no "make popular art style" booklet persay. So just take a shot and see where you work falls and then compare the two and make adjustments

Ssjtroll

Yes the hardness on the brush is what I was referring to. Also Moose hit the nail on the head.

katana

Were I to do that style, i would approach it from the point of view as a watercolorist....translucent layers built up from light to darks...there is no 'white' used as this is color of the paper.

Also I have a watercolor brush on my DA page with instructions that might help as well.

Kuneko

I appreciate all the comments, thank you

I had another go yesterday but messed up my layers at some point so decided to stop. Anyway, it was starting to get blurry again, I think because of using the mouse I'm making 3 layers for the colours, one for the base and then one each for the highlights and shadows. I made a quick tracing of the line work with a 1px brush to see how that would work out.



Anyway, I went shopping this morning for a new graphics tablet. The best I could afford was a wacom bamboo. I know it's not the absolute best but it's way better than my old one, a Lapazz something that broke last week. I shall get it setup and play with it this afternoon

Saigo, thanks for the link. I haven't seen anything else by the same artist before. Really nice drawings on there, almost depressing that I can barely manage stick figures.

Katana, I had a look at your DA page but I can't see your watercolor brush or instructions. Could you link to where I am supposed to be looking, please?

Kuneko

Katana, I checked again. Found it, thank you Sorry, not used to DA layout. I'll try it later...