Daily Exercise: from paper to computer

thnom

For a while I've felt I haven't been able to draw on the computer. Can't beat a pencil and paper, but rogue suggested I try copy, or even trace a character from paper to the computer as an exercise.

This is the result, I didn't trace the paper character (I would get it on the comp if I had a scanner), I drew from what was in front of me. Although originally the character had stylised hair (with like triangle segments like in ice-age) when it came to the pc, I didn't really like it.

The OpenCanvas WPE File

I may do a couple more of these exercises

C&C Welcome.. I know my shading needs work :X

gauss

good to see you posting, thnom. i guess the best piece of advice i can give right now is that even though we all grow up drawing on white paper, it's really not the best idea for working in color. the white background overpowers color and makes it very difficult to handle choices regarding contrast, especially, since the white is blowing everything out. on your next image, try and start with a 'toned' background... something nice and neutral, mid-range tone like a warm or cool grey, a brown, anything that's fairly mute. that way you can get a much better handle on what's going on with your colors and value changes.

on this piece particularly, i confess i can't exactly 'see' what's going on in his facial features. the center of his face (mouth and nose?) looks like a cupcake in the center of his face. the hair is reading very well as hair, and i see the chin at the bottom, but the eyes and the center thing are just confusing. i like your color choices though, and look forward to seeing your next digital piece

thnom

Ok, went back and read what Gauss wrote, and worked on him. Started a-fresh:


I decided to go with an anomotomical approach, deciding stuff in correlation, whilst it varies far from the original concept on paper, its a WIP .


I did that in photoshop, got so far and got bored. I didn't like how it was turning out. Whilst the blue on the original worked, I think thats because it had a more fishy look where as this has a very koala look about it - whilst the VERY original had a more beaver appeal about it.

I have updated the drawing of the new concept: WPE (thnomnew2.WPE)

I think I'm going to do these as a daily thing - I'm getting bored so it'll be something to do.

ironbearxl

Here I come to save the daaaay!!! http://www.horribledeath.com/tut-hardlight.htm

Tully

I think the major thing I'd change in this one is that for shading, you're just using brighter/darker versions of the same colour. This is the surest way to make your painting's colours look uninspired.


Did a bit of a paintover for it.. just used some blue under the nose (which would be reflected from the skin) and some more purpley blues for the shadows on the skin and a cyan for the highlights. Value contrast is important, but colour shifts are also.. and often overlooked.

Good stuff though! He's cute.

thnom

Ok, spoke to gauss on IRC and he said I need to just draw from life:


Accidently wrote eucerin.wpe instead of colours.wpe






This is my Baseball mitt- unfinished but it gave me some insight into blending colours within OC.

Mark Dygert

Good stuff, looks like you are starting to get the hang of it

These might also help:
http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm

http://www.furiae.com/index.php?view=gallery

http://www.anticz.com/heads.htm

http://www.gfxartist.com/features/tutorials

gauss

pretty good stuff, thnom. but i think the line drawings are the most telling about what you should be focusing on--there are a lot of 'hairy' lines all over the place... do another couple of studies like those line drawings, but pay attention to line weight and being more confident with what lines get put down. the part in prometheus' tutorial about simplifying and whatnot are especially cogent to this.