Painting a scene from a photo with subtle lighting
polycounter lvl 11
My method for painting anything always starts as blocking in mid tones, highlights, and darks very roughly. And it will usually look what I'm drawing fairly quickly and then I just detail more once the forms read.
My problem is drawing still life's or portraits where there isn't any strong lights and darks, it's like my crutch was taken from me and I lost the tools I need for it to read well.
How can I deal with scenes like this? Should I add my own lighting or what?
My problem is drawing still life's or portraits where there isn't any strong lights and darks, it's like my crutch was taken from me and I lost the tools I need for it to read well.
How can I deal with scenes like this? Should I add my own lighting or what?
Replies
So first I paint the color info only (diffuse maps).
I add my shading, shadows, on a separate white base later set to multiply.
Than my speculars and reflections, starting out with a black layer set to linear dodge(add).
Any bounce light and "AO".
The reason I work like this is because it allows me to focus on 1 thing at a time.
First I only worry about the surface's colour/texture.
After that I only focus on the shading, starting out with a primarely white layer toggling between the Normal layer mode and multiply all the time. I work with the Normal blending mode.
Then I focus only on the specular reflections. Again working with the layer on "normal" blending mode and toggling to linear dodge(Add) all the time.
Once done with that most of the base work is pretty much done.
Now, like a "post process" I add bounce light and AO to make the scene richer and add more depth.
Help the people trying to help you. ;]
Do you have an example of a certain style you are aiming for?
If you go to my profile and view my recent threads, the last page of my sketchbook has my recent stuff and the style I currently go for