Video: Not the usual fundamentals-fare, but here's a digital painting process video
https://youtu.be/y7uoFOpNiJQ
2015-04-01 03:14
Uncomfortable
[deleted]
2015-04-01 04:05
[deleted]
Uncomfortable
2015-04-01 04:13
Here's a wallpaper size - though technically speaking it's not really "finished". I'm not sure if I'll take it into the next phase or not.
As for the music - funny thing that. It's royalty free music that I actually spent $75 on, because I really liked it. It's the Cinematic Music Pack from Bonix Music, by Peter Gunder.
): Royalty free music is goddamn expensive, especially when you're making 20 minute videos. My wallet aches!
Grieffon
2015-04-02 18:20
I understood that reference.
Woah, it's quite impressive that you do it using mostly just a chalk brush, and I assume very few layers. I prefer the handpainted look than the texture brush and photo bashing look of digital art, and I also think layers are kind of distracting, but working that way sounds a bit scary. Should I just paint with one brush and one layer until I become "good" (as in not terrible)?
Uncomfortable
2015-04-02 18:25
Actually, I had a lot of layers there - but I painted as though i was painting on only one. By that I mean, I didn't separate things out logically onto their own layers. When I felt like going in a new direction, or experimenting, I'd create a new layer and just keep going. I rarely ever painted underneath layers, they only existed to preserve older states of my image, allowing me to go back if I need to (which I almost never do). The only time I took advantage of the layers was when I darkened the standing figure.
I definitely agree that layers can be very distracting. The reason I paint this way is because worrying about being on the right layer takes me away from the painting process itself, and ruins my momentum. Practicing painting on one layer will probably increase your comfort level with this approach. Really it's a matter of being comfortable with painting over mistakes or areas you'd like to change, rather than erasing them or trying to make them work. If something isn't working, be bold, and just paint right over it.
Grieffon
2015-04-03 17:52
Speaking of which, could you recommend a few digital painting courses with good outline? I mean something like drawabox, with structured lessons, but for digital painting instead. I probably won't actually attend the course since they are often expensive and demand more time than I can spare for a hobby, but it would still be great to have a roadmap made by a professional to ensure a good foundation.
Uncomfortable
2015-04-03 18:35
Unfortunately, I don't have any specific recommendations for you. I've never taken any online courses before, so I don't really know much about the specific classes. The only class I took that comes to mind is Environment Design with James Paick - which was offered through CG Master Academy (though I took it in person at a different school), but unfortunately James Paick doesn't seem to be teaching for them anymore. Likely because he and John Park started a new school, though I don't think that offers anything online.
I have heard good things about CG Master Academy, but since I don't have any experience with them, I can't make any assertions.
I do plan to eventually move onto some digital painting related subjects (like rendering materials, composition, etc.) eventually, but that won't be for a while. I'm still chugging through more basic, traditional topics. Next up I'm on drawing people, then after that, some more design topics (character/creature/prop/etc).
Eventually I'll get there, assuming drawabox continues to grow and eventually becomes something a little more stable and sustainable.
Edit: Oh, I thought of something I wanted to add. It totally makes sense not to splurge on the expensive classes if you're doing this as a hobby - but if you are trying to work your way up to doing this professionally, you should likely try and shift your mindset about paying for education. There's a lot of shitty classes out there, but there are also a lot of great ones. If you happen to find one that's recommended by others, chances are you're going to get back much more than you put in. Everything is an investment.
Diredoe
2015-04-14 03:02
I absolutely adore your final piece. There's a lot of character and skill on display there.
Would you mind if I ask a few really dumb questions?
I notice you use mostly a chalk brush for big strokes - do you use the same for smaller details, like the cat's fur, or is it just a regular round one? Do you stay at generally the same opacity (and what is it?), except obviously when you're doing things like the background fog or whatever, it seems like you stay mostly the same. Also, what size canvas do you use? I always end up going either too small or too large, and end up not being able to get a brush small enough or having to have a 8k pixel brush in order to do fine detail. Also, what type of brush? Is it ink, paint, pencil, etc?
The last time I tried a digital painting rather than my usual more cell-shaded style, I ended up with something like this which is super rough looking and makes me cringe in hindsight (why did I keep the background guy instead of just scrapping him?), so you can understand why I feel I need to understand the basic of the basics.
Uncomfortable
2015-04-14 03:15
Thanks. Here's a stab at your questions:
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I do use chalk brushes primarily, but I've got a few varieties of them instead of just one. Over time my brush set has expanded a fair bit, but I usually only paint with a few at a time, and most just sit there collecting dust. My brush collection include those from James Paick, Shaddy Safadi and Corbin Hunter. I rarely use the regular round brush unless I need to put down some very fine detail, which usually I avoid regardless.
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I never adjust the opacity - it stays at 100%. Instead, I have most, if not all of my brushes use my tablet pen pressure to control the opacity. With practice in digital media, as well as the exercises I explain in other lessons here using felt tip pens, I've built up a degree of control of the pressure. I think my flow is set to 50% usually, but that's because I accidentally saved my tool presets with that, and am too lazy to change it.
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For a long while, when I was limited to using my laptop, I'd do all my paintings at 2500x1350. I wasn't doing anything for print, everything was a doodle or a study, so there was no sense in going bigger. Now I still use that as a go-to size for starting. Once I've laid down a composition I like, I blow it up - for this one, I think it was 5000x3000.
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In Photoshop I'm pretty sure we don't have options between ink/paint/pencil like you'd see in some software packages that try to mimic traditional media
As far as painting goes, it always helps for it to rest on top of a more structured understanding of drawing. Practicing that and working on your understanding of form and value might help you push your paintings to the next level. It's often very tempting to jump ahead into working digitally, as well as in colour, but it's not always the best idea.
Uncomfortable
2015-04-01 03:25
It becomes much easier if you regularly paint on one layer. It forces you to get accustomed to changing things just by painting over what you've already got.