A wild Scosglen appears! [NSFW]

Scosglen

I have recently resolved to make a concerted effort to start painting primarily with color like a big boy, and historically this has been a difficult thing for me for some reason.

In this thread I step out of my comfort zone and do battle with my mortal enemy: colors of the rainbow

I recently did this mermaid piece, but upon further review and feedback have decided it could use a little more love, but I'll post it in here for posterity anyway. I am currently ruminating on how to fix it up and will come back to it later, but I won't stop you from commenting on it.




I half cheated with the mermaid piece by rendering it to a fair level in grayscale and then colorizing it and doing the latter half with direct, opaque color. I wanted to try a more honest approach so I started this little portrait wherein I dove immediately into color after a quick sketch and laying down some flat values. I think it's more successful than the mermaid piece, but in hindsight, is still maybe a little washed out and dark, and probably has other issues I am oblivious to.

So, tell me the ways in which this painting is poop from a butt so I can be forearmed for my next stunning disasterpiece.

Iruka

Low contrast is hurting you right now more than actual color choices. No harm in using photoshop tools to punch it up and then go back into painting.

Toji Suzuhara

The colors are really pretty, but, save for the collar, it's just all very midtone:

(The image with an all-black layer set to Color, to check out the values.)

I wrote this in the Doodle thread. Deleted and put here.

Ed: You shouldn't be too down on this piece, though. It should be easy enough to fix.

Scosglen

I've been noodling at this thing in grayscale mode on my end as well and trying to decide what to take away from it. I neglected to check my desaturated values at all during the actual painting so that was probably a mistake.

To be honest I kind of like the slightly narrower value treatment in places like the portraiture, but I am at an utter loss to articulate why. It seems to work a bit better with the colors at any rate, even if the values are somewhat narrow.

I'm wondering if maybe the bronzey background was a mistake. It's a very similar value and even hue/temperature as the flesh tone. Perhaps a cooler, darker background might work better. I think I picked the orange to complement the green halo accent, but the green I think was picked to complement the brown in the hair, so it's kind of circular.

Toji Suzuhara

I'd suggest checking out Chris Johnston for ideas on how to manage an image that's all midtone, in that case.

Scosglen

Okay I remember where that narrow value gamut seed got planted now.



It would seem fair to say I'm not successfully accomplishing whatever black magic Zhanglu is.

GurtPerk

That video Zhanglu did is incredible. Have you seen it all the way through?

One of the biggest issues I find with these last two pieces falls with the light source. They're flat and uninteresting - despite being rendered well. There's nothing really dynamic or sets the mood for the piece, save for maybe a more calm serene look with the mermaid but even that I think can be pushed way further.

For your next piece, or even this second one, choose a really interesting top-down lighting scheme or some film noir three-point lighting scheme. I think it'll breathe a lot of life into it and your natural rendering skills will take you from there.

I think it also comes down to your lightest lights and darkest darks. The real edge and magic that seems to pop right off the surface in those videos are really at the very end. It's the cherry on top. Don't forget to really push this element more too - put a dark dab along the edge of the lip to make it look partially sunk in, spread a glossy print around the surface of the eye, push the materials away from one another so the skin and clothing stand out.

I think all of that will really help, best of luck man.

Wassermelone

Those are not really of a low value gamut.

The first image's lightest and darkest values is on the left, and the same for the second image on the right:


I think you are mistaking being very selective with your darks with having a tight value range.

Scosglen

I think you're right Wasser.

I made a selection of the faces from Zhanglu's first image and mine and made a histogram with the levels tool.



I can see pretty clearly how clumped my values are within about 30% of the value spectrum, but more importantly I think is how Zhanglu's has a long tail into the darks. He does actually have a good value range, but, like you said, they're very strictly controlled.

I think I have a better idea about what should have happened ideally in this piece now.

Visual acclimation is dangerous, kids.

Kendeathwalker

I came to say exactly what Wass said. You just need a couple of well placed accents of light/dark and your stuff will Pop.

Scosglen

More appealing?

McGibs

more specular highlights. like in her eyes, or on her lips.

NightDragon

that nipple vest is freaking me out.

Try to bring some of the colors you're using in parts of the picture to other areas, too.

Scosglen

Goddamnit ND.

The round armor bits were a part of the original old design but now I can't unsee it.

I tried adding some hotter speculars to the face but It just came out strange every time. I'll give this thing one more try before I give up and move on.

NightDragon

heeeeeeeee

Also, you don't really need *lots* of hot speculars, just...more areas of bright, to help define the form. Her face is largely a midtone right now. Hot specular highlights would be nice on the places Gibs mentioned...and perhaps some on her hair, as well....but lots of specular highlights will definitely look odd.

Angel_of_Bacon

Definitely an improvement over the first iteration. :^:

I don't think the problem at this point is the lack of specular highlights, but the lack of darks to make the lights that are already there pop, especially around the eyes and face in general.

Just going in with and laying down a light color on a multiply layer over the shadows in there can pop things out a lot without going overboard to the point where the feel of the piece changes, if you're discreet about it. Part of what makes those Zhanglu pictures so effective is that he leaves big broad areas of very soft, almost flat definition, but he saves his contrast to pop out the facial features in a subtle way.

Tried putting my money where my mouth is, didn't lighten anything on the skin, just added shadows around it. Brightened up the eyes and front bit of the hair a smidge, but nothing huge. Softened out some of the area/detail/value under the eyes to flatter her face a little bit.

Tam

Scos how set are you on that armor sectioning?

The_Glad_Hatter

Tam is talking about the nipples btw. Talking and staring.

Scosglen

It's a completely arbitrary design.

Tam

When I looked at the picture, that was the first thing I thought you should change