So, how would you layer them? I mean, do you wait for them all to dry?
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE
Hooooo boy. What a question, they write whole books about that stuff, y'know? Lemme see if I can give you the down and dirty version.
Types of Paints: There are essentially two types of paints, http://www.marysorrowshughes.com/Mr.%20Pedro%27s%20Harvest.jpg (Transparent watercolors) and http://www.americanwomenartists.org/2007%20show/2007%20show%20images/Rachelle_Siegrist_Western_Glow__Opaque_Watercolor__2.75x2.75_small.jpg (Opaque watercolors) . The way they differ is obvious (and indicative of their names). See how the rabbit has colors much less transparent than the grapes? The transparent paint in the grapes allows the light of the paper to shine through, and the first layer of colors as well. There's really not one that is better than the other, just preference (though more professionals use transparent). The same can be said for cake watercolors, already in palettes, and tubed watercolors. It's personal preference, and depends on the quality of the paint rather than what it comes in.
Water: Water is the staple of watercolors, duh. The amount of water you use determines myriads of factors. To start with, I sprinkle water on every color on my palette. I use a combination of cake watercolors and tubes of watercolor. When you wet the colors you can actually wait a few minutes or two before you start painting so that the water sinks in. It becomes this great texture, like cream cheese, and makes it easy to see how much pigment you're getting on your brush. The amount of water you put on the paper will determine your control and the effect when combined with paper. Lots of water placed on the paper, where the paper still has a visible shine from the water, will not allow you a lot of control. The paint will spread too unevenly and too fast. Too little water is a nice dry brush effect, but also spreads unevenly. There is no set time anyone could tell you to wait after putting water on the paper, just that when the paper is damp but has little to no shine you will have the most control and spreading power. Different dryness will give different effect, more gradient or harder lines. Experimenting and getting a feel for them is the only surefire way to work.
Layering: Oh man, layering is watercolor. Some detailed pieces, like that rabbit, could have thirty, forty layers easily. Imagine that watercolor is like working with a brush in something like Adobe, and your opacity is set low. The more you layer, the more depth things will have. Like with those grapes, if you lay a color beneath, and then lay one on top, the bottom will glow through. You don't necessarily have to wait a day for things to dry, though some do, and I have before myself. It's all dependent on what you want. If you wait only a little and go in, your colors will blend. Wait more and one will sit on top of the other. Once again, it's all experimentation. Blending, layering, and other techniques like that are going to give you a nice varied piece with strong depth. For instance, those grapes. Probably, the artist put down the pink, waited for few hours or dried it with a hairdryer, and then put that blue-violet over the top. However, he might have dropped in some darker blue for those shadows after only a few minutes, allowing them to blend. The top, where that track of dark green makes up the background looks like all one go with a brush loaded with pigment and the water on the paper damp but not shining. The leaves are a toss up; those greens were done is a few layers between short amounts of time, and then a whole day was probably between the green of the leaves and those brown rot spots on the tips of them. The best I can say is experiment and take a while, it takes practice. Rule of thumb is light colors first, then dark. Also, save your whites as the white of the page.
Paper: Don't go below a 140lb watercolor rag paper. They usually sell relatively cheap pads of 140lb pads by Arches or Strathmore, and if you're just practicing, they're lovely. I use them a lot myself. For better quality, when you feel more sure and you want to do something nice, they also sell 300lb, which absorbs more, takes more of a beating, and will stay damp longer. They go all the way up to 600lb, but unless you're pro, it's totally unnecessary. You're going to want to tape your watercolor paper all around the edges to something nice and flat. Plexiglass is perfect, although I sometimes use the backs of larger sketchbooks. If you don't, even watercolor paper will curl and buckle and you will make a sad face.
Brushes: Meh. Don't get those tiny little one-bristle ones, they are not worth it at all. They hold shit for paint and water, and you can get a fine point without them. I would suggest three essential brushes if you're working anywhere between 8.5" x 11" and 11" x 14". A size 4-6 watercolor http://realcolorwheel.com/mybrushes.htg/wcset3300.jpg round brushes. Check the point on those puppies! You can get everything from a nice thick line to those tiny little hairs on someone's eyelash. You could go larger than a 4 or 6, but don't go smaller. Don't fall for tricks where people tell you you'll need a small brush for detail, it's BS. The 4-6 will give you a great tiny line. Then, something like a size 1/4 to 3/4 https://www.currys.com/Products/Media/fl%5CBrush%5C3770.jpg flat brushes. Doesn't need to be that huge, just a nice medium size. They are usually labeled by the quarter of an inch they are. Finally, you'll need a brush for setting down large areas of water like background or first layer. They're sometimes called hakes: http://www.watercolor-painting-tips.com/image-files/hake.jpg, but the reality is that you don't really need one of those specific brushes for sure. Just something big and soft.
That's about the long and short of it. Other than that advice, all I can tell you is to mix your colors like a crazy bitch and be patient.
The main planet looks kinda like a rotted orange while the texture on it looks artificial. Like old fashion 3D graphics. I would suggest actually painting that surface since it seems like a default PS filter was applied.
Good center of interest though I dont understand the function of the center planetoid. Asteroid mine?
Recent pages make me think I should do some head studies instead of doodling, but this is still probably the best face I've ever produced.
Also, is the thread history so short in AC for a reason? I mean, I know it's been about two weeks without a post, but my thread is gone, and it just seems like 2 pages doesn't go very far.
Edit: I see, nevermind. I've been on these forums for over 5 years and there are features I've never used.
I downloaded the free trial for Zbrush and decided to model a Kroot's head as a way of seeing how awesome the program is. I've got a basic low-poly version in 3DSMax mostly finished up,
and I was wondering if you duders who've used Zbrush before could give me some pointers on working the program. Do I need to work at the low-poly version much more before I export it?
Not really. You could drop that into Z and up the poly count and go to town. It's pretty intuitive.. sometimes.
I saw this late, but I use Zbrush regularly. I'm a character artist so it's kind of a must in most cases. That mesh can be used easily, but I would say the holes for eyes should be closed cavities. Also, place a sphere in the eye socket to help achieve the correct shape when you're working in Z. Your guy has no neck, so I'm assuming there's a hole under his head. You might want to cap that head and make sure you stay in quads with that new face. Also get rid of all triangles on your model. Either make them flow to the end to make quads, or get rid of the shape the tris are making and just sculpt it out in Z.
Once you're in Z, you might want to store a morph target before subdividing because you'll lose a lot of your shape if you do not. To do this, before you subdivide, on the right bar there is a tab called Morph Target. Hit Store MT BEFORE you subdivide. Now, subdivide you object like 2-3 times. Go back to the first subdiv ( the mesh you imported) and you'll see your shape is pretty much gone. Go to the Morph Target tab and hit Switch. It's morpher you're mesh back to it's original shape and keep a account of that shape on the smoother subdivs you made earlier. This method isn't always used and every mesh and can sometimes really mess up your mesh depending on how you're mesh is built.
The main brushes I use are Standard, Move, Smooth, and Pinch at a 95 brush mod. There are other custom brushes I use, but they're seldom and special case brushes. Here's the last thing I've worked on in Z.
This isn't the latest image of the sculpt, but whatever it's too early in the morning
If you got any questions about Zbrush or just modeling in general send a PM or whatever.
thanks for a new desktop DR. if I had money, and was all grown up with a cute little house, I'd totally buy prints of all three.
srsizzy on
BRO LET ME GET REAL WITH YOU AND SAY THAT MY FINGERS ARE PREPPED AND HOT LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE SUN TO BRING RADICAL BEATS SO SMOOTH THE SHIT WILL BE MEDICINAL-GRADE TRIPNASTY MAKING ALL BRAINWAVES ROLL ON THE SURFACE OF A BALLS-FEISTY NEURAL RAINBOW CRACKA-LACKIN' YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE HERE-NOW SPACE-TIME SITUATION THAT ALL OF LIFE BE JAMMED UP IN THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL FLOW BEATS
Posts
Hooooo boy. What a question, they write whole books about that stuff, y'know? Lemme see if I can give you the down and dirty version.
Types of Paints: There are essentially two types of paints, http://www.marysorrowshughes.com/Mr.%20Pedro%27s%20Harvest.jpg (Transparent watercolors) and http://www.americanwomenartists.org/2007%20show/2007%20show%20images/Rachelle_Siegrist_Western_Glow__Opaque_Watercolor__2.75x2.75_small.jpg (Opaque watercolors) . The way they differ is obvious (and indicative of their names). See how the rabbit has colors much less transparent than the grapes? The transparent paint in the grapes allows the light of the paper to shine through, and the first layer of colors as well. There's really not one that is better than the other, just preference (though more professionals use transparent). The same can be said for cake watercolors, already in palettes, and tubed watercolors. It's personal preference, and depends on the quality of the paint rather than what it comes in.
Water: Water is the staple of watercolors, duh. The amount of water you use determines myriads of factors. To start with, I sprinkle water on every color on my palette. I use a combination of cake watercolors and tubes of watercolor. When you wet the colors you can actually wait a few minutes or two before you start painting so that the water sinks in. It becomes this great texture, like cream cheese, and makes it easy to see how much pigment you're getting on your brush. The amount of water you put on the paper will determine your control and the effect when combined with paper. Lots of water placed on the paper, where the paper still has a visible shine from the water, will not allow you a lot of control. The paint will spread too unevenly and too fast. Too little water is a nice dry brush effect, but also spreads unevenly. There is no set time anyone could tell you to wait after putting water on the paper, just that when the paper is damp but has little to no shine you will have the most control and spreading power. Different dryness will give different effect, more gradient or harder lines. Experimenting and getting a feel for them is the only surefire way to work.
Layering: Oh man, layering is watercolor. Some detailed pieces, like that rabbit, could have thirty, forty layers easily. Imagine that watercolor is like working with a brush in something like Adobe, and your opacity is set low. The more you layer, the more depth things will have. Like with those grapes, if you lay a color beneath, and then lay one on top, the bottom will glow through. You don't necessarily have to wait a day for things to dry, though some do, and I have before myself. It's all dependent on what you want. If you wait only a little and go in, your colors will blend. Wait more and one will sit on top of the other. Once again, it's all experimentation. Blending, layering, and other techniques like that are going to give you a nice varied piece with strong depth. For instance, those grapes. Probably, the artist put down the pink, waited for few hours or dried it with a hairdryer, and then put that blue-violet over the top. However, he might have dropped in some darker blue for those shadows after only a few minutes, allowing them to blend. The top, where that track of dark green makes up the background looks like all one go with a brush loaded with pigment and the water on the paper damp but not shining. The leaves are a toss up; those greens were done is a few layers between short amounts of time, and then a whole day was probably between the green of the leaves and those brown rot spots on the tips of them. The best I can say is experiment and take a while, it takes practice. Rule of thumb is light colors first, then dark. Also, save your whites as the white of the page.
Paper: Don't go below a 140lb watercolor rag paper. They usually sell relatively cheap pads of 140lb pads by Arches or Strathmore, and if you're just practicing, they're lovely. I use them a lot myself. For better quality, when you feel more sure and you want to do something nice, they also sell 300lb, which absorbs more, takes more of a beating, and will stay damp longer. They go all the way up to 600lb, but unless you're pro, it's totally unnecessary. You're going to want to tape your watercolor paper all around the edges to something nice and flat. Plexiglass is perfect, although I sometimes use the backs of larger sketchbooks. If you don't, even watercolor paper will curl and buckle and you will make a sad face.
Brushes: Meh. Don't get those tiny little one-bristle ones, they are not worth it at all. They hold shit for paint and water, and you can get a fine point without them. I would suggest three essential brushes if you're working anywhere between 8.5" x 11" and 11" x 14". A size 4-6 watercolor http://realcolorwheel.com/mybrushes.htg/wcset3300.jpg round brushes. Check the point on those puppies! You can get everything from a nice thick line to those tiny little hairs on someone's eyelash. You could go larger than a 4 or 6, but don't go smaller. Don't fall for tricks where people tell you you'll need a small brush for detail, it's BS. The 4-6 will give you a great tiny line. Then, something like a size 1/4 to 3/4 https://www.currys.com/Products/Media/fl%5CBrush%5C3770.jpg flat brushes. Doesn't need to be that huge, just a nice medium size. They are usually labeled by the quarter of an inch they are. Finally, you'll need a brush for setting down large areas of water like background or first layer. They're sometimes called hakes: http://www.watercolor-painting-tips.com/image-files/hake.jpg, but the reality is that you don't really need one of those specific brushes for sure. Just something big and soft.
That's about the long and short of it. Other than that advice, all I can tell you is to mix your colors like a crazy bitch and be patient.
Anyone else think of anything to add?
Please don't tell me you painted that. Holy, freaking, crap!
God I'm sorry I posted too many words (AHAHAHFDHBGRG) so I have to make up for it now.
The skin is mostly done. When my background is put in there will be changes, probz. But there.
Fin.
Wow WCK, that's looking really good!
Sorry to soil it...
edit: WAIT!
Nevermind.
TOTP:
*cry*
I'm gonna do another one tonight.
edit:
Anyone know a good place for photos of shirtless men in cool poses...I am not above porn.
I don't really know a good general place, per se, but these are some good stock images in the lines of what you were painting.
http://bobbistock.deviantart.com/art/male-fighter-10-109483288
http://bobbistock.deviantart.com/art/male-fighter-5-109482335
http://bobbistock.deviantart.com/art/male-fighter-2-109481325
http://bobbistock.deviantart.com/art/male-fighter-3-109481592
Tam, I think I liked it better with his head down low... or maybe up high... oh crap, now I can't decide.
My Portfolio Site
I'm gonna give watercolors another try tomorrow.
1280x800
1600x1000
1920x1200
Thoughts? Practicality concerns? Critiques? I'll have some detail renders up soonish...
Good center of interest though I dont understand the function of the center planetoid. Asteroid mine?
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
Also, is the thread history so short in AC for a reason? I mean, I know it's been about two weeks without a post, but my thread is gone, and it just seems like 2 pages doesn't go very far.
Edit: I see, nevermind. I've been on these forums for over 5 years and there are features I've never used.
Fuzzy: I love that thing, even if it does remind me of Bryce 3D and Computer Graphics Monthly Magazine February 1998.
INSTAGRAM
Wait a minute - strike that. Reverse it.
Tam because of your speedily increasing excellence in art I am going to award you with something I rarely give out:
I hope it's everything you have ever dreamed of and more. Congratulations.
I saw this late, but I use Zbrush regularly. I'm a character artist so it's kind of a must in most cases. That mesh can be used easily, but I would say the holes for eyes should be closed cavities. Also, place a sphere in the eye socket to help achieve the correct shape when you're working in Z. Your guy has no neck, so I'm assuming there's a hole under his head. You might want to cap that head and make sure you stay in quads with that new face. Also get rid of all triangles on your model. Either make them flow to the end to make quads, or get rid of the shape the tris are making and just sculpt it out in Z.
Once you're in Z, you might want to store a morph target before subdividing because you'll lose a lot of your shape if you do not. To do this, before you subdivide, on the right bar there is a tab called Morph Target. Hit Store MT BEFORE you subdivide. Now, subdivide you object like 2-3 times. Go back to the first subdiv ( the mesh you imported) and you'll see your shape is pretty much gone. Go to the Morph Target tab and hit Switch. It's morpher you're mesh back to it's original shape and keep a account of that shape on the smoother subdivs you made earlier. This method isn't always used and every mesh and can sometimes really mess up your mesh depending on how you're mesh is built.
The main brushes I use are Standard, Move, Smooth, and Pinch at a 95 brush mod. There are other custom brushes I use, but they're seldom and special case brushes. Here's the last thing I've worked on in Z.
This isn't the latest image of the sculpt, but whatever it's too early in the morning
If you got any questions about Zbrush or just modeling in general send a PM or whatever.
Full:
Cropped:
ohmygodohmygodohmygod
uh
I'd like to thank the producer, my mom and dad, and and and...
and the hard work I put into an entirely different style
edit: that's sounds more sarcastic than intended- I really do appreciate it, Cake, thanks.
These were super fun to draw.