@Iruka Thanks! I'll try again I think. I already tried one more time, but I'm not sure the results were any better.
@Prospicience Thanks for the input! I tried again before I read this and moved one light behind like you said! I lost that other rim light though....I think I'm going to try a third time. Unfortunately, that's as bright as the lights go. (Shitty LED strips from Ikea I had laying around)... I think I want to invest in some real lights, now that I better understand why you need them.
Anyhow! Here are some recent character sketches, and some sketches for an album cover for a friend.
I like those little square compositions! Its nice to see you putting together thumbnails, its a step towards learning how to put out more finished looking stuff.
The study is also nice, I like the broad strokes in the shoulder. I'd try not to get bogged down in the face area and let the planes be strokes as well, where you can. asaro head images can help you find those planes.
Thanks! It was just a noise filter after the fact. And for that particular study, I came across it while doing gestures on quickposes.com, so I just saved it off and did a study! Deviant art can be pretty good too though!
I actually like it quite a bit. It reads well, even with its rough strokes, and some of the longer, flowing strokes are starting to show some confidence.
I love the roughnesss of this; I do find the color is a little strange but that could be: your monitor, my monitor, any number of interfering elements?
@Iruka Thanks! Yeah confidence is growing some. really working on my observational skills. @tapeslinger Thanks! Yeah the reference had some intertwine color to it that I'm not really sure I captured. That's why I'm not in love with I think. On to the next!
Went to the Renaissance Fair in town. Not great photos, but a great learning experience! Wish I could go back and try again, but next weekend is the last, and I have to go to Houston.
@Iruka Something about that feels weird haha. Studying my own photos... but you're right! I'll give it a go!
Here is a thing I'm working on. The drawing is still a little stiff (which has been a forever problem for me). But at least I can see it now! And I'm trying to wiggle a more interesting pose in there.
Rim light is temp, but I mostly like the color of it so far.
One more. This one was out of focus, but I kind of liked it anyway. You can start to see the milky way rising in the bottom middle! (Still kind of mad I went out too early to catch the milky way.)
I'm super excited to try this again! I'll also be out at Big Bend next month, so with any luck, I should have some REALLY cool ones soon!
Thanks @LegacyGame ! @BahamutZERO is exactly right! You use a tripod and keep the shutter open longer. The was the first one was about an 8 second exposure, and the second was closer to 14, I think!
Also, doing studies from your own photos makes the MOST sense, in that you completely own them. If you get some good shots you should totally incorporate it into your studies. If you ever wanted to get into matte painting or kit-bashing, you can also do that guilt free.
The added motion to the last two orcs is also a nice break from your standard poses. keep pushing!
Some recent one hour studies. Trying to figure out what makes things looked "finished". Right now I'm seeing lots of blending helps, and making sure the big volumes/shapes read is big too. Learning color accuracy is pretty far down the list, as long as the values and drawing are working.
And some recent photos. First two are meh, third one is my first attempt at exposure blending with luminosity masks! (and otherwise meh lol)
All I have are more photos. I'm sorry. ....I need to draw and paint more.
Went to big Bend last weekend. Was feeling pretty down on the trip as I didn't really get the shots I wanted. But I also probably set my expectations impossibly high. Here are the first two worth showing.
Dang, I really like the second one! I think the first one has a nice mood to it, but seems a little low in contrast for a night sky? Maybe I'm just so used to seeing that kind of stuff heavily edited that I dont know what it looks like.
Those city scapes are beautiful Sub. Love the sheraton one too, the colors turned out amazin'!
What lens and camera settings are you shooting your night photos with and how are you focusing? Seem a bit blurry for 8-14 second exposures (unless it was a windy night). Judging from your other photos I wouldn't guess it's an issue with the lens either though. The big bend one is gorgeous as well, agree with Iruka about contrast though.
@Prospicience Thank you man!! I really appreciate it! I wasn't sure about the sheraton one, was scared it might look too over-processed. It's hard to find that balance! As for focus, it could be a few things, depending on the shot. It's either my manual focus lens, and I'm terrible. Or it's the slow AF motto on my cheap-o telephoto, and me not actually holding the focus button long enough. Or smoother small things I've isolated. Either way the fix is to slow down and be more deliberate! [edit] I just realized you're probably talking about the astro shots! basically trying to manual focus at f1.4 in the dark is really hard. I think I'm going to try f2 next time to see if it's more forgiving!
@Lamp Thanks man!! I need to paint more, I'm falling down a photo hole! :P
Sorry to be so quiet lately. Here are a few things I've been messing with. Kind of trying to switch from quantity of work to quality of work. Thinking more holistically, and it's going pretty slow! (learning plenty along the way.)
1) Another landscape
2) Some thumbnail practice. I want to keep refining these, but have to move on to other things.
3) An attempt at photo bashing. Super fun, lots to learn!
4) I think I've wrapped up my little personal logo/branding.
That's all for now, I hope to be able to update soon next time!!
The photo bashes are interesting, they add an element of texture and material that's nice. I think if you can pull some of that into your painting sensibilities, you'll find more flexibility in how you render things.
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@Prospicience Thanks for the input! I tried again before I read this and moved one light behind like you said! I lost that other rim light though....I think I'm going to try a third time. Unfortunately, that's as bright as the lights go. (Shitty LED strips from Ikea I had laying around)... I think I want to invest in some real lights, now that I better understand why you need them.
Anyhow! Here are some recent character sketches, and some sketches for an album cover for a friend.
[edit] Oh! And this thing from lunch today too.
The study is also nice, I like the broad strokes in the shoulder. I'd try not to get bogged down in the face area and let the planes be strokes as well, where you can. asaro head images can help you find those planes.
FInally started painting this after those thumbnails
Also, where do you find reference for something like the recent costume study, Deviant Art?
Thanks! It was just a noise filter after the fact. And for that particular study, I came across it while doing gestures on quickposes.com, so I just saved it off and did a study! Deviant art can be pretty good too though!
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@tapeslinger Thanks! Yeah the reference had some intertwine color to it that I'm not really sure I captured. That's why I'm not in love with I think. On to the next!
Went to the Renaissance Fair in town. Not great photos, but a great learning experience! Wish I could go back and try again, but next weekend is the last, and I have to go to Houston.
Here is a thing I'm working on. The drawing is still a little stiff (which has been a forever problem for me). But at least I can see it now! And I'm trying to wiggle a more interesting pose in there.
Rim light is temp, but I mostly like the color of it so far.
I'm super excited to try this again! I'll also be out at Big Bend next month, so with any luck, I should have some REALLY cool ones soon!
Also, doing studies from your own photos makes the MOST sense, in that you completely own them. If you get some good shots you should totally incorporate it into your studies. If you ever wanted to get into matte painting or kit-bashing, you can also do that guilt free.
The added motion to the last two orcs is also a nice break from your standard poses. keep pushing!
Here is an update on this guy.
Something about this is feeling glam-rock.... I'm okay with that I guess
And went through my old Big Bend photos as I'm getting ready to go back! These two I kind of like, and never posted
Some recent one hour studies. Trying to figure out what makes things looked "finished". Right now I'm seeing lots of blending helps, and making sure the big volumes/shapes read is big too. Learning color accuracy is pretty far down the list, as long as the values and drawing are working.
And some recent photos. First two are meh, third one is my first attempt at exposure blending with luminosity masks! (and otherwise meh lol)
Went to big Bend last weekend. Was feeling pretty down on the trip as I didn't really get the shots I wanted. But I also probably set my expectations impossibly high. Here are the first two worth showing.
Hmmm. Maybe I'll mess with it some more. I didn't touch it much besides doing a noise reduction technique where you stack a few exposures.
What lens and camera settings are you shooting your night photos with and how are you focusing? Seem a bit blurry for 8-14 second exposures (unless it was a windy night). Judging from your other photos I wouldn't guess it's an issue with the lens either though. The big bend one is gorgeous as well, agree with Iruka about contrast though.
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@Lamp Thanks man!! I need to paint more, I'm falling down a photo hole! :P
1) Another landscape
2) Some thumbnail practice. I want to keep refining these, but have to move on to other things.
3) An attempt at photo bashing. Super fun, lots to learn!
4) I think I've wrapped up my little personal logo/branding.
That's all for now, I hope to be able to update soon next time!!
One more bug bash from me. Just kind of exploring photo-bashing still. Not real "design" here....
Another bug/alien photos bash. May or may not finish
Environment photo bash. Very much in progress, if I even finish it.
And some alien sketches in Alchemy and PS
oh!
And messing with 3D. Very basic for now. I intend to photo bash on top and make like a blade runner style environment.
The aliens are pretty cool too. I'd be curious to see you do some creatures, you do mostly bipedal things.