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added comment inI did this self-portrait in oil - Do you have any tips?
3yr
Keep your light values very closely grouped the same way you did with the roof of the shed study you posted. Try not to overanalyze every little bump until the very very end of the painting. How do you know when to add those small details? When you feel you could post the painting online without adding them.
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How do you create dynamic poses from imagination? Whenever I try I end up with limbs flailing all around. Is it all about memorizing a few poses that work? Or how do you figure out their pose before you begin?
Thanks :)
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another study3yr
I Tried to expand the value range and bring to a finish but I got lost. It looks super dull (and the expression doesn't help) but I couldn't seem to introduce new colours to liven it up without everything falling apart.
If I want to understand colour better should I continue painting directly to colour? Or would it be better to do greyscale into colour and let that process carry some of the weight? I guess I just don't understand why it looks so dead. Is it my values?
They look great but it seems like you're working with perspective without considering the horizon line. But I'm pretty sure these are from draw-a-box so I wouldn't worry about it. Just establish your horizon before you draw something. Getting proportions right is a lot easier when you're thinking about your vanishing points.
3yr
I think your hands are too small in some of them but other than that it looks great. I wish my figures looked like this.
Do you have any suggestions for me? lol I really do wish I could get that much rhythm and clarity in my sketches
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3yr
It's a 1 hour-ish study but I'm not sure I can get much mileage out of continuing. I included the drawing as well but it's barely visible.
I've learned to love rendering so I want to push it further but I feel like it's more important for me to improve on shape design and to not be so literal
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Torso study from yesterday3yr
It's a little awkward as far as composition goes and I wish I separated my layers better so I could clean up the lines but oh well. Next time
3yr
This is a really great study @psylite! I did a brief paint over, however I barely touched your image because the level of finish you got to was already solid
So, I've definitely found it difficult to get good edge variation through photoshop brushes. However, I've found that using the smudge brush is extremely helpful for this. I use a pack from a concept artist named John Park. I believe he sells his brush pack on gumroad if you wanted to try that. Or you can experiment with the base smudge brushes that photoshop gives you. I just find that manually blending with a photoshop brush doesn't allow me to get extremely soft edges that I need when rendering the turning of form.
Another thing to think about is stylizing your edges. You can create soft edges in areas that are not your focal point, kind of like mimicking the way a camera focuses its lens. I softened up some areas below the neck, as well as some details in shadow.
Lastly, I softened up some of the edges in the hair. Hair is a softer material than our face, and we can communicate that difference in material through edge variation.
Hope this helps! Let me know if there is anything I can clear up for you
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3yr
Thanks for the paintover, that helped a lot. I'm usually pretty bad with focal points
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Another daily study3yr
hey, I've been trying to focus on some rendering lately since I've been neglecting it and would like some critique. It came out a bit splotchy which wasn't intended but I struggle to blend without losing shape so things end up looking a little muddy. And below the neck is undefined but I was mostly just focused on the head.
thanks if you have any suggestions
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Little pear study from this morning3yr
Still searching for a process I can hold on to, not sure I want to be doing greyscale into colour though
3yr
I've found that the best way to understand anatomy is by copying plate diagrams, and then redrawing them from imagination afterward. Cycling between copying and redrawing without reference until I understand the material. And then doing a figure study where I can apply what I've learned. Sounds daunting but each drawing should only take 5-10mins, and limit yourself to <1 hour for the figure.
Also don't spend the whole day doing studies. Set aside an allotment of time for studying and then move into personal work.
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3yr
Looks like you’ve got a wide range of drawing exercises and studies. Is there anything in particular that you are looking for feedback on? You appear to have a great control of tones and gesture.
3yr
I didn't post this with any particular questions but I guess I don't know where to go from here...my personal artwork amounts to doodles essentially, and most of my efforts go into doing studies but I don't really apply that knowledge. I guess my ultimate goals are in illustration but it feels overwhelming to tackle. Not sure where or how to start.
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