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MessmakersWorkshop — Digital Painting: Part One
Published: 2006-05-23 16:06:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 4713; Favourites: 57; Downloads: 1010
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Description
Fair warning, this is pretty big, as I seem to be fundamentally incapable of doing anything the easy way, so I apologize now to anyone on dial up, wind up, or any other up that will leave you hanging for a while as it loads.This tutorial is the first in a small series (since it's ten in the morning, and I'm too tired to continue, not to mention that the file would simply be too big for practicality), taking a painting from sketch to finished greyscale (just the way I work). The next will be on colouring greyscale work, and the one after that (if I get that far) will be on backgrounds. I might drop backgrounds in favour of several smaller, more specific tutorials, such as eyes, faces, hair, metals, leather, dragons, yadda yadda.
If you would like to see the final result of this tutorial, the piece as it ends in this one, can be found here .
Edit: Someone brought to my attention that I hadn't mentioned how long this had taken me, which I should have put somewhere in there. Taking out time for screen-capping like a madman, this went from blank page to final greyscale in about three hours.
Cheers.
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Comments: 38
Hmm let me try this method 
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Thank you. Let me know how it works out for you, would you?
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I didn't have much time this week to work on it but have done some. Working in grayscale, has gone better and better after I got used to it. But what I struggle with atm is to add the details , get the propotions correct and getting used to the wacom board (just bought ) .
Had some trouble with the flow, and that I couldn't controll the pressure of the opacity but I think im doing better now. I've tried some different settings for the pen and found out a hard round with size jilter off , opacity and flow on pen pressure and 0% and airbrushing and smoothing on works well.
Oh and your smudge tool settings was to much for my computer 
Not much done but here is a preview so far [link]
Will have some more time this weekend and next week to work on it some more
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Getting used to the wacom always takes a bit; shorter for some, longer for others. Proportions take practice (and every now and then, reference). As for the details, I might suggest trying to create the 'simple' image first. Think of it as taking a photo with the lense just slightly out of focus so that all of the minute details are hidden in the blur. I'm saying that it's better to just do the basics first, but that getting a 'simple' image to look right can actually be a bit of a challenge at times (especially with portraiture), and without that to work from, the details can turn it into quite a mess. When I'm trying to figure out a new technique (or just know that I'm about to do something silly), I usually make a quick copy of my work to that point so that I have a clean version that doesn't have all of my random scribblings over it that I can go back to if I really muck it up.
While I've never actually changed mine, I've heard that changing the settings on your wacom tablet, itself can make all the difference in the world (or at least in your work). When I'm sketching, I usually use a simple round brush (usually 2-4px) with strength set to pen pressure and smoothing turned on. That's it. In fact, that's pretty much what I use for everything with varying brush sizes and hardnesses.
As for the blender being too much for your computer....I totally understand. I actually wound up buying a new computer just for that reason (okay, so it let me play a few more games, too). The solution is actually pretty simple, though: use a standard smudge. It can take a little longer in some cases, but all in all, I've actually found that there are a lot of times that using a standard smudge to smooth out a piece and tweak details actually brings more life to the work. Just a round brush of whatever size you want with a really soft edge and strength set to Pen Pressure. Stroke lightly over the areas that you're smoothing, paying especial attention to the directions that you're pulling. It's a great way to bring out cheekbones, noses, eyelids, brow ridges....pick a part of the face.
On your work so far, it looks about like what mine do at that stage, save that I usually have a lot more scribbles 
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Yeah, think I got a lill bit better hang of the wacom now.
Since I can't draw or I don't have any experience in drawing/painting except for what I do now recently. So sketching up from imagination bound to go wrong. I used a stock image as reference and used grid support to sketch up. Dunno about the details and stuff, I just want to atleast try with the details so I get better for each time.
here is the latest progress [link]
Think I have improved from the last painting I did and working in greyscale after getting used to it was really awesome.
The face is almoust ready now I just have to clean up neck, then comes the big challange with the hair. But I think I'll do decent by following your tutorial
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Well, if you're just starting out, you've made quite a leap into it! Gridding is a good way to get the hang of drawing from reference, and for figuring out how everything is put together. Your progress looks great! I might suggest softening the eyelashes a bit so that they don't look quite so stark (harsh eyelashes have a nasty habit of detracting from the eyes themselves). Not a huge crit (since I haven't seen the stock you're using anyway), but the face seems to be slightly skewed to the left. Usually whenever I find that I've done something like that I grab the marquee tool with a feathered edge around 5-10px or so and drop it around the head. Then I right-click to bring up the options and hit Skew. In this instance, it'd just be a matter of grabbing the bottom handles and sliding a bit to the right, I'd think. You might try playing with that a bit.
In any case, I'm always happy to take the time to answer questions when I can. Cheers!
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Thanks, but I still have a long way to go. I agree with you about the eyelashes I just don't know how to do them properly atm ( same problem with eyebrows) but I will try to soften them.
And on the stock she is actually looking to the left so it should be like that, just that the neck part behind her hair should not be there cause it's covered up. But the skewing thing might come in handy later.
here is the stock image [link]
(Will give credit and note when Im finished and posted the finished piece).
I just feel that the painting isn't looking exaclty like her, and it's like I don't know what to correct for it to look more like it. But I will keep working on it when I have more time.
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Yeah except for the lips and nose, I think the biggest difference between the painting and the picture is there. And alot of random small details also probably.
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the painting is done now 
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A gret tutorial.
Is starting an image in greyscale really easier?
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Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you on this, but to answer: it is for me. It may not work for everyone, but I've found that it's a lot easier when I can just concentrate on the values to start with (not to mention that my computer doesn't try to eat itself) instead of worrying about all of the colours right off. There's so much subtlety in colour that it can be really distracting to me if I'm trying to work on that and the form of a painting at the same time.
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Ah, interesting.
I don't use greyscale much, but it sounds a lot more useful then I thought... I think I'll try your method sometime.
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This was absolutely wonderful. One of the best (and most interesting) tutorials I've read on here. Awesome job, can't wait to check out the others.
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Thank you much. It's the first tutorial I've ever actually finished, so it's good to know I'm doing alright with it. The others might be a bit in coming, since I'm moving this weekend, but I'll get there.
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Can't wait to see the others. And you're quite nice by the way.
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I intend to get to work on them as soon as possible, once I'm settled, and um...thank you.
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awesome tut! I can't wait to put this into action!
How long did it take to get this far with the pic?
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Thank you much!
Oh, hey...I should have put the time I spent on it somewhere in there. All said and done (take out a sensible amount of time for screen-capping like crazy), I spent about three hours on the piece.
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Haha! Thank you! I'm know that I'm not really coming up with anything new, since I had to learn from somewhere, but at the very least, I like to make things fun to read.
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I'll try it one day...but I still haven't figured out how to set pressure sensitivity.
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Well, first ya gots ta have a tablet (wacom, etc.), and then in the dynamics box (covered in the tut), hit Other Dynamics, and set the Opacity to Pen Pressure.
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thanks. I have a wacom, actually.
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Well then. There you go. In addition to setting the Opacity to pen pressure, I usually also set the Strength to the same, and then set the flow on the top bar in brush mode to about 30%, and turn airbrush on....but then, I'm weird.
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Fantastic! Lovely tips.... especially about starting in greyscale and the metal shading hints...... I'm liking this tutorial business, its most fun! I must get round to doing some more.....
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Thank you much! I'm looking forward to seeing another from you.
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Argh, and I forgot to mention... There's one area where the illustration pic covers the text, so you can't see the first half of the sentence.
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Thanks for pointing that out. Got it fixed.
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*saves* Thanks for this Flint.
Wow, lots of great tips there! And I agree with you on the hair and trying to work in individual strands. The badly done wig look really does ruin what would otherwise be a beautiful piece.
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Sure thing! Actually, you should probably thank *QuantumSuz , since she's the one that finally motivated me to get this done with her own tut.
Hair was a pain for a long time until I started playing around with different ways to do it...think I've finally figured it out, though. Glad you like.
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