[ceenda]

This is a portrait based on a photo of the British author Martin Amis which I found on the front cover of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine as I was reading the Sunday papers. It seemed to have quite a nice lighting approach and so I thought it would be quite good to do a painting based on the photo.

I think I made a few errors with the proportions that were hard to correct without starting again. In the photo, the subject is kinda slouching in an armchair. Also, the shirt is actually a reflective grey-purple nylon, but I decided just to go for a light grey colour.

The pic was done using Painter Classic. All in all, Painter is an excellent program which is marred by some really annoying problems. However, it has a nicer and more vibrant feel than Photoshop depending on how you use it.

There's a larger version here:- http://www.cee.hw.ac.uk/~ceenda/portrait1c_fullsize.jpg

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Nicholas Anderson
email: [email protected]
web: Flying Islands
-- affiliates --
..::sketchboard.co.uk

[beekay-]

your pic doesn't show and your link doesn't work.

bk

[ceenda]

beekay- : For some reason I had to upload the files using FTP as a direct drag and drop in WinNT doesn't seem to work. Go fig.

[aquamire]

Wow, very nice Ceenda. Your previous portraits, (most notably the rembrants) were a little to smooth, I thought.. this seems to be a little harsher, and more painterly.. probably because of you using Painter, eheh. How long did this take you?

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-Aquamire
"Quotes are for mislead wussies." - Me.

[Weeks]

Ceenda....!

Let me tell you just one word.. :

FORMIDABLE....! exaltant et talentueux.

I like very much the way you "play" with Painter that I practice for few years... but... could you tell me what do you think of mine ... ? (in the forum : Velazquez..This time, it was with photoshop)

Please tell me...

Weeks

[ceenda]

aquamire: Thanks! The pic took about 5 hours with a break for tea.

Weeks: Bonjour mon ami. Vous �tes un artiste extraordinaire.

Bg: Cheers! I'm hoping to see more dragons and crazy knights and other crazy stuff from you before long. :P

Flexible Elf: Thanks for the complements! Big fan of your DUNE stuff here. I know what you mean about Painter. One of my gripes is that you select a brush, change the settings, choose a different tool, go back to the brush and have to change all the settings again. Anyway, look forward to seeing your Painter stuff soon.

Mergatroid: Some very good crits there, thank you. The photo was on a glossy cover so I don't know whether that is why alot of areas seem so dark in the photo. Also, as you say, the jacket and shirt are a cold grey. I should have tried to get a hue that was closer to the purple colour in the pic which was warmer. Glad you like the hair.

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--
Nicholas Anderson
email: [email protected]
web: Flying Islands

[::Dino::]

Wow Great work Ceenda!. Do u think u could post the reference? I'm interested to see what you had to work with. Keep up the good work.

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-Dino
TMM

[EviLToYLeT]

Very nice ceenda. I do say that the clothign clashes a bit with the .. rest of the picture. Blasted photographers fault though! Anyway, the guy has no neck. But i'm assuming that the colalr is covering it up. From what I'm seeing, the colors are very dark on his clothign and you need to choose a bit warmer colors. Keep in mind that nothing in this world is PURE black and heh, yah. Also, ,it may just be the photograph, but his shoulders look extremely broad. But anyway, great job on the picture. Like the inside shirt, has a silk texture to it.

[Light]

Looks great. This is very finished quality.

My only thoughts on it is the visualization of the egg shape on the right half of the face which disrupts the shadowed area. It looks good but I'm not sure its the best use of that space.

The only other thing about the head that might be improved is the ear.

Also.. I'm thinking a greenish color might look good behind him as the brown is sorta overused.

Anyway.. its nice.

[Liquid!]

Nice job!

[Rinaldo]

*gasp*

cool shtuff Ceenda

[Jezebel]

Seriously... when I first opened this up, I thought it was the reference photo you used

That is REALLY cool. I love it

-Beth

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

[url=http://div.dyndns.org/FOO!]http://div.dyndns.org/FOO![/url]
http://div.dyndns.org/beth/photography

[Bg]

Looks good, much better than your previous portraits!

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Timo Vihola

ICQ:101776026

http://www.mbnet.fi/~badgers/

[Flexible Elf]

That is way cool ceenda. That is a paint-worthy portrait for sure. Lots of fun lighting and wrinkles.

I'm tryin' my hand at Painter Classic myself. It's pretty neat. It's taking me a lot longer to finish this work (I'm workin on) than it does in Photoshop because I'm messing around with all the keen brushes.

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

[Mergatroid]

Ceenda,

The head and the clothing don't seem to work together very well, their too seperate. Maybe the edge where they meet can be softer and the temperature of the greys in the jacket can get warmer. By using some of the color in the face on the jacket and vice versa can help to make them feel more harmonious. Yuo might even want to try taking all the color out and making it a grayscale image. The hair looks great, looks very natural.



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Mergatroid

[BooMSticK]

very very nice! Just one thing - the highlight on his left next to the eye is too bright and should be toned down just a bit...

the clothes is just spot on. Very nice.
,Boom

[S4Sb]

So real!

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Formerly known as El Caseron.
ICQ:26482363

[Sergenth]

This looks like it was a lot of fun to make. It reminds me of the portrait guy who does a face every week for my local newspaper. Peter Ambush is his name. It's for a TV Guide sort of insert in every Sunday paper.

It must be a Sunday thing :P

Very nice work!

[ceenda]

: ino:: Thanks. I don't have a scanner at home, however, I'll try and scan it in using the departmental scanner if the opportunity arises.

EviLToYLeT: Thanks for the crits EviLToYLeT, glad you like it.

Light: Hmm, is that the 'viewers' right or the subject's right. However, I think I know what you mean, cheers.

Liquid: Thanks! Great to see you posting here again.

Rinaldo: Cheers. BTW, how many hours +GMT are you, as I always seem to miss you on ICQ.

Jezebel: Thanks Jezebel, I'm glad it tickles your fancy. Just dropped by your home page, you have a really nice website, and your photography portfolio is very cool indeed.

BooMSticK: You're right about the highlights, they're not as distinct in the photo. Cheers for the comments.

S4Sb: Thanks man.

Sergenth: Thanks. I think I know the kind of pics you're talking about. The thing is that they're often done to a tight schedule (1 week or less) so their often quite loosely painted and yet are extremely well done.

[Kjetil Nystuen]

Wow, this is really beautiful work. Ceenda. Love his expression, you have done a beautiful job. His hair is tremendous. I'd love to see more!

-Kjetil

[el tigre]

you never cease to amaze me Ceenda. that is sweet. So completely different than your early airships & sky cities but just as good if not better.

Hats off!

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Couldnae hit a coo in the arse wi a banjo if uh wis huddin it by the tail. :�