[Spimm]

Only thing I think I understood about this "blocking technique" was that you first paint big areas with black or something (Fred's pic), but I really still don't get the idea of this (how to colorize etc), lighten me up please.

[Ko]

Well....

Basically it goes like this:
Start by blocking out the main shapes of your character, that is if it is a character that you wish to paint.
You can start out by blocking in with a black paintbrush on a white canvas or establish an underpainting first which is what you usually wish, in order to make preparation for a background.
When blocking out the main shapes of the character you can easily shift between the background colours and the black colour used for blocking. It's here that the force of digital painting lies. Just experiment until you have what you desire. Then use the paintbrush to establish light and colour on top of the silhouette, you have just painted.
Add shadows and details, et voila.... you'll pretty soon have a nice painting!
One thing though... In my opinion you need to have a pretty good understanding of basic anatomy and perspective to use this technique. As you need to visualize a lot in your mind when blocking out the figure.
But it is great for experimenting and for laying down colors quickly....
I'd post a few in progress screens of one of my highrez paintings, but I am at work right now.... maybe in a few hours when I get home.

But I think that someone else might answer your questions better in the meanwhile...

C Ya
Ko

- Reality is for people who can't handle drugs -

[Binke]

Right hehe, I have nothing to add really, cept that all my "good" hrm.. paintings have started out with just a black siluette.
The reason why I do this, is so I can get a clear view on how its going to look in very little time. Getting the right shapes are mucho importante, and at least for me, it's more fun.

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http://binke.gamesquad.net

[sizko.jr]

FRed, SpOoGe Help@!!!
this stuff is amazing i saw a bit of it in another thread "need help on composition" and i've seen both your style and i love them.
can you please help explain this "BLOCKING TECHNIQUE?" we would really love a tutorial with this method, brothers help us please. We know you done a short one already with a woman on the beach FreD, But we need more! write all you know! ahhh i don't know what else to say that can inspire you guys or anyone who knows this technique to help us develop this knowledge to the extreme of our talents

forgive if i sound stupid i'm just to excited to read your replies
thank you for your time guys!

Frankie Jr.

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We few
We happy few
We band of brothers
We will draw on till the end of time.

[This message has been edited by sizko.jr (edited July 25, 2000).]

[psi burn]

my paintings start out with a bunch of very light lines, then i sketch onto them a little darker, then i just start painting on top of everything on a new layer.

[SpiFFy_X]

i use the multiply option on the air brush and screen. This way everytime i paint on top of a colored block it comes out lighter.
i think fred uses Hue? what settings do you use fred, spooge on your air brush and layers to get that effect? oh yeah and what's the pressure at in your air brush? i read that fred uses always a hundred precent i hope i'm right. Oh and explain that Hue and volume thing i don't get it teach!oh and your brushes do you use the fade ones or the solid? i know stupid question but some really don't get it. whats your canvas size? how do you pick does awesome colors? one more do you preserve transperancy? oh man for got one you think a wacom table would work with win95? how much space does it take on your coputer to install one? damn i just can't stop how do you make your own color swatches? ok i'll shut up!
thank you!

[Spimm]

Ko: Thanks! That was helpful... But one more questien; Isn't it frustrating when you "paint over your silhouette", needs to be veery careful on just do a veery basic silhouette?

[Ko]

Hi Spimm

I'm glad that I could be of some assistance.

Keep in mind that the silhouette, if you choose to paint using this method, is only supposed to be a loose approximation of what you wish to accomplish.... don't use too much time on it. Don't worry about the details untill you actually start blocking in the colours. Use the silhouette to establish the proportions and perspective.
And at the same time begin to imagine a light setting including shadows.

Ko

- Moooo am I?

[spooge demon]

Ko, that is a good explanation.

I hate to keep on posting this same thing, but it does give a very obvious step by step of this way of going about a painting.

http://www.goodbrush.com/public_ftp/forum/sink.mov

Maybe some have taken the black and white silhouette idea a little far. If you were to take your finished painting and gaussian blur it, what would it look like? I am not saying block in fuzzy, but what are the basic colors? Warm, cool, red, gray, light dark, what? The closer you block in your values and colors to what you think they will be in the end, the less work you have to do, and you don't have to "fight" and alien color or value.

So the silhouette technique works as long as there is some contrast between the figure and the ground. It could be very slight and still work. In fact, low contrast could help the shapes suggest more to you than if they are screaming black and white.

Hope this helps.

[SushiMaster]

Craig, I know you probably put a lot of time into making that movie, but could I please beg for a more "standard" medium? Over here my connection couldn't take a 2 Mb chunk without crashing even if it was Christmas, and at the office the .mov file type is not assigned to any player... so I can't view the .mov :-(

:-(

A series of html pages with images like the beach-woman sketch series (in even more steps, and perhaps with explanations? :-P) would be better :-)

Ok, sorry, I'm probably asking too much... Well, do what you feel like doing when you feel like it and you have time for it :-) Any help is welcome.

Daniel

[spooge demon]

Oh, sorry. Quicktime blows.


full size sink 206k

frames of sink movie in one file 400k

[Anthony]

quote:

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Originally posted by spooge demon:
Oh, sorry. Quicktime blows.[/URL]

---

You really ought to host some live Net paintings in Painter. You could set up, say, 5 sessions over time, and someone could only go to one of them. I'd even let them email me, and I would coordinate who went into each one, if it'd save you trouble. That way people could ask questions, and you could show what you mean in realtime. Might be fun, eh?

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-Anthony
Carpe Carpem

[AliasMoze]

I think the digital world presents an awesome opportunity for learning by watching. One could capture video from a Photoshop session and actually give commentary. It would take time, so I wouldn't explicitly ask Spooge to do it. But I'd pay money for it.

Spooge/Fred, I have a specific question about values. Have you any good tips for painting with a limited amount of values? I'm trying to practice doing it, but it's so hard to fight the urge to use more. Any advice?

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AliasMoze
:) :) :) :)
"That activates my hilarity unit."

[Spimm]

Thanks guys, that really helped! Well, now I know this one too thanks to you.

[Mozeman]

Hey Spooge;

We live in Orlando, about 1 1/2 hours from Bradenton and 2 1/2 hours from Sarasota. I've never been to Sarasota but I hear it's nice (retirement community, median age is like 56 ). But they do have the Wringling School there, which is a recruiting hot bed.

The west coast Tampa area is fairly populous. I actually prefer the middle of the state better, which is where we are. It's hot and muggy, but the fall seasons are pleasant. The art and animation communities are okay, with the majority of the talent housed under one roof with giant mouse ears.

It's nice and it's cheaper than CA. Still, we're thinking of moving out there, mebbe we could switch houses. At any rate, you should give us a ring if you come out this way.

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Mozeman
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[email protected]
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Come visit our Animation Forum www.moserbrothers.com/aspforum
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"If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?"

[This message has been edited by Mozeman (edited July 26, 2000).]

[Mozeman]

Oops.

[This message has been edited by Mozeman (edited July 26, 2000).]

[psi burn]

Didnt spooge's hometown get destroyed in Independance Day?

[AliasMoze]

Spooge, thanks for the tips. It's very helpful, as usual. Take this picture for example. This was done with all vector art, which forces me to use less values. I like the image OK, but I have no clear plan for distribution of values, etc.

Mozeman answered the FL question.

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AliasMoze

"That activates my hilarity unit."

[This message has been edited by AliasMoze (edited July 29, 2000).]

[spooge demon]

AliasMoze,

If you only have two, you have to simply decide where is the best place to go from light to shadow. Look at comic art, two values, good decisions and great shapes.

If you ad a third value, add it to the lit side. In general keep the shadow side very low contrast and make your error in too little information. Make you lit side precise.

Hey, I am thinking of Florida as a place to live, spec. Sarasota/Bradenton. Is that were you are? You like?

[AliasMoze]

Just getting this back to the top of the heap. Sorry, heh heh.

[spooge demon]

One thing to think about is the value shift from light to shadow. If your white car goes from #1 in light to #4 in shadow, the shift is , hmmm, help me out here, uhhhh 4 minus 1... 3!!!!

So you see where I am going with this. Other local values should also shift by that amount. A black tire that is 7 in light should go very dark in shadow. There are always a million caveats, but sometimes it helps to think this way to give yourself a place to start.

Looking at your pic, I would say the cast shadow is a little strong. Look at the white car and the pavement, they are different values in light, as they should be in shade. It is not actually linear, but in a simple image it's best to think this way.

[AliasMoze]

Aha! I've never thought of it that way. Thanks!
I've actually read to treat it linear. Just hasn't sunk in quite yet.

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AliasMoze

"That activates my hilarity unit."

[This message has been edited by AliasMoze (edited July 29, 2000).]