[pixtur]

Hi...
I was intensivly studying craig mullins� brush work because I couldn�t get any further without some help.

After some hours of work I came this far:



Now I have some questions:

1. I always has some trouble keeping my shapes clean and sharp. Partly because it�s hard to get sharp corners with a big hard brush, partly because the opacity seems not enough. Do you have a tip how to avoid this?

2. What Stylus-settings ("brush dynamics") do you guys use in Photoshop: Size, Opacity, or both? Do you also change the brush-opacity by pressing keys "1"-"0"?

3. I often get trapped in unnessessary detailwork before blocking out the rough forms. I know that�s a NO-NO, but hey... it�s realy hard not to zoom in. Is there any therapy?

4. Any idea, how to get the grass in front a little bit more realistic?

Any other comments and hints would be great.

thank you

tom
www.pixtur.de


[This message has been edited by pixtur (edited February 18, 2001).]

[Budoka]

Hi. I think your clean/sharp painting problem could be solved with contrast in a few areas, just get the lighting definite and maybe dodge/burn areas just lightly to give them a clarity. I use the mullins method of painting; large, strokes quickly done with a fat brush (initially) and a fairly low opacity (varies), I usually find that keying opacity is a bit rough so I usually usethe slide thingy. As to forming a picture, it is essential to get in the shapes with a decent amount of blocking in to start with and the trouble with many peoples images are that they go straight for detail. Enjoy forming images from concepts and not copying from images. Goto about 50% zoom and get a fat brush on a med opacity and make guidelines and then go for it - whatever works. If I were you I would darken this whole scene and make the grass a more 'military green', make the rocks more brown and the sky more red - 'blood-tint-like!' Could be a good image than tho!
Cheers,
J.

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It's better to burn out than fade away�