[Duncan]

I am painting a portrait of my friend in Photoshop and I am mostly done. Over all i think it is prety good, but it is missing something. it seems...uninteresting.
can anyone help me?
here is the url
Trang
thanks

Duncan

[ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Duncan ]

[Matt Elder]

The image is quite good and you've done a nice job. In some places it does still seem a bit rough and could do with a little polishing and smoothing over.

As for your comment in trying to make it interesting, after looking at the source photo, I'm not really sure that you could. A portrait photo is very static to begin with. The only thing I could suggest would be changing the background so it looks like it is outdoors, trees and grass in the background. This would present problems in lighting and the background may become more interesting than the photo itself.

sorry I couldn't be all that helpful.

[ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Matt Elder ]

[Duncan]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Heh. the thing is, I can't paint landscapes. thats something I need to work on.

[Gothic Gerbil]

http://www.sijun.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=004664

tee hee hee! ^,^

The portrait looks really good. I personally think her teeth and eyes are a bit bright but I really can't complain, lot better than my work! And anyhow, compared to the picture you stepped the tones up a bit anyhow. Hmm ... on a 2nd glance though the shirt design looks a bit like it is floating, not really attached to the shirt. Looks pretty though!

[chipie]

looking very good to me..only thing that bothdered a bit was..i don't know what exactly it is, but, like her hair - there's no single strains or anything, looks a bit as if she was cut out and stuck on a background/piece of paper. but yes, looks nice, pretty.


you're from japan? i'm half japanese...heh, ok, guess no one cares. oh well.

[Steven Stahlberg]

The 'uninteresting' factor you mention probably comes from the uninteresting photograph... for an interesting dynamic portrait you need more dramatic lighting and contrast, less centered in the middle -

For instance a 3/4 view, cropped close, with strong (colored?) light coming from left and right creating a shadown in the middle, something like that, I'm sure you know what I mean. And perhaps less smile, more seriousness, though that's optional.

[Duncan]

thanks for the suggestions

Gothic Gerbil- heh, i already have that tutorial saved, but thanks. Yeah, i had noticed that about the shirt, but im not too sure about how to fix it.

chipie- yeah, i also need to work on my hair. nope, im not japanese, just going to school here.

Steven- Actually, she stole most of the pictures i have of her, but i probably could have still picked a better one.

and the point that it's at now is the finished stage. I give it to her tomorow

[ October 11, 2001: Message edited by: Duncan ]

[lafolli]

I think your colors are far too flat and even. You should experiment with using complementary colors in the shadow areas and adding an ambient highlight on outer edges of areas in shadow to create volume. Also use more pure colors in the flesh; human flesh is not opaque but translucent, so it reflects colors around it as well as showing the colors inside. Like Matt said, the photo you are working from is not very exciting... it needs a much stronger lighting scheme. If I were you I'd scrap the photo and quit trying to make your painting look like it; instead improvise and try to increase the contrast between areas of light and shadow. If you get stuck then set up a light near your own face and see how the shadows fall; it will serve as a guide for you to modify this pic. Good luck!

[sociopath]

the portrait is good, but it lacks depth in areas. like right behind her shoulders for instance. and if you drop the teeth back a tad, it will look more lifelike, and try to bring out the lights on the ridges of her face. remember theres a skull under that skin. just mock the skull ridges, but not so extreme. good work tho. i like it