[ValarianROOT]

Hello all, I started painting this about 3 years ago (my god has it been that long), but i never could fix it. Ah, but then I was turned on to Sijun and saw the work of Craig Mullins, Mikael Noguchi, and Joachim (don't know his last name, couldn't get back to his page). Anyway, now I have been inspired to use Photoshop in a way i never had. *Gasp* I couldn't believe how much my schooling had neglected in teaching us how to paint in PS. So, armed with a crappy jpeg from my site (which i shot with an acient sony Mavica) and a mouse... I have begun to finish what started 3 years ago.

But now i have come to a block. The background just doesn't work with the figure. I can't figure out how to better intigrate it with the figure. Two things I do notice are the background is too simple and the colors are maybe too universally dull.

So, now the cry for help. Could some of you give me some critism and suggestions as to how the painting is going so far. Any repaints would very much appreciated, as well.

I plan to add this painting to my portfolio so it is a priority for me to do the best I can with it.

Thanks.
This is my original photo (prety bad eh?)______________________________This the work in progress.

[ November 17, 2001: Message edited by: ValarianROOT ]

[Anthony]

You need to not worry about going over the original scan. Little if any of it should be showing! Clean it up, that will do it. Also, for the background, you lost the floor, and the pattern became busier and less interesting and less complex. Think as though you're painting anew, don't worry about being cautious with it.

[Kaete]

The form of the figure is great. I'm not too crazy about the background though, because it screams "filter!" Anyone who owns photoshop/paintshop/etc will know it was done with the stained glass filter. If I were you, I'd try to draw the blocks of color in by hand. It's more time consuming, but definitely worth it.

But right now the background is perfect for a little experimentation. If you're worried about the colors, just do a few quick'n'dirty color tests. Use the fill tool to color the blocks in a bunch of different color groups, then compare to see which one is your favorite.

[ValarianROOT]

thanks so far both of you have had really great suggestions.
I've put a bit more work in it and it definitely has more depth and i got rid of the PS filter.

thanks.

Also i am having a rough time with the hand.

[Anthony]

Hope ya don't mind, I did a 5 minute paint over for ya, to show one way you might take the pic. Sorry for the slop job, hope it gives you some great ideas!

[ValarianROOT]

Thanks a lot Anthony. Awsome repaint. Only 5 min? I can't wait until I get my Intuos2, now!

The leather on the repaint is not the texture i'm looking for, but it does look damn cool!!! The shadow work really helps the sense of lighting, too. Thank you again.

I was trying to get something more like a neo-victorian look. Also I've gone and added an actual wall for the window to hang in. Do you think it helps or hinders the drawing? I also will probably change the stainedglass, so it actually is depicting something, not just a random patern.

[ValarianROOT]

I've been messing with some drastic changes to the background and fixe something about the painting that has been bothering since i originally quit working on it. Very rough, but i think it will get me where i want to be. The figure is much more balanced now; it doesn't seem to have the right (her right) leg hovering in the air as much any more. I'm not sure about the ground, probably will go with just some littered concrete.

later

[ValarianROOT]

Thanks again Anthony. I really do appreciate all the suggestions you've made. They really modivate me to not hold back on making changes I wouldn't normally want to.

How does this current itteration work for yall?

[ValarianROOT]

i gues i really should start trying to intigrate the figure with the rest of the pick now, too. Gotta work early tomarrow so can't work on it tonight,though .

[Anthony]

If you include the window, I would move the window to the left or right, so that it's not behind the figure, or most importantly, behind her head. The colors are too similar. Try lighting with some haze from the window

[Wild]

I say: Darken the wall more.
I say: Make light come in through the window
I say: Deliver me from Swedish furniture
I say: I have to stop watching Fight Club...

[ValarianROOT]

Thanks Wild, I'll try to do everything you put down... except i can't help you with the Swedish furniture and I think everyone needs a good dose of Durden every once-in-a-while.

So on to the new and improved background, once again a dramatic change. I am still working on a design for the stained glass...*cough* Okay i someday soon will start working on the 'glass design. I have in mind kind of a broken down church balcony. Greying walls and kipple piling up in the corners. I think i 'll have to changer her footwear too, to something more stylish. Also her right foot is supposed to be resting on a slab off the wall.Thanks again everybody that posted.

[Anthony J]

uhh...whats happening with the hand there?

you should go over your image with more tones, it looks too flat.

maybe you should have another character involved, and an interaction between two characters?

sorry
i critique to the point

[Mr. T]

i don't mean to be rude, but her face is *yuk* not the technique, could you touch it up a bit? it reminds me of marylin manson without makeup

[ValarianROOT]

I have gone into a topor... I will not come out for 3 days and in 3 days I will rise again.

Basicly, I've ordered a Intuos2 9x12 and don't want to mess with anything else til it gets here. So... I'll hopefully be back later with a much more finished version. Right now I'm just too high-string to get anything constructive done.
Lots a money for me...

But anyway check out my site and Critique my idea for its new direction. Site now Site yet to come
And to quote Arnold... "I'll be back..."

[ValarianROOT]

Hey guys i'm back!!! Hers's the current pic, with a few touchups done with my brand spankin new Intuos2. (don't know how I lived without it before, there aren't words for how cool having it is!)
Mr. T: Your not rude IMO i appreciate your honesty. I did some work on the face for ya.
Anthony J: No need to appologize. I would much more prefer you keep to the point. As for you good suggestions: I'm having trouble keeping the palat consistant so i have tried to keep it limited, for now, as i build up layers i'll add more tone and cools and warm colors to add depth. The hand, I just am not 100% sure what to do with it right now so its just hangin out takin up space for now. As for adding another character I'm not really sure on how i'd go about it (maybe, if its not too much to ask, you could sketch out where i'd put another character, please?). But i'll do some work ups myself to see what happens.

Thanks again all... someday this will be a killer illustration!!

JN

[Anthony J]

hey nice redo on the face.

I think the arm is too short, try standing up and measure the distance from your fingers to your kneecap, you'll notice that your characters arm is a tad bit too short.
thats another thing that altering the look of the design.

oh and if you are going to have a window to the right of the character , don't make things complicated with light sources. have the lighting on the right of the character.
you have a purple light going on the left.
change it to the right. take a look at someone for a reference standing beside a window. you'll see where the highlights land.

so switch them around, because it looks odd.
unless you have some kind of purple potion on the ground giving off light.

Okay, I don't have too much time to sketch much, but i could try.

I was thinking, due to the space in the canvas being very constrained, perhaps this
other character could be some kind of assassin or thief. The character could be
crawling up through the window. It could be based on the very lower window area. maybe you would just see a hand and a masked face or something.

I haven't posted much (ANY) work containing characters. But my biggest advice would be to have a character in a painting for some reason. Tell a story through the character.
Don't have poses that have no meaning.
If you want to keep the character that you currently have, give it a particular facial expression, and have it doing something.
If its standing there in a strong stance, perhaps the character is a princess or queen in his castle? I'd like to add that the face is not giving me the sudden impression that the character is a female. As a matter of fact, i went back to doublecheck and the breasts are the only inclination leading towards that belief. (what am is saying?)

anyways, get that princess/queen doing something...that would answer your
"what do i do with this hand?" question.
always have the character in a particular pose and have an expression to deal with a story. Express something through them.

I mean, unless you want to just do a still life, then thats ok.

anyways, i dont have time to sketch, because i have a giant assessment at my school for monday, that im busting my ass to get done.
after that perhaps i could whip something up for you.

alright, keep working on it

another suggestion: in order to get another character in there doing something, you might want to go into photoshop/painter and make more canvas space. That way you could block in the background to be larger, and include another character.

ok cool

[ November 30, 2001: Message edited by: Anthony J ]

[julia]

well, first of all, i like the way its coming along. much better than when u started. anyways, ill just go with what the last guy said and assume the blue thing is a window. if it is, i dont quite understand how the shadow casts on it like that. also, then the blue reflecting light on the clothing, shouldnt it be on the window side then? so instead of making it too hard and changing all the shading, move the window maybe ???? meh, what do i know though right?

[ValarianROOT]

Hi all again. I've been caught up with other projects so i haven't had as much time to work on this one until recently. I'm still having some trouble thinking of how to incorporate another figure or two. Maybe some bodies strewn about? And I've got a working concept for the stained glass in the window too that i've added. Those are supposed to be church pews on the left side, FYI. I think i'll have here dropping a gun like she has given up as well. Otherwise i've made several other changes. So please be mean, be harsh, and let me know what yall think about them.
P.S. I am gonna have to shrink the other previous picks soon too. This last one is getting out of hand... So here it is.