[NOXizMAD]

First of all, don't take this as a painting lesson, but more like sum kinda freakshow. I mean, my so-called technic is far from an 100% under-control process, but it's more like a modeling process bazed on auto-critics: does it looks good or real or not... I still haven't a good control of my brushstrokes, so i use a lot of time building and remodeling volumes, 4 better or 4 worst. By example, in the rendering process, i very often destroy my dynamics or intuitive brushstrokes made in the first attempt. So it goes back n forth, and again, and so on... I think sum of u know what i'm talking about (if you got tips to get into a better process or control, be my guest:))). Younger, i haven't made big art studies (just 2 years in an advertising design school), so i miss that academic knowledge, and i try to work hard to get it by myself today (kidz, don't leave ur artschool to get into the game buisness; u'll regret that one day...). So Exxxtra thanxxx to all of u people who share your knowledge and technics like Phil Saunders and his very interesting and useful "conceptual design" course, and of course Craig Mullins for his tutorial and HUGE shared and inspirating works.

Ok first, as u may already know, i didn't use any references on this picture (as most of my stuff). I've always been working on lighted volumes and characters, and more recently on scenes atmospheres. Of course, i did few photo studies or referenced pictures of urban scenes (as this one) before, but i try a lot to analyse pictures, paintings, movies and real life scenes to try to be aware of natural effects (spooky ah?), and be able to, at least basicly, reproduce them without sources. These are very quick and simple examples made a couple of months ago:
_

So here we go:

Step1: i just started with the idea of a shooting scene in the trafic jam, a camera angle and light source in the back of my head. As i wanted this to be a speed painting piece, i didn't want to loose time to add detail to the sketch. Originally, the shooter was running while shooting back, then i decided to make him hiding behind the black car.


Step2: i brought color to the background, then add an overlay layer of a b/w radial gradient to give the scene a global lighting (thx spooge), and decrease its opacity. I then decrease the sketch layer opacity. http://noxizmad.free.fr/pictures/threads/tutorial01/WIPss02.jpg

Step3: adding few values and tones, basics reflections on the car, some shadows on the ground casted by a 45�of angle sun light coming from the upper left (got in mind that sun lighted areas are hot dyed, and shadows are colder)


Step4: i began to define both characters and car. At this point i decided to put the shooter in a defensive position, badly hurt, to make the scene more dramatical.


Step5: Big part, adding details, final posing and volumes to the characters. Giving a suffering expression to the shooter, and a distorted one on the pulled back head of the other guy, to exprimate the violence of the impact.


Step6: At this point, the picture is almost finished. Just added few more details.

[NOXizMAD]

Step7: I flatened my layers, dupicated the resulting image, then i played with the hue/saturation adjuster for a more colored image. I then decrease the opacity around 50.


Step8: i have an embossed texture made few times ago while trying PS7 brushes. I took it, placed it beetween the background and its modified copy. I flipped it to work with the light, and distorted it with the perspective deformer to the right angle. Then i roughly made selections of the cars and characters with the lasso tool to clear these areas. Finally, i set my layer in overlay, and left it at 100%.


Step9: this time it's the end, we're in the 4th hour. Just boosting the flame of the shot on an overlay layer. Then adding a very light linear gradient on an overlay layer (15%), just to add to the scorching heat atmosphere. And made few adds and modification on the shooter (like lightly blue shaded details on the leg). And that's it...


thanx for staying till the end :p
cheerz
nOx

[Svanur]

Great work man. There is really nothing I can find wrong with this pic.

[tor]

hi NOX,

this is great stuff! and thanx for sharing.

i agree to what you say about remodeling
volumes, it's a bit like having the object
in your head and sculpting it in values on
a flat surface.
do you only work digitally? the stuff on your
page is really good, i really like it.

oh, you wouldn't happen to know a man
named stephan stradella would you? i know
it's a loooong shot but you never know...

t�

[faB]

Good job Nox,
you handled the perspective quite well,
my only concern is the standing guy, his clothes are somewhat undefined and the arm look a bit like a tube.
I might have used an overall colder tone to it.. you know bleak/grey city.
Expressions on the face are great.

[NOXizMAD]

Svanur> i know u're lying, but thanx anyway :p

Tor> yes, all my recent works are digital, mostly coz i don't have to clean ultra-dry paint on the paintbrushes to start something new ;))). But i'm goin to buy some traditionnal tools soon (some decent watercolors, and oils to try it)... Too bad i couldn't go in hollidays this year (again), i've almost never been painting from life outside, and i miss it...
Sorry, but that name tells me nothing...

FaB> yeah man, i really should do somthing about the clothes, but as i worked this piece as a quick one, i didn'd want to go much deeper in details, just suggested a bulletproof vest to justify the headshot. I still don't have that amazing ability to select what should be detailed and what don't need to be, like some of our most talented members virtuosly do. That's something i really gota work.
Well, a tube is the closest basic shape to setup the harm's volume in space, but u're so right, i shouldn't leave it like this (that speed painting mood really did set me in panic mode)

Suggestions and critiks to get into a better process welcome- ThanXXX

[Vroom]

good work!