[fukifino]

Hello folks. I'm fairly new to digital painting (and don't have a real world painting background to help me). I'm trying my hand at color for, pretty much, the first time and was hoping people might be willing to offer some suggestions.

The following is a WIP (still have a long way to go) that I'm doing in Photoshop 6. I've so far done it on one layer (trying to improve my skills so I need a bit of a challenge...although I still use the undo tool ), using the airbrush, dodge/burn, smudge and blur tools. It's also an experiment in dynamic lighting , as well as invented lighting.


(click for larger image)

There was a photo reference used for this (not painted over, just as a visual reference...this painting is 100% free hand) that was lit by a light from the upper left and by a secondary light from the right. I wanted the light on the left to be coming from below, so I'm basically inventing the new lighting. I realize that the face is actually way too lit for the angle...the arms would be casting a shadow over a good chunk of the face...call it artistic license though.

At this point the basics are down and I'm working on refining the areas and bringing up the detail, something I have a bit of difficulty with in color. (It's much easier in black and white..only the dodge/burn tool! )

Aaaaaanyways...I really suck at using the smudge tool... (You can see some of my black and white work at http://fukifino.deviantart.com.

If anyone has any work method tips besides the tools I've used, or for the tools I've used, I'd appreciate it. So far I've only worked with the round, fuzzy brushes ( they seem to give me what I want.) Also, any critisism (although I probably know about most of the flaws here..hehe) would be appreciated.

This forum is great, hope to make it a regular stop.

[eyalyab]

this looks great so far.
maybe use less fuzzy brushes and more harder brushes (unless you're going zooming in with small fuzzy bruehes). the face has nice focus but the rest of the body is blurred and smudged to hell. the colors are messy but it gives it interest. what is she? a synthetic kid?
edit: btw, welcome!

[fukifino]

Yeah, most of the figure started off really fuzzy...it's sorta the way I work right now....really large and fuzzy, then smaller and smaller refining...I have just barely started on the body (the hands) recently...the head is mostly done..about 80% I suppose.

And my idea is a sorta cyberpunk hacker (a la Shadowrun), but you're free to interpret it however.

Oh yeah, thanks for the comment and the welcome.