Sea Vanity WIP (nudity)

[jmBoekestein]

I think it's in need of a more interesting background.

I think the idea looks good though, I personnally would like to see more blue colours in it and some foaming waves. Good luck with it.

[Vertizor]

Actually I kinda like the color scheme right now. It's a break from the ordinary. I'm a little bias too about the green water because I have the Atlantic ocean on my side. Not sure why in most other mermaid images I've seen they almost always have blue/green-ish tails. This one is purple. Interesting!

jmBoekestein, read the description again. It's suppose to be dark and moody.

[BMunchausen]

The problem is probably less that there's not enough blue and more that the palette isn't harmonious. There also isnt' much mood or sense of light and that should be the first thing you put down after the general sketch. Those colors seem almost randomly chosen, and they don't do much for one another. Her skin especially, has that "straight out of the tube" quality to it that is sort of chalky and uninteresting.

Maybe you should bring more of the background color into the mermaid so she'd feel like she was of the same space. Skin often has greenish undertones in it.

[Sylanya]

Thank you for all of the input guys. I'm trying to fix things up as I work, change colors so they're more harmonious and add more details.

[jmBoekestein]

Vertizor,

yes I understand what you mean. I stand by what I've said. Blue is a cold colour, would work well in setting a mood in which she's only preoccupied by herself and could bring a more stark contrast with her skintones making her jump out. I'd go for desaturated myself. Love her hair btw.

Will be hanging around.

[Vertizor]

Water for the most part is just reflecting the color of the sky right? If you want blue water, there'd have to be a blue sky... which implies either a clear or just slightly cloudy day. If she was going for a "dark" "moody" scene there'd have to be thick clouds wouldn't you agree?

If it was a clear blue day, sun shining, it wouldn't really convey the dark errieness would it? I think the green gives it that "swampy" eerieness (even though this is the ocean). Think fantasy paintings with irregular sky colors.

EDIT: blue is not necessarily a cold color. Sometimes it can actually be hotter than red. If you have a gas stove, turn on the burner. Which is hotter? Red flame or blue flame? :D

[jmBoekestein]

Dude!!!

Go stand over a pond and tell me if it reflects only or if you can see stuff in there, you're misleading the girl. People wouldn't put fishes in their pond if they could only see themselves.

Also the further away objects are the more the light coming of them is affected by the air which has a blue colour to it. It's not necessary I agree. In that respect I think still, that it could be less saturated and darker, but then it still depends on how much detail you eventually want in there imho.

[Vertizor]

Okay, if you say so. If I were to look at a pond right now, I would be lead to believe the water was green because of the algae, and a little brownish because, well dirt is brown.

But that's straying from the point. Not my painting so I'll be quiet.

[Sylanya]

Would it help if I said that I was going more for the feeling that her vanity is killing everything around her than the realism behind it? The background is going to be much more detail, with lots of browns and greens and some blues in the water and browns and greens in the sky.

[jmBoekestein]

Yes that would help!

One more judgementcall and I swear I'll save it on my HD and finish it myself, lol. What kind of details do you plan on adding?

[Sylanya]

Well, lots of dark thick clouds, a lot of surf and waves, more contrast everywhere. Dead seaweed sticking to the rock next to her. Just mainly details to show how dead the environment is. :arteest:

:sad: So much controversy...And the pic has only just begun! :eek:

[jmBoekestein]

Can only mean one thing! Men and mermaids:rolleyes: , yeah.

[jmBoekestein]

So how's it coming along, can we see some steps or early versions? I've become quite curious.

[Adam Gur]

You might want to keep the line art on a seperate layer and put it on gel (painter) or multiply (photoshop) mode, ie, the white is transparent ... I find that dropping the lineart at a later stage and working it into the paint works great for some types of illustration, but I'm not sure what's the final look you're going for... Also, you might consider choosing blending two colors for the sky as a starting point as opposed to a single one..... hope this helps,

Adam

[Sylanya]

I think you might notice a difference between my last update and this one...

http://thecoloreddragon.home.comcast.net/images/sea-vanityWIP1.jpg

Close-up of the face (pearls aren't painted yet, by the way):

http://thecoloreddragon.home.comcast.net/images/sea-vanity-facecloseup.jpg

So basically, the only reason I'm posting an update is because I'm incredibly unsure about the sky. Do you guys think it helps with the theme that she has become so vain the the sea is dying, or is it just weird. Thanks for the input!

[Elaeria]

Hey, it's a creative idea. Nothing wierd about creativity in my books! Nice work.

I do think the sky needs some depth to it. It does look a little flat or dome-like. Maybe others disagree with me, but that's what I see.

I like the pose of the mermaid and the story is wonderful!
Keep it up!
~Ela~

[Sylanya]

I know it looks a little flat, but that was actually what I was intending for, to bring more attention to the mermaid.

I was more of wondering if the formation of the clouds fit in with the story, because they look more like a magical storm that a dying sky to me. :/

[jmBoekestein]

Well, you should know it works in a disorienting manner this flat. You could maybe try to shift the attention onto her using values and hue changes throughout. It's coming along nicely though. Great stuff.:thumbsup:

[Sylanya]

Alright, I'm seriously starting to rip out hair now. I can't get the sky the way I want it. I've started over about 5 times now, and I can't get it right. I want it to be stormy, dark, and somewhat dead and sick looking, but that's not exactly the easiest thing to do. If anyone can help me, I would greatly appreciate it!

[Sylanya]

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=248732

I finally finished this painting, and it is now uploaded and posted on CGTalk in the Finished Gallery. Go check it out! :)

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