"PAINTOVER PLEASE" - painted crits on demand - with Steven Stahlberg

[Stahlberg]

It's difficult to explain with words. Maybe this image helps
http://www.techiwarehouse.com/i/Maya/transl.jpg
default Lambert behavior on the left, adjusted to be more like skin on the right.

[jtvergarav]

Yeah, makes sense. Thanks man

[melonkuantum]

Ooops, sorry, it is triple post... :eek:
i post it three times because my reply not showing
i didn't realize that the reply must be validated for new member, what a shame :blush:

[melonkuantum]

Hi, this is a great thread Mr. Stahlberg! :beer:

please paintover my artwork here. Actually this has finished,
but i feel there is something lacking in this. I wonder what improvement
you can recommend. The concept is about Nikola Tesla alternate reality.
Somehow his experiment make him able to travel through time and dimension
and he become a dark thunder mage who is feared in the ancient world.
The scene is in some underground tunnel with the camera slightly upward.

Thanks, and sorry if my English is strange.

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/tesla_final.jpg

[xGoodyx]

Hi, Anyone could help me with cloth ? I am honestly trying so hard to achieve a better look and feeling to it - but no luck whatsoever unfortunately.

Please paint over :) ***crossing fingers**

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/041/8/b/photorealisim_attempt_by_goody317-d39500u.jpg

[C-h-a-0-s]

Working on an oilpainting that is going to be a gift to a friend who loves beachvolleyball. I haven´t used a reference wich you can see in the poor anatomy, would really appreciate your help with that!


http://www.jemtee.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/P1140953.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Sorry I'm late, here are the three next ones

http://www.androidblues.com/POP476.gif

http://www.androidblues.com/POP477.gif

http://www.androidblues.com/POP478.gif

[melonkuantum]

finally the electricity looks glowing and Nikola looks more mysterious, yay! :applause:
so it seems the left light source in my original painting is too strong, but you make it
disappear completely, haha.

anyway, thank you very much!! :thumbsup:

[Stahlberg]

Oh, there was another light source? I thought it was just supposed to be ambient light spill.
My advice would be to let the lightning be the main light, no other lights really needed, he already has 4 points where lightning converges that act as lights, plus the additional light cast by the lightning itself. Acting like a very large and bright area light. Also, any time you add more light to a scene with glowing FX such as lightning, you diminish the impact of the glowing FX

[melonkuantum]

Oh, there was another light source? I thought it was just supposed to be ambient light spill.
My advice would be to let the lightning be the main light, no other lights really needed, he already has 4 points where lightning converges that act as lights, plus the additional light cast by the lightning itself. Acting like a very large and bright area light. Also, any time you add more light to a scene with glowing FX such as lightning, you diminish the impact of the glowing FX

ok, thanks for the advice. i'll remember it in the future.

[Feeank]

Hi there mr. Stahlberg, hope you can help me with this piece.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/feeank/BeMyBaby.jpg

I'm portraying a '60s girlgroup singing live on tv, I based this on old youtube videos and have tried to transmit that feeling here without adding a photoshop filter on top of it all. I'm happy with the character design and poses, and am looking more for lighting or compositing feedback, if that makes sense.
Thanks in advance.

[Stahlberg]

ok cool, do you have any specific references you can show me? or I can look for myself
I think the lighting was usually quite contrasty and harsh on TV in the 60's right? due to limitations in the video technology

[Feeank]

Sure, here's a picture (well, what do you know, there's a little bit of detail here that I had not picked up before on the girl's clothing)

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/74293642.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0434FCF45C4B961E4A22753B7B734BFCFA9F0F86B2CFDFE48

Also a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCUO7F2xjzw) from that show.

Thanks for the interest!

Edit: regarding lighting/contrast, that is correct, my fear here is "killing" the mood if I light it more aggresively, or drown the character's skin. Now, having found that ref pic and taking a step back, there's a lot of obvious issues jumping out from my render that could be improved right away.

[TRESDberserk]

hello mr Stahlberg.

first of all. I am a fan of your work. :bowdown:
this forum is AWESOME and I can't belive I didn't know it existed.

I Hope you can help me with this image. I want it to look more realistic but i dont know how.
thanks for your help.

http://features.cgsociety.org/newgallerycrits/g17/283317/283317_1300521854_submedium.jpg

[tseirp]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg, I've been lurking this thread for a while, and i was wondering what would you do to improve my latest painting. I'm trying to portray a girl holding an umbrella with her hair swept by the wind, I'm mostly confused of how to draw the background, because the image has been flattened. I'm sorry if it's highly stylized, so maybe you could point some things to be improved if you don't want to paint over it :) A few flaws that I see for now is one the eye, mouth and ear placement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tseirp/20110315_v04-2.jpg

Thank you for this wonderful thread :beer: looking forward to your suggestion(s) :)

[melonkuantum]

Hi, this is my newest artwork for CHOW#237 entry in conceptart.org

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/ChOW237_melon_kuantum.jpg

it tells about a human being interrogated by an Illithid / mind flayer with its mindreading ability.
i want the muscles to be subtle, but it looks too flat. the light source is from a light bulb directly above.

oh and one more thing, I drew this from grayscale and then colorize it with overlay layer.
But the color looks a bit dull, the black and the white tends to form a dark / light block (e.g. on the human skin).
but if i use color layer, it spoils the value, the dark seems too light.
is it my grayscale value that not correct, either too much black or too much white?

sorry for my bad english.

[Stahlberg]

Two more images:

.
http://www.androidblues.com/POP479.gif

http://www.androidblues.com/POP480.gif

[TRESDberserk]

Thankyou so much Mr. Stahlber.
what you did with my image just amaze me.

I am new to digital painting so I dont know a lot of stuff.
I would like to know if I should use the blur tool in photoshop if I want to make the skin look softer, or if it depends of the brush that i use when i paint the color. And also when should I use a harder brush.

Thanks again.

[Stahlberg]

It's difficult to say, it depends on the light, the direction of light and strength, and if it casts sharp or soft shadows. For sharp shadows you need sharp brushes. I usually don't use the blur function so much, instead I mostly use the smudge brush, like I would use my finger on charcoal drawing.

Here's another image:

http://www.androidblues.com/POP481.gif

[jinnamaranth]

Hi Mr.Stahlberg, so glad that I have found this thread at last. Was thrilled ever since I heard about the paint over from your talk.
http://cid-cf4e81c74164d87f.skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?page=play&resid=CF4E81C74164D87F!1118

I painted this using photo references of Rihanna and Angkor's ancient ruins. I was going for a mythical pagan goddess kinda of feeling (exotic sunny jungle landscape, almost impassive facial express). However, I just couldn't get the feeling right. I see all the beginner's mistakes here, too much details and too high contrast, but I don't know how to correct it. Would really appreciate it if you can paint over this

[Stahlberg]

I can't see an image in your post? Do you have a link?

[jinnamaranth]

Hi Mr. Stalhberg, I'm new to posting image on forums, I thought inserting the following url as image would work :(
http://cid-cf4e81c74164d87f.photos.live.com/self.aspx/art/The^_ancient.jpg

Thank you so much!

[Stahlberg]

ok, got it.

.

[Feeank]

Thanks a lot Mr. Stahlberg, that's pretty much where I'm heading right now with that project, I'll be updating it soon.

[Stahlberg]

Two more entries....

http://www.androidblues.com/POP482.gif

http://www.androidblues.com/POP483.gif

[jinnamaranth]

Thank you for the paintover, Mr.Stahlberg :cool: The painting is much more focused now without the distracting background. And thanks for fixing the light and the shadow, I need a lot work on that.

[tseirp]

Thank you very much Mr. Stahlberg, I really appreciate it. The face is more beautiful now.

May I know how do you usually pick colors? especially for the realistic approach, and is it okay if I color picked directly from reference photograph for color scheme in my works? :)

[canycan]

Hello Mr.Stahlberg

I've been working on a fan art for Blizzard's game World of Warcraft, Would like to improve the background or maybe even the character itself. Whatever you feel that would improve the image.

Thanks~

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a318/CanyCould/Deathknight-3.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Tseirp, yes it's ok to color pick from photographs. Why shouldn't it be? The problem is a photo can lead you the wrong way, you have to look at your painting and make decisions about color based on your image. Sometimes it's identical to the reference, but often I'd want to change the color a little, one way or another.
But also note, you certainly don't have to get the color right on the first try. Hardly anyone ever does.

[yoyo1199]

hey steven, the character in this piece is an arabian thief. looking at the night city view, on top of a building roof,nothing much
the character is from turkey, during ottomon period,
but i guess is not very obvious ,wish i could spend more time on designing .
i'm weak at concept... :rolleyes:
feel free to change or improve anything.
http://i.imgur.com/uGZlK.jpg

hope you are doing fine =) thanks again.
you are a great inspiration to me. :bowdown:

[melonkuantum]

Hi, Mr. Stahlberg! this is my newest artwork:

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/girlinabar_final_medium.jpg

i think i'm addicted with your paintover, lol.
since it's very effective for me to learn to be better.

Thx again, n good luck with your DW V!

[FutureFantasyDesign]

Thank you Mr. Stahlberg, I wanted to not only bookmark this thread, but speak my appreciation for some interesting styles and paint overs! I am just getting ready to start doing painting with a tablet. I am trained in physical mediums (*acrylic mostly), but I am very nervous about trying to take my knowledge to a tablet. Any advice on the transition?

Ariana

[Stahlberg]

Just jump in. You just have to put in a certain number of hours of practice and eventually it will all make sense. You might want to save the truly ambitious stuff for later, and start off with smaller things, sketches, doodles, fun stuff. Things without a lot of pressure attached to it. Simple brushes are best to start with. Keep the history window open and you can always undo every stroke.

[Highelf]

I'd absolutely love a paintover!

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af334/LakierosJordy/otherwordlywinter.jpg?t=1304262342

[Amalia]

Hello!
Let me start by telling you how much I admire your work. People that help other people for free is not something I see every day (sad thing).
This is one of the most complex works I've done. She's a bad fairy(hidding a knife), with a sweet and inocent face.
I have some problems with the skin texture and lighting.I also can't figure out if the background needs more details.I kinda want all the attention on the fairy.
Thank you for all the great work you do. Your thread helped me alot.http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/amalia_lorena/digital%20paintings/fairyqueen.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Character limit is such a drag in this thread

http://www.androidblues.com/POP484.gif

[canycan]

Thanks~, I'll get to fixing the anatomy, The background looks so much engaging. Mind if I ask how you made the glaciers... so icey? XD

[Stahlberg]

hehe, it's hard to explain, that's why I prefer paintovers to text. I just sort of... squiggled. I was using the same colors you used, just broke up the smooth chunks into smaller chunks, creating more detail.

Here's another one:

http://www.androidblues.com/POP486.gif

[canycan]

Haha, you weren't kidding by squiggles. I did notice that in the paint over you had some squiggles around the top, I had a feeling it was part of the process.

Here's the link (http://stonepro.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/deathknight2.jpg) to my version after taking your advice, not done yet tho.

Thanks :D

[tseirp]

Hello again Mr. Stahlberg, this is my latest painting, It's an Evangelion unit-02 and asuka fanart.

I'm hoping that you could help me with rendering the materials for the suit and metal. I've been trying to make them more shiny but couldn't get the right material and textures for it.

I'm sorry the image is longer than 800x600.

Thank you and good luck on your dominance war entry!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tseirp/20110426-06-3.jpg

[yoyo1199]

hi steven,i hope you are not forgetting me? if a paint over is not needed, i don't mind some words of advice :)

[melonkuantum]

wow, thx Mr. Stahlberg! after i saw your paintover,
i think my original painting is too colorfull, lolz
and the lighting isn't consistent too.

Thx again!

[Stahlberg]

No I'm not forgetting anyone. I just switched 2 out of order.

http://www.androidblues.com/POP485.gif

[yoyo1199]

haha, thanks!! :)

[Stahlberg]

another one
I didn't take it as far as I could have, because it would have taken much longer. But I think you get the point. I made extensive use of references, note the mountain and the trees

http://www.androidblues.com/POP487.gif

[Chrysley]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg. I hope you can help me with this one. The eyes and nosebridge have been bugging me. I can't seem to get it to work with the rest of the features.

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee453/Chrysley/lesmisscopy2.jpg

[Heozart]

Mr. Stahlberg, I've been watching this thread over the years, and it never ceases to amaze me. I would love to see how you'd use some of your Stahlberg magic to inject more mood, atmosphere, and focus into this one. I was going for a leisurely late afternoon look. Thank you so much for your kind heart and awesome talent!

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m119/Heozart/City%20of%20Heroes/April-small.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Ok here's a new one. A bit difficult again, I was trying real hard to find something to correct, but found only minor stuff.

http://www.androidblues.com/POP490.gif

[Stahlberg]

Here's another one. I just noticed I skipped a couple, I'll go back and take care of it

http://www.androidblues.com/POP491.gif

[MikuciS]

Hey, just found out about this thread...OMG how much one man can contribute to the comunity :) Your awesome!!!
Hope you are still overpainting ( fingers crossed)
http://content22-foto.inbox.lv/albums153559055/mishelin666/Zomby-girls-wip/Zomby-final.jpg
Wanted to make her left hand kinda mutated bloddy, u know... grose, but didnt manage to get the effect. And something with the light isn't right too. Main light is coming from top left and secondary light is coming from bottom right, u can see it on her chest.
Maybe something wrong with anatomy? Colors used?
Sorry for my english...
YOUR AWESOME!!!

[melonkuantum]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg, I hope you have the time to paintover my newest artwork :D
this is an entry for RIFT - Create a Colossus contest in deviantart.
This is a gigantic living tower with a hundred thousand of troops marching to their death
(yes, it's not a swarm of ants) :D
I feel this piece is lack of depth (aerial perspective maybe?), and maybe you can improve the
flame and lava, rock texture, or whatever you see as essential.

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/Mesard_update_small.jpg

Thank you for taking your invaluable time! :applause: :bowdown:

[Stahlberg]

a couple that I skipped earlier.....

http://www.androidblues.com/POP488.gif

http://www.androidblues.com/POP489.gif

[Amalia]

WOW thanks a lot! You're the best!

[Stahlberg]

one more... .......................


http://www.androidblues.com/POP492.gif

[Lunatique]

You know, Steven, I think it's pretty damn impressive that some of the images submitted into this thread are already quite advanced work, yet you still find ways to improve them pretty dramatically. You have this knack for rearranging the dynamic range and tonal composition so that the areas of focus become razor sharp. You are also damn good at assessing what to push back in terms of superfluous detail.

It's ironic that so many less experienced artists always assume the shortcomings of their work is all about what they couldn't put into the images, but in reality, it's often the opposite--that they put too much into their images and haven't exercised enough discipline to not paint useless detail that ends up diluting the entire image.

[MikuciS]

OMG OMG OMG thank you so much for overpainting my work, such an inspiration :)

But I have a question about the blue secondary light that was in my original work, why did u get rid of it? It messed something up, attracted too many attention, messed with the overall feel?
And why did u make her right arm much bigger, it looks kinda fat now. Was it for balance, or the anatomy was all wrong?
And the belt lost allot of detail, was it so the eye is not drawn away from more important places like the arm and face?
Thank you for your time.

[Stahlberg]

Thanks Rob. :)

Mikucis, I wasn't really thinking when I did that, trying to explain it after the fact, I guess I subconsciously felt it was interfering with the redness and also of the scary darkness of the gross parts... it was also very subdued, I guess it's not a big change to lose it, but if you really want to keep it I could strengthen it and put it back in?

[MikuciS]

No no, its all right, I just want to know reasoning behind everything, that's my nature. I think I can improve faster that way :P
Thank you for your time
Your awesome

Oh you already changed the pic... don't want to be ungrateful but I think it looks worse now :(

[Stahlberg]

Here's another one

http://www.androidblues.com/POP493.gif

[melonkuantum]

WOW!!!
the rock texture and form, the fire, the troops, the bg, it's all great!!! :bowdown:
I especially stunned with the way you render the fire :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[GinGin]

I'd like to request a paintover too.

This started out as a practice in values...and...I guess it's obvious I need that practice. I can't really seem to balance the face without losing the (intended) dramatic lighting and I feel parts of the construction are off but I can't really put my finger on it. I also have a lot of trouble with the neck, collarbone and shoulders. How they connect to the head and each other and their shape and proportions. I painted them over a lot of times but it just won't click in my mind.

If you have the time, I would be really thankful.


http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j237/mutebanshee/Thanksitsreallyappreciated.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Ok here's this one, hope I got it

http://www.androidblues.com/POP494.gif

[GinGin]

That helps tons! I'm glad to see my construction wasn't that far off though I'll change a few little things, but I definitely feel a lot 'click' when I study this form and value wise. It's very helpful. Thank you so much for your time!

[tseirp]

thank you very much Mr. Stahlberg for the paint over!

[molossus]

Hello Mr Stahlberg,
I've been working on a character for quiet some time now. There is definitly something wrong with the proportions.
I guess I started to quick with the detailling and lost the overall sight of it.
At the moment I think his crouch/pants are way to low but I've been looking to long at it to be sure.
An overpaint would really help.
Thx in advance,
patrick
here (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=43&t=976497) you can find the history of the character
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/patrickevrard/frontView3.jpg

[Stahlberg]

Looks good to me, not sure what I can do to help. His legs look a little short perhaps, and the crotch also a bit low like you say, but that's the fashion nowadays. :)

Anyway right now I'm a bit busy with a CG Workshop on this site, where I'm doing nothing but paintovers all the time, for a whole class of students who keep posting their work. Lucky I'm on vacation or I'd have no time for it. :P

[molossus]

Thx for the reply!
No problem I'll keep working on it!

[melonkuantum]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg, I think I want to post my newest artwork again after about two months XD

This is an entry for a competition. The topic is to illustrate an Indonesian folklore with
my own interpretation. This is based of the story of Timun Mas or Golden Cucumber in English.
You might want to check this link if you want to know the story http://digitalartvolution.com/timun-mas.php

This painting tells about Timun Mas in sci-fi settings, 2 professors longing to build a cyborg as their child,
but their dream needs an enormous amount of fund, so a Giant corporation offer a funding,
but once the cyborg is complete, it's Giant's properties. so the 2 professor started to build
prototype 00 codename Golden Cucumber in a cucumber like pod XD

I don't know what's lacking in this piece, but it is somehow failed to give a dark and
mysterious atmosphere. And the cables is also not tangled enough like in my sketch
after I rendered it :(

You have helped me a lot, please do this only if you have the time :)
Thank you very much!

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/Children-of-Chaos_Small.jpg

This is the sketch, just for comparison
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/WIP2.jpg

[FutureFantasyDesign]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg, I think I want to post my newest artwork again after about two months XD

This is an entry for a competition. The topic is to illustrate an Indonesian folklore with
my own interpretation. This is based of the story of Timun Mas or Golden Cucumber in English.
You might want to check this link if you want to know the story http://digitalartvolution.com/timun-mas.php

This painting tells about Timun Mas in sci-fi settings, 2 professors longing to build a cyborg as their child,
but their dream needs an enormous amount of fund, so a Giant corporation offer a funding,
but once the cyborg is complete, it's Giant's properties. so the 2 professor started to build
prototype 00 codename Golden Cucumber in a cucumber like pod XD

I don't know what's lacking in this piece, but it is somehow failed to give a dark and
mysterious atmosphere. And the cables is also not tangled enough like in my sketch
after I rendered it :(

You have helped me a lot, please do this only if you have the time :)
Thank you very much!

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/Children-of-Chaos_Small.jpg

This is the sketch, just for comparison
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/orangorangan/WIP2.jpg

Excellent!
~A~

[RabHanno]

Hi Mr. Stahlberg,
Thanks for openning a thread like this...
I've posted my latest image.
It's an entry for a competition : The character is an elemental witch controlling nature and water.
I think it's finished but any critiques will be very helpful...to improve myself...
Thank you very much for spending your time on this image ...
I'm very appreciated...
Best regards...:)

[Stahlberg]

Ok here's the next one in line

http://www.androidblues.com/POP496b.gif

[Stahlberg]

And another one

http://www.androidblues.com/POP497.gif

[RabHanno]

Thank you very much Mr.Stahlberg,
it looks better with desaturated colors, better face anatomy and hairs etc....:)
Best regards...

[melonkuantum]

@futurefantasydesign: Thx! :D

@Stahlberg: wow, thx u very much :D:D:D
I can't see where the lighting is wrong, I feel it's wrong, but I don't know where and how
yet you correct it beautifully!

[Maret]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/263/environment2.jpg/http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/263/environment2.jpg/http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8131/environment2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/263/environment2.jpg/)

There is my first environment sketch. I try to make focus on the gates and character. But i fell something wrong. I will be happy to look on the correct view my work. Also i will want to hear something comments about my mistakes.
Sory for my English.
http://imagepost.ru/images/e/nv/environment.jpg

[TRESDberserk]

Hi Mr.Stahlberg the is an image i just made.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ4F_is_2VE/TokGiWona9I/AAAAAAAAAEA/qkop2cZHvWU/s1600/RENDER11.png

Any advice?

[AngelaSinner]

post deleted

[tatitati]

Hi Mr.Stahlberg the is an image i just made.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZ4F_is_2VE/TokGiWona9I/AAAAAAAAAEA/qkop2cZHvWU/s1600/RENDER11.png

Any advice?

Is a great great work, congrats. Only an advice (in my opinion). I think on top is "over exposure", on bottom is very good, but on top color is extreme, too much light, too much white

[Stahlberg]

Here are the three last ones.

http://www.androidblues.com/POP498.gif


http://www.androidblues.com/POP499.gif


http://www.androidblues.com/POP500.gif
Some comments about this one: Perspective was slightly off I found, also lighting was a little bit inconsistent. The door and floor which were fairly flat were varying too much in tone. Also I thought I should add a bit more detail to the rock surfaces.

[Stahlberg]

The workshop has been cancelled.

[TRESDberserk]

The workshop has been cancelled.

:shrug: Well.... kind of a bad thing. But. does this means that we can keep submitting our images to this thread?