WIP thread for LabyrinthineMind, or LM for short :)

#121

hi LM - great progress! i think next you could put some more intensity into the sunset…photos are bad but…you can see what i mean

Your lightsource is similar to this, I think, so maybe experiment with stronger lighting…increase saturation and contrast, and perhaps introduce a redder tonal key.

Also, about the leaves, possibly get rid of the darkening effect you have at the top. Looks too much like a gradient at the moment. Contrast is good, as there will be strong contrast given the time of day, but it wouldn’t be so uniform. I wouldn’t advise painting the hundreds/thousands/millions of individual parts of the tree, and then deciding what’s light and dark. Better the other way round.

Hope that helped, anyhoo…keep on with the progress :slight_smile:

#122

Basically, instead of using white as your highlight, use some color.

#123

Wow thanks Audit, that was awesome :slight_smile: I totally understand - and I can just move the darkened layer underneath the leaves - thing is – all that was done wonky because I didn’t have a plan – so you know how THAT goes… it’s why the stages have been funky.

Umm, Stuh505, I don’t mean to be rude, but perhaps you need to check your monitor. I haven’t used white in a single solitary piece of any of my digital paintings, ever - never ever. So sorry mate. :wink: I’ve used black, but on one about 6 months ago, and was told never to use black again, and I haven’t used black again, either.

Just go calibrate your monitor - that’ll do the trick. Your brightness is probably jacked up.

Back to Audit. I don’t want to use any more red than I already have… so I’ll figure out something :slight_smile: It’s not supposed to look ‘real’ really… but I’ll jack up the sunset more.

Thing is – after I paint something, I ‘apply image’ and use some sort of blending mode - and that generally gets the colors how I want. Pathetic I know… but I can’t seem to get out of them being so desaturated for some reason. I’m even using a 100% opacity brush and adjust only the flow. Bah. Who knows.

Anyway, thanks for your help - it /is/ a huge help!

#124

There’s nothing wrong with my monitor. I did not mean that you are literally using the color [255,255,255] which is white, but it is obvious that the highlights in your latest picture on the leaves and bright side of the tree are nearly the same hue but with brighter values (eg, more white) than the dark side. I’m suggesting that you change the hue, rather than just the value, which is what is shown in audit’s examples

#125

I guess I don’t really mean to be a pain - but I gotta show you something.

It’s not the same hue at all.

Thanks though. It’s apparent I need more contrast so the different hues are more apparent since you can’t distinguish them, so that helps. :slight_smile:

#126

Audit, I took your advice. I did all kinds of wonky things to test stuff out. I kinda like the result so far :slight_smile:

I only did one tree with details for now, but will get to the rest.

#127

It looks much better, but I still think the sky should be a lot more intense. Look in the photo that audit posted, you can’t acutally see the shape of the sun, it’s just all an overblown yellow, which is so strong it actually “eats” into the horizon close to it. Give that a try and see how it looks.

#128

What if I don’t want it any more intense? hehe I think it’s almost unbalancing now as it is anyway - I’d need to darken up the left part even more to have it not falling over on the right side if I made it any brighter/intense… besides, it isn’t supposed to look real :slight_smile:

I’ll try it on a new layer and see, because I’m up for that - but in reality, I’m kinda thinking it’s enough.

#129

Okay, okay you can say “I told you so” – you were right, it did improve it :slight_smile: Thanks for that!

Finished the texture of the trees, added little pollen motes and stuff. Haven’t even begun the people yet, all I’ve done is find reference images so far.

#130

I’m liking the texture you’ve added to it… it’s looking a lot better

#131

Thanks :slight_smile: I think this is image 200/10000 of my crap. :bounce: :smiley: :smiley:

#132

This piece is looking great LM.

There’s just something about the leaves that seem a little off. Maybe it’s just me but in case it’s not… I think the highlight on the leaves are off… perhaps be sparing with it a bit?

Anyway this is already great as it is. That’s a sunset I can sit and enjoy for hours. :thumbsup:

#133

I told you so.
Haha, just kidding. But it truly does look much nicer now. And with the pollen stuff flying around it’s even nicer!

Only one problem I’ve noticed now. Not sure if you’ll be able to correct it though.
Theoretically all the light rays in the trees should go towards the direction of the sun. I just noticed the rays at the top go in a wrong direction. If you’ve drawn them in different layers it’s no problem to fix, but if you haven’t …

By the way I’m an anal person. :slight_smile:

It’s still a beautiful picture, and making the change I noted won’t make it more beautiful or anything. It’s just something to consider if you want everything to be physically correct. Artistically it’ll look no nicer.

#134

Nah, you’re right Pap, and I plan to fix that - but they are on a seperate layer and that’s like one of those things you toss to the back of your mind because you know it’s so easy to fix.

Salubri, yeah, the leaves are wonky to me too – but I haven’t gone back to them, either - mostly because I’m panicking over the people I said I would put in there - haha!

Thanks for mentioning both things guys, I totally need/appreciate all the crits I can get!

Gonna work on it more this morning. I love mornings!!

#135

Very good progress :slight_smile:
The pollen makes it look so magical.

Just a few things…

The space between the tree and the sunset… can that be smoother as they merge? It’s a bit straight the where the yellow becomes more saturated.

#136

Ok Pap, Salubri - took your advice and fixed the rays of light and the leaves, I detailed the trunks of the trees even more where the light hits and added some more foreground and middle ground grass. Added a teensy bit more highlights and darkened up some areas.

I want this to be done, but at the same time I think adding the people will make it a complete piece… so maybe I’ll start actually doing the people today.

Frostblade, I didn’t see your comment before I did my work this morning - I can check that out when I go back to it later today. :slight_smile:

#137

I just did this in about 15 minutes. I wanted to see if I could even manage to make it look like a concept-type piece. To be perfectly frank, I had a reference that I based the sketch on, then I tried to stay loose and pick my own light source. I can’t just ‘draw’ without a reference yet - I don’t trust myself at all yet to make it right - too new at this still… probably old and crotchety too – all that youth you guys have gives you confidence that I just… have trouble with. Anyway, for 15 minutes, I don’t think it’s TOO bad.

Hmm, now that I look at it in the preview pane, it’s crooked! I wonder if I tilt my head or something… I tend to always skew to the left… It could be my workspace… I’m cramped as hell on this tiny desk. Or, it’s just me and I am a retard.

Ah well, I won’t cheat and turn the canvas - so here it is.

#138

Beautiful last update on the trees! Ofcourse you want everone to say ‘no, you’re not old and crotchety at all!’ which is just what I’m going to say:):).

Personally, I think your process here goes really fast. Your thing is landscapes, mine is characters which is a totally different thing ofcourse, but still, I find it hard not to get jealous! You seem to have a natural feel for lighting and atmosphere. I’ve been going for a few months now but I wouldn’t know how to make lighting, pollen or treestems like that. So there you go:). It’s going really well.

Also I recognize very well how you feel. I mean, I’ve spent five years training to be a writer, then discovered I don’t really want to write. Errr…Still, I believe that if you are doing something now that you’re passionate about, you’re on the right track and it doesn’t really matter where it’s going. I don’t always believe in that myself:), because I’m plagued by doubt on ‘what my carriere should be’ or ‘where I’ll be heading next year’ but hey, all that really matters is here and now. (advice coming from a younger person, easy for me to say maybe:)).

As for no ref: I wouldn’t really be concerned about refless work. I’ve discovered every form of drawing or painting uses some sort of ref. Matte painters work from collages of photos, comic artists have fixed tricks to draw the shape of the body. Famous artists use models and ‘inspirational’ material. Don’t be bothered. You’ll progress much faster carefully studying shapes of good ref than doing it in the blind. At least, that’s what’s true for me.

#139

Maladie, you are so sweet :slight_smile: I am old and crotchety though!! But that’s ok :smiley: Isn’t 33 old and crotchety to you young folks anyway? hehe

You never fail to put a smile on my face with your kind words of encouragement. Hey I promised to do a character next, and there is one that figures prominently in my next idea! Maybe we can swap ideas :smiley:

#140

Yeah, that would be so cool! I’ll PM you asap (now 2.23 am here). Maybe we can give eachother some sort of (non-strict) assignment or so. BTW I’m only nine years your junior:).