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

#961

Hi Steven,

Many thanks for taking the time to have a look at my cyber girl with a gun. Lots of small changes that add up to quite a different mood to the piece, I shall have to seriously reconsider quite what it is I want to achieve (I guess that was part of the problem, I focussed too much on the model to fully understand what it was I wanted to show, what the story was). My only question is that the shadow is now hard with strong highlights remaining, and even deeper contrast (which I like), but I think I was expecting to see some of that light reflected on the wall - perhaps I’m being too physical, too practical?

once again, many thanks, it’s very much appreciated
Steve

#962

Thank you SO much, Aldarion!

You are SPOT on.
At that point, I’m totally off the mark. A mod can feel free to delete my previous post, I apologize to all.:sad:

~C

#963

I was expecting to see some of that light reflected on the wall - perhaps I’m being too physical, too practical?

Maybe, I just found the original wall to be very distracting, not sure exactly why. I suppose being bright it creates contrast edges around the periphery of the image, pulling the eye away from the center a bit… I also thought the pose was one of hiding, of playing hide and seek with some deadly attacker (is it?)… then a more dramatic lighting is usually more fitting.

But if you want to be very physical there are several choices in situations like these (when you’re looking for a specific visual shade, but at first the 3d app isn’t rendering it that way).
You could pretend the wall is much darker than the original color you assigned it.
Or you could decide that the wall is much matter than originally, more like dusty porous brick for instance.
Or you could rotate the light a bit, closer to the wall, giving slightly more of a rim-light on her (less light would bounce on the wall. maybe you’ve noticed, but I love rim-light) :slight_smile:
Or put all 3 together for a really strong effect, almost like a black velvet wall.

#964

All your feedback and thoughts were useful and helpful. Now that I’ve had a chance to ‘step away’ from the scene and look at it with fresh eyes I can see how this is now painting a story and its not just a painting. Once again, many thanks

Steve

#965

Hi Mr Stahlberg, im back for another PO if you dont mind. im really just practising with composition and color this time around.

#966

Hello again Stahlberg.
This is an early wip of a scene I’m working on.

I’m having a hard time illuminating this scene and at the same time achieving the mood I’m looking for. It’s supposed to be a post fight scene, there will be lots of blood splattered around the scenario, along with debris and ruined furniture. It’s a snowy morning (it has to be =() and the character is feeling tired and worn from the fight. I have yet to model the character and many objects are placeholders.

Currently I’m using two vray lights pointing at the window and at the door. The volume light was done on a second pass using the scanline renderer, but as you can see, it doesn’t match the vray pass. My questions are:

  1. How to make this scene more dramatic? It’s well lit outside, what makes the interior way too much illuminated. Without the required contrast, the scene looks washed and uninteresting.

  2. Volume lights don’t seem to work with raytraced shadows, so they don’t take in account the windows geometry in an accurate way. Also, they should scatter around the paper surface, which they don’t. I’m also clueless on how to make vray render volume. Could you point me in the right direction?

PS: The render is a draft, thus the grainess and sharp edges.

#967

Hi Steven! I think it’s wonderful what you are doing for the community. If only more great artists were so kind! :thumbsup:

I’d love it if you can take a look at my image. I did this about a year ago now; it’s a still composite from an animation I did (which you can view here if you want).

Looking back at it now I can see so many things which I could have done better. I would love to get your perspective on it.

many thanks!

#968

Well!
Seems imageshack didnt have any problem with my image. =) So I’m posting it here, easier to see, I think:

#969

SulaMoon, that is a beautiful work. Some really nice textures and rendering.

Mr. Stahlberg, for those of us 2D artists, trying to learn more about lighting, can you recommend any books or articles to help? I can establish my main light source, but it never comes close to the powerful look you manage to give so many of these images so seemingly easily…

Is there a generalized formula that you keep in mind when you are emphasizing figures and objects? The thing that I see so often in your wonderful paintovers, is how you manage to tone down, as well as “punch up,” the lighting in such a manner, that the eye goes to the main focal point(s), but not as if there were a spotlight shining down…

Can this be learned, somehow? Or is it one of those things that come from your combined education/experience, and are merely blessed beyond belief to have you share with us? I am in your debt, like the rest of us, for the inspiration you provide with this thread.

Thank you for any tips or techniques you can share.

#970

wow man this is a cool thread, dont you guys get backpains from painting all day long?

#971

Why? Most people paint with their hands, and the brushes and paint aren’t THAT heavy…:smiley:

#972

well, I for one been sitting infront of a my computer for some 15h every day the last 6 months or so and I love doing it, but my body sort of say I shouldnt, (sore butt, back and elbow pain etc.) this isnt the right thread for it, and I dont want to be a moaner, but since you asked. Sometimes I think one might feel better doing some gardening or whatever instead… :wink:

#973

Sometimes I think one might feel better doing some gardening or whatever instead… :wink:

Oh yeah definitely. You have to do something completely different every once in a while to get your mind and body straight again. Me, I practice drums, works like meditation and exercise at the same time.

for those of us 2D artists, trying to learn more about lighting, can you recommend any books or articles to help? I can establish my main light source, but it never comes close to the powerful look you manage to give so many of these images so seemingly easily…
Is there a generalized formula that you keep in mind when you are emphasizing figures and objects? The thing that I see so often in your wonderful paintovers, is how you manage to tone down, as well as “punch up,” the lighting in such a manner, that the eye goes to the main focal point(s), but not as if there were a spotlight shining down…
Can this be learned, somehow?

Yes, it can be learned. It takes some time though. Like learning to play drums. :slight_smile: You just gotta bang away at it over and over and over…

But let’s see if I can explain (I’m not an expert at verbalising, but here goes).
These are the most common beginner’s mistakes:

  1. Too contrasty locally. If you split the canvas in a 10x10 grid, the contrast varies too much within EVERY square, or almost every one. Try to make sure the biggest contrasts only exist in a few of those 100 squares. That means FLATTENING tones all over the place, if you look at my paintovers you’ll see I do that a lot. Either push the whites down or bring the blacks up, or both - exactly how you do it is different in each case.
    Don’t be afraid to make some things completely flat, as silhouettes. Remember to remove all traces of the original black line drawing - often this is a big culprit in adding contrast where it doesn’t belong.
  2. Too saturated colors, too widespread. This is especially bad when combined with strong shifts in tone, as in item 1 above. Strong colors look much nicer when tonal differences are removed. It’s usually safer, and can give a very beautiful and harmonius look, to tone down saturation over most of the image.
  3. Not being rigorous enough in thinking how the light strikes, bounces and casts shadows. Often not really thinking about it at all, but simply placing a soft diffuse ‘default’ light all over.
#974

Man, thoes are some sollid guidelines you gave away there… Such a nice thread learning with the Maestro himself! :wink:
And thanks on the gardening reply too. I think for me it comes to a point where Im considering taking a different direction alltogether, but hopefully its not necesary…
Considering what you said about too much contrast and that, it got me thinking about a picture of mine…

I like it to some extent (its also gonne be in 2d artist magazine)…
But I do think the contrast etc comes out to extreem somehow…
Any suggestion would be golden.
tack så mycket.

#975

those ARE some great guidlines. But would you advise an artist to start in traditional painting before getting into Photoshop, Mr Stahlberg? (besides the cost of paint and canvases) Would it better the artist to just be able to paint something tangible rather than worrying about all the types of brushes and filters and layers in PS?

probably a silly question.

#976

I think for me it comes to a point where Im considering taking a different direction alltogether,

Well, that’s cool it’s up to you, but remember that whatever you do for a living, try something different for a hobby. Sort of like, if you choose to become a professional gardener or drummer you should keep painting in your spare time. :slight_smile:

But I do think the contrast etc comes out to extreem somehow…

It’s okay. The contrast really isn’t too bad, not all over the place. The blue background isn’t too saturated, and it’s smooth so it doesn’t add too much contrast. The outline is part of the style here, and looks good. The sword handles have some bright spots in them which I’d tone down, and the highlight on her right shoulder/arm (our left) and on the right breast seem to big and bright, the lower edge of the jacket too bright… other than that very good. (I’m just wondering what that cable-like thing is at the lower right?)

would you advise an artist to start in traditional painting before getting into Photoshop? Would it better the artist to just be able to paint something tangible rather than worrying about all the types of brushes and filters and layers in PS?

It’s not a silly question. I’m not sure of the anwer. Filters and layers may get in the way of basic knowledge, but so do real-world limitations like no Undo, color mixing spilling cleaning etc etc…
Obviously I (being 47) started out traditionally. But I’ve seen other artists, much younger, who never worked traditionally and really kick butt in Photoshop now. It may be an individual thing, or it may be that as long as you’re motivated enough it doesn’t matter how you start.
If you can, though, I recommend life drawing class, which means you need to be able to draw on real paper with a real pencil. it’s also great for sketching, like when your’e stuck at the bus stop or something.

#977

hey thanx man, actually I am about to get a comicstrip published here in sweden right now, so that will be work for a while… I think what you say about having a different hobby altogether sounds right, it makes sense I guess. It’s easy to wear yourself out if you do one thing all the time and then again in your sparetime.

thanks for your advice on the pic, I will try and fix what you said.
Yeah, that cable thing was just thrown in there to create some balance to the picture, Since I felt the swords made her tillt, she is called “mecha driver” so maybe that cable thing is something for some kind off gaz coming from the backpack or something who knows. :wink:

May I ask you a personal question?
You live in Malasya right?
whas it a hard thing for you moving to another country?
It’s something Im considering that I would like to do to, aspecially If I can work from another place with my work in sweden, it would be posible and a good chance to start something compleatly different. Life is to short to play “safe” all the time I think. :wink:

thanx again m8

#978

Hi Steven
Thanks so much for doing this! Would you be able to suggest how I can improve my murder room?

Thanks

#979

I would like to see how you would enhance my pic.
Here it is.

#980

Sorry for some delays, I’m in Stuttgart right now at fmx-07 (and having a great time I might add), I’ll be back home May 10