All cleaned up. Ready for painting. :D

Streaming if you're bored.

http://www.livestream.com/fxscreamer

All done! I went ahead and did a background with it. Full 1920x1200 on my page.

Also...Speed Paint!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-cWCkdVCU

Working on expressions tonight.

Well....similar to Daphne, I kinda jacked some designs from other artists and I know this screams Disney (which I still love). I'm kinda of jacking some Glen Keane hardcore here. I have a bittersweet feeling because while I personally like this design, it doesn't feel completely mine. :\

Here's Disney Arlo. :P

At 10/16/14 07:35 PM, fxscreamer wrote: Well....similar to Daphne, I kinda jacked some designs from other artists and I know this screams Disney (which I still love). I'm kinda of jacking some Glen Keane hardcore here. I have a bittersweet feeling because while I personally like this design, it doesn't feel completely mine. :\

Here's Disney Arlo. :P

I think the face and the outline of the face look like they were drawn for different perspectives. Keep in mind that the center line of the face should follow the form, which means when the jaw extrudes from the face, the mouth should still wrap around it!

I find drawing "wrapping lines" tends to help. Imagine you have a laser pointer, and that you're pointing it on his face horizontally and vertically to draw a 3D grid. The forms on each side should be more or less symmetrical in perspective.

At 10/17/14 02:17 AM, Havegum wrote:

At 10/16/14 07:35 PM, fxscreamer wrote: Well....similar to Daphne, I kinda jacked some designs from other artists and I know this screams Disney (which I still love). I'm kinda of jacking some Glen Keane hardcore here. I have a bittersweet feeling because while I personally like this design, it doesn't feel completely mine. :\

Here's Disney Arlo. :P

I think the face and the outline of the face look like they were drawn for different perspectives. Keep in mind that the center line of the face should follow the form, which means when the jaw extrudes from the face, the mouth should still wrap around it!

I find drawing "wrapping lines" tends to help. Imagine you have a laser pointer, and that you're pointing it on his face horizontally and vertically to draw a 3D grid. The forms on each side should be more or less symmetrical in perspective.

GAH! That didn't take long. ; ) I had spotted issues shortly after I posted it but didn't want to re-post yet. The main issue I saw was the right eye cocked up a bit. I've now lowered it, slightly adjusted the nose, right ear, and mouth. I know he's not COMPLETELY straight forward, but I hope it helps.

You're right though. I had imagined someone may spot something...and you did. Thanks. ;)

Here he is slightly tweaked, and I redrew Enzo yet again just playing around with more design.

All fixed...in color. Still just pencil, but I think I'll leave it that way. Good lord Enzo needed work.

They're a bit rough and not as polished as my last one, but tried some more expressions for Arlo. Practice practice. :P

At 10/23/14 11:17 PM, fxscreamer wrote: They're a bit rough and not as polished as my last one, but tried some more expressions for Arlo. Practice practice. :P

Go practice those expressions. :3

I decided to start a new finished piece I've had in my head for a long time, mainly just Archer and Holly dancing in the living room. This is what I got done this evening.

really like your work here

Streamin'

http://www.livestream.com/fxscreamer

I can't believe I started this picture yesterday. All that's left is the background...the living room. Getting there. :P

At 10/26/14 10:32 PM, fxscreamer wrote: I can't believe I started this picture yesterday. All that's left is the background...the living room. Getting there. :P

Whoa that's looking great!
*sings once upon a december*

At 10/27/14 01:42 AM, 123mine123 wrote:

At 10/26/14 10:32 PM, fxscreamer wrote: I can't believe I started this picture yesterday. All that's left is the background...the living room. Getting there. :P

Whoa that's looking great!
*sings once upon a december*

Thanks! (as well as PMMurphy). I roughed in some rough colors and layout as I determine the "feel" of the room. I'm wanting a big living room that's a bit musty only lit by the afternoon sun coming through the windows. Perhaps the kitchen and more layers are in the background. It will be a depth of field shot with camera blur, but much sharper on the final (with a hell of a lot more detail).

Getting closer. Still needs more detail. Picture frames, cabinets, curtains, towels..? Couch? LAMP.....(in the foreground?) DECISIONS :P

I'm starting to have second thoughts on the background. I'm getting to the point that I'm hating it. It's sloppy, boring perspective, etc. Hell, I think the picture before it all blurred out has better impact. I'm considering redoing the background entirely like moving the camera at an angle of the living room, getting away from the kitchen area.....or keep it super blurred and soft the way I had it. Frustrated.

Thoughts?

At 10/29/14 03:46 AM, fxscreamer wrote: Thoughts?

Sometimes when talking about compositions, artists will mention the "economy" of a piece. This doesn't refer to how much money it's worth, but rather how detail is distributed between the elements on the canvas - some areas will have tighter detail, and some areas will have less. In this painting by Kinkade, the mountains in the back are almost uniform grey, which makes the more detailed highlights pop more. Also note how the rocks and flowers gain contrast and detail as it approaches the main focus. Even within the form of the house there is economy. Compare the detail of the doored wall with the windowed walls. - here's a different example. This effect is important to understand and apply, the human eye focuses on things in 3D naturally, we can use this as artists to lead the eye of the viewer to the places we want them to look. Areas of high detail looks more detailed when next to an area of lower detail. Another related subject to study: Edge play! Which edges are sharp, which edges are soft? why?

In you last painting specifically: if you can't see the details in the hair of the woman in focus, maybe you shouldn't be able to count the leaves and flowers of the pot plant in the background either?

Another very important part of composition is contrast of value. The eye is drawn to areas of high contrast, so it's generally a good idea to build your scene so that the main focus has the most and highest contrast. If your main subject is dark, put it on a white background, and the other way around.

I do recommend you take a look at those links I provided in my paintover for that landscape a few months ago. They go more in-depth than this post, and probably explain it better too.

At 10/29/14 05:43 PM, Havegum wrote:

At 10/29/14 03:46 AM, fxscreamer wrote: Thoughts?

Sometimes when talking about compositions, artists will mention the "economy" of a piece. This doesn't refer to how much money it's worth, but rather how detail is distributed between the elements on the canvas - some areas will have tighter detail, and some areas will have less. In this painting by Kinkade, the mountains in the back are almost uniform grey, which makes the more detailed highlights pop more. Also note how the rocks and flowers gain contrast and detail as it approaches the main focus. Even within the form of the house there is economy. Compare the detail of the doored wall with the windowed walls. - here's a different example. This effect is important to understand and apply, the human eye focuses on things in 3D naturally, we can use this as artists to lead the eye of the viewer to the places we want them to look. Areas of high detail looks more detailed when next to an area of lower detail. Another related subject to study: Edge play! Which edges are sharp, which edges are soft? why?

In you last painting specifically: if you can't see the details in the hair of the woman in focus, maybe you shouldn't be able to count the leaves and flowers of the pot plant in the background either?

Another very important part of composition is contrast of value. The eye is drawn to areas of high contrast, so it's generally a good idea to build your scene so that the main focus has the most and highest contrast. If your main subject is dark, put it on a white background, and the other way around.

I do recommend you take a look at those links I provided in my paintover for that landscape a few months ago. They go more in-depth than this post, and probably explain it better too.

Nice post! Thanks for the details reply. I read your post last night before I started Round 2 of my piece. Things like contrast and focal points are very important and things I'm paying attention to a lot, especially from the landscape paintings I've done in the past, which I believe you also commented on. While I've probably wasted 15 hours over the last 2 days TRYING to get the background a different way, here's my findings:

I think the piece was essentially done on Monday, which is the blurred out piece above. It'll need some small tweaks and fine tuning, but here's my reasoning. I have tried at least 4-5 different background types with this picture ranging from huge landscape vistas through a window, more polished living rooms, night shots with stars, clouds, trees, some spending many many hours on. What I've found is that the impact is much less, and focus is being pulled away from the main area of the piece, which is Holly and Archer.

I like the heavily blurred out background for its dreamy appearance and the notion that everything else "is a blur" around them, since they are focused on each other. I also like the color palette with the softer lavender and yellow hues behind them, bringing space and warmth, which also helps with a sense of 3D space. I also noticed there's a theme of colors between Archer and Holly's character colors with the room around them (cohesive baby!)

I've seriously been on edge and about ready to rip my hair out due to so many failed attempts on a different background. I realized last night the "eureka moment" was that it was already finished. The heavy depth of field shot was my original intention after all. The living room is not important. The characters ARE important, and I want this finished piece to be just that....a character piece.

I'll be finishing it up tonight with fine tuning and prepare for release this weekend. Thanks again for your recommendations though. They're still valid regardless of whatever I'm doing.

I think I'm just about there (near done). I still maintained a minimal background, but with more suggestive detail, plus higher dynamic range and contrast.

Well, I'm calling this the final. I think composition wise, it focuses on what's most important, front and center. It's not my best background work, but would argue it's one of my stronger compositions. It's definitely learned new things doing this piece. :P

Oh and here's the FULL start to finish speed paint (pencil to done).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2iGIU925c

Messing around with expressions.......first world problems below.

I revisited Lily Graham Bell...finally. I still wanted her as a bit spunky with a "one of the guys" personality, but still keeping her feminine. I decided to go for a more "paperboy" outfit. :P She's the same age as Arlo, my main character and want her to add a lot of elements to the story.

Speed Paint of Lily Graham Bell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyOPLpu_Ahk

I'm not really sure what I'm doing here (bit drunk right now), but I tried doing a possible new artist selfie with my damn cats, Pixel and Helix. I'm trying to keep it a bit toony, but still somehow not totally suck at humans. Hopefully I'm hanging on for dear life. :\

Eh, I think it's pretty much done. Here's my new artist selfie....AS A HUMAN, yet I still threw in my cats Pixel (left) and Helix (right).

Starting a roaring 20's....bootleg gangster piece...cause why not. The Cashmere Brothers mean serious business.....erh, one of them does. :P

Refined...just about ready for digital work...but the background....hooboy not sure how crazy I'll get with it. :P

At 11/17/14 02:29 AM, fxscreamer wrote: Refined...just about ready for digital work...but the background....hooboy not sure how crazy I'll get with it. :P

Are they in the same scene?
Because they follow different horizon lines - the viewer is looking up at the leftmost character, and straight at the character to the right.

The most obvious inconsistencies are described by the curvature of the shoes (one is flat, as if looking straight at it, while the other is curved towards the viewer, indicating depth), and the angle of the crotch/pelvis (viewer can see the underside of the pants of the left char, while the view on the right character is looking down at the pelvis)

Also on the left char, what is the skin coming up between the right corner of the mouth and the cheek? Judging from the angle of the face, we should be able to see through the mouth!