mixed medium wip-progress #2

[Robert_S]

Hi,

yesterday I've started a new Photograf/Paint work following the workflow of Christian Lorenz Scheurer on his second Gnomon DVD 'Advanced Digital Painting in Adobe Photoshop'.

I try to make my own image - Christian didn't share his stuff on the DVD... this helps ;) If the community is interested in seeing the process to build up the final image, I will post here my efforts.




and here is the first wip:
http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/db_images/db_wip11.jpg

[AnnaKirsten]

Ooooh I'm really glad you've decided to do this again!! How wonderful to see a creation in process, and yours in particular, I feel, have such definite progression to them! (Often when I'm doing something I change my mind part way, and the original concept sometimes gets scrapped entirely!!! lol!)

I'll try and find a way of getting people's attention to this, as it's possible many people don't naturally look through the forums...

Great stuff!

What would really help this time round, Robert, would be if you were to give us a quick run down of what programs and tools you use to achieve each stage - I know that's time consuming, but it would really help all of us to get a grasp of what's really involved. Would you be willing to do this?

Thanks so much for what you're doing anyway... Nicky.

[Engel47]

After seeing the last WIP you posted I am most interested to see this one take shape! Thanks for taking the time to do this :hug:

[Robert_S]

Thx - I will work on it!

The onliest tool I'm using is photoshop cs2 - here I use the painting and picture adjust function. A lot of layers to keep my freedom when changing my point of view. I have a grid (painted on extra layer with the line tool - Dylan shows that to me) with one vanishing point on the horizont. Most of the painting is done after quick-masking different areas and than using a big soft brush or the gradient tool. It's important to use color which fits with the color perspective. In the foreground I used some textures but painted over them with transparency, using a color overlay to correct the values. The transform tool (ctrl + t) I use many times to get textures on my perspective grid. When I'm building up a new picture I'm playing with my ideas and with my thoughts - this is a long story but I can imagine that many artists do the same.

[vos]

glad you do this,it is very nice to see the first staps and the end result,I am sure it will be again a fantastic work!!! :beerchug:

[Rumour]

This is a fantastic insight into how some people create their images, it's such an invaluable tool for any artist to gain new insight on a different technique, no matter what the medium. One thing I've learnt over my years is that it's so much easier to learn something new if you have someone who knows what they are doing to show you a way - something I missed out on when I didn't take art at school. This is one thread I will be keeping an eye on. :D

[Pakar]

Thanks Robert for share your work. It's a great pleasure.

[classylady]

Wonderful Robert looking forward to more of it being done.

[ppetersen]

Superbly done so far Robert. When you do these it gives one a feel for the effort put into each image, the care and heART that you give to each stroke...

[Robert_S]

Thanks for watching my efforts in trying to elaborate a picture. Here now is my update from today (5th November - saturday). I first fixed some mistakes of perspective in the foreground and than I paste some textures to make it more realistic. I've downloaded some stuff from morgue.com - they have high resolution pictures... other I don't use.

I thought abot the building on the left side and feel that it was too sterile so I let the nature do her job. The right side was to impressive and I scaled it down. Some color corrections and than I wanted to make the megastructures in the background - the little bridge will come pretty soon. I've played with the line tool and a sharp brush in quick-mask mode to build up the structures... I put a skyscaper in and kept on playin'.

Hope you like it. I'll come back :cuddle:

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/db_images/db_wip31.jpg

[vos]

yes I like it!!!look forward to the next one!!!!

[AnnaKirsten]

What a huge difference already! Just doing that perspective alteration, and adding some texture makes such a stride forward into the future look of this picture! I'm most impressed! :nod:

[AnnaKirsten]

QUESTION... I've had a look at http://morgue.com, and also www.morgue.com and don't see any facility for high resolution pictures from there! Did a search and got to a site that tells you how to steal other people's royalty free pictures and make them your own copyright!!! UGH!!!

So.. Where do you go to find really good images that are free for us to use? I am particularly looking for PEOPLE because my Poser proggie has become unstable and I can't get anything decent out of it just now.

Look forward to your reply ASAP...

[Robert_S]

Sorry - as I just answered on your PM.

Morguefile is here: high res pictures (http://morguefile.com/archive/)

they say: Morguefile, where photo reference lives.
This morgue file contains free high resolution digital stock photographs and reference images for either corporate or public use. The purpose of this site is to provide free image reference material for illustrators, comic book artist, designers, teachers and all creative pursuits.

[AnnaKirsten]

Thanks so much Robert, I'm off to take a look now!

[Robert_S]

Yeah - you may find a lot of stuff there including very good high res fotos to work with.

here are more ways to go: foto resources (http://www.mattepainting.org/index.php?categoryid=13&p16_sectionid=6)

[Robert_S]

We have sunday a I've worked a little on my actual painting. I wanted to put detail into the megatowers and builded up the midground on the left side. I'm still not happy with the windows...

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/db_images/db_wip41.jpg

[AnnaKirsten]

This is alread so taking shape, and I can see it does require a huge amount of time spent on it - every detail you put in is very demanding, and it's great to see it develop. You have a very good eye for what looks correct, too, so I am sure you will soon sort out the window and so on.

Keep 'em coming!

[Engel47]

Amazing work - it is really interesting seeing how you build up the work step by step. Simply amazing.

[Robert_S]

Hi again,

today I've worked a little with my picture - first I've modelt a little futuristic ship in Cinema 4D to put it into the composition. The midground house with the windows I didn't liked was fixed too.

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/wip5_extended.jpg

[vos]

Very nice to see how you build up this work,fantastic!!! :clap:

[Robert_S]

Thx my friend for this nice feedback!

[AnnaKirsten]

Splendid! And I see you've included that beautiful little suspended island - your beginning - in there too. It's coming on leaps and bounds! (BTW your previous picture is no longer showing for the most recent comparison..)

The foliage is looking wonderful, and of course, the structures all give an enormous sense of depth into the picture, which I really love the feel of! And I do rather like that slightly unstable looking building on the left, with its almost Japanese style of architecture, and the windows look great now. Excellent improvements! Very much looking forward to the next...

[Robert_S]

Thx Anna Kirsten - I've fixed the previous picture links... it's because I try to update my website as much as I can...

[AnnaKirsten]

Thanks for doing that, Robert, it helps a lot - and yes I see there's something else in the distance you're working on too...

Just visited your site - what totally adorable cats you have - I take it they are yours? Obviously not being able to understand the lingo, I couldn't make sense of it all! lol!

[Robert_S]

Yes - the 7 cats are mine (and my wife). Sorry for the problems with my language but I'm still too lazy to translate the stuff (now there are more than 100 sides... :crutch: )

[AnnaKirsten]

Wonderful!! I didn't quite understand this though..

(now there are more than 100 sides... )

[bigH]

Wonderful!! I didn't quite understand this though..

I think he means pic .

[Robert_S]

... no, I mean the amount of html-pages building up my website. The right word is page... sorry. In german 'Seite' (engl. page) sound nearly the same like side in english... :bowl:

[AnnaKirsten]

OK I understand now! That's a lot of pages of html, esp. if you are writing all the html as well!

When I had a website I used Microsoft FronPage which is a wonderful way of shortening the whole process, as it writes the html for you, and I developed some extra stuff as I went along and wanted different effects etc. so I do have a very limited knowledge of html - it's just really tedious stuff to have to write out all the time! lol!

If I knew of a free webhosting site that accepted FrontPage I'd have a site again for my artwork etc., but usually they have wanted to charge just because of it being FrontPage - which needs FrontPage Extensions on the hosting site!

Anyway, I wish you well with your website. It's looking good, and maybe one day, we'll get to have an English understanding of it! lol!

[classylady]

I use Front Page also and it is one fabulous program makes it so easy to build a site with, I love ours.Good luck with your site Robert I have been wanting to put in a gallery but that will have to wait at the moment unless anyone knows of a free one.:)

[Robert_S]

Beside the discussion of website-manager or other stuff I will show you my new wip. I've worked on the ship - its a magic ship with air-sails... its my personal ship when I visit the earth (in the background you can see my flying house).
The picture is getting darker to build up a more mystic artwork. I put in two bridges and worked a little bit on the foreground (see some textures what should make more details) - now I'm going slowly to the background. I wanna put in some tiny poser people, but I don't know if I can yet.

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/wip6.jpg

[vos]

Thanks for sharing this,I really enjoy it and to use Engel 47 words it is really interesting seeing how you build up the work step by step. :clap:

[AnnaKirsten]

Sorry about all the asides in this string, Robert.. It happens sometimes, as we all know! lol!

As to your new work, this is building up such a sense of suspense!!! It's wonderful to see the depths and the mystery all being added, the darkening really works towards enhancing that! Excellent stuff, Robert!

[Robert_S]

nevermind, AnnaKirsten - I know it :shooting:

the last three hours I've played with the lighting of my image and I will show the result before I go to bed

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/wip6_extended.jpg

[classylady]

It is gorgeous Robert just plain brilliant .....

[bigH]

you have a good one going . - I wish you would post the end pic and then show us how you made it . it takes the surprice ( the wow ) away for me .

H

[Robert_S]

thx again!

@bigH: this may be a problem and normally I only show the final result to give people the possibility of having a 'whow'-effect (or maybe not), but this thread is made for watching me building up the scene and I hope to reach the end pretty soon... :meditate:

[AnnaKirsten]

Sorry, I must have gone to bed by the time all this was posted!

No, BigH, I like to see things in the making, especially when they're as good as this, because it's exciting to see how it develops - and doesn't take away the WOW factor at all for me.

So, as they say on "The News", look away now if you don't want to see the result yet! lol!

That lighting and the reflections looks stunning - and the once countryside scenery is fast becoming very built up into a city! For some reason I am reminded of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!!! It's the space-ship with the sails, I think!!

All very fascinating...................... Til the next image.. :wave:

[Robert_S]

...I kept on playin' today. I've worked a little on the background (you see), worked on the values and details there - my little flying home has landed...

Than I tried to get a better output from the ship - I added two persons because I think that a picture turns to live when persons appear showing you the dimensions. First I wanted to put in a poser character but it would have cost me too much time so I simply painted it/ sketched it in - hope you enjoy it.

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/wip7_900px.jpg

[AnnaKirsten]

Oh yes, I see the little flying home, now very much in the distance (you are obviously making good use of layers in this project).. It's almost like watching a very slow movie, as this develops! Your people are just perfect - no need for Poser there! lol!

[Engel47]

WOWEE!! This is so superb - I love the changes you made, adding the lights from the city etc, and yes, the people make a difference and bring more "life" into the image - Simply stunning.

[vos]

Fantastic job,love the lights, the people on the ship is a great idea,excellent poses too!!! :clap:

[Robert_S]

Thank you so much! Your feedback is at the moment my best input I can get!

Today I have adjusted the lights and you can now see stars and the moon, but some more lights in the midground and on the tiny ship... hope you like it. This one I will only post here where the people wanna see me building up this work.

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/wip8.jpg

[AnnaKirsten]

This is fantastic, Robert - I think I keep saying that, but never mind if it gives you encouragement, I mean it anyway!! The lights, moon, stars all make even more of a difference, and all those extra details really do add more and more to the depth, realism and interest within this picture. Surely it's almost done?

(I think it was a good move to just put it here, and only post the final one in the MM gallery, to be honest. That way, those that don't want to see the WIP, but to have the final WOW factor when they do see the finished product will get just that! Anyone else wanting to see the progress can just see it happening here, and not need to comment twice each time..) :beerchug:

[vos]

Wish I could do a pic like this,but I am happy I can see this :gallery: ,keep playing,fantastic job again!!!

[Robert_S]

I think now its done - I will not overdo it and I have too much other pictures in mind waiting of building up. I named this one 'Sailing in the Future'

http://www.dtp-art.de/assets/images/final200px.jpg

[AnnaKirsten]

Well, I think this is just fantastic, and thanks so much for all the sharing Robert! You have a vivid imagination and an excellent eye for perspective, futuristic design of "buildings", lighting, all things that make a picture into a real piece of art! You have a very special style of your own, too, which stands out and marks your work in a wonderfully individualistic way.

[bigH]

I didn't think your sails were going to work but they turn out very nice that last bite real pop them- the person on the left needed more work .

Showing work in progress are hard to do - you loose your flow .

Very well done .



H