Burlesque woman:

Bleh.



REALLY could be better. Too dark overall.

This post has been edited by DragonReine: Jun 25 2012, 08:21 PM

If you're asking whether or not I used a noise texture, then yes, I do use a splattered noise texture overlaid on top of the painting. It minimises the brushstrokes.

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More portrait work:

@ Adam

Commission Most of my work now are commissions, LOL, no time for personal pieces

@ Inachi

What Adam said It's a WIP.

@ Adam

Yeah, most of the pieces I've posted on this thread so far are commissions. I think the only exception so far is the Aveline portrait, which was ages ago

On starting grayscale:

Yes, in a way it IS faster to start with grayscale. However, to turn grayscale images into convincing colour requires a good understanding of the effects of various layer modes in your drawing programme of choice, and oftentimes if you are not careful with colours you might end up with an image that is too dark or too saturated.

Additionally, colours often change the focus/shape of a picture, especially if you put saturated+neutral and/or cool+warm combinations together. Again, you need to plan the colours correctly, or you'll risk changing the focal point by accident.

However, values ARE important, since they are what makes a two-dimensional image look three-dimensional; various artists often recommend using a Desaturate adjustment layer, or a Color mode layer filled with white, as a sort of temporary screen over the image to check a digital painting's value range as you paint.

Of course, this is mostly moot in digital painting where anything goes, especially in the more complex programs like the full editions of Photoshop or Painter, where you can adjust your colours and values on the go. It comes down to preference and habit, really Marta Dahlig and Da LuVisi, for example, paint straight away in colour, while Dave Rapoza starts in grayscale before building colour on top of of the grayscale image.

Refinement:



Right side of the face is a bit rounder than it should It makes him look more "organic", though, hmmm... to adjust or not to adjust, that is the question...

@ Adam

Mmm... he's born into privilege, though, so gangfights are unlikely. Later he'll encounter several supernatural events, but I'm not supposed to show that yet I'll have to see what my client has to say about the face

@ Adam

He's a character from a graphic novel. I'd been commissioned by the writer to visualise the character in a realistic style.

My commissions range from AUD$25 to AUD$80 per portrait depending on complexity. This portrait is $25.

This post has been edited by DragonReine: Jul 8 2012, 11:41 PM

Agi's right. I only do this as a hobby. I have a full time job The art is for funsies, and just so happens to make a little extra pocket money

Shame! They're quite lovely bits of lineart

If I may suggest something for this one... Lessen the hatching/shading around the belly area. I know that you're trying to imply form and shape, but aesthetically this doesn't look very pleasing on a female body

(Yes, I wake up early. I prefer taking getting some exercise and early breakfast before heading to work, LOL)

LOL cute. Cartoonising takes a bit of practice, as in all things, but more than anything you need to know when to stylise things and when to avoid stylisation

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WIP, WIP, WIP....

Haven't started on the skin and clothing texture yet, yo

Also, he has no eyelashes, which unnerves me a little. THIS MUST BE CORRECTED.

This post has been edited by DragonReine: Jul 12 2012, 10:50 PM

@ Adam

I do have my own thread, but I'd rather post complete works there instead of WIPs. Also, I seem to have lost it, will need to search for the link

As for getting known in dA... Unfortunately, dA is the sort of place where you get more attention from fanart than original work, unless your original work is REALLY good and eyecatching. >.<

Yeah, join up groups and submit stuff to group galleries. There are two Malaysian deviantART groups that I know of, and there are other groups that promote Asian artists. There's also GetWatchers, which is a pretty nifty site that helps you get views and thus more watchers http://www.getwatchers.com/home.html

lololol BORED at company dinner, this is what I doodled on the programme card

@ Inachi

LOL LOL I sent a PM

Feels like I've been working for this one for forever

Portraiture (which most of my work consists of) often forces me to keep expressions subtle. A quirk of the eyebrow, maybe a hint of a smile or frown, but expressions usually alter a person's features so drastically that it is actually counterproductive for me to put too much expression into the subject's face, given that the whole point of a portrait is to capture the visage or features of a person, and not always the personality (there's a reason why most IC/passport photos look neutral). There are exceptions where the expression IS a trademark of the character (the Joker from Batman, or Kefka from Final Fantasy 6), and in those cases, you need to incorporate the expression into the portrait, like what I'd done for Jackson Garrett here:



But for most cases, the norm is to keep portraits subtle in expression. There's a reason we have a "Mona Lisa smile" and not a "Mona Lisa grin" ;-)

ILLUSTRATIONS, however, require a different approach. Because illustrations are often meant to convey a story of some sort, mood and expression are important. Bouguereau's illustration of Dante and Virgil in Hell, or his "The First Mourning" painting, for example, are illustrations meant to convey a certain story and mood, so the face and body language of the characters have to be expressive.

Gaizen Umi (the girl whose wip I posted earlier) is a concept design, and again I need to keep the focus on the aesthetics. She IS, however, a stoic, cool-headed sort, so the calm expression is actually in character

Her boots currently have form and shape placeholders only, because the boot design isn't finalised yet. They will be overpainted once the final design is set.

If you're asking me to draw a portrait of myself, you'll have to wait til my current queue of work is done

This post has been edited by DragonReine: Jul 24 2012, 06:05 PM