sparth - depot - custom shapes

[hücumkedi]

omg this one http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/774/linea12s.jpg has the most cute colors!!!

[Hive_minD]

I know you are super busy with concept art, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I am looking forward to you next dump here. I am also in love with your photography. Each update is breathtaking, and actually pushing me closer to getting my hands on my own leica x1. Though still in doubt.

Anyways, keep it up, and best wished to you and the family

[ForScience]

Hey Sparth. Thanks so much for putting this thread up. I have seen you lecture several times, but I have only recently attempted this method.

I hope you don't mind folks posting images in your thread. It seems like we are all excited about the technique and have lots of questions about how to improve. This is my 3rd attempt at painting this way. It took my 45 min using 5 shapes that I quickly came up with a couple of nights ago. I just learned about flipping the canvas horizontally in order to get your shape moving in multiple directions. I ended up creating a selection around my main subjects then inverting the selection to paint around it. I know you have a better way of toggling your selection. But for the life of me I cant remember what it was.

That spacebar thing is really helpful. Has anyone else found other cool methods?

[mpaquin]

This is amazing, Sparth. I'm blown away.

I'd love to see your workflow for colorizing Alchemy sketches. Some of your edges are so hard. Is it just more selections and fills?

[AbstractRealm]

Thought I would share a quick composition I threw together during lunch for fun. I'm finding custom shapes to be a great idea launch pad. Let's keep this thread goin, it's a good one.

[sparth]

AbstractRealm: thanks for keeping this thread going.
it's an awesome image!

i'll try to give replies and updates soon for any new findings. it's so fun and useful.

mpaquin: i don't know which one you're refering too, but Alchemy was a small episode for me, only for creating line works in a different way, benefitting from Alchemy features. i haven't used it for a while

Hivemind: thanks!
careful with the Leica x1 though. the image quality is DSLR like, amazing and all, but it's a sloooow camera. i love it though

[sparth]

i'm actually having fun right now with custom actions, will try to give an explanation soon. another one of these weird abstract process thing.

here's a result done with it :

[MoonChilD]

good!
there's some TRON in it..

[Jockemon]

Hey sparth!

Cool to see you post again! I have been enjoying your custom shape technique, but I dont feel I understand it a 100%. I would love to see a small "youtube process tutorial".
If you have time of course hehe

[reila_]

i like your color choices!

[CesarNostradamus]

Guy on the right stands out magnificently.

[JakehC]

i love these so much

[ArtZealot]

You're blowing my mind sparth. I'm definitely gonna dig into these techniques and see what i can come up with but yeah mind = blown.

[Visceral 619]

thank you very much Sparth for sharing this technique, you're examples are amazing

I started trying this out a week ago and the possibilities are endless.

[Ninjac]

Thanks so much Sparth for starting up this thread and bestowing your bountiful knowledge unto all of us. This was the integration that I was looking for in my work but didn't know how to achieve it. It is actually pretty similar to how Android uses shape design in painter. Keep rock'n man you inspire us all.

[Odayga]

Really diggin your environments! keep on going

[dansher]

hey sparth,

i was wondering do you make a set of custom shapes depending on what you're working on or do you just have a set that you use all the time?

awesome work mate

[PhilHolland]

@sparth -just wanted to pop in and say I'm really digging those Alchemy sketches to Photoshop paintups!

[Saurabhinator]

This is so great! Tried it out for the first time (and did some painting over the top with airbrush) and got this: I obviously have to experiment a bit more but I can see how powerful this technique can be with more experienced artists. I don't even think i need to use textured brushes anymore, I just like this technique so much more.

I'll try completing a 100 or so enviro pencil sketches and coming back to try this again sometime. This is so awesome!!!

[Nikulokie]

Thank you very much! This is awesome! I sit and I can not stop. Drawing.

[cerkuenik]

Thanks a lot Sparth!!
This reminds me of Richard Anderson´s (Flaptraps) working method!

[Obstfelder]

I love this technique!

But I have a question. Is it possible to rotate the shapes while you place them? If you hold down the spacebar you can move around and if you hold down the modifier keys you can scale from center or corner, but I can't seem to find a modifier for rotation.

Anyone have any tips? Other than doing free transform on the entire layer afterwards I mean.

[Lightship69]

Hi matey

love your work and i find it really inspiring! but I have to say that just saying thanks for posting it all seems a bit on the lame side, so i went out and bought "Structura 1 and 2" as a more serious attempt at a thank you, enjoy the next royalty cheque and have a beer on me mate, and thanks a bunch for posting (there i said it anyhow!) ha ha ha!

favorites if you are interested are the dune images, I have always found the Dune books a great source of Ideas even the film. Also the Assassins creed environments are really interesting.
Book 2 I think my favorites would be the how I made it section at the back with the space museum and also the atmosphere you managed to put into "The Wreck" on page 115, I like the light and the sense of abandonment its really cool, well done.

all the best for the future projects mate.

[_jt_]

I love this technique!

But I have a question. Is it possible to rotate the shapes while you place them? If you hold down the spacebar you can move around and if you hold down the modifier keys you can scale from center or corner, but I can't seem to find a modifier for rotation.

Anyone have any tips? Other than doing free transform on the entire layer afterwards I mean.

I'm not sure I understand completely. Is this what you are referring to (in Photoshop)?
Window -> Brush -> Shape Dynamics -> Angle Jitter -> Control -> Direction

[Obstfelder]

I'm not sure I understand completely. Is this what you are referring to (in Photoshop)?
Window -> Brush -> Shape Dynamics -> Angle Jitter -> Control -> Direction

not excactly, I was refering to custom shapes tool as described earlier in this thread. It seems the shapes are always placed with the same rotation and then you need to rotate using free transform on the layer. But if I'm trying to place them down fast, doing that hinders my workflow. So I'm looking for some way to access rotation controls while dragging the shape onto the canvas.

[Velocity Kendall]

you can have orientation defined by direction, ie by dragging your pen in different directions you ccan define how the shape is rotated.

love this thread, keep it alive!

[Odayga]

Wow.. beautiful work.. I really love your vector style. Nice concepts and world you have. keep it up : )

[lukvan]

Sparth, I love so much your works!
For long time I look and admire your inspiring artwork, thank you very much for sharing your technique.
Here is a modest tribute where I put together some personal methods and Custom Shapes for details.
Thanks very much again and excuse for my bad english!

[JeffX99]

Holy Fuck.

[Tanner T]

I still dont understand completely... I know how to make a custom shape and use the custom shape... but how do you get so many tiny shapes out? doesnt it create a new layer each time? How do you get it to go in different directions fast without having to transform each shape? is there a way to lasso and fill? The technique used wasnt really explained that well ;/