My First Ever Digital Painting

[Mason Murphy]

This is my first digital painting I have actually put some work into. Its not good at all and I know that my biggest weakness is the hair and eye lashes. Any tips for hair and eyelashes? And any other advice would be greatly appreciated! I hope that one day I can paint art the you guys on this forum can do.

[Hexokinase]

my biggest weakness is the hair and eye lashes

No, your biggest problem is depicting basic forms. Go paint some apples from life. This thread might give you some ideas.

[mimer]

Please don't do things like this.

I get why, just don't do it again. There are enough people who come here with an honest intent to show what they've actually put as much as they can of their own real talent into, this part of the forum really doesn't need someone who pretends to paint when theyre only drawing on top of a photo of megan fox, and doing it badly.

Show us your actual work at your actual level, and be honest about where you stand right now. Noone is going to mock you for that. They will mock you for this though.

[arenhaus]

Mimer... I am often the first to tell people to stop trying to use Photoshop to copy photos, and sketch basic forms in pencil. But I don't mock them for it. And I don't think many people here would. Not knowing is not a bad thing, and not a shameful thing - it deserves explanations, not mockery.

No offense, but your post's tone feels a tad too aggressive.

[mimer]

Mimer... I am often the first to tell people to stop trying to use Photoshop to copy photos, and sketch basic forms in pencil. But I don't mock them for it. And I don't think many people here would. Not knowing is not a bad thing, and not a shameful thing - it deserves explanations, not mockery.

No offense, but your post's tone feels a tad too aggressive.

Sorry, I just get a bit tired at times when I occasionally see several examples of this sort of thing on the first page of the crit section. I have no issue with using photoshop to copy photos, or using an underlay, or using grids, or just doing paintovers. I may have my personal opinion of how constructive it is in the long run but here is the part i take issue with:

Hiding it. Perhaps this particular person wasn't doing that but it seems a tad dishonest to offer up something like this as your first digital painting with a lot of work put into it without being up front about the fact that they basically went over a photo with a coloured brush in photoshop.

I do apologise if the tone was too agressive. I can't help but feel a bit acerbic at times when people try to pass off copypasta or these kinds of basic paintovers as their own painting though, especially in a section where people are asking for crits. If this was their sketchbook I really wouldn't have commented beyond asking why. No offense taken, I'm glad you spoke up about my tone because I really didn't want to be too aggro, instead asking them not to do it again and explaining why this is a bad idea, for them and the other people in the forum.

I do think people get some rather acidic comments for doing this sort of thing on here, and that's what I was trying to explain with the mocking remark, I didn't indend for it to mean I wanted to mock them. Persisting in doing this does tend to attract some rather straightforward demolishing if the person also persists in pretending these types of paintovers is something other than just that. Perhaps this is just a case of not realising the difference between a painting and a paintover, and not labelling it because of that, if so, I apologise for any overzealous ranting.

[Mason Murphy]

I only used the photo for reference and just the outline of her features this was a excercize to practice painting I'm not sitting here saying,"Oh well it took me four hours just to draw it and then I painted it all without reference yeah I'm pretty good." I was just asking critique for the painting not the fact that I sketched the portrait. I did not paint over this picture and used my own skin pallet and tried to do the best I can with painting in Photoshop for the first time. You coming and just saying that I copied all of this isn't right. Did you watch me paint this? NO.

[Mason Murphy]

And I dont know if you have noticed but the proportions of the painting and the picture you posted are different so I can I just paint over? Just a thought.

[SweatiestDegree]

I might not be the one to talk since i'm pretty much learning myself, but if you used it to outline her features without understanding what's underneath(form) and have no understanding of how light and shadow hits those forms your painting will just look flat
her whole face is mostly the same peach color.

I would do what was recommended above paint some apples, learn the form and how light and shadow react to it.

and i don't know what your drawing skills are like, but IMO you should just study life with a pencil and paper, study value and then move to color, moving from nothing to painting is a pretty huge leap.

Good luck

[StefRob]

I only used the photo for reference and just the outline of her features this was a excercize to practice painting I'm not sitting here saying,"Oh well it took me four hours just to draw it and then I painted it all without reference yeah I'm pretty good." I was just asking critique for the painting not the fact that I sketched the portrait. I did not paint over this picture and used my own skin pallet and tried to do the best I can with painting in Photoshop for the first time. You coming and just saying that I copied all of this isn't right. Did you watch me paint this? NO.

I have no problem with painting over. Everybody does what he wants. But you say clearly that you didn't paint over so explains why we clearly see a part of thee original picture in it? Again, no harm but don't make false claims.

[jamsession]

her eyeballs are the same too. not to mention the kinopoisk.ru stamp at the lower right bottom. listen to these men, they know their stuff. and as harsh as their critique may sound, its for your own good at the end of the day.

[self-epidemic]

You're a weak artist because you're allowing it to be weak. If you want to copy, trace, whatever, thats fine, but be honest.

Anyway, there are A LOT of problems. Firstly, the colours.

The lines

The lack of shading.

For colours, go get the eyedrop tool, and eyedrop each area of the photo, LOOK at the colours. Skin isn't a base of cream, black, dark brown, its got greens, blues, from thin skin where capillaries will be caught, it will have dark browns from warm light, it'll have pinks, beige. You have to realise this, to extend your learning.

Lines. I imagine you are sitting there going OMG MUST GET LINE CORRECT. You have an eraser, you also should be drawing fluid lines, draw swift quick movements, be confident. That will reflect on your work.

Shading is understanding of the actual anatomy, and colour, its actually quite difficult because there are so many variables. There are a lot of sticky links at the top of this forum, they have so much help. Go there, give it all a try.

Relax and try again. Also, use paint or a pencil. Photoshop is a hindrance clearly, stop it or you'll never evolve.

[Elwell]

Mason,

There's really no point is critiquing this, I'm closing the thread before anyone else piles on. Feel free to post something besides a sloppy paintover and I'm sure people will be more than happy to help you.