Trying to get into colors - My first post :)

[dalai]

Hi!

I finally decided to take the next step from drawing portraitures to (digitally) painting them. Actually, I took many attempts before, but never managed to do the jump... This time, however, I took the time to read tutorials before I started painting.

The result is now is "better" but well, not even close to what I see you guys posting in here. That's why I want you to have a glance at it and tell me what you think!

PS: Don't mind the hair and eyes, I did not really consider these features - They're just there to complete the head. I was really focusing on the skin...

[dpaint]

You have good proportions but I would look for more variety in your color. There are many opportunities for other color beside a light and dark version of the reddish pink you are using. Another thing is value which helps to give the head form and solidity, none of the forms on the head are turning right now everything is just kind of flat

[Vari]

At least on my monitor some parts like the nose are too reddish, it's like his skin has been burned by the sun. Don't redraw the whole skin, just play with some options like "color balance" in PS to change it a bit and see if you like it.

[dalai]

So there is a difference between color and value? I was studieng the "color theory tutorial 1&2" (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17837) and what the author stressed most was that both were the same?

What colors could I be using? How would you decide on which colors you are going for?

[dpaint]

The colors fall into zones
so greener in the forehead
redder in the nose and cheeks
grayer/bluer in the jaw
and yellower in the neck
I drew over my alien abduction illusration to show you what I mean
( ignore the blood)

[dalai]

Thanks! Nice sum up! I'll try to paint it again now

[dalai]

Hello again!

I tried to paint a face again. This time it looks better but still neither does it "pop" nor feel right at all. How can I get deep shadows without the face looking all muddy? I read that "shadows = color + complementary color + black". This would be on a reddish face: shadows = red/pink + light green + black. However, the result looks rather dirty than shadowed.
Why is that?

Any suggestions what else I might read to develop a deeper understanding?

Thanks!

[dpaint]

You aren't following the light, and the dark areas are not shifted to cooler color. Think of the head as made of geometric planes, everytime you change an angle you must consider it in relationship to the light source, only use shadow color where the plane change is extreme enough to not catch the light, otherwise, use a hue change or temperature change. The things in the light are separate from the things in the shadow.
Here is an example of a painting by me of the planes of the head model created by John Asro, a Frank Reilly Student. It is exagerated to accentuate the theory of geometric planes. I have posted links and reference to Reilly here
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=174140

[dalai]

Thanks! What color would I be using if the a part is angled extreme enough not to catch any direct light? Any hard rules?

Edit: Btw, how do I change the temperature without shifting the hue or mxing with a cool color?

[Sidharth Chaturvedi]

Thanks! What color would I be using if the a part is angled extreme enough not to catch any direct light? Any hard rules?

Edit: Btw, how do I change the temperature without shifting the hue or mxing with a cool color?

Paint from life, a lot. All will become clear! Photos aren't going to show you color as it actually appears. Changing the temperature involves a hue or chroma shift, all depends on what's next to it. Cooling a color can mean lowering the chroma, adding a cool color, or even warming up the note next to it.

Anyway, the main thing I wanted to say was that you're getting better, but one of your main problems is that you're thinking and applying strokes in pieces. Think of the head as a whole, think of areas of light and shadow in large chunks. Then work your way in. Big to small. If you work piecemeal you're going to keep getting a dirty, patchy look.

[dalai]

Thanks! I think I'll switch a gear down for now and start with something a little easier... an apple or so! Let's see how it will turn out...

[dalai]

I now painted an apple with acrylics and had to find out that mixing real colors feels somewhat different than mixing in photoshop. I dont know the exact hues, tones or chroma values when using real colors whilst in photoshop the offer is somehow even overwhelming.

How do you guys pick colors from photoshop? Pure experience or different color settings aswell? How do you mix them?

I just quickly painted the head of dpaint in apple-like colors on photoshpo, trying to use my new knowledge... Do you reckon the complete shadow and the "not-so-dark-areas" have the right color?

[scottmcd]

I didn't see anyone answer this, but "values" means light and dark. Not everyone does this, but it can be effective to nearly complete a digital painting in black and white before getting to the color. That way you'll be sure it reads correctly. Look at this step-by-step of a painting by Henning Ludvigsen and you'll see how far he gets before touching color:

http://www.henningludvigsen.com/inde...p_by_step_wall

Also, by the same guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ScbBJ4H2w

Finally, I did a color analysis for a comic called Starstruck that might help some with color in general, if not skin in particular. http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=38

[dalai]

I had a look at this technique and it is exactly what I did when I tried digital painting for the first time... It's often said that it takes the life out of pictures although the linked sites look pretty promising indeed. Maybe I get a decent black and white paiting of somewhere to make sure the B/W scales are right and add color to it then...

One thing is for sure: Painting like this is the longest, although maybe most accurate way, I guess...

EDIT: I added another small painting based on scottmcd's advices to watch the grayscales. Btw, I really liked the analysis, scottmcd! Was fun reading and I learned a lot!

EDIT2: I added another one, I think it is getting obvious that I learned a lot thanks to this thread.

[dalai]

So, here is a new painting which combines mostly everything I learned... How can I improve it? Have I forgotten about anything?

4 eyes see more than 2 I guess

[Euroption]

the hand looks really awkward. i just tried to put my hand in that position, and without trying to break any bones...it wasnt happening. try to look up some reference

But i guess your more concerned with the colors. huge improvement from the first picture in my opinion. the only thing i would say is try to use dark blues/purples when dealing with shadows instead of black. it makes the colors look alittle muddy.

[dalai]

It's my brother's "I am dramatically reaching out for something"-pose I actually traced the the whole hand because I am only focusing on the colors here.

About the purple, how can I get it look dark enough? I really just started using blacks near the end because the darkest parts turned out not to be dark enough, although I was using a dark purple...

EDIT: I tried to use your advice and get the purple shadowing better

[scottmcd]

I like what you've done with the hand. Keep in mind that skin coloration relies quite heavily on the light that's hitting it. That's yet another reason it's so hard for folks to just set down a set of color/saturation/brightness and say, "use that!"

[dalai]

That's what I thought and read... Another deep subtopic to dive into. Well, what needs to be done, needs to be done, right?