shading and bg problems

**WakawakaTakes** · February 25th, 2013, 02:03 PM

Hey! I'm new here and this is my first post. I entered that forum because I am BIG amateur and I need any help I can get!
So here I have piece to fix, maybe some good souls would share their thoughts to help :3
It's my 3rd digital coloring attempt, still got loads of anatomy mistakes and color issues. My pain is that I have to do everything with computer mouse ;C so I am mostly using path tool.
(btw. done in GIMP)

So I have no idea how to shade it, I added some shades on face . My light source is glowing orb but still eyes are shiny too. Is it good?
I thought that it could be the only source of light and the whole piece would have to be very dark.
I have no idea what to do with bg. This is my biggest problem I make a character with no clue what to do behind it :/

**Falchion** · February 25th, 2013, 04:06 PM

I'd recommend fixing the anatomy problems before you get to the rendering.

**arenhaus** · February 26th, 2013, 01:58 AM

As usual, all of the problems with color, light, background, etc. are the result of not enough planning.

Plan the composition beforehand. Know what you will do about the background. Do preliminary sketches for structure and anatomy and perspective and lighting. Figure things out in quick sketches before you paint.

**WakawakaTakes** · February 26th, 2013, 05:05 AM

Originally Posted by arenhaus

As usual, all of the problems with color, light, background, etc. are the result of not enough planning.

Plan the composition beforehand. Know what you will do about the background. Do preliminary sketches for structure and anatomy and perspective and lighting. Figure things out in quick sketches before you paint.

yes, now I know that this is most important thing >.< and I see it. So nex time I'll definitely do that ^^'
but still even if I had many sketches for that one lighting would be mystery for me, maybe I have bitten more than I can chew with that orb. I looked for references i played with doll and lamp but all i have is shading on face :C

**The Fez** · February 26th, 2013, 06:56 AM

Here's the deal. If you're doing everything with the path tool, you're not really painting, or even really illustrating for that matter. You might think that you are, but your brain doesn't. There's a phenomena I like to call Drafter's Demise. It occurs when someone attempts to use a technical tool to achieve a creative end. I would see it all the time in school. People would try to flesh out their ideas in AutoCAD, and then wonder why their work was flaccid, lifeless and generally miserable in every respect. Our professors would swoop in like majestic, critical hawks, and point out the issue immediately. "SKETCH, YOU RETARD", they would say, disregarding all ethical boundaries regarding student/teacher verbal exchange. They wouldn't be wrong, however. Any time you try to ideate with a technical tool, your brain will be predominately concerned with MANAGING THE PARAMETERS OF THE TOOL THAT YOU ARE USING and not with the actual generation of the idea in question. A pencil is an intuitive piece of hardware. It functions as an extension of your mind's eye. There are no parameters to control except for the quality of the output (darker/lighter lead, larger/smaller ect), and as such, facilitates rather than inhibits the creative process.

You would be TEN TIMES better off drawing something with a pencil on paper. Then just scan it. Boom. You just saved yourself probably six hours of torment trying to draw something with the path tool, and will discover that you have like all these human gestures that makes illustrations fun to look at in the first place.

**WakawakaTakes** · February 26th, 2013, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by The Fez

You would be TEN TIMES better off drawing something with a pencil on paper. Then just scan it. Boom. You just saved yourself probably six hours of torment trying to draw something with the path tool, and will discover that you have like all these human gestures that makes illustrations fun to look at in the first place.

oom yea I didin't mention it but I did draw it on paper with pencil, scanned it and then spent hours on making lineart with path tool :c I colored that way hair but rest is by maus pad.
This is really my maximum at the minute: http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3307/lunaab.jpg

**WakawakaTakes** · February 26th, 2013, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by The Fez

You would be TEN TIMES better off drawing something with a pencil on paper. Then just scan it. Boom. You just saved yourself probably six hours of torment trying to draw something with the path tool, and will discover that you have like all these human gestures that makes illustrations fun to look at in the first place.

oom yea I didin't mention it but I did draw it on paper with pencil, scanned it and then spent hours on making lineart with path tool :c I colored that way hair but rest is made with computer mous.
This is really my maximum at the minute: http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3307/lunaab.jpg