Painting Faces

[123tyler]

does anyone know of a step by step guide to painting faces with photoshop? I've been trying to mess around with it and my wacom tablet for a while now but i feel like im getting nowhere. like just now, i spent 4 hours trying to paint a face and i ended up with a pile of crap. i just don't understand colour theory. I've tried painting other parts of the anatomy like arms and legs, and they all turned out pretty good considering i have never painted in my life, but the faces are just too tricky!!! any help would be great, thanks

[FraserMcT]

If it is colour that is giving you problems, then have a go painting in greyscale.
If your results are still bad, then you are obviously not up to the standard to paint such a complex object yet. In which case I would advise doing some still life studies.
Also, remember that if you cannot draw with a pencil and paper, then you will not be able to draw with a tablet and pen.

EDIT: I just read through your other posts, and it seems that you are constantly asking for help with photoshop, tablets choice, school choice. It isn't the tools or teaching that get you where you want to be (skill wise), it is the time, hardwork and thought. Mainly time and hard work though.
Start up a sketchbook here on CA with your work, and link us to it in this thread. Only then will we truly be able to see what you are doing wrong, and how to help. You say that your faces turn out crap, there are millions of reasons for this, but we can not point them out to you without you showing us your art.
Please start up an SB. It is a great way to get critique and help. And it motivates me to do more, it might be the same with you.

[Zazerzs]

make 100 more piles of crap and hopefully by the end they will be less stinky.

oh and learn all the standard proportions of the face, do studies of facial features, draw the skull ect. there is no secret formula, its all hard work and observation so just suck it up and keep at it.

and post examples in your sketchbook (and provide the link in your sig)so we have idea of where you are at, giving advice in a void will be pretty generalized.

[vineris]

Step 1: get some reference photos, preferably done in dramatic light by a photographer who doesn't suck. You want to avoid straight-on flash lighting.

Step 2: paint face using reference like you would paint anything else. Start with big shapes, then refine. Focus on accuracy in shape, then value, then colour.

Step 3: rinse & repeat until you feel confident that you have a grasp on the 3D shapes of a face, lighting and colour.

Step 4: mess around with Photoshop and imaginary faces. Caricatures are also fun at this point.

[George Abraham]

There's good video material for purchase, the caucasian females video for example.

[MiniGoth]

www.furiae.com