Tutorial request - abstraction of masses

[jester]

I have problems to decide what to leave out and what to take in when drawing "mass areas", eg. leaves on a tree or the structure of a basket or the pattern of bricks in a wall. I know that I shouldn't and needn't render every single item - but how to decide which one to take? It's ok when I've got references (not that it can't be improved) but I'm lost when inventing them. Any hints, tutorials, tips or tricks?

Jester

[jester]

I just wonder... is my question too plain and simple or is this too difficult to explain?

:confused:

Jester

[DragonGX]

Basically, jsut draw the outline and then fill in a little bit (a few lines here and there) untill it looks good.. dont simplify it too much or theyll have troulbe figuring out what it is, and dont make it too complex.. I wish I had a picture I could show you of what I mean..

Take a llook at Architectural renderings of a house.. They roughly fill in bushes and trees, not too much and not too little and you can tell what it is..

[FONGOOL]

Another good place to look is comic book art. Those guys don't have time to draw every leaf!

But archetectural renderings are a great idea. Also, I have this book called "rendering in pen and ink" and it covers different methods of indicating foliage and building materials without driving yourself insane with detail.

[edit] here's a link to it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823045293/qid=1043723047/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-4523089-2633522?v=glance&s=books

[Chonkie]

Hi Jester

I think a good way is to just use shades, and 1 or 2 "characteric detail" here and there will do the job, at least that's how i do it...:thumb:

[jester]

Thanks guys, tips like these were what I was looking for. You might check me progress in Jester's sketchbook in the Sketches and Doodles section!

Jester

[Travis_Bourbeau]

Hi jester my sugestion if your referrin to bricks or shingles on a roof etc is just to use a wandering line and fill the shading in after wards roofs just using parrelel lines with varying pressure and brick walls show the most detail where the light is not the brightest or corners this probaly doesnt help at all but i tried ;)




an example may be if you were looking at a white brick wall on a sunny day from a distance the sun shining at the most intense spot on the wall would probaly have the least definintion while the brick in the shade would actualy stand out more ! (in most cases )