Rocks...how do you draw rocks!?

[wolfmaster]

I have seen good rocks, I have seen bad rocks, I have contributed heavily to the bad rocks population. If there is a way to make good rocks, could someone please help...!?

[Attani]

It's all in the shading and highlighting. You need to spend a lot of time studying the lights and shadows until it becomes second nature.:)

[2byts]

be aware of different kinds of rocks.....There are kinds that rounded from years of erosion....like in a river bed....and there rough and angular kinds with lots of cracks...these you get in the mountains and what not...

[hyphen]

search the net for different rock formations, beach rocks, cliffs, mountainous rocks, deep sea, etc. take ideas from those :P

[Snowfly]

and when you've found your rocks, how do you actually paint them? besides painting every single speckle? anybody got a technique to share?

[2byts]

use a tooth brush to get the paint spatter effect for the basic texture....its kinda like the noise filter in photoshop....make the paint really thin like milk and use a variety of colors both lighter and darker of the main body color...dip the toothbrush in it....and then run you finger over the bristles to flick and spray the paint spatters...this will creat a grainy effect....comic artist use it alot to for making blood splatters. to get cracks and crevice you use a thin brush to paint in random cracks....and then use lighter paint to bring out the highlights on the crack edges.....Use a bigger brush to softly blend in the form and lighting of rock as you would normally....

use this effect for any kind of grainy texture like....space and stars....gas clouds....soil and earth...skin textures....

[Snowfly]

2byts, I use that technique with my watercolors and gouache. Ever try to get the same effect in digital?

[wolfmaster]

Thanks. I think the techniques would really help, although I find trying to draw from life does not get me the comic sketch quality I like. My general problem is how to effectively create polygonal face rocks that look proper. Usually when I do, the edges of the faces don't add up right and look flat.

[2byts]

well wolfmaster....thats why its called art isnt it....its always hardwork....part of painting is developing your "library" of textures to work from....painting marble....painting hair...painting glass....painting a dozen different kinds of rocks....its all about doing it cuz an online tut wont get your hands dirty...so to speak.

tips: use a lot of contrast in colors....and have your brush strokes follow the direction of polygonal edges....and make sure you vary the line weight according to the light source- thin for facing the light...thick for shadowed areas. Lighting and shadow is the key to giving it depth and form.

If you are doing it in a comic style....line weight is EVERYTHING....and practice crosshatching and using various inking techniques....

Snowfly...sure i use it all the time...any where from using a simple texture as a "hard light" layer to just using custom brushes with a large spacing to get a spattered effect.

hell, right now i am using pshop to digital ink my comic sketch...