Help ME!!!!!!! My head is about to EXPLODE

[CaptainInsano]

I am getting frustrated with myself and my inability to paint realistically! No matter how hard I try, or how many different ways I go about doing it, I can't get it RIGHT! I'm litterally beating myself over my head about it :frustrated:

My paintings always have this shitty spray-painted look. The skin tones aren't luminous, and the people end up looking like they have liver diesease!

I can't find any tutorials online. I don't attend art school. ARGH

Here's how my painting tends to looks like:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/ParkerD/nursecopy.jpg


And here's how I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE (painting by daarken)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/ParkerD/Tilorn_Centaur_05.jpg

How do you guys do it????

[Prehistoric]

what's up man?

don't know if i'm totally qualified to answer your questions on digital painting, but i'll just assume that the same rules of painting on canvas apply.

i think there are two specific areas where i can see problems. 1 is the skin's undertone. in the example that you gave of what you'd like it to look like, the skin has a brownish/violet undertone. in yours, it's just a darker, muddier version of your skin tone. highlights and shadows are as much about complimentary colors as they are about dark and light.

which leads me to number 2: speculars and highlights. yours follow the form of the body, but not necessarily the source of the light. maybe the lightsource needs to be more clearly defined. your speculars are too broad, i think. it tends to make the skin look less smooth. i really believe that drawing some still lifes with dramatic lighting helps.

don't know if you're coming to sketch night tonight, but i'll bring my Rembrandt book so you can see the master at painting flesh.

[CaptainInsano]

Thanks for the input Prehistoric.

I would like to go to sketchgroup, but I just moved to LA! :$

[Prehistoric]

oops, didn't see that.

oh well, good luck with the art.

[Idiot Apathy]

Seems like I recommend this tut at least once a week, twice today now:

CA.org's own Prometheus|ANJ's Tut:
http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm

Oh and uhh, check this thread out here too:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4929