Mini- abridged tutorial...

[stalecracker]

Soooooo-

I posted awhile back *cough* year ago *cough* that I was going to post tuorial on my method of digital painting. I don't consider myself fantabuloso or anything but enough emails asking me to do one- inspired me. Well, then my web guy stopped webbing... so here we are.
I did this for a magazine article for Computer Arts Projects
www.computerarts.co.uk
I have no idea when it'll be out but in the mean time... here's the mini- abridged tutorial image... enjoy and I'll answer any and all questions... yes ANY *wink*



http://www.imagemagician.com/images/stalecracker/GimpGump_DemoxV2.jpg


Step 1:
The image is (obviously) the pen sketch. I did it during a BORING meeting. I liek to go from start to finish without correcting. It's a good exercise to free up your brain.

Step 2:
After scanning the sketch in, I dropped a standard metal texture over it. I find it helps to break up the whiteness of the page and helps me to think "not smooth". It also suggests shapes and skin conditions, heh.

Step 3:
Next I went in and started rendering my lights and darks...

Step 4:
Adding color, overlaying textures and filtering here and there... I purposely left the image unfinished so you could see the various elements in a unfinished state.


P.S. admin- feel free to move this were it may be better suited. It's late...

P.P.S- Finished not done meant that it was finished for the article BUT I plan to finish the image out as an illustration...

[3bleadpencil]

cool...great website!

[Yaseck]

Man.. That's great! Love this work!

[incognito]

I like this....alot. His eyes are staring at me, and that scares me. Very nice drawing!
:chug:

[Marko Djurdjevic]

Muhahaha!

That one gave me a good laugh! Have to go to a meeting now as well - I'll try to remember this piece.

Thank you for the fun!
Marko
-sleepy

[stalecracker]

Thanks for the comments!

Marko: HAH, I always do my best sketches when the programmers start talking (no offense to programmers intended... I just don't "understand" what they are saying)

Incognito: Glad he "see's" you. I re-aimed the eyes a couple of times to get "total stare".

[Zeravla]

very nice, thanks for the tutorial

[Bomba]

Stalecracker,

OH!OH!OH! I've got some questions for you.

1) When trying to figure out the colors for each piece, do you find that using certain textures(for example:the backdrop of metal and rust you used) as a blue print on how to proceed?

2) After step 3(rendering the lights and darks), do use layer your colors ontop? Like the old masters styel with glazes/layers? Or do you slap on a new coat of pigment and rub it on?

3) Last but not least... if you HAD to choose, what would you pick? A Cabbage Patch Preme Doll or a Care Bear(the pink one with the heart) that burps up rainbows? Mind you, this decision would be monitored by a gun.

[stalecracker]

*AHem*

Yes, well my good lad-

1) You know, I never really thought about it. I went back and looked and some stuff i've done recently and I think it influences the color choices on occasion. I'd say it's 50/50. Most of the stuff I do has a BUNCH of texture layers. The blue on this particular image was just a "get done quick" choice. I'll post the final image to show were it goes...

2) I layer my colors on top with either the "color" layer style, overlay layer style or soft light layer style.
I do the rest of the color additons with my brush set at 47% opacity. It forces me build color a little slower as I tend to rush.

3) WOW, I guess I'd have to grab the PINK Care Bear and pitch it to my 3 year old daughter, yell "RUN SWEETY!!!" Then bust some Equilibrium-style Gunkata goodness on the holder of said firearm.

[MindCandyMan]

Thanks for this tutorial stalecracker this is great to see your process.

[stalecracker]

I swear as soon as my site is finished... I"ll have several. I do have them ready... just need to get MIKE off his ass and get to finishing!!!

[Bomba]

Good show MAN! I get you and those layered brush strokes of 47% opacity. The power is now MINE!!! BWWWAAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

Seriously thou, thanks for the insight and the Nobility of thought.

And you slew me with the last answer! Tu-SHAY!!!

Originally posted by stalecracker
*AHem*

2) I layer my colors on top with either the "color" layer style, overlay layer style or soft light layer style.
I do the rest of the color additons with my brush set at 47% opacity. It forces me build color a little slower as I tend to rush.

3) WOW, I guess I'd have to grab the PINK Care Bear and pitch it to my 3 year old daughter, yell "RUN SWEETY!!!" Then bust some Equilibrium-style Gunkata goodness on the holder of said firearm.

[nick reynolds]

Great stuff, thanks a bunch stalecracker.

Mind if I ask, where you work?

[stalecracker]

Hey, NO problem...

I'm at Sony San Diego... "the Studio" as it's known.

I also freelance.


AND this will be a "real" demo soon...

[incognito]

you work at sony? woooow.

[R_M]

Computer arts yoiu say?
Can you tell us what it is about? it would be rather cool if we could get a sneak peak at it.
I am a long time reader of the magazine(got even published a year ago in the showcase section) but I have found that the tutorials lack a bit of artistic touch and are a bit to program oriented.
the painter 8 tutorial of last number relied a bit to much on a poser model for my taste.

Thank you for the tut! but I felt like there colud be one more step between #3 and#4.

[incognito]

I like those types of magazines because they usually have some good software with them.

[Jimmy Scifi]

Hi there. New to the forum, and thought I would just drop a quick coment to get started. I think this work is excelent and very inspiring. I remeber waring people that if I went into a meeting with a pen and pad all i'm gonna do is draw. Good one.

[alti]

hey if it's a site you need, i can make you one if you like, i need something for my flash protfolio and i get board so easy at college all day,
just thought i'd offer seeing as how you lost your net dude.

anyways here's one of my sites i came up with the other day.
college project site (http://members.optusnet.com.au/alti/daemonltd.html)

[Lono]

thats hilarious man.

i never realized how similar we work.

sweetness.

-Lono

[Nixon]

Hey that looks like a guy I know....seriously, it does. Kinda creepy.

Can't wait to see the full tutorial, are you a photoshop or painter user?

[stalecracker]

Zachmo- And to think... we were 5 feet away from each other... *SIGH* AND, AND... WE NEVER KNEW *CHOKE*

Nixon: I 'm a Photoshop man.

[Blackwell]

Awesome stuff, SC. Love your work -- more more moremore mroemroemromeormeormeormeo!

(I have a friend who just applied for a web design job at your location. If she gets the job, and we start seeing a lot of large-chested Asian girls showing up in your work, I'll know where you got the inspiration....)

[Loga4]

Cool,thx for tutorial!

[stalecracker]

I appreciate all the good comments. I apologize for the lack of info but since it was done for an article I was asked to be ULTRA brief. Thanks again and hopefully the full demo will be up soon!