new practice

[Steelhorse]

Well my friends here is what 5hrs of beating my head against the wall resulted in. It was shot with AA reduced 400% on Bristol. The AA still doesn't like to be erased and scratched so I will have to find some of the paint that Luc suggested that I use. This is my 2nd attempt. I did use the mapping tech, with cutting out the image that was projected, with tracing paper. I am a newb and can't free-hand so well!!! hehehheee

Well, here it is!!!! Slam hard and beat me because I like it rough!!! LOL
Steel

p.s. It will look better once I blend the mapping out and come back in with the eyebrows and eye lashes.....I know how much we like to see the intermediate stuff....LOL I am the worst when it comes to the latter!!! hehehee Oh....I forgot the ref pic.....I'll edit it down and put it in here!

[Clem]

Looks like a good start Steel. I'm sure you'll get this figured out. Keep up the good work.

Ya lost me on the mapping but I am running behind on about everything.

Clem

[blinddog 99]

Nice work Len, the only thing I can see is a little wonky is the iris is pointing downward. The scale and textures look really good, keep it going! Well done bud!

[Whit]

Lookin Good Len,,, Lookin Good !!!

[Steelhorse]

Dog I see what you mean about the pupil....I hope I can fix it when I come back in and blend the mapping out! Maybe it won't look so bad. Luc said the paper would grow with the heat of the lamp on the projector....I did see this happening.....oh, what a learning curve!!!!

Hey Inviso!!!! I see you!!

[blinddog 99]

Please don't take it wrong, if you can erase it, look at your reference, the pupil just needs to be higher so that part of it dissapears on the edge under the lid. If you can do that, the rest is rockin'! Take your time. Sounds like you been getting private lessons from Luc, I'm jealous, LOL.

So, if you don't mind, you're projecting it onto the canvas then sketching (mapping) out the basic structure (eyes, nose, mouth) in pencil?

[Steelhorse]

Please don't take it wrong, if you can erase it, look at your reference, the pupil just needs to be higher so that part of it dissapears on the edge under the lid. If you can do that, the rest is rockin'! Take your time. Sounds like you been getting private lessons from Luc, I'm jealous, LOL.

So, if you don't mind, you're projecting it onto the canvas then sketching (mapping) out the basic structure (eyes, nose, mouth) in pencil?

Hey Dog! I'm thinking the pupil may look right once I blend the mapping out....create the drop shadow on the eye from the lid....if not, I will make her look more sexy (hehehehe) buy increasing the size of the pupil! I can do this using a slightly larger circle template...by putting it (centered) at the bottom of the current pupil...this will push the new pupil into it's new position. I think it looks wierd too! But that is how the projection came out. There was a lot of darkness there and I had to guess the position.

To answer your question about what I call "mapping".....look a Clinton's last post. I am new to this. This was the first time I used my projector, and yes I did sketch out the image. I then took tracing paper and traced out the (projected) sketched image. Then, cutting out the traced image, in sections, I mapped out the projected image....lining up the reference lines from the projected image to the cut out from the tracing paper. Look at the eye....That is mapped...I will come back in and blend the stencil effect out. Then I will come back in with a hair brush and do the eyebrows and the eye lashes...( my friend already pointed out that I should have just dusted the brows....I can't create depth with them now....too dark at this point). I am new to this my friends..but I will tell everything that I do so that we can all learn from what I do right and the pro's can tell us what I did wrong......I wish you all could see it in person!!!!! It looks 500% better than the crappy digital camera pic. It is 11" X 14" I can't wait to hit it tomorrow....I am gonna Divorce my wife over her.....just wait till it's finished! heehhee I can see it completed, and I am pumped!!!!

I hope it turns out the way I "SEE" it!!!!! Steel

[Clinton]

I was going to say, just go a little lighter and dust it but I see you have that figured. :) The AA will erase for me fine just have to use a little lighter layers and straight water intead of the reducer or fantasic mix. What are you using to erase with? I use the old style typewriter eraser and the ink erasers, the blue ones from back in the highschool days. The image looks good and your working it proper IMO just need to use lighter layers and work it slow.

[LucBoivin]

Hey Len!!

I like what I see. I like the way the mouth and nose turned out.

I know you still have some work to do on the eyes, especially the iris. A word of caution here my friend. You should not be using circle template for the iris or the pupil!!! You can only use the circle template when the eyes are looking directly at you!! This is not the case with your reference pic. Look at the shape...its an oval because her head is turned and she is looking away...and both eyes are not exactly the same. The eye that is the furthest will be slightly smaller!!! These are small but very very important details to look out for. No matter how good the rest of the painting is, if the eyes are off, the whole portrait is going to look screewy!!... and I garanty you you wont want to divorce your wife!!! LOL...I'm just pulling your leg! :-)...but I'm serious len about the eye thing. This will make or brake a portrait.

Notice on all of the step by step that I have posted, that I always always start with the eyes. The reason for this is if for some reason they dont turn out OK, I can start over without loosing all of my work. No pressure to succeed them if you do them at the end. Start with the most difficult item then have fun!!!Like I said before, the eyes are the most difficult thing to master...buts its like going on a bicycle, ounce you lurn it you never loose it! A good example Len is that you were able to name my painting just by having the eyes painted.

Something that keeps comming up in your posts is the word ''pumped'' This is very very good. That is all you need to get you thru all this stuff. But to make sure you dont deflate!!!...like I said to you, you have to get yourself some good paint. I highly recommend the Com-Art paints. I thought Bearair carried it but it does not look like they do anymore. If you do a google surch you should find something neer you. Meanwhile, I would at least try out the Createx black with proper dilution to play around with. I'm pretty sure you'll have more success erasing it.

If the mapping technique works for you Len, fine. Just be careful on those hard edges I was talking to you about. Whit time, confidence will come where you will only use this to protect from overspray. What counts here is that you are shooting some paint!!!...and I'm very happy for you.

Oh and to help with the expanding image under the projector. Leave it with the projector on for at least 10 minutes or so before tracing. Eventually, the image will stop expanding and then you can trace and take all the time you want.

OOOPs, sorry for the long reply!!!

Luc

[LucBoivin]

ummm guys... why not put the images you are using under glass to project????


I remember doing this once Denise and still got some expansion...but less!!! I was using a 1/8'' thick piece of clear glass. After that I changed to a fluorescent bulb which fixed the problem at the cost of loosing light intencity.

Luc

[Steelhorse]

I was going to say, just go a little lighter and dust it but I see you have that figured. :) The AA will erase for me fine just have to use a little lighter layers and straight water intead of the reducer or fantasic mix. What are you using to erase with? I use the old style typewriter eraser and the ink erasers, the blue ones from back in the highschool days. The image looks good and your working it proper IMO just need to use lighter layers and work it slow.


Hey Clinton. I know I am using my airbrush like a "Shot gun" hehehehe
? here!! Why straight water, or distilled h20, instead of the "fantastik" reducer? The attached pic's are the erasers that I am using....

The electric eraser doesn't even remove the over spray (well it does, but it takes a lot of time)....I reduced 400% with 50/50 fantastik/h20.....hit the bad spots hard with the electric eraser (it just stays there!!!).....the AA still is too sticky! Shooting on Bristol.

I think, that if I am going to continue with this style of art, that I am gonna have to re-think my paints etc!!!???

Thanks,
Len

[Clinton]

By all means if your going to continue with portraits ect on illitration board or canvas you should buy the right paint. I was just speaking for the piece your working on. If you looking in to new paint and can't find the Com-Art you might want to look into the Golden or Holdein, you can even use gouache or ink but you would have to top coat with a uv clear to protect form light fading. Forgot you can use FW Acrylic ink as well, works great wonderfuly. http://www.artistsupplies.com/Fine%20Art%20Supplies/Calligraphy/calligraphy%20inks/fw_cALL_iNK.HTM

Luc, Bearair can't sell Com-Art any more they lost the Iwata account from selling knockoff parts.

[Steelhorse]

Hey Luc! Concerning the eyes! I had some expansion with the heat from the bulb....and I thought the eyes looked a little "less rounded", so I erased and went in with a circle template....Damn!!!!! I made them round....I should have stayed with the projection...they had an oval effect originally. I should have went with "what I see"...instead of what I thought it should look like effect...lesson learned!!!!! I'll start over tomorrow! Thanks Luc. Len

[Steelhorse]

Hey everyone! I finished it!!!! yahooo!!!!! here it is! Steel

[Whit]

Some Good Lookin Work Len !!!
That's a Keeper !!!:partyalone:

[Steelhorse]

Thanks D!!!! I was gonna throw it out because of the errors I did yesterday, but my friend said to finish it and learn before trying a new one.....There are a lot of things that I am not happy about, but it is a learning process...I am pumped!!!! Lenny

[Steelhorse]

Some Good Lookin Work Len !!!
That's a Keeper !!!:partyalone:

Thanks Whit!!!! coming from you, it means a lot!!!!!:partyalone:

[blinddog 99]

Very nice job Len, I am excited for you this is a big leap and very nice work!

[josie]

Great job Lenny.....remember this is only your 1st....cant wait the see your second attempt:)

[LucBoivin]

Hey Len,

Good save on those eye balls!!!

Sorry I missied your call last night...:-(

So you gave the Createx a try?....found it easier to erase hey!

Very good result Len for you first portrait. Make sure you put a date on it and I would even go as far as writting down all the things you felt did not go the way you wanted. Keep a record including what was said here in the thread!!!...almost like a log for you to easily consult in the future. That's what I did when I started airbrushing. Even wrote down how I felt about my work. In your case, if you are excited...I would write that down!! No need to write a book about it, just in a point form.

Back to the painting. Is there a reason why you did not do more highlights in the eyes? You have got small dots when the original pic has bigger odd shapes. The white of the eye is not enough white. Be carefull because you want to keep some shadows on the uppper part because the eye is round. Once you establish this as beeing the most white, start comparing with other highlights in the original pic and you will that you can add more of these to your painting. Maybe its your paint thing that prevents you from doing more...not sure.

What I'm trying to say, is that the eyes must look watery...

For your eye lashes, I would do a bit less and a bit darker from the mascara. Make sure they criss cross a bit. Pay attention to the direction they go ...especially on her left eye. Notice the eye lashes is long to the point of reaching the edge of her face just bellow the eye brow. Try using other facila features to compare with for lenght. On the original pic, for example, take a piece of paper and measure the lenght of a nostril whole. Then take that marked piece of paper to eye lashes and do another mark. Then do the same with your painting with a new piece of paper. You will see what I mean. You can use this simple technique to compare facial feautures to make sure that things are placed OK or painted to proper lenght.

For the eye brows, go easy on the paint before you start laying down some hair. You went too too dark. Just lay down enough paint to position the hair. Not sure if you did by brush or airbrush but they are stacked and lined up like an army...too neetly placed and too short, almost like bristles. I know she does not have bushy eye brows like us guys do but they are defenitly longer and they flow in the way of the lenght of the eye brow. They almost looked glued on!

OK enough with my comments!!! LOL I'm only doing this because I know you are a strong man Len and you can take it! LOL

What is very good is that you decided to stick with it even with the paint issue you had. That is very very good.

You have to be proud of what you have acomplished on your own for your first portrait!!!

Luc

[Steelhorse]

Thanks Luc! I have so much to learn and I appreciate the advice you have given me!!!

The reason I used a single dots in the eyes for highlight was on the left eye that AA paint wouldn't scratch or erase, so I cheated!!!! hehhehe Took the easy way out in a bad situation! LOL

Thanks again Luc!
Len

[Steelhorse]

Thanks Josie!!!! I was so excited about doing it that I rewashed by face with hair conditioner instead of applying to my hair!!!!! LOL My face is really soft now!!!! hehehehehe

Len

[LucBoivin]

Thanks Josie!!!! I was so excited about doing it that I rewashed by face with hair conditioner instead of applying to my hair!!!!! LOL My face is really soft now!!!! hehehehehe

Len

LOL

[Clem]

Looks good Steel. Your moving right along. Keep going.

Clem

[Steelhorse]

Very nice job Len, I am excited for you this is a big leap and very nice work!

Thanks Dog!! I am so pumped right now....I have some much to learn though, but Luc's crit's and advice will push me along! My problem now is that I don't paint what I see....the lashes and the brows are an example....I get lazy due to my low skill level and just paint it how I want it to look. Starting a bad habit that needs to be nipped in the bud!!!!!

Len

[Steelhorse]

Thanks Clem! My wife is mad though....now with my new interest in this area of painting I am either down in the studio or here on the computer. She tried to pick a fight with me at 5:00 AM in the morning when I came to bed!!!! hehehehehe!!!!!

[moose]

Len,
:love: Just tell her you are practicing to be able to immortilize her on canvas:love: !!!!!

By the way the face turned out good for a :wink2: "beginners" :wink2: first effort


moose

[Clem]

Maybe if ya tell her you need to learn this to do her portrait and ya have to learn to do it right first.

Either way your improving no matter which way you go with your paint.

Clem

[cicioc]

hy. this is all?
u dont go whit portrait more deep?
is verry good . super good i like it a lot , i dont did somthing so good like that never but i think u must go more deep whit it.
i hope u do

[Steelhorse]

Hey Cic! I had paint problems....was using AA reduced 400% and then switched over to Createx half way through. Still that is not the right paint to do this with. I bought some acrylic ink and some Golden today. It was practice my friend. I'll do it again and learn from my mistakes and apply the crits and advice that Luc and everyone gave me. I was going to throw it away half way through, but decided to push myself to finish it to the point that I had planned to. I m glad that did! Thanks Cic! You'll like the next one better!!!! hehheeheheehe.....I hope so!!! LOL

Len

[Steelhorse]

Len,
:love: Just tell her you are practicing to be able to immortilize her on canvas:love: !!!!!

By the way the face turned out good for a :wink2: "beginners" :wink2: first effort


moose

Hahahaha Moose!!!!! you must have a way with the women folk eh!!!!:wink2:
Thanks Tim,
Len

p.s. Clem....you think like Moose! I think that we will have to start a Males only section to this site that we can reveal all these secrets that you guys have!!!! hehehehe

[mongoose]

Hey everyone! I finished it!!!! yahooo!!!!! here it is! Steel
It's beautiful, very delicate and haunting in a way. What can I say, I love it.

[Steelhorse]

Thank's Les! one more day at work and then I am off for 5 days. I am going to be spending most of the time trying to get better at this. I am scared to death to try and do hair. heheheee

Len

[josie]

Thank's Les! one more day at work and then I am off for 5 days. I am going to be spending most of the time trying to get better at this. I am scared to death to try and do hair. heheheee

Len
Thats why you got the Driscoll dvd's Lenny:wink2: