[Alan]

Awhile back both spooge and danny said it would be cool for people to post a pic and the reference they used for that pic. There've been some posts sort of like that recently, but I thought it might be neat to have a whole thread about this. So, here's the start...





So, am I a photo copy machine or unable to paint even with a reference? Anyway, I'd like to see what people post and/or have to say...

-Alan

[Grant F]

I posted this last week so apologies to those who have already seen it...but it's relevant to this thread so here it is...

Grant F.

[psi burn]

alan thats a great image, the only 1 problem i see are the hands, which look like they have no bone structure. they look like they're just flopping there, or very limp. try to straighten out knuckle areas, and fingers.

[rdgraffix]

Nice painting, Alan.
A couple of bits look a *little* wrong, though. The hair seems to be sitting very flat on the head, maybe giving the style some thickness could help. Obviously, that was a vey hard part to get from the reference, being dark, shadowed hair against a dark background.

If you're ever using a reference photo with that problem again, try this: make a copy of the photo and really screw with the levels, pull them in and fiddle with them and see if you can bring out some definition of where the two dark shapes meet. Don't worry about the rest of the photo, just concentrate on the problem area, because you'll probably lose the rest to fatal over-contrasting anyway. Use your new image to define the shape of the problem area, but rely on the original image for the rest of the shape and tone in the image.



See how you can pick up a bit more of what's happening to the hair above the skull?

Just a tip.

The only other thing that I might say is that the texture of the hands seems a bit rough and sketchy compared to the softer texture of the face's skin.

Of course, I'm just being a picky bastard.

Thanks for posting, it's great to see the finished work next to the reference. Hopefully we'll see more of it.

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- rowan dodds
RD Graffix

[Alan]

Thanks for the tips and feedback! Yes, the hands are a bit messed up... i have lots of problems with hands. I'd say the hands look different from the face because i kept re-drawing them, which was not too good, and the face I just worked straight through.

grant f- that is so different from how i work

[Anthony]

Huh, she looks like Courtney. That was someone in my AP Art class that was good at painting.

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-Anthony
Carpe Carpem