|
This digital painting tutorial is based on a speed painting study of Gandalf from the Two Towers episode of Lord of the Rings.
As it was a speed painting study it won’t be quite as in-depth as a longer painting but it may also serve the purpose of showing some speed painting techniques. Doing these quick studies is part of our every day education and is just as valuable as a longer study or a portfolio piece.
Gandalf the White final image:
I played with the contrast in this image as the original, while trying to keep to the reference levels, was a little flat.
I will show all the steps below in a single image, then explain each step afterwards.
Gandalf digital painting tutorial – wip images:
Gandalf digital painting tutorial – step 01: Reference
I don’t think people talk much about reference but it’s an important first step. I wanted to study a head/face and was wondering where I could find a decent source image. Problem being that about 90% of stock photography is poorly lit. I don’t mean so much ‘bad’ lighting as just vague lighting.
Some of the best lighting for people studies comes from movie stills. I happened to be watching Lord of the Rings on DVD and decided that the next time someone’s face was lit well, i’d do a study on it.
After a few minutes I found this image where Gandalf has recently been reunited with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas in the forest. This is that bit where he’s talking with Aragorn under the moonlight – which made for some nice lighting – so I paused the DVD right at this moment and hit did a screen grab.
I liked the hard near-white light on the side of his face creating nice values/contrast. If your reference is poor, it’s hard to make the painting work – one to remember!
Gandalf digital painting tutorial – step 02: Blocking
Always hate this part, it’s very awkward. So had my canvas set up with the reference right above of my canvas. Mainly because it’s a long, letterbox shape and it fits in a vertical stack on my monitor. A portrait study is usually side by side.
I make it so both the ref and the canvas line up perfectly and draw imaginary lines with my cursor down from the ref to make sure all his features line up.
I also use my method of eyeballing a colour, trying it out by painting onto the ref and seeing if my colour matches. Doing this really educates your eye. You’ll look at his hair and think it’s kinda off-white but it’s actually a medium blue. I call this ‘the relative light value’ and will note that the brightest part of my painting may actually be a medium brown or some such. This medium brown will be my ‘relative light value’. Then you have your relative blacks too, such as inside of mouths/nostrils etc.
|
