Scenery background Project - Inside a forest

Hi,

I’m currently searching for the best method to produce a scenery background. Same as previous garden artwork, this artwork are created using negative space method. The method allows me to draw exactly want I have in mind, which provides a very solid drawing for me to paint later. The drawing is made in detail which help to hasten the coloring process later. The background mountains, sky and the ground are made using soft painting method.
Software used are photoshop cs4 with wacom intuos 3 tablet. Below are the breakdown process.

First, I sketch down the forest that I have in mind.

Next, I draw using negative space method. This drawing took around 2 days to complete, but because of lot of work to do, this was not done in consecutive days. The left forest was done on 23th of October, while the right part was done on 29th. Notice the difference, the left one is darker than the left part. The huge gap of working time contribute to this inconsistency.

Finally, the coloring part. Thanks to the detailed drawing, the painting took a relatively short time, plus easier than direct painting method. The direct painting method is where we draw a simple sketch and then paint in detail. Painting creates a large stroke of colors, which is not helpful when creating details. Below is the painting I made before I learn this new method.

The finished artwork are the first picture on the post.
I still got a long way to learn.Just to let you know I'm writing this not only to showcase nor to share my artwork, but this is also serve as a guideline for me in the future. Hopefully I can improve a lot more in the future.

Thanks for your visit.

Scenery background Project - Garden

Hello,

I've just completed a background scenery which I inspired from a beautiful garden in Bukit Tinggi 3 - Parklands in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Actually I'm experimenting a new method (to me) called negative space drawing. More about it can be read here: Sibleyfineart . 

Below is the picture which I used for reference :

Because I'm still new in that drawing method, I have difficulty using it for too long. For example, I started with the center hedges. Drawing the details took around 2 hours+ and when I finish on that part and try to work on the rightmost hedges, the details vary and look really sketchy compared to the previous one as shown below (click to enlarge)

Of course I frustrated and stop working for that day. The next day I redo the rightmost hedges from scratch again.

The details are now on par with the center hedges. It really satisfied me. The rest except the background are done using similar method but I keep a long break before I start the next part. It took 3 days to complete the artwork.


The drawing are a little bit tilted like on a hill so I ignored the rest of the elements on the picture and decided to do a simple background.

The background are the last part that I do and I use a simpler soft painting method. It took around 45 minutes to complete. At first I do afraid the soft painting wont fit the sharp high contrast foreground but after completing it, I think it justified the overall painting, from sharp closer foreground to soft blurry background. Well it might be my excuse for my laziness but hehe who cares.

I'm aiming to draw a background in 1 day limit as I'm planning to use a lot of them on my project later.

As usual the tools used are :
Photoshop CS4
Wacom Intuos 3 PTZ 930

Plus a very great reference for negative space drawing at Sibleyfineart .

Thank you for your visit.

K-ON Fan-art Wallpaper

Salam and Hi there,
Somehow I got a mood to do a fan art again. After a few search.  I've decided that K-ON should be the one.  I get inspiration from its Opening sequence where the character jumps from the stairs.
Then I screencaps the video and start sketching up the characters. As usual all done in Photoshop using tablet for drawing.

I thought I've done the best composition for the character. Somehow I decided to post it in my facebook. Later, I got comments from fellow friends which I've tagged them.
They complaint about the missing of Azusa.

"Huh? who is that?" said my self..

Unfortunately I only watch up to episode 5 of the first season at the time. To find out who is Azusa I then dig in the 1st season of K-ON stored in my harddrives.. Its already too late at that time so I decided to watch it tomorrow.

The next day I continue to watch K-ON from episode 6 until 8. Well thats all I have for the first season but lucky enough Azusa does come-in in episode 7. After finish watching I then capture a few reference of Azusa.

The sketch was done at 1024 x 576 pixel which is quite a low resolution. This is done intentionally because drawing at low resolution limits the pen stroke that photoshop captures, simulating sketching on paper. After sketch, I upscale the artwork to 1920 x 1080 pixel, then re stroke the artwork again.

The finished artwork is on the first picture posted above.


Thank you for your visit.

Tsubasa Chronicle - Kurogane VS Kamui

Hi,
Above is my last wallpaper artwork which dated back at 6 Nov 2008. It is a fan-art based on the OVA of Tsubasa Chronicle - Tokyo Revelation. The movie is awesome, and I love the batle scene between Kurogane and Kamui. So I decided I should make this a wallpaper.

The development of this wallpaper was a major milestone to me.
I've learn how to :
1) Painting rocks, ground and dirt from scratch
2) Create a believable sky.

The process  of creating the wallpaper :

1) Sketch. I use Wacom to draw in Photoshop.

2) Then I start painting in base color. 

3) Then I start detailing the ground by painting in some rocks.

4)More detailing process.

5) I add light shines over the rocks and objects according to the light position.

6) Then I paint in the clouds. I also colors the tower at the back.

7) Done with the background, I then block in colors for the character.

8) Then I start coloring the character

9) I decided to change the sky as it looks fake. I use real cloud brush for photoshop to replace the old cloud. I also modify the sky color to more dramatic.

10) Based on comments in Animewallpapers and lowyat forum, I improvised the composition where I reposition the character and the tower. The final version of this is the first picture i posted on this post.

I hope this process breakdown may help someone who wish to do a digital painting or anything related.
Thank you

Blog Resurrection

Hi everyone,
It's been almost 2 years since I updated this blog. Before this I primarily use this blog to showcase my fan-art based wallpaper and its method used, however since I stop doing wallpaper so do the blog update.

Currently I'm trying to develop a 2D + 3D animation, so I think might as well I post my progress here so I can keep track of my project development.

Thank you.