Curse

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 12, 2010, 02:21 AM // 02:21

I'm trying to draw my OC Kimi, but I have a couple of issues that you guys might help me out with.

I have currently done the base coloring and I want to start detailing the hair.
But I don't really know how to.

So I thought I could try it out here!

Here is what I currently have so far: Contains nudity!

I want to hair to look kind of like this: Contains nudity!

So what do I have to do?
I use Photoshop btw.

If anyone is interested in following me trying to go digital, you can follow me on my Deviant account.

Warvic · Dec 12, 2010, 03:20 AM // 03:20

I'm not sure if it's possible. But people without a deviant art account can't see the picture that you linked in the second link. So maybe it's possible for you to re-link it? dunno rly.

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 12, 2010, 03:23 AM // 03:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warvic

I'm not sure if it's possible. But people without a deviant art account can't see the picture that you linked in the second link. So maybe it's possible for you to re-link it? dunno rly.

I can't, it contains mature content. That's the reason why you can't see it. Sorry.

Invertation · Dec 12, 2010, 03:43 AM // 03:43

You can bypass that with a direct link to the image. Right click your image and use the 'Copy Image Location' option, and that should do the trick.

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 12, 2010, 04:01 AM // 04:01

Updated the second link. That should do the trick. Thanks Invertation!

Perynne · Dec 12, 2010, 06:12 AM // 06:12

Start detailing the hair by first doing in the rough shading - where the darkest parts are, where large clumps of hair would be, etc. Deviantart is a good place to find tutorials on how to colour pretty much anything. For example, I found these three with a quick search and I think they all explain it pretty well in different styles (for the third one, click on the Download button to see it completely).

Looking good so far.

Thistle Xandra · Dec 12, 2010, 08:18 AM // 08:18

Pery, I love that second link you gave!

I was loosely following this one, but it seemed kinda advanced so I ended up winging most of it and just following her WiPs on what I should do next when trying to draw my latest version of Verene's hair :/ Hopefully it'll be helpful for you

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 13, 2010, 01:15 AM // 01:15

Thanks for the tutorials, but I still have trouble in making it look like hair. :/
Trying to go for realism.

I wish I had some live coach with me or something, who could help me out step by step. :/

I'm wasting hours, and I'm still working clueless...

Edit:
Image tutorials don't really help me out. You just see the finished step with some explaination with what kind of brush and stuff. And I don't know how to get that result, at all. I have been looking for video tutorials, but there aren't any good ones. I'm so clueless. It's amazingly frustrating.

Tommy's · Dec 13, 2010, 10:11 AM // 10:11

Those tuts Pery posted are quite good, specially the second one imo. Keep in mind that wether you have a personal coach or not, hair sucks and its hard to draw (at least I find so). Don't expect to be able to do it realisticly really quick. Just that Pery is good at it doesn't mean everyone is

Just my suggestion would be:
First draw the complete hairdress in the darkest colour you are going to use on it. Then use a lighter colour to go over it just leave the really dark parts at the roots of the hair. Then use an even lighter colour to make more strings and highlights.
Just take a very close look at hair, how you can use light to make waves in it etc. Helps a lot to just look really closely at it once.

Just take a look at this picture: Very dark at the roost, rest a medium colour, and highlighst on the parts that are bended towards the light.

By the way, any particular reason you chose this pose? Because its a really hard one, specially the waist/belly part, you might not be satisfied with it in the end. Sometimes starting with something easier is better

Tzu · Dec 13, 2010, 11:05 AM // 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy's

Just take a look at this picture: Very dark at the roost, rest a medium colour, and highlighst on the parts that are bended towards the light.

Just want to add that her very dark roots is caused by her natural hair colour (not blonde), not shadow. Natural blonde/light-coloured hair looks like this and this. Typically the hair is finer and "whispier", but it can have volume nonetheless. The tuts pery gave are very good, just follow them step-by-step, redo the base if you have to.

Perynne · Dec 13, 2010, 12:53 PM // 12:53

Tommy's made a good point, you can't expect to learn to draw realistically very quickly. Tutorials are all fine and dandy, but they only show you how something can be done, they don't automatically give you the skills to do it.

Sort of like driving a car - a person can explain to you how they do it, and you can understand the theory perfectly, but when you're actually behind the wheel the whole thing is suddenly so much harder.

The only way you're going to learn how to drive is to go for it, and hope that you don't crash into anything while doing so.

Most image tutorials work by showing a step-by-step of the process. Carefully study what the difference is in each step, then try to figure out what the artist has done to achieve that. I find that videos are actually harder to follow sometimes, because the artists work really quickly, and there aren't explanations about what kind of brushes they used, or why they did what they did.

Anyhow, a quick Google for video tutorials gave up these three.
Not sure if they'll help. The 2nd one shows nicely the kind of brush strokes you should use when drawing hair (flowing, easy strokes that go in the direction of the hair strands) and they have some nice techniques for using smudge tool for realistic hair, but eh. It's all about preference anyway, I don't use the smudge tool at all, and I still get pretty good results for hair.

I'd suggest looking at videos that show the whole process of painting, because then you'll start to get a feel of how it works. Don't forget that videos and tutorials are just rough guidelines, what works for one artist won't necessarily work for you, especially since you're just starting out and your hand-eye-mind coordination is not at the same level.

Most importantly, don't set too high goals for yourself right from the beginning. You'll just start feeling disheartened. Learning to paint and draw takes time and patience, and the best way to do it is to just experiment things. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Don't try to make every single drawing you do an absolute masterpiece - sometimes things click into place and you get something beautiful, but most times they turn out less than that. Even top artists are rarely satisfied with every single work they make. :P

GeminiJuSa · Dec 13, 2010, 01:41 PM // 13:41

Perynne: Do you know any good videos about the whole painting process? I'm still quite bad with that. Cell-shading, sure, painting? Not at all... >_<

(sorry for hijacking your thread IH)

Ravenhawk · Dec 13, 2010, 01:55 PM // 13:55

Everyone's advise are good! I also want to add that you can also use the divide and conquer method. I am also very prone to frustrations. When that happens I just sit back, take a break and maybe re-think the way I approach my art. Sometimes I end up redoing the whole thing or continuing what I started.

Focus on learning one thing at a time. I did not consciously do it when I started digital drawing this year but, somehow, my natural tendency to have tunnel vision kinda made me approach learning that way.

Below is my progress for this year. You've prolly seen that in my DA account but thought I'd point out how I initially just focused on learning how to color and the tool I use to color. My anatomy was way off, my finished drawing was unpolished (well they still look unpolished these days but it was worse back then lol). Funny thing was that I thought they looked pretty good back then. I aimed to get my drawing colored and see it colored and I was like 'YAY!' lol. Reason for this was that I only mostly sketched before I got to digital. So I got excited when I finally get to color something

As I went along learning how to shade, render, blahblah, I started to see the other flaws in my drawing. I took some advise and I was told that although my art looks pretty good but I still need learn the basics. (That's the part where the lack of formal art training kinda bit me lol). If you look at my meme, it took me 7 months to realize that. July is when i started focusing on anatomy.

Decided I wanted to improve my anatomy so I focused on that and currently still working it.

My process is kinda reversed though because I was just winging it yet somehow realized that there was some method to my madness...In hindsight I should've learned anatomy (basics) first.

If you find that full body anatomy is way to much for you then divide it some more. Maybe focus on the face first, then half body and so on.

In the end, it's your determination and willingness to learn that would help you get past all these hurdles. No tutorial will ever be good enough if you're not motivated

Perynne · Dec 13, 2010, 02:10 PM // 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeminiJuSa

Perynne: Do you know any good videos about the whole painting process? I'm still quite bad with that. Cell-shading, sure, painting? Not at all... >_<

(sorry for hijacking your thread IH)

Well, I tend to randomly stumble upon then, and then totally not save the link...

This is one I was looking at last week though, so it's still fresh in my memory. Steve Argyle, the artist, does lovely Magic the Gathering card art and there you should be able to watch some of his art processes.

This one is another nice one by an artist called Charlie Bowater. Her deviantart page is here.

GeminiJuSa · Dec 13, 2010, 02:21 PM // 14:21

Thanks a bunch!!! When I wake up later I'm gonna watch them and suck them in!

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 13, 2010, 05:55 PM // 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perynne

don't set too high goals for yourself right from the beginning.

Yeah I should stop doing that. >.>;

Anyway, thanks everyone for the support. Going to give it another go soon! /cheer!

Oh and I think I'll put on some chillout lounge music like when I did the body.
When I had that on I was just like: 'oh a mistake, no worries!'

And when I had heavy D&B on when I was doing the hair everyone mistake went like: 'GROAR'

Yeah.

InfestedHydralisk · Dec 31, 2010, 01:42 AM // 01:42

Started a little bit on it again.

Here is my newest WIP: Warning: contains nudity!

Tried to keep her looking asian, don't think I did a too bad of a job.

Woodelf Archer · Jan 01, 2011, 01:56 PM // 13:56

I can't see your latest due to "mature content"

Those tutorials are really good btw.

InfestedHydralisk · Jan 03, 2011, 01:27 AM // 01:27

Oops yeah, should be fixed now.

Perynne · Jan 03, 2011, 07:35 AM // 07:35

Looking good so far.

To my eye, she still doesn't look quite asian (more like a slightly tanned blonde caucasian lady) but getting just the right look to the eyes and face is a pain even for a more experienced artist. You could maybe try tweaking the corners of her eyes or something, and rounden her face a little bit.

Eh, painting a blonde who definitely looks asian is a challenge for any artist.