Textures and the Final Process!

This week I'll walk you through all of the steps toward making an image that looks like this, in the end:

Please follow along with me as we go through the process! :D

Watercolor - Layer Properties

Assignment:

Please find a reference image of something non-geometrical that you would like to copy; something fairly simple, like a natural object. Some ideas:

• Smoke Cloud
• Cloud
• Ink Drop in Water
• Hair
• Tree
• Rock

1. Begin to make a sketch of your reference image.
2. Make a master color layer that we can clip the shadows and lights onto, as separate layers.
3. Begin making the shadows as a layer set to multiply
4. Begin making the lights as a layer set to overlay, screen, or luminosity.
5. Post your progress in your bog (WIP).

Day 2:

1. Use Layer Texture (Watercolor) and Layer Effect (Fringe) to make your painting look more like a watercolor image.
2. Use the blur or watercolor tool where you like to alter the look of the painting.

Using Clipping or Masking - Concept Art

Now that you have a little bit of a experience with masking, let's put together a project that makes use of masking. Choose or make a character to draw, and we'll make  full picture of it, using color & shading with clipping.

Assignment:

1. First, choose a subject for your drawing.
2. Please spend some time setting up the initial layers of a drawing you'd like to color. You'll need to make an initial sketch of what you want to draw, then make a new layer with clean line art. 
• Check with me when you've finished this step. I want you to have really clean line art. 
• If you need a review on how to make clean line art, I'll go over that with you, or you can watch: Lineart Tutorial
3. Once you're ready to color, begin separating your main colors onto different layers
• You may follow along with this tutorial, if you like: Ocean's Paint Tool SAI Tutorial: Skin
• Here's an advanced tutorial you can read, on tumblr: From Sketch to Colors

Clipping Layers & Masking

Because masking and clipping allow us to draw and paint within a limited space, they can be extremely useful techniques to know! If you are following the traditional drawing technique of using: sketch, lines, color, clipping and masking will streamline your process significantly.


Here is a video that shows an example of using clipping layers:

• Minnoao's Tutorial On How To Use Clipping Groups/Layer Clips

Here's another video that shows how to use masking:

• How to Make a Mask in SAI

Assignment:

1. Please further explore clipping and masking. It is important that you at least understand how to use both.
2. Once you have posted your picture on Deviantart, and I have seen your .SAI file, you are finished for the day!
• For your next assignment, I'm going to ask you to have clean lineart. If you need a review on how to make clean line art, I'll go over that with you, or you can watch: Lineart Tutorial

Special Problems in Human Anatomy: The Neck

Now that we have finished a little bit of practice with gestures, let's zoom in a bit.

Let's start taking a look at some 'trouble' spots of the anatomy -- areas that regularly give artists trouble. You may know some of thee already: the hands, the feet, the head and neck, etc.

Today, let's take a break from the body as a whole and just focus specifically on the way the head attaches to the body through the neck, and spine. A lot of times,

Assignment:

• Please watch some of these recommended videos:
• How to Draw the Neck (looking at skeletal anatomy)
• How to Draw Necks (looking at muscle anatomy)
• Drawing the Back to Neck Rythm (looking at gestural forces)

• Please make 3 sketches of this head/neck area (from stock reference or from imagination).
• Post your drawings.

Using Reference - Human Figure

It might sounds silly, but a very important skill for artists is being able to copy! Copying not only helps us be accurate, but allows us to start to build a mental image of whatever we reference, so we can draw from imagination.

Please watch the explanation and examples of what a 'gesture' is. You may draw as you watch. The video sis about 20 minutes long, but most of it is realtime examples:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmiwGm32dXU&list=PLC1sAfc6uw7oM7D-EYffRPFui1U9BOlom&index=16

Your assignment:

• Draw 5 gesture drawings and post them. Please limit your gestures to 5 minutes each. You may post them a single file or separately. You do not need to email these to me.
• Here is a handy set of human figure stock photography that you can use as references: http://seadrinker.tumblr.com/post/60721104134/shinga-tumblr-fujo-senshistocks-gallery

Intro to Digital Art

Hi, guys! Ok, as we get this class under way, let me update you on a few details:

1. I'm going to have some video tutorials set up that you can watch at home, if you like. You may find them here
1. Digital Art - YouTube
2. As we wait for out school tablets, I will compile a list of drivers for your personal tablets, so you don't have to hunt them down every day. You will need to re-install them each period, unfortunately, until our school tablets arrive. This list will be located here: 
1. Temporary Tablet Drivers
2. Drivers Folder
3. Lastly, here are some pictures if you can't think of something to reference
1. The Small Majority (bugs and other animals)
2. Anatomical Art Tumblr (humans and whatnot)
3. Animal Drawing Practice Tool (other animals)
4. Pinterest Animal References
5. Pokemon Fusion
6. Habitats (landscapes)