This
image is part of a series of quick
painting execises featuring "Lord
of the Rings" characters. As
a reference, I used a frame of the
movie's DVD put on pause on a TV.
I
look at the subjects for a minute
or two, trying to absorb it's shapes,
volume, colors and mood. After this
brief time, I start loosely sketching
the main shapes with a large brush
with a 60% opacity.
I use a limited amount of colors,
mostly the predominant colors in the
subject. Very important at this stage,
is to get all the shapes and volume
right (or almost) before moving to
any detail work.
Step
2
Light
and dark: With a smaller brush,
and a very low opacity setting,
I concentrate on capturing the subject's
lighter areas. After the larger
lighter areas are set in place,
I might switch to an even lighter
color and use it to sketch some
of the brigthest highlights. Then,
I move to the darkest areas.
Blending:
Now, I switch to the brushes tool.
This tool enables me to obtain a
very realistic blending of the strokes.Also,
I like its feel and its dynamics.
It takes time to blend colors with
the brushes tool, but I make sure
each stroke is well placed. Concentration
and proper control of the stylus
pressure are the key.
Step
3
Final
details and highlights: Anyway,
using a smaller brush, I start refining
all the areas that need more detail,
especially the main features, such
as the characters heads and clothes.
At this final stage, I add highlights,
especially in the eye and lips areas.
