Painting Futuristic Cities - Chapter 1

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I always start with a simple abstract composition when developing a sketch. This helps in that if it's not working with a few simple shapes and a few simple values, all the rendering in the world won't save it. This design suggested the possibility of a futuristic city to me. (Fig.01)

Fig.01

Fig.01

Next I found a few random images from my photos (shoot your own reference wherever you travel) and overlaid them to specific layers. I kept the background and foreground on separate layers so I can link the photo to the foreground shape. That way it only affects that layer. There are several photos and I kept repositioning them till something clicked. I don't usually hit the reference this early but I was looking for something to suggest itself. Since it's a personal work it's more fun to see what develops rather than planning everything. (Fig.02a and Fig.02b)

Fig.02

Fig.02

Fig. 2a

Fig. 2a

Now the heavy lifting, I've got to establish some larger planes, and how they relate to the horizon/perspective. The photos are merely a start. Without the understanding of perspective and tone you'll always be a slave to your reference, which isn't being an artist. (Fig.03)

Fig.03

Fig.03

Big changes, I start carving up the larger planes with detail. This is all made up and hand done with a simple round brush. The image is starting to form now. (Fig.04)

Fig.04

Fig.04

Let there be light! I overlaid some more photos to start making it look like the night scene I was imagining. You might think it's "cheating" but these are all tipped in perspective to conform to my vanishing points. You always have to do this because rarely do you get a photo that perfectly conforms to your painting. I use Free Transform and Perspective with the keyboard shortcut Command T. This brings up whichever function I need. Perspective and Free Transform being the most used. (Fig.05a and Fig.05b)

Fig.05a

Fig.05a

Fig.05b

Fig.05b

Cleaned up some edges and added the street lights for scale. Make one and duplicate then repeat. Free transform again for size and perspective. I also started adding some more complex frames to my lit windows on the right. Again, and I cannot say this enough, the photo will only get you so far. You've got to be an artist and get in there and change it to suit your design! This is the skill that separates the photo collage artist's from the rest. Everyone does it but with the best you can't tell where the reference ends and the overpaint begins. (Fig.06)

Fig.06

Fig.06

People! It was always my intention to have people milling about. I made 3 different custom brushes that I used to quickly populate the ground.(Fig.07a and Fig.07b)

Fig.07a

Fig.07a

Fig.07b

Fig.07b

Some subtle lighting emanating from the dome in the distance adds a little more "coolness". (Fig.08)

Fig.08

Fig.08

I then add more detail to the mid ground structures on the left. I'm bringing shapes forward, defining slight overhangs, adding lights to the side plane. It needs all these small touches to bring it to life. (Fig.09)

Fig.09

Fig.09

Added a lot more drawing to the lower right structure and some clouds to obscure the tops of the buildings on the left. It wasn't the focal point so a few soft edges will keep the eye from wandering off the page. Signed and done. I consider this a sketch so I only take it so far. (Fig.10)

Fig.10

Fig.10

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To see more by Robh Ruppel, check out Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 4
and Digital Art Masters: Volume 7

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