Sean Guzman

Digital Painting Series: Making Your Art Pop in Photoshop

Hello, Sean! This is my new (improved) version of the bust. <img src="https://static.skillshare.com/uploads/parentClasses/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/b1ff32e1" class="zoomable rounded-image-wrapper" alt="b1ff32e1" /> Thoughts on the process:  1) Proportions I started with redrawing the bust using grid method, but at the end it was off (again). I tried making grid smaller, but it did not help. Also, I tried your method too, but these two greyish images put on on another with lowered opacity were impossible to differ. So, after all, I traced the original photo.  What I have learned: that my measuring skills are not good and I should work on them separately. <img src="https://static.skillshare.com/uploads/parentClasses/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/3dce802b" class="zoomable rounded-image-wrapper" alt="3dce802b" /> Values: I had a problem with these parts of the face: <img src="https://static.skillshare.com/uploads/parentClasses/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/9d5c68c4" class="zoomable rounded-image-wrapper" alt="9d5c68c4" /> I see changes of values (lighter spots on the cheek and below the right part of the lower lip  &amp; slightly darker part near the right eye's corner). But when I tried to paint these three regions they always look off and unnatural (I tried several times). In the end, I stopped trying and ignored these value changes. What I have learned: that I should study face anatomy. I have already enrolled in one class on the topic and started to watch it.  Through the painting process I used soft brushes, and now I understand it was a mistake (and I rewatch one of your videos - you use a non-soft brush to sculpt forms). Good advice to remember for future paintings. Otherwise, the painting would be blurry (I call that "soapy"). I did not use your glazing techniques - because the painting is black and white, but I think I will return to it later when I will be more mature (in an artistic sense). I do not want to paint this head any more. I kind of hate it after all the time I have spent with it=) Overall impression of the project: - It was hard and took a lot of time, but I have learned a ton! - I defined what things I need to improve. - It is good that I tried doing what is really not easy for me (realism). I did lots of mistakes, but I have learned so much through the process.  I will be glad to hear any feedback.

<div>I understand your difficulty with this Katya. I have gone to the point on many paintings where I have gotten sick of it. The best thing about it is that you focused on improving, and thereby learning, from your work. Everything I think I have "failed" on has only helped me learn and get better, often times more so than my perceived successes, and I believe that is true of everyone. </div><div> </div><div>

Your forms have much clearer structure and definition, and it looks much cleaner than your progress shot. The face looks stronger, more defined, and less "mushy" with more clarity. Overall great improvement! As you practice your brush work more, these things will become easier and easier, including those subtle transition areas. </div><div> </div><div>Yes, the face has a lot of planar shapes that can be hard to notice until we're really looking. It's a great idea that you are studying courses on anatomy. One such course I would highly recommend, and a teacher I studied under, was CGMA's Figure Drawing Anatomy of Style with Patrick J. Jones. He goes over the head as well as, of course, figure drawing. But if that is not an investment you would like to make, there are many great courses here and other places, so I am sure the classes you are watching will give you the needed knowledge to improve quicker! (You can get his book though, The Anatomy of Style, it has a lot of great tips that are in his class!) </div><div> </div><div>All the best Katya! Thank you for sharing your work!</div>

Thanks, Sean for the feedback and support! You are right, all the struggling help you grow as an artist. I will check out the course you have mentioned. Right now I am studying only head, body anatomy will be next. Good luck!

Hi Katya, thanks for showing your progress! I think it was a good choice to go with a monotone (ish) reference especially if you wanted to focus mostly on values. From your other work I see that you are practicing a lot, and that practice will only push your skill farther and faster (liked your lemon painting especially). Nice job looking towards the subtle value changes and planes of the form, they are very clear and describe the forms nicely. A note on proportion: While this is not the focus of this specific class, I understand why you could be having difficulty with the cheekbones. When referencing, you paid good attention to the outer “lines” of the sculpt reference, but as you began placing the shadows they did not fit within the form as easily. When I look at it, the bottom of the jaw (our left) is wider on yours than on the statue. The statue then widens out at the head areas (around the ear), where yours at the ear is inward by comparison. What this is doing is making it both more narrow at the head, and slightly larger at the jaw line on yours. When the inner shapes are rendered, the space between things can start to look off a bit. The eyes on the reference for example are a little larger as well, along with the lips being wider on the reference. That is only adding to why it appears “off”. For the rendering feel free to soften around the upper left cheekbone with a mid value like in the reference to soften his cheek (left side our left next to the eye). This will help make his cheekbone less prominent. You can also blend in the values you have around the cheek and upper cheekbones a little more on the cheek areas to make it softer as well. All in all, with proportion advice it can be difficult to implement, because a lot of times when you correct one thing another thing comes up! So what I would say, for the focus of this class, I would go back and check your proportions to see where things have gone astray. A good way to do this would be to make a copy of your image and put it over the reference photo, then turn down the opacity so you can see your reference photo and your copied painting. Then, begin to make adjustments, not on the copy, but on your original, referencing where things are off and making those fixes as you go. This will both show you where your problems lie, because your copy is over the reference so you can see it more clearly, and challenge you since you won’t be copying straight over the reference; since your image is overlaid over the reference and your looking at it to see where you made a wrong turn. Hope this helps Katya! Nice work so far! -Sean

Hello,  Sean! I will correct mistakes you mentioned and upload new version of the painting. 

You are right - now I am concentrating mostly on values (&amp; proportions also). Trying to learn foundation skills. That is why I did not outline original reference, but drew it from zero. Yes, lots of mistakes, but I think it is better to do it anyway, otherwhise my measuring skills will never improve. 

Also I am watching a class on head anatomy, because I feel that I do not understand such forms as cheeckbones &amp; chin, that is why I can not render it properly. 

See you here later! Thanx for the support and helpful critique!

I have posted improved version -- &gt; see in the comment above.

Sean, thank you for the class!&nbsp;
Here is my project
The reference:
<img style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" src="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/b3bdb0c8" alt="the statue - image 1 - student project" srcset="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=600,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/b3bdb0c8 600w, https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/b3bdb0c8 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 600px, 100vw" loading="lazy">
My painting of it:
<img style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" src="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/8f88dcab" alt="the statue - image 2 - student project" srcset="https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=600,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/8f88dcab 600w, https://static.skillshare.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,width=1000,format=auto/uploads/project/a83d833a71e4cddab3d814c3d31b9ee4/8f88dcab 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 600px, 100vw" loading="lazy">
It is not done, I am stuck at&nbsp;cheekbones &amp; chin&nbsp;part, can not make it right.&nbsp;
Hoping for some advice=)

the statue

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