Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Auto vs manual

watercolour effect modern painting effect Auto Van Gogh

I've had time to review the tutorials that come with Corel Painter ...and i've tried out their auto paint and trace features ... the three images about were created in only a minute or two using avrious auto-paint options ...look they are effective but in the end I am unimpressed. The colours are nice in the modern painting example in the middle, close to those I might choose. But sadly the auto Van Gogh of the right is an embarrassment to the poor guys reputation, particularly the colours, also the watercolour sketch on the left lacks the transparency and delicacy that makes watercolour such an appealing medium.

Ok could I do better? I choose this photo, of a flickr friend, for a "two minute torso" exercise, that I have found enjoyable and a way to test out new techneques or just shapen up my work. so here is my first computer generated two minute torso (ok it did take more like 18minutes because I was still learn and doing a lout of s)
First areas of toneadding a bit of colour to the darks
I used the chalk and pastel brushes because the marks they left where close yo want I get when sketching. So I started with my favorite pale blueish purple to start the shape of the mid tones, adding a couple of colours in the darks. When sketch I also often just have a few reference smudges or colour patches over on the edge so I can judge the relative tonal values
blocking in colourblending the colour into the tones
Next I added strong colour using a wide and fast infill squiggles. Then I got the blend tool and smoothed them into the previous areas.

my final sketch
I have repeated these last two steps several times, building up the form ...and i do like how it lets me do that ...however I gave up at this point ...normally about know I would put in a few "detail" lines with a pencil, generally with a quick open flourish ... just to bring a few key parts into detail ...alas my detail line work is still a bit clumsy and I was consigning all my work to the place (where ever that is)

So my final conclusion is I actually love the my bamboo fun tablet (it won't stop me painting of sketching conventionally) it is a terrific tool. Expect to see more or my work created with it, Yt I am unlilely to start selling my direct computer art anytime soon.

Friday, June 25, 2010

too much fun


I actually went to buy a new scanner (my old one died a far while ago, they don't seem to last for me) and I got side tacked by a slicky shinny thing called a bamboo fun. Its kind of a cross between a touch surface and a graphic pen tablet. It is just a few flat pieces of plastic molded together really, maybe heavier than it looks with a pen and a usb cable. I liked the black small ones but the bigger one only came in grey ... I really needed the room for my hand to flourish rather that colour cordination with my laptop ...so grey it was.

The really best part of the story is how easy it is to use. Take out of box and plug in ...not hard at all. Ok there is one big limitation as a mouse substitute it is really hopeless and clumsy ...or maybe I haven't got the hang of that part yet! Once I loaded up corel painter essentials which came as part of the deal I was hooked. I could rub with my finger press hard or soft with the pen. change the drawing "brush" from feltpen to soft pastel to a bristle brush, even a smudge. It was very natural ... so natural I haven't read the instruction manual yet (its on a pdf file somewhere) or the tutorial videos they can wait I'm having too much fun

Saturday, June 19, 2010

sick of being sick


Being under the care of the medical profession is a time consuming business, and I'm so so sick of it. Clearly no one knows what is wrong, ok I've had all the test and scans & xrays but i just want someone to listen to me not the machines ...whinge over ...the drugs are making the symptoms bearable ...just

What I want want know is some time to be creative

oh yes and sorry for the lack of posts lately, I not one who likes to use excuses, maybe I can focus some that inspiration and creativity into more posts :)

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

The yellow bra in pastel

pastel on paper ...yellow bra  on Twitpic

Pastel on Paper