support my work on patreon live workshop and online courses with Xia Taptara FREE VIDEO AND PS BRUSHES

Drawing and Painting tips and random thoughts

Drawing and Painting tips and random thoughts
Somebody ask me how one should paint or draw rock. It got me thinking

Tips: Painting is about analyzing where you should place light and shadow. Watch for soft edge and hard edge. Using real object or ref to practice. If you can master these, you can pretty much paint everything.
Drawing is to look for edge (outline) of the particular scene or object and mimic it.
Render or shading is not differ than painting in execution.

It's not the rock or any object you will paint, you will paint light and shadow (or values) in color.
As for rock, it is easier to shade and practice value than to draw just outlines.

Just random thought, hopefully I make some sense.

Example: This image are basically just arrangement of values, range from black--> grey--> white. And your eyes perceive it as three dimensional image with mass, depth and such. Our job is to basically arrange the values correctly so it will fool audience's brains.
Also these video are kind of relate since this armor is mostly metal or achromatic. Another tutorial is How to paint Gold Armor and How to paint armor creature (a combo of black steel and gold).



Watch rendering, painting, values arrangement process video tutorial.



By the way, I just finish reading "ZAG" by Marty Neumeier (He is a Graphic Designer artist turns a successful business consultant) It's about branding and marketing very insightful. I highly recommended. Great book!!!

New Drawing Video tutorials:
-How to draw man's head basic
-Drawing Giant Mech Concept art tutorial
-How to draw robot battle droid
-Drawing Male Face Swordman
-Character Design Face Male Merchant Character
-Environmental concept Ice landscape
-Painting crystal cave concept
-Painting with waterfall custom brushes
-How to paint rocky bridge.

PS Brushes Download:
- Splatter Brushes for Photoshop
- Tree Brushes Download for Photoshop
- PS Brushes Download Building Block

Comments

Luca said…
nice one... these days you're really posting awesome work! I believe that a good painting is nothing more than good compostion with right values.... isn't it?!

Keep posting as you're really helping me... and one question:
When we practice drawing house objects and other stuff, it's better to draw with the computer or with the pencil?

I'm asking as I feel more comfortable with the pencil, in fact my pencil drawings come pretty good, it's with digital that I need to get MUCH better!
Agostino said…
awesome work!!!! =D
i don't succeed to do nothing... i'm a beginner!!! uff :°(
Ferhat Salgin said…
Almost daily updated site here! Keep going Xia, great tutorial post as good as every day!! :)

Hope somebody will visit my blog, too, someday. Its so empty. :(
Gibbo said…
hey xia ur most recent works have been really quick type concepts, is it possible to throw in something new and finalised, a fully rendered work,
i always get to a piont in a painting where i dont know how to go any further.
and ive seen nearly all the tutorials.
vofff said…
Hi xia! Can u recommend any other tutorials about painting armour in google?
idrawgirls said…
Luca> Thanks brother, I also have to get better to right? That's the whole purpose of my life...trying to be better everyday.

Agostino> Success doesn't come easy to most people, but it can be done as long as you LOVE and DETERMINE. “Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”

Akyo> I am trying to keep up posting everyday. It's hard to try to find new things. I felt sometimes I post same thing over and over...have to switch up here and there and try to find valuable information for fellow artists so that the blog will be worth visiting for everyone, including me.

Gibbo> I see, the basic principle is the same. Except, instead of more detail try simplify...clean up and tighten up. I will see what I can do. Finished piece takes a long time, but I will see what I can do. :)

vofff> I have not yet seen one, it seems that I am the only crazy one around the web. But I will see what I can find. :)