Sugar Skull Dean

[amberdreams]

Ok, I confess I'm quite excited. I've just finished my first 'proper' digital painting - not a line in sight (not even under-sketching)! Well, apart from the decorative sugar skull design on his face, but that doesn't count. I'm talking painting and no lines for emphasis or structure. It's experimental but I think it worked? I'm really pleased with how his eyes turned out, anyhow.
Teaser

This is for thursdaysisters, who wanted something to go with her spn_joystick fic game has been re-released as a straight story, for people like me who don't want to schlep through a game. (((Hugs to her for that!))). Also you must check out quickreaver's companion art of Sam - he's so beautiful!!
So here he is, sugar skull Dean for Flowers for Santa Muerte


Process
I started painting in Corel Paint Essentials because I had no idea how to start in PS, and Corel felt more like using a paintbrush somehow. So I got some base colour down and it looked like this, but without the card background, which I added in PS.

Corel doesn't have a blending/blur tool like Sai so I saved it as a .psd file and transferred to PS, where I just used two basic brushes, one fuzzy one sharp, at different opacities to build up the painted layers.

Kept layering the 'paint' and then added a nice red background

Once that was in place and after adding the sugar skull design I duplicated part of his face then put that layer on soft light, which brought out the shadows and made him stand out better against the dark red.

I know it's still a bit unfinished looking, but I didn't want to fiddle too much more, plus I kind of like that you can see the brush strokes. I certainly wasn't trying for photo realism!

I did try reapertownusa's hint about using the healing brush to blend, and it worked (up to a point). Thanks again, petal!

Concrit, hints and tips gratefully received!

Comments

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

This looks phenomenal! Beautiful!

I am absolutely petrified to lose my lineart, so you are far braver than me and you did it so well! Also, you used Corel!!! GO YOU!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I think that was the key - not using lines AT ALL, even at the start. I've tried before but never been able to let the lines go... LOL

But then your style is the digital equivalent of water-colouring, it's really delicate so needs the lines... *stares at your pretty, pretty Dean icon*

[blythechild.livejournal.com]

I'm really impressed by this. I think you did an amazing job just figuring out what worked. Digital painting is a skill (one I don't have) and I don't think you need to worry about what program you're using because you'll get the results you want once you figure out the tools - the skill doesn't change with the program ;)

Nicely done!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, that's very encouraging! Now I need to try some more...

[fireheart13.livejournal.com]

wow! that's very cool! a new realm to explore :-D

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Indeed... I suppose I should strike while the drawing table is hot, huh? Thanks!

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

Wow - that is so cool, and shows some very impressive skills! I love the colours and textures.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Ah thank you, I'm going to have to practice more.

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

I'm working on my Jared today! I'm wondering...should I echo your layout and color scheme, so they co-ordinate? Whatcha think?

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

IDK? Ask our customer! Personally I'd imagine Sam against a green background... dunno why. How had you envisaged your one before you saw what I'd done?

[be-my-precious.livejournal.com]

that's so cool! i like both his mouth and his eyes!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yes the mouth came out quite reasonable too, entirely by accident. :D

[blackrabbit42.livejournal.com]

Truly stunning.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Cheers me dear.

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Nice!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[sw0rdy.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's just GORGEOUS!! His eyes are incredible. :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The eyes were a bit accidental so I'm going to have fun seeing if I can do it again LOL

[thursdaysisters.livejournal.com]

Dude that's TWICE you've drawn for me in the space of 24 hours, if you ever want fic just say the word <33333

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - well you have good prompts. LOL

[dear-tiger.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, me likey! I have no con crit for you, but it's so coooool.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Cool is good, thank you!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I'm excited too! Go you for trying new things. \o/ I like the unfinished look, especially the rough brushstrokes on his neck. So cool to see the WIP shots. Dean's eyes are stunning and I love what you did with his mouth:)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! The trouble is, I'm not sure exactly how I did some of the things that worked, so I'll probably have trouble replicating them!

[lotrspnfangirl.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! I love the colors you chose for the paint on his face and the blood red background is just beautiful!!! And his eyes??? So expressive! And I think the reason the background works so well is because it makes that green pop!!!!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I tried a couple of different backgrounds but that one was definitely the most effective - thank you!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Wow!! That's incredible!! Man, that is really beautiful, I can't stop looking at it--his eyes!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was happy with the eyes...

[synn.livejournal.com]

That looks pretty darn great to me! I have just enough art training to know how hard it is to work without any lines - the proportions, especially, I think are hard to get right.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks, it was a bit of a departure for me - felt risky!

[kuwlshadow.livejournal.com]

Oh wow...quite impressive. You have a wonderful talent.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much!

[reapertownusa.livejournal.com]

Line free and beautiful! That's the hardest thing in digital painting, and you did such an incredible job with it. I love that style of fading into a rougher strokes, and leaving brush strokes in digital work can do a lot to add textural interest. The colors are wonderful, too!

You should check out Don Seegmiller's 'Digital Character Design & Painting: The Photoshop CS Edition' (though, I think there may be a newer edition out). That's where I read about using the healing brush tool, and he has a lot of nifty variations on it and other Photoshop painting techniques.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks - for both comment and the reference. I have a bunch of tutorials a friend gave me but of course I haven't got round to going through them. I'm just lurching from one challenge to the next and somehow never find time in between to experiment. I think I need to make that my new year's resolution!

[sillie]

Oooh, go you trying new things! This looks wonderful. :D

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

And at my age, right? LOL!!! Thanks

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

LOVE this!! So delectably creepy, and his sunken, glinting eyes are seriously scary!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

He did turn out very creepy! Ta very much!

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

that's both creepy and really fabulous. his eyes and lips are particularly lovely. (well, lips, of course they're nice. :D ) i'm also super impressed you did this without any guiding lines. as an experiment, it's a good one!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I will probably be unable to repeat this as it wasn't methodical at all, but never mind, one success is better than none! Thanks!

[ladygreytowers.livejournal.com]

This is sooooo beautifully done! I also can't wait to read the fic, since I, like others don't want to go through the game (don't have that kind of time right now). Many thanks to both of you for this.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I'm not a gaming person myself, I actually don't like the decision element, I want to sit and have someone tell me a story when I read. If I want to make decisions, I'll write my own story! LOL

But I did try this game and I think the story is going to be a good one, so I am looking forward to reading it.

Glad you liked the art!

Edition 3,370

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User enablelove referenced to your post from Edition 3,370 (http://spnnewsletter.livejournal.com/934997.html) saying: [...] by Sugar Skull Dean [...]

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

I am completely floored, not that you don't have mad skills with everything arty but DAMN this is stunning!!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I was amazed it worked so well - but now I have to see if I can make it work again, that's the really hard part!

[tyrsibs.livejournal.com]

This is really beautiful! Thank you for explaining your process, too--I'm not an artist, but I love hearing people talk about how they approach their art and work through it.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love seeing other people's processes so when I remember I try and save a few steps to share :D

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

it's fabulous!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks me dear! An experiment that worked this time, now I just have to see if it's repeatable.