So carrying on my digital journey I’ve taken a brief break from landscapes to have a go at something a little bit fluffier…
Tag: digital painting
Northern Lights over Skogafoss
So I posted a working version of this image a couple of weeks ago: 
but I was really struggling to figure out how to finish it off. But after working on a couple of other landscapes I started to get a few more ideas, so I came back to this and re-worked it slightly and came up with this:
I’m still not entirely sure if it’s worked- I have a feeling the lighting might be slightly out, but I at least feel like I’ve done all I can with it for the moment and can finally leave it and move onto something else. That said I want to learn as much as I can from it to apply to future works, so if anyone’s got any thoughts I’d be keen to hear them!
On A Roll
So it looks like I’ve finally caught some kind of ‘super-productive-producing-art’ kind of bug. Now I know it’s quality over quantity, but for the last year or so I’ve really struggled to create something without over thinking it and spending weeks working on it. Again, I know this can be useful, but working in that way I didn’t feel like I was progressing and learning new skills as quickly as I would like.
So last weekend I had a look through some of my old photos (well, old as in maybe 3 years old?!) and it suddenly hit me; I’ve been desperately trying to create scenes based on my imagination and I just wasn’t getting anywhere. Because I was lacking the initial inspiration that has always kickstarted my art. And looking back at some of the original scenes that made me pick up my camera and shoot, I found that inspiration coming back, with the added bonus of a ready made scene (with composition and lighting decisions already made), which meant that all I had to focus on, was painting.
Anyway, enough waffle, here’s what I managed to come up with:
Glen Etive Speed Paint
Study of Glen Etive, Scotland.
Waterfall Speed painting/study
So I thought I’d have a go at a bit of speed painting (something entirely new for me), as mountains are something I’ve really struggled with painting digitally.
I know there’s still a lot I have to improve on (particularly lighting and atmospheric perspective/depth) but I’m surprisingly happy with how the detailing turned out on the left side rocks and I feel like I’ve picked up a lot already (most of it completely unintentionally) so I guess I’ve just gotta keep going!
Fantasy Landscape – Finished
Boom, finally finished! Well, as close to finished as I reckon it’s going to get…
Latest WiP
So it urns out having no deadline to stick to on a project means you spend far longer on one piece than you intended.
I’ve still got a few things to finish working on (the bridge wouldn’t pass any health and safety checks for a start…) but I’m still a bit stuck trying to figure out the final details (stuff like plants, flowers and general foliage). So if anyone’s got any feedback it’d be awesome to hear!
Fantasy Landscape WiP continued
Slowly making progress on this one, although thinking I may need to take the sky back a few steps as it’s beginning to feel a little over worked. Although that could just be because I’ve been looking at it for too long…If anyone’s got any thoughts I’d be glad to hear them!
Latest WiP- fantasy landscape painting
So continuing my digitally painting journey I’ve decided to have a go at my first landscape painting. Over 10 years of being far too snap-happy has meant I’ve gathered a huge amount of reference images (it’s almost like I knew they’d come in handy some day!)
I still have a long way to go but I’m having so much fun with it-particularly learning new techniques (this tutorial was really helpful for the grass: http://ehkindred.deviantart.com/art/Painting-Grass-the-Lazy-Way-330837080 ). Next up to learn, waterfalls, lakes and rivers!
From WiPs to Final Piece
When I’m working on a painting or drawing, whether digital or traditional, I always find it fascinating watching the image evolve, so I thought I’d include some WiP images of from my last piece. It’s funny because through all the groundwork, building up the image, not a lot seemed to change, and it was only putting in the lighting and ‘special effects’ right at the end, which was pretty much the smallest change, yet the one that really pulled the image together into something a bit more presentable!
