Corel Painter - 16 - Magazine, Art, Digital Painting, Drawing, Draw, 2d

  • Upload
    flie

  • View
    40

  • Download
    14

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Corel Painter Magazine

Citation preview

  • PC and Mac

    FREE CD INSIDE TEXTURES | STOCK PHOTOS | TUTORIAL RESOURCE FILES

    Brush primerDiscover how the Eraser brushes can create lush artwork

    Realistic rain We reveal the tricks to adding a splash of rain to your art

    Paint likeSee how Painter Xs RealBristle brushes can re-create Renoir

    Issue sixteen V

    isit us online ww

    w.painterm

    agazine.co.ukO

    ffi cial Corel Painter TM M

    agazine

    ISSUE SIXTEENISSN 1753-3155

    9 7 7 1 7 5 3 3 1 5 0 0 0

    1 6

    www.paintermagazine.com

    6.00

    Offi

    cial Corel Painter

    Painter

    M

    agazine

    Official MagazineExpert tips

    Createdigital art today!

    Understand Painters toolsLearn to draw from scratchQuick start guide on the CD

    Plan your compositionEssential skills for creating strong focal points

    Art skillsUnderstand perspectiveUse perspective tricks to

    give your landscapes depth50pages oftutorials

    Over

    Learn to apply contour lines and then build up shading to create a pencil masterpiece page 28

    sketchesTurn photos intoCreate the cover!

    Official MagazineOfficial Magazine

    001_OPM_16 colour.indd 1 2/4/08 12:14:34

    stuartdixonRectangle
  • 3

    Jo Cole, Editor in [email protected]

    WelcomeTheres no denying that painting landscapes and objects can be an intensely rewarding experience, but they do sometimes run the risk of being viewed as lifeless. Its incredible how adding

    a person or two in a scene can transform it into something that viewers can interact with, rather than merely observe. And the good news is that you havent got to be a maestro when it comes to life drawing; our quick guide on page 66 reveals how joining a few triangles and circles can result in some simple igures to liven up your artwork. You havent even got to draw a face! But if you would like a go at a portrait, turn to page 28 where one reader shares how she created a sketched masterpiece.

    If youre just starting out with painting, our feature this issue is a must. Susi Lawson walks through how to plan a painting; from playing with composition, through to assembling reference photos and onto the inished article. Be sure to let us know if it helps your creations.

    Enjoy your painting!

    This is THE magazine for anyone wanting to further their Corel Painter skills or learn how to become a better artist

    ISSUESIXTEEN

    This is THE magazine for anyone wanting to further their Corel Painter skills or learn how to become a better artist

    Visit our website!If you find that the magazine isnt enough to satisfy your Corel Painter appetite, you can always visit our website. Pop on over to www.paintermagazine.co.uk and register as a user. Once this is out of the way, explore the pages and enjoy great content such as: Downloadable resources Online galleries to share your work Special forum for meeting other Corel Painter users

    Brush Primer: Erasers

    Pg 34

    Erase your way to a masterpiece with these much-ignored variants

    Paint like: Renoir

    Pg 46

    Art study: Rain

    Pg 52

    We show you how to create realistic rain in your paintings

    Take a look at the Impressionist-style

    painting, The Umbrellas

    003_OPM_16_welcome.indd 5 3/4/08 14:38:28

  • news news even ts resources even ts resources even ts letters websites websites websites letters websites letters

    10

    riginally a resource for free fonts, Fontplay.com began modestly. But interest soon grew when founder Dennis Hill

    added his favourite photographs. Newly interested in photography, Hill started using his own photos as backgrounds, then added the photos to the site for free for anyone to use them.

    Eventually it worked into more of a forum to share my hobby of photography, explains Hill. I started taking photos when I was taking a Photoshop class, and I couldnt ind many images that didnt have a lot of strings attached to using them. And I wasnt organised enough to keep track of Terms of Use for the images I found.

    Initially aimed at students, teachers, hobbyists and enthusiasts, the free photo section now attracts tens of thousands of visitors each month.

    RESOURCES

    Fontplay.com its not just for fontsPhotos are available to download in

    different sizes and resolutions by simply clicking on an image, waiting for it to load, and saving it to your desktop. An A-Z listing gives some idea of whats on offer, and the main page gives details of recent updates. Hill is assisted by a group of friends who offer their own photos for free in the same spirit of sharing.

    With over 10,000 images currently available, theres certain to be something for everyone, from landscapes and nature to wonderful textures and grafiti art.Fontplay.com also contains beautiful public domain antique illustrations and greetings cards, scanned lovingly at 300dpi.

    With new photos added weekly, sometimes daily, Fontplay.com is a vibrant online resource worth visiting regularly. If I ever get to where I know what Im doing, I may charge for photos. But since I

    Unusually, Fontplay.com photos can be used in commercial

    projects. Having no entrepreneurial bones

    in my body, I added free commercial use to

    the images, explains founder Dennis Hill

    Fontplay.com also contains beautiful public

    10,000 free photos and counting

    hate reading instructions, I may never get to that point, laughs Hill.

    All Fontplay.com images may be used by anyone for any artistic endeavour, personal or commercial use, without having to give credit or a link. Visit www.fontplay.com/freephoto and start downloading!

    10,000 free photos

    Tutorial xxxx

    Commun ityNEWS EVENTS

    RESOURCES LETTERS WEBSITES

    INFO FORUM

    Fontplay.com includes not only free fonts but also a substantial archive of

    high quality, high-resolution images to use freely in your artistic endeavours

    010-011_OPM_16_News.indd 10 2/4/08 14:23:22

  • websites websites websites info news even ts resources even ts resources even ts letters website letters website letters info news even ts

    11

    orn in El Salvador and now living in Canada, Lisandro Pea maintains a blog (www.onlypencil.com/blog)

    where he shares his enthusiasm for drawing, nature and animals. Using the humble pencil as his medium of choice, Pea offers a range of simple tutorials and tips including creating realistic hair, eyes, teeth and animals. Over two detailed pages the tutorials offer a step-by-step approach to reproducing realistic-looking images, as well as information on pencils used to achieve each look. A section devoted to tools of the trade offers further insight and advice on a range of devices for making your mark. Links to YouTube and Facebook offer the bonus of watching Pea draw before your eyes, and you can visit his eBay and Etsy shops to buy prints.

    Get a great start with Finalcrit

    Where theres a Will

    TUTORIALS

    Since launching in April 2007, Finalcrit has attracted talent

    from around the world with the offer of free professional-

    looking online portfolios

    OnlyPencil.com offers a range of free tutorials devoted to the art of drawing with a pencil, as well as links to video guides

    TIPS & ADVICE

    William Whitakers site includes some insightful painting demonstrations and techniques, including a stunning oil on canvas portraits

    MAY

    In shortCreative happenings from around the world

    Notes And tips Illustrator Nate Owens offers a range of tips on his website, covering digital drawing and painting in Corel Painter. As well as step-by-step guides, you can watch a number of QuickTime movie files. Although these were done on the computer, the procedure would be the same if you were working with pencil, paper and paint, explains Owens. More at www.nateowens.com/howto_tips/HowTo.htm

    Nice rackWith dozens of categories to choose from, PhotoRack (www.photorack.net) offers thousands of free images for you to download and use in your creative projects. A great slideshow function lets you view a category hands-free at your leisure, and a Hotlist reveals the highest rated and most downloaded images. Although the images arent the highest res weve seen, the choice and range is excellent.

    22 Issue 17 of OPM on sale!Its time to go and collect the latest issue of this very magazine! Highlights include a ink and wash tutorial, a guide to Acrylic brushes and a look at re-creating Grant Woods iconic view of the American landscape.

    Graphics.com Billed as a news portal for all things graphics, from print to web, Graphics.com also includes a wealth of tips, tutorials and reviews. Among the highlights are free Corel Painter tutorials from artist, author and digital painting expert Cher Threinen-Pendarvis. A useful directory includes links to more free and commercial resources, including stock images, fonts, tips and tutorials.

    Since launching in

    OnlyPencil.com offers a range of free tutorials devoted to the art of drawing with a pencil, as well as links to video guides

    portfolios

    romoted as the easy way to search and view the latest design and creative talents, Finalcrit (www.finalcrit.com)

    offers free online portfolios with a professional sheen. The Flash-based portfolio builder is fast, easy and attractive to the eye, with a choice of customisable colourful frames to showcase your work. No code or web experience is required, and you can upload up to 100 images along with a bio, work experience and contact details. It offers serious designers, practitioners and other creatives the opportunity to present their work in a sophisticated surrounding. Its more of a Facebook than a MySpace, enthuses Henry Westcott, one of hundreds of regular users. The range of creative talent on show is reassuringly varied, so newbies shouldnt feel intimidated. And as a bonus you can browse a range of industry jobs.

    Create, update and showcase your free online portfolio

    PORTFOLIOprofessional artist since 1965, the website of William Whitaker (www.

    williamwhitaker.com) contains some stunning examples of his paintings. Among the portrait, still life and landscape work, visitors can also view some insightful examples of his techniques, including fascinating work-in-progress shots. Although working primarily with oil on canvas, the tips and advice will apply to anyone trying to replicate natural media faithfully with Corel Painter. Accompanied by detailed descriptions, you can also take a peak into Whitakers wonderful home studio complete with a classic Barclay easel and inspirational banjos.

    Website offers masterly painting tips and techniques

    A passion for pencils Blog offers drawing tutorials and video guides

    010-011_OPM_16_News.indd 11 2/4/08 14:24:00

  • news even ts resources even ts resources even ts letters website letters website letters info news even ts resources resources resources even ts resources even ts

    12

    Production explanationI was interested to see you advertise your eMag and book, but was wondering what the difference was between them. And do I need Painter X for the tutorials?

    Peter McMurphy

    Our Digital Painting bookazine can be thought of as a best of. It contains material from the first 11 issues and is perfect for anyone who is looking to get started with Painter or who

    our Lettersjust wants a glossy compendium of creative projects. It is the same size as the magazine, with full colour throughout. The eMag is a digital version of the first 12 issues of the magazine. The interactive DVD holds PDFs of every page in those first 12 issues, presented exactly as they were originally (except any advertising is taken out). This means you have a digital copy that you can keep on your computer to call upon whenever you need. Its perfect for anyone who missed out on an earlier issue or who wants to keep their magazines nice and pristine. The bookazine can be found in branches of WH Smiths, Borders and Barnes and Noble or can be ordered from our online shop. The eMag can only be ordered online, at www.imagineshop.co.uk.

    Underneath the layersIve bought a few different computer magazines and one thing Ive noticed is that they generally include layered iles on their discs. I ind this very useful and wondered why you didnt do the same.

    Henry Ralphe

    The main reason why we dont include final artwork in its layered format is because of size. For an image to be the size and resolution we need to be printed in the magazine, it needs a hefty amount of disc space. As an example, the layered file of Charlene Chuas Ukiyo tutorial in issue 12 came in at 70MB. Bearing

    Welcome to the part of the magazine where you can come

    and share your thoughts on anything you fancy!

    Featured galleryOur favourite readers gallery this month

    Gerry de Withttp://www.paintermagazine.co.uk/user/gw0625

    Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Gerry has uploaded 160 images to his gallery, although that was at the time of writing and were sure its gone up since then!With such a large portfolio, its no surprise to learn that Gerry flirts with all sorts of artistic styles and subjects. We are particular fans of his still life images, especially his Floribunda image (see middle right).

    To see what else Gerry has been painting, head over to his gallery today!

    in mind we only have just under 600MB to play with, you can see that wed soon end up with a disc that just had a few files! The other reason is that many Painter artists will regularly drop their layers or some wont bother using layers at all. We obviously mark up in a tutorial if a new layer is needed and if its an image that relies on layer order to work, well include that on the disc. Would it help if we provided screenshots of what the Layers palette looked like? Let us know.

    Gerry de Withttp://www.paintermagazine.co.uk/user/gw0625

    Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Gerry has uploaded 160 images to his gallery, although that was at the time of writing and were sure its gone up since then!With such a large portfolio, its no surprise to learn that Gerry flirts with all sorts of artistic styles and subjects. We are particular fans of his still life images, especially his Floribunda image (see middle right).

    painting, head over to his gallery today!

    Official Corel Painter Magazine, Imagine Publishing, Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6EZ, UK

    If youd prefer to contact us via email, send your message to [email protected]

    Send your letters to...

    Our favourite readers gallery this month

    Gerry de Wit

    FloribundaFull Moon

    Langs Beach

    A lot of Painter artists will routinely drop their layers in order to have more manageable filesA lot of Painter artists will routinely drop their layers in order to have more manageable files

    Gerry de Wit

    Our eMag or Digital Painting bookazine is the perfect collectors item

    Our eMag or Digital Painting bookazine is the perfect

    012-013_OPM_016_letters.indd 12 3/4/08 09:53:54

  • resources resources resources letters website letters website letters info news even ts resources resources letters website letters website letters info

    Challenge queryId like to enter your readers challenge but cant email it in. Is there a ile size for an attachment and do they have to be a certain resolution? Plus, can I enter more than once and can I use my own bits of artwork?

    Iris Hamilton

    Hello Iris. There is indeed an attachment file size its 2MB. So with this in mind, its probably best to keep your images as JPEGs. You can set them at whatever resolution you like, and if its impossible to make your entry less than 2MB, you can always post it. You can enter as many times as you like and as long as you use at least one of the supplied images, you can incorporate your own artwork. Just as an aside, there was a bit of a mix-up with dates in challenge number 7. As a result, we have elected to have two winners for that challenge, and will have longer deadlines to avoid this in the future.

    Picture Stall

    Gerry de Wit Gerry de Wit

    Paint Shop Pro Photo mag!

    Our regular challenge is a chance to win a years subscription to the magazineOur regular challenge is a chance to win a years subscription to the magazine

    If you use Corels Paint Shop Pro to edit images before using Painter, you might be interested in the new magazine we are launching. The Official Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo Magazine is a project-based title that looks at all aspects of the program. Each issue will have special guides to taking a type of photography, in addition to plenty of tutorials on how to improve your shots in Paint Shop Pro Photo. The creative tutorials will show how to have fun in the program and produce digital art.

    The first issue will be on sale the 22 May, and will be available in newsagents or from our online shop (www.imagineshop.co.uk). If you have any ideas for tutorials that youd like to see in the magazine, simply pay a visit to our special forum

    www.officialpspp.com/forum

    012-013_OPM_016_letters.indd 13 3/4/08 09:54:26

  • Interview Steve James

    14

    All

    orig

    inal

    art

    wor

    k by

    Ste

    ve J

    ames

    014-018_OPM_16_interview.indd 14 3/4/08 09:59:39

  • teve James has been working in the video games industry since 1999 as a texture and concept artist. He received a

    BFA in Illustration from Brigham Young University, where he studied traditional painting techniques.

    He now works primarily on his computer using Corel Painter, and he maintains a busy blog where many of his digital paintings can be seen. He is currently employed at Eat Sleep Play, and has previously worked at Sonys Incognito studio. His projects include the video games: Warhawk, Twisted Metal and Advent Rising. He is represented by Shannon Associates.

    We caught up with Steve to discover how he applies Corel Painter to create his recognisable, sketchy style.

    How would you best describe your work?I have been working in video games for the past nine years as a production artist. My tasks change, based on the project in hand. During pre-production I spend most of my time concepting characters and environments, and creating artwork that will describe the look and feel of the game. As the project moves forward I create the texture maps that will go on the 3D models. I get to do a little of everything, from painting a characters textures to the rocks and dirt, and anything else you may ind in the levels.

    Steve Jamess day job is working in the video games industry, but at night he loves to produce striking paintings using Corel Painter. Nick Spence meets him

    15

    Steve JamesAnd what role does Corel Painter play in your work? I use Painter to get the ideas from my head onto the computer. I use it exclusively when doing concept art. You cant beat Painters brush speed and blending, even at larger sizes. Painters Color Wheel picker is a far better way of selecting colour compared to other software. I started using Painter with version 5 at university; at that time using a computer to create artwork was still a kind of novel concept. The art department had a couple of computers stuck in a small closet, and you would have to sign up for a chance to use one for a couple of hours. I would go to the computers at odd hours just to be able to use the software for longer periods of time.

    Is developing character concepts and working for the games industry your major source of income? I work full-time at a game studio, and with the commute it pretty much ills my day. I enjoy making games, but it is nice to be able to spend a few hours each night painting just for fun.

    Do your blogs (www.fridayeve.com/wordpress) images reflect some more personal work? The blog is entirely made up of personal work. When I irst started making games I rarely did any drawing or painting outside

    An interview with

    BFA in Illustration from Brigham Young University, where he studied traditional painting techniques.

    Steve Jamess day job is working in the video games industry, but at night he loves to produce striking paintings using Corel Painter.

    Steve James

    WEBSITE www.fridayeve.com JOB TITLE Sr. Production ArtistCLIENTS Eat Sleep Play, SCEA Incognito Studio, Perpetual Entertainment,

    Gearbox Software, Vivendi Universal Games

    [LEFT] Abraham LincolnA study of Abraham Lincoln taken from Steve Jamess FridayEve blog, which is sometimes updated daily with new work, particularly portraits and more fantasy-based images.

    of work. After ive years I realised I had nothing of my own to show for it. While I had a major inluence of the projects I had worked on, my art skills suffered. In my head I had the idea that if someone was not paying me to create artwork it was not worth doing. At that point I had a change in attitude and decided to create in my own time. I started doing daily sketches on forums and worked into the habit of painting daily, instead of playing games or watching TV. My blog acts as a refrigerator door to hang up my artwork its a place to experiment and just have fun making pictures.

    How does this help you develop as an artist?I ind a great deal of enjoyment in my personal projects. Its interesting to see how my processes and methods have changed over the years. I had periods of time when I would play with black and white, or incorporate 3D models into the paintings. By far, I have learned the most from doing the portraits. I feel I have just scratched the surface of what there is to know.

    Many of your images look sketched do you work entirely digitally?My work is entirely digital. I usually begin by sketching on the computer. In fact, I am more comfortable drawing on the computer than with a pencil I miss

    014-018_OPM_16_interview.indd 15 3/4/08 10:00:00

  • Interview Steve James

    16

    layers and undo far too much. Painter does allow for a worklow that is similar to a traditional approach. Most of the time, instead of creating a line drawing, I will block in the major forms with a big brush.

    And can you briefly tell us about your setup and how you work?I use a Windows machine I built a few years ago, with a 6 x 11 Wacom tablet. My workspace is not that exciting I spend most of the time just looking at the screen unless my cat decides it wants to sit on my tablet. I use Painter for just about everything. After I am inished I will check the colours and save it for the web in Photoshop.

    What are your favourite tools to use in Corel Painter?My favourite brush is the Cover brush from Painter 5.5. It is similar to the Scratchboard tool, but with a little more sensitivity to pressure with size and opacity. Its my go-to brush for sketching and roughing out shapes. I really like the Artists Oils in Painter you can get some

    The Little Match GirlThis was based on the famed Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. Steve James created this evocative image for an online community site for artists

    Beauty BeastSteve Jamess Chinese spin on Madame Gabrielle de Villeneuves, Beauty And The Beast, first published in 1740. Painted for another Illustration Friday challenge

    014-018_OPM_16_interview.indd 16 3/4/08 10:00:24

  • 17

    cool blending and colour effects with the paint that is on the canvas. The two Artists Oils brushes I use are the Clumpy brush and the Oil Palette Knife, I ind that I can do just about every thing I want with these brushes. I also like to use the Digital Airbrush for tinting, as well as the Variable Spatter Airbrush for creating textures.

    Some images are looser than others. How do you decide which ones to develop and add detail to?Most of the images on my blog are just studies. I like to experiment with how just a few simple strokes can create the form. Everything I do at work has to be pixel perfect, so its a nice break to just play with the colours on my studies. Having said that, I do feel it is time to start creating more inished pieces in my free time.

    Tranchefeuxs website is divided into various categories, including concept designs, academic drawing, fine art, illustrations, cartoons and hyperrealistic work. The website includes a collection of tutorials showing the creative process from drawings to finished paintings

    Do you use photographic reference for your portraits?I have been working from photos for head studies the past couple of years. For a long time I just made up characters from my head, but they tended to all look the same. Its been a long time since I had access to a model to paint from, and its just not practical for these quick digital studies. There is a popular stigma against people using reference, but you can also see they should have used it. Ive learned a great deal about face structure and expression by working from a reference.

    How do you ensure they dont look like youve simply run a filter over a snap?Photographs have bad colour. You can tell if someone has used a ilter or used colour directly from a photo. Sure, the colour looks ine in the context of the photo, but usually there is a loss of colour in the

    Phobia Another example of his after hours artistic activities, creating work for an online blog

    Head Study 15, an example of Steve Jamess wonderful portraits. Ive learned a great deal about face structure and expressions working from reference, explains James

    I ve learned a great deal about face structure and expression by working from a reference

    Although trained in traditional painting techniques, Steve James now works primarily on the computer. He lives in Lehi, Utah, with his wife and their crazy cat

    014-018_OPM_16_interview.indd 17 3/4/08 10:00:44

  • Interview Steve James

    18

    shadow areas. I distance myself from my photo by creating my own colour and expressing texture with tools that could not be mistaken for a painterly ilter. I dont want my paintings to look like a photo. If thats the look I was going for, it would be better to just use the photo.

    Finally, your website includes several sports shoe concepts for Nike etc. Why the interest in shoes?I have been a runner for a very long time, and the only equipment you need is a good pair of running shoes. I am always on a quest to ind the perfect ones! I worked at a shoe store to pay my way through school, but didnt consider it work because I liked doing it so much. I have thought about designing shoes for a living, but worry that doing it would take the magic out of it. I enjoy looking at the designs and innovations they make with shoes, and it always gives you something to look forward to.

    not be mistaken for a painterly ilter. I dont want my paintings to look like a photo. If thats the look I was going for, it

    AhabSteve James created this image

    of Captain Ahab for the online Illustration Friday competition,

    a weekly creative outlet and participatory art exhibit for illustrators and artists of all

    skill levels

    Steve James originally made up his own faces as a basis for his portrait studies, but now uses photo reference to avoid them all looking the same

    I dont want my paintings to look like a photo. If thats the look I was going for, it would be better to just use the photo

    014-018_OPM_16_interview.indd 18 3/4/08 10:01:06

  • Feature How to plan a painting

    How to plan aArtist insight

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 20 3/4/08 15:08:15

  • 21

    Before you start throwing digital paint on your canvas, follow Susi Lawsons guide to planning the image and enjoy better results

    nless you are blessed with a natural ability to draw and paint whatever is in your imagination, photos will play a large part

    in the creative process. But just because you are using a photo, it doesnt mean you cant plan beforehand or try out digital sketches to make sure your painting is the best it can be. In this lesson were going to learn how to go about acquiring that great picture. We are not going to take the lazy way out and scour the internet for free stock photography, were going to put on our hiking shoes and head to the country!

    All you need is a decent digital camera to capture your vision of what will make a beautiful work of art. If youre not a professional photographer and feel a little uncomfortable in this area then this is the time to cast aside your inhibitions and get away from the computer for a bit. This article will give you the information you need to stretch your legs and your digital camera IQ!

    I will be taking along the Canon 1D MkIII and a Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS telephoto. This lens provides a great range for zooming in and out. I also will bring my Canon 24-105 f/4L IS in case I want a good wide-angle shot.

    Let me stress that you can use a point and shoot with a good zoom for this task as well, so can still enjoy the fresh air and excitement of taking your own reference photos to use as the basis of some great art.

    Weve included three photos on the disc for you to see how and why we changed what we did. The ile Landscape 2 was the main inspiration, but Landscape 3 is used, too.

    Gettin g ready to clone

    3

    Takin g the photos1

    Gettin g ready

    Plan nin g the composition

    2

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 21 3/4/08 15:09:01

  • Feature How to plan a painting

    22

    Taking the photo

    For this shoot we are going to a beautiful valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in a little farming community called Ceres.The back roads of this area are illed with the charm of old abandoned farmhouses and weathered cabins of days gone by, and they make for a great element of interest in a landscape shot. We will be shooting from a hill and aiming the camera at a scene about a mile away, so thats why the telephoto lens is essential in capturing a variety of shots. It is always good to vary the shots from close to far, and from portrait to landscape mode, to enable you to have plenty of variety to play with and choose from, when you get back to the computer.

    When shooting landscapes its best to arrive either after sunrise or just before sunset to catch the best light. But dont let this be a hard and fast rule, as you may never ind the time to take pictures! These shots were all taken in the late afternoon around 6.30 to 7.30pm, so it was getting close to sunset. This light gives the long low shadows and pleasing warm light which makes for interesting scenes. (My good friend and budding photographer, Denise Romano, came along and shot the location pictures of me in action).

    Choose the time of day with care early morning or late afternoon is best

    This area of Ceres is my favourite spot. The little cabin with the sloping landscape and tree lines make for a great composition. I have taken pictures of this scene in every season. Its now coming to the end of winter here, so the colours are not at all vibrant. But we can improve the image during the painting phase. When taking photos, try standing in different positions for a variety of viewpoints. Dont be afraid to squat down, or even take something to stand on!

    As I approached the scene I knew right away that I wanted the little weathered shack to be the focal point and the stark winter trees to be the backdrop, but I also knew that the scene needed more, such as leading lines that help bring the composition together and add more interest to the overall scene. There are actually several such elements in this scene, and the way we frame the image in the viewinder is essential to a successful composition. Even though cropping and such can be done in software, its best to get the composition as pleasing as possible in the camera. In these samples, you will see what is included and why.

    PortraitThis scenes composition works because I have placed the cabin in the lower left, and the lines of the farm truck path lead the eye from the tree line straight to the cabin.

    LandscapeThis image has beautiful lines that lead the eye all over, and yet it comes to rest on the cabin. Notice the diagonal triangular shape of the fence coming from the left corner and uniting with the tree upper line complemented by the S curve of the truck line.

    Close-up Here I capture a closer view of the cabin using my zoom at 200 and walking to the right side. Notice the converging diagonal lines of the landscape connecting all the elements.

    Location: Ceres, Virginia USA

    Choosing a composition

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 22 3/4/08 15:09:49

  • 23

    Sketch it outThe Rule of Thirds works on the theory that if you place points of interest in the intersections of nine equal squares (or close to them), your photo becomes more balanced. Our eyes usually go to one of the intersection points naturally, so the Rule of Thirds works with this natural way of seeing. Here are some doodles to show how this has worked in our photo.

    Portrait

    1

    2

    Landscape

    3

    Close-up

    22

    LandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscapeLandscape

    333

    Close-up

    33

    Landscapes do not have to be horizontal. Notice in Portrait Mode, the leading lines work just as well for a pleasing composition.

    Landscapes do not have to be horizontal. Landscapes do not have to be horizontal.

    This composition is pleasing because the cabin is not in the middle of the image, and all lines lead your eye around the image, but back to the cabin.

    Notice, once again, the focal point of the image is not in the center yet the eye is guided by the adjoining lines all leading back to the cabin.

    Painters composition toolsIf you dont fancy drawing out compositions, you can use Painter Xs tools. The best are Divine Proportion (Canvas>Compositions>Show Divine Proportions) or the Layout Grid (Canvas>Compositions>Show Layout Grid). These grids appear over your scene and can be modiied to suit your needs. Move them around and then crop the image to the desired composition.

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 23 3/4/08 15:11:55

  • Feature How to plan a painting

    01 Painting the grass For the grass I chose the Oil>Round Camel brush for its smooth soft quality. Paint over all the large areas left to right, taking care not to paint over the tyre tracks.

    04 Painting the tree tops Now lets use the Fine Sponge brush at 50% Opacity, and brush the tops of the trees using an up and down motion for a really pretty effect that works well for this area.

    HERE S HOW

    24

    Its easy to make a photo bend to your needs. I like the photo I have chosen (Landscape 2), but it could do with some more height. The Resize Canvas tool will add some empty canvas to the bottom. I will also use the Straight Clone brush to add elements from another image and get the perfect scene for my vision.

    Prepping the final photo

    to Canvas/Resize and add 500 pixels 01 Close-up To resize the canvas, go to the bottom of the image as shown.

    area of another image into the 02 Cloning To clone the foreground empty canvas area you just created, choose the Brush tool and select your Clone brush using the Straight Cloner.

    Start your clone source in the left corner of the first image you want to copy, then move your cursor or stylus to the empty canvas and paint the new foreground onto the white area. Now close Landscape 3 as we no longer need it, and use the same Clone tool to eliminate the distracting pole in the foreground by using the grass beside it. Clean up any other debris using this method.

    1 2

    Colour controlsBefore we paint our landscape we need to prepare it with simple tools. Now that we have the composition and elements we want to include, we can boost the colours and darken the tyre tracks that add human interest to this weathered

    and otherwise lonely landscape. The tracks tell the viewer that theres life on the farm. Increasing the saturation will reveal colours that werent apparent before and help you decide where you want to go with your painting.

    this landscape is an essential part of 03 Burn tool Since the truck path in the composition, lets make it stand out even more by using the Burn tool and going over this area to really emphasise it, as shown. You will find this tool in the Photo brushes.

    04 Adjust the colours Now lets adjust the colours by going to Effects>Tonal Control>Adjust Color, and add more saturation to the landscape to liven it up.

    3 4

    The final artwork

    Now that we have the pictures taken and the composition worked out, its time to take our favourite scene into Corel Painter and make this into a painting worthy of framing! I know right away that I want to add more colours to those winter trees and bring in some depth and light in the shadows, and just generally add some life to the landscape.

    Turn your creation into a masterpiece with a little help from Corel Painter

    07 Adding more tree colour By using the Regular Sponge brush and deselecting Use Clone Color, I can add some bright yellow to the top of the trees to suggest the sunlight.

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 24 3/4/08 15:12:11

  • 25

    02 Painting the tracks Now I zoomed in using the same brush, and I painted over the tyre tracks following the lines of the tracks with my brush, while adjusting to the curves so as not to smudge them away.

    paint over the blue shadows and areas between the trees, taking 03 Blending shadows Still using the Camel Oil brush, zoom in and care not to rake across the trees. Dont worry about any small twigs and such-like in theses areas.

    05 Keep sponging Continue using this sponging method on all the trees, using more pressure at the tops and less in the limb area, because you want to try to preserve the tree trunks and limb areas as much as possible. Zoom in where you need to.

    interest to the painting, but using the 06 Tree limbs The tree branches add Acrylic Capture brush and painting over them by following the lines with a Small Tip brush makes them less stark, and makes them blend in more with the rest of the painting.

    08 Adding shadow colour Again, using the Regular Sponge brush, I will now add dark purple to the shadow area of the trees to add some depth.

    09 Glazing in ground shadows To add more colours I chose the Oil Glazing brush, and added some soft violet shadows to the ground. Be sure that Use Clone Color is deselected.

    Cautious and courteousThe best place to find beautiful scenery is usually in remote areas of the country that you discover by just driving around and stopping when something catches your eye. This is how I found the Kidd Farm featured in this tutorial. However, when you are on private property its always best to call or knock on the door and ask permission to be there. Not onlyis this courteous, but also safe, as you never know when someone might have a watchdog, or just not be too friendly towards strangers!

    Cautious and

    Be prepared for the shootIts always good to have at least two lenses to choose from. If you can bring along a second camera with a wide-angle lens, and one with a telephoto, you will be ready for anything and wont have to worry about changing lenses.

    Be prepared

    The final artwork Things to remember

    Dont get too caught up in rulesThe rules of composition are good to learn as a guide, but dont let it stand in your way if your scene doesnt fit this rule. Be creative and follow your own heart you are the artist and the ultimate rule-maker or breaker of your own work!

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 25 3/4/08 15:12:38

  • Feature How to plan a painting

    THE LAST THING I ALWAYS DO IS PUMP UP THE BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST OF MY PAINTING

    FINAL CLONED PAINTING

    26

    paint over the entire cabin taking care to follow the natural lines of 10 Paint the cabin Using Clone Color and the Acrylic Capture brush, the roof and boards.

    11 Add a fence Theres a fence in the left foreground that adds to the composition, so I defined it more by painting over it with dark brown using the Acrylic Opaque Round brush. The last thing I always do is pump up the brightness and contrast of my painting by using Effects>Tonal Control> Brightness, Contrast and Adjust to get the most pleasing result.

    Paint the cabin, add a fence and brighten up the overall sceneFinishing touchesFinishing touches

    020-26_OPM16_feature.indd 26 3/4/08 15:13:01

  • Tutorial Turn photos into sketches

    28

    Original photo

    028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 28 3/4/08 11:36:31

  • ainter is an awesome program to use for creating this sketchy style pencil drawing. Whether you start out with a photograph or draw your image freehand, the steps outlined in this tutorial will help you to

    successfully achieve this look. This style is perfect for drawing people. With its simplistic

    beauty, you will be able to create a portrait that has emotion and personality. By drawing just a few strokes for the background, the focus will be concentrated on the subject. Using much more detail and shading in the face, compared to the luid lines in the hair and clothes, is another way to have the focus be on the mood, the expression and the uniqueness of the subject.

    There is very little blending or smudging involved here, the contour lines are the basis for this style of art. Your initial pencil lines will become an intricate part of your drawing. Its a beautiful thing to look at your drawing and realise youre looking at a part of yourself in the expression of those lines.

    You will learn how to use the Conte brush, along with the Chalk brush and pencils. The Soft Cloner, Eraser, Quick Clone and Equalizer are just a few features you will learn in this tutorial. It is so exciting to watch your subject come to life in front of you, using these brushes, features and techniques. You may ind yourself looking through the photographs you already have in a new way to choose one to use for an expressive new pencil drawing!

    Turn photos into sketches

    Artist

    Time needed

    Skill level

    On the CD

    Jill Garl

    1.5 hours

    Beginner

    Start and final photos

    Tutorial info

    29

    Start by preparing your chosen photographPreparation

    01 Prepare photograph for drawing Before you begin creating your drawing, you will want to prepare the photograph. We start with desaturating the image. To do this, go to Effects>Tonal Control>Adjust Color. Slide the Saturation bar all the way to the left. Click OK. This will desaturate your photograph.

    areas when you are shading, bumping up the Contrast after you 02 Brighten up In order to really see the highlight and shadow desaturate is an important step. A good way to do this is to use the Equalizer. Go to Effects>Tonal Control>Equalize. Slide the Brightness control from left to right to adjust. Now click OK.

    Tutorial

    Preparation

    Turn photos into sketchesIn this tutorial we will show you how to create a sketchy style pencil drawing, using a photo and just four brushes in Painter

    03 Set colour for the background In this step we will set the Background Paper colour. First choose the colour you want to use from the Color Wheel. For our example we have used an ivory colour. Next, go to Canvas>Set Paper Color. You will not see anything happen to your image at this point, but your paper colour will show up in the next step.

    028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 29 3/4/08 15:14:54

  • 30

    Get ready to trace, draw and blendClone and sketch

    04 Quick Clone image Now clone the image and get ready to draw! Go to File>Quick Clone. A duplicate of your image will open up, with tracing paper covering it in the colour you chose from step three. This will happen all in one step! You can toggle the tracing paper on and off by clicking the Tracing Paper icon.

    Clone and sketch

    the Cover Pencil variant. Keep in mind that a lot of these lines will 05 Sketch outline Trace over the image using the tracing paper and become part of your final drawing. Keep your lines nice and fluid. You can always use the Eraser tool, or Ctrl/Cmd+A, to clean up or repeat any lines you want to redo. Angling your paper may help while you are drawing.

    06 Draw features on the face Zoom in very close to the face. Trace over the features with a lighter touch. Using the Cover Pencil, or Number 2 Pencil, outline the eyebrow area, pupils, irises, eyelashes, etc. Make sure your lines are accurate, as this will be the step that identifies the subjects likeness.

    07 Zoom out and check sketch Check your sketch with the tracing paper off. Make any adjustments you feel are necessary, and will benefit your sketch. Erase any areas that need cleaning up. Redraw any areas you feel could be better at this time.

    tracing paper on, and using the Conte brush, brush over the shadow 08 Adding shadows Begin to add in some shadows. With the areas that you see. The creases around the nose, under the eyes and under the bottom lip are common areas. Take advantage of the pressure sensitivity in your stylus, create heavy and light opacities of colour.

    09 Swatch of colour Turn your tracing paper on and off to check your progress. Make a swatch of the colour you are using, just in case your colour becomes altered. Even though you are only using a grey tone to draw with, there are many different grey tones available!

    10 Blending in your shadows At this point we will begin to blend in the shadows. Using the Soft Blender Stump brush, blend the shadow areas. Go in the natural direction of the areas you are working in for example, round out your shadows around the nose and under the bottom lip. Think of this step as moulding your subjects face.

    Tutorial Turn photos into sketches

    Interactive saveSave your photograph with a new name after you make changes, such as desaturating and Equalizing. Once you have saved, you can click off the original photograph. Your original will remain untouched. The new saved version will be the one you are working on with the tracing paper. It is also a good idea to use the Interactive Save feature as you go, saving each step.

    Interactive

    028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 30 3/4/08 11:37:18

  • 31

    Fade toolThe Fade tool is a great option for when you feel you overdid a step with too much saturation, and want to bring the colour or contrast down some. Also, its a good way to judge how far you may want to go with colour. First, deliberately over-saturate the colour in an area. Then go to your Fade tool and fade to the desired amount. To use the Fade tool, after you have performed your step and want to fade it, go to Edit>Fade. A window will open with a slide bar, where you can fade the last action performed by a percentage. Click OK.

    TutorialTurn photos into sketches

    Rotate PageThe Rotate Page tool is extremely useful in positioning your page on an angle that works best for you. The page may be rotated in a complete circle in either direction. You may move the paper on its side or upside down to check your composition. The Rotate Page tool is located in the toolbox as a flyout, next to the Move tool (it looks like a rounded arrow). You just grab onto your page and turn it in any direction. Remember to return back to the Brush icon to continue using the brushes. When you want to bring your page upright, choose the Rotate Page tool again and click on your drawing. It will straighten right up.

    in this example, are drawn freestyle. They 14 Jewellery Detail Details, like the rings are drawn using the Cover Pencil, or Number 2 Pencil, using a very small size brush. The necklace is drawn using the Conte and Chalk brush to fill in colour. The highlights are brought back with the Eraser tool, similar to the eyes.

    15 Working on the hair The hair is another step that will really bring the subject to life. Sketch in the hair with a long, sweeping motion using the Conte brush. Varying the opacity of colour helps the hair to look natural and adds depth. Again, your original lines will show through, giving the hair a nice sketchy, loose style. Leave some areas untouched to create the highlights.

    Eyes and ears, and mouth and noseFace the detailsFace the details

    11 Working on the eyes For this stage we have the original and the drawing open side by side on screen; we can see the detail in the eyes much better this way. Darken the pupil and fill in the irises with the Conte brush. Now blend with the Stump blender, using a tiny brush size. Go over the eyes with the Eraser tool to bring out the catch lights, and watch your subject come alive!

    12 Hands and arms Next, we will work on the hands and arms. Using the same technique as in the face, brush on your shadow colour and blend with the Stump blender. Shadow and blend around the knuckles, edges of the hands and arms, and into the darkened areas of the photograph.

    the Square Chalk brush. With a loose, free 13 Clothes detail For this step we used motion, stroke on colour inside the lines. Dont worry if you go outside the lines, as long as your strokes have a nice fluid feel then this will just add to your drawing. Avoid the urge to fill up all the outlined space. Let the lines that you created in step five become part of the drawing.

    16 Preparing to work on the background We are now ready to add some background strokes. Create a duplicate of the drawing on the screen; go to File>Clone. You can now click off the original. You should have two windows open, the clone of and the clone of clone. Check your Clone Source to make sure a check mark is next to the Clone of, as this will be your new Clone Source.

    Fade toolThe Fade tool is a great option

    028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 31 3/4/08 11:37:41

  • 32

    Complete your masterpiece!Finish it in style

    17 Background strokes Using the Square Chalk brush, brush over some background areas near your subject, in an angled motion. We sampled a colour from the hair in this example, for the background strokes. If you want to come back into the strokes from the outside edges, just sample the background colour, which is ivory in this example, and brush the new strokes.

    Finish it in style

    18 Soft Clone image back Zoom into the area where you sketched the background strokes. With your Soft Cloner brush set at 100%, brush over the areas you want to bring back (in this example its the arm). The Soft Cloner brush is a tool that tends to spread out a little bit, so be careful not to use too large of a brush. Remember, you can always Ctrl/Cmd+Z and try again, it doesnt have to perfect first time.

    19 Finishing up your drawing Thats it, your drawing is complete! For the final step you can play with the Equalizer to get more, or less, contrast. Also, consider warming up your drawing in Photoshop for an alternative look.

    Tutorial Turn photos into sketches

    HIGHLIGHT AREASIf you keep some areas of your sketch without colour it will indicate highlights. This allows your chosen background colour to become the highlights. In this example the effect is most evident in the hair and clothes, helping to bring your drawing to life!

    ERASER TOOLUse the Eraser tool to create the catch lights in the eyes and lips. This tool is also used to create highlights in the rings and the necklace

    BACKGROUND Keep the background simple to bring the focus to your subject. Just a few strokes in the background will help to bring your subject forward and create depth

    Although we have left the clone command for the shading of this image, the use of a source photos means the technique is accessible to even very nervous artists. The loose style allows you to get away with unconfident lines!

    How to create a sketchy style pencil drawingSketchy summary

    BLENDINGDo not over blend in the clothes or hair area. Let the beauty of the line and brushwork show through. Most of your blending will be in the shadows on the face, arms and hands

    CONTOUR LINESKeep your lines free, loose and deliberate when drawing out your initial sketch, as these lines will become an intricate part of your drawing. Have your lines vary from thick and thin for more interest and realism

    Do not over blend in the clothes or hair area. Let the beauty of the line and brushwork show through. Most of your blending will be in the shadows on the face, arms and hands

    028-032-OPM_16-pencil.indd 32 3/4/08 15:15:51

  • 34

    s a traditional artist, when drawing, you would not have relied only on your drawing media to make a picture.

    You would also have made great use of erasers particularly when using media such as charcoal, chalk or pastels. When using Corel Painter, we tend to rely on other correction techniques, such as unlimited Undo. But Painter has erasers

    too, and their usefulness is not limited to simply rubbing out mistakes. By

    establishing your drawing in very dark tones, you can actually paint with erasers, subtly lightening tones already laid down to create midtones and highlights.

    Painter features a group of 25 eraser variants, which range from

    hard-edged erasers through to soft erasers. Youll also ind a number of

    Bleach erasers which gently lighten tones. Youll see the full range of erasers opposite, and weve created an image by using them.

    If, like many Painter users, youve passed the erasers by without a second glance, take another look at these powerful painting tools, and experience the act of drawing and painting by removing areas rather than adding them. In terms of erasers, less is deinitely more!

    Its always best to do your initial painting on a floating layer, with a filled Canvas layer below it. This means that when you start to erase you are erasing to transparency. You can then easily change the colour or tint of the erased areas simply by filling the Canvas layer with another colour or tone.

    Erasers

    Erase on layersUse a floating layer for your initial painting All erasers are pressure-driven

    How erasers workHow erasers work

    Each type of eraser works in its own unique way, and this depends on the particular subcategory of the variant. Straightforward Eraser variants, such as the Erase All Hard variant, will erase the colour beneath down to the paper colour, just as an artists eraser normally would. The Bleach variants will gradually erase to white by lightening the colour beneath. The Darkener variants gradually increase the colour density, building to black. All of the Eraser variants are pressure-driven, their effect increasing in line with the pressure applied to your stylus.

    Primer Erasers

    BRUSH CATEGORY

    PRIMER

    If you thought erasers were only good for rubbing out mistakes, take a look at these much ignored variants and erase your way to a masterpiece!

    HARD EDGESThe Hard erasers are especially useful for creating hard edges to your erased areas, which can help to give your subject form and outline. Also, Hard erasers are great for adding gestural, calligraphic lines to your work creating texture and interest.

    BLEACH ERASERSHere, one of the Bleach eraser variants was used at very low opacity. These Bleach variants slowly bleach the existing colour beneath, and can be useful to introduce not only lighter tones, but colour, which appears as the existing colour is slowly bleached revealing new colour notes from within the colour itself.

    034-35_OPM_16_Erasers.indd 34 3/4/08 10:06:16

  • 35

    Prim

    er Erasers

    Darken existing paint instead of removing it

    Erasers that darken!Erasers that darken!Erasers that darken!

    Of course, were all used to an eraser removing paint back to the canvas or paper, but Painter comes with a number of erasers that actually darken existing paint rather than removing it. The subcategory of these erasers is set to Soft Paint Thickener in the Variants properties. These erasers can be used to add darker detail to your image. Again, its best to use them at a low opacity value, so that you can build tones gradually and subtly.

    Get to know your tools Eraser brushes

    ADDING DARKER AREASHere you can see the result of scribbling with one of the Darkening erasers. Where with normal erasers youre drawing with gradually lighter tones, the Darkening variants darken existing tones within the painting resulting in effective darker calligraphic lines.

    1 Pixel Eraser

    Block Eraser 10

    Block Eraser 20

    Darkener

    Erase All Hard

    Erase All Soft

    Eraser

    Flat Darkener

    Flat Eraser

    Gentle Bleach 7, 10

    Pointed Bleach 7, 15

    Pointed Eraser 7, 15

    Rectangular Eraser 10, 20

    Tapered Bleach 10, 20, 30

    Tapered Darkener 10, 20, 30

    Tapered Eraser 10, 20, 30

    SOFT ERASERSFor gently lifting darker tones out of an area, try using one of the Soft erasers at very low opacity. Remember, erasers can be very powerful, so you are much better using them at a low opacity value so you can gently and gradually pull up lighter tones in your painting.

    034-35_OPM_16_Erasers.indd 35 3/4/08 10:12:24

  • Tutorial Creating with distance

    36

    Lets explore some of the most powerful ways to create a sense of distance in a painting while on a leisurely walk through the woods

    Creating with distance

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 36 3/4/08 10:15:43

  • 37

    TutorialCreating w

    ith distance

    Artist

    Time needed

    Skill level

    On the CD

    Jeff Johnson

    2 hours

    Intermediate

    Resource files

    Tutorial infone of the most enjoyable things about learning the craft of picture-making is adding to your set of tools and techniques to solve paintings biggest

    problem: creating a sense of three-dimensional depth on a two-dimensional surface. This is of paramount importance when it comes to landscape painting, and artists have built up a long list of ways to achieve it. The main four we used here are overlapping, distinct planes, linear perspective and atmospheric perspective. These are wonderful, time-tested techniques that have been in use for generations. In fact, this whole effort is a straightforward piece of painting, with few bells and whistles required that are not available to our natural-media cousins other than some simple layer management. The only tools we will use are the Digital Airbrush, the Soft Blender Stump and the default Eraser.

    Foremost in the toolbox is perhaps the simplest method available that of overlapping objects. If you overlap two objects, the mind will immediately assume that the one being obscured is behind the other. Almost half the work is already done. This little painting literally starts at the sky, and works up to the very front in a long series of overlapping objects.

    Next is a neat little trick that helps create a distinct foreground, middle ground and background. Alternating light and shadow on each layer to create very distinct borders between them is an excellent way to trick the eye into seeing them as separate planes in space. Whereas Rembrandt and his ilk might have started with a foreground in shadow, well begin our little jaunt emerging almost directly into the morning sun, walk through some chilly shadow, and end up back in the glorious warm morning sun again.

    Linear perspective is a powerful tool to employ in creating depth, because the mind interprets the path towards a vanishing point as a traverse into the distance. The combination of a nice leading line (a line the eye can follow into and through the picture) with linear perspective is doubly useful, and our little footpath accomplishes this dual objective smartly.

    One technique thats great fun is atmospheric perspective. The theory is that the more space there is between viewer and object, the colour and shape of objects change. One change is that the object gets lighter in value and cooler in colour, and the other is that details merge into one another and then all but disappear. If theres a fair amount of moisture in the air, this effect is increased. The conditions we chose here were a hazy morning with yellowish light, which its the objective nicely. It allows us to paint our background with simple, broad strokes and forgo details almost until we get to the foreground.

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 37 3/4/08 10:16:05

    Imagine Publishing Ltd No unauthorised copying or distribution

  • 38

    Put your details and colours where they are neededNothing flattens a picture faster than a uniform treatment of details. Its pretty difficult to direct the eye around the picture if everything is in competition with everything else. The same goes for colour, but the effect is greater. Put a patch of bright colour next to a nice but drab detail, and the colour more than holds its share of the eyes attention. For these reasons you need to plan where such elements are to go, because the eye will naturally go there as well. The background, for instance, would not drop off in space as effectively if too many details were included, or if the colours were too intense.

    Build up your painting with values and blendsDifferent values

    01 The sky is the limit The sky is first painted with a very pale yellow using the Digital Airbrush (which will be our main brush throughout). Next come the furthest trees using the lightest, coolest and least saturated colours. At this stage very little detail is best, with soft edges and the furthest objects nearly blending into the sky.

    Different values

    02 One step forwardStill with the Digital Airbrush, add some trees that are nearer. This is accomplished by making them less blue and a little darker in value. A few more small details can begin to reveal themselves. Use a couple of values very near one another to model a bit of volume into the foliage.

    03 Taking the next plane out We are already done with the background, and are moving closer quite fast. Now block in mid-tones for the middle ground on a separate layer. Very basic drawing is used to suggest a couple of rolling hills covered with bluebells and crowned with a row of scrub trees on either side. Notice how the trees create nice lines of linear perspective to enhance the sense of depth.

    darker values. Use a couple of them to 05 Rounder still Now for some of the build shadows and more volume. Work in a truer (less blue) green to the closest trees. Keep within the general lighting scheme darkest values will be used for the closest trees, with the majority of the trees on the right in deep shadow.

    patches of grass and green cover are added among the bluebells. 06 Mixed greens To add interest to the middle ground, some Since we are getting closer, well use warmer shades of green.

    with directional strokes. Vary the blues a bit with violets and light 07 Around the hill Next, well quickly paint in some lighter values purples. Now blend things together with the Soft Blender Stump. Start to add details such as grass strands, and a slight highlight on the crown of the hills.

    Tutorial Creating with distance

    04 Rounding things out Build volume in the trees with some lighter values. Its still too early to focus on details, and simple strokes with a low opacity Airbrush, combined with the Soft Blender Stump are all that are required. The trees on the left are emerging into the light as they recede into the background, while only the tops of the trees on the right are catching any light, throwing the entire middle ground into shadow.

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 38 3/4/08 10:24:36

  • 39

    TutorialCreating w

    ith distance

    Managing layersIt can be useful to work things like branches and leaves on a separate layer, yet too many layers can throw a spanner in the workflow. The method to employ is pretty simple: open up a layer above the one youre working on, add the element(s) desired, alter them as needed, and select the two layers to be merged by holding down the Shift key and clicking on both layers in the Layers palette (this works with multiple layers). Now go to the Layers pull-down menu (located in the menu bar) and select Group. Once the layers are grouped together, go back to the Layers menu and select Collapse.

    mid-tone for the sandy path, begin to 10 Rounder After painting in a nice model in a couple of lighter values to the shoulder of the hill. In this scheme the leading edge of the hill is going to be used to draw a sharp distinction between the foreground and the middle ground, with emphasis added by throwing the closest part of the hill in some shadow.

    11 A little shadeAfter blending in the highlights as before, start adding darker values to the shadows in the near foreground. This frames the centre of the picture, and provides a strong visual clue as to a succession of value changes that lead back into space. Note the greenery thats lining the path is roughly painted at this point, because layers of detail and blending will be used to build up realism and textural variation next.

    Draw attention by using extra detailsEye-catchingEye-catching

    final layer for the foreground. Establish 09 Were here Now open up a third and the gentle slope of the nearest hill using mid-tones of a warmer bluish-violet, and suggest the path by using warm, yellowish mid-tones for the grass that lines it.

    13 Little things add up This screenshot highlights a couple of little moves that are helpful in creating maximum distance. Use a slightly larger brush for the dabs as you work closer, to reinforce scale.

    Managing

    layer will come in very handy. Open a layer above the foreground 14 Branching out This is the point at which painting on a separate layer, and block in the shapes of the trees and saplings using the darkest tone to be applied to them. Since youre working on a layer, its possible to amend any contours and edges with the Eraser.

    12 Details, details Now start building a bit of texture and detail. The sense of depth is enhanced greatly by diminishing details in the distance, so the foreground is the place to build up most of the textures and details. Note that simple dabs of varied hues and values can be rapidly applied, then blended together with a light touch of the stump. Fast and easy!

    15 Cast shadows Once the tree silhouettes are established, its time to paint the shadows the trees cast. By sampling appropriate colours taken from the foreground shadows, loosely paint in the shadows.

    08 Details to draw the eye A pair of small saplings alongside the trail are a nice way to draw attention to it. Keep things simple, as there will be time later to sharpen details as needed. A little lighter value at the base of the saplings is all thats needed to catch the eye.

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 39 3/4/08 10:17:06

  • 40

    Light, shadow and the finer detailsFinal detailsFinal details

    16 Painting light on the trees After merging the tree layer to the foreground (remember that the part of the trees above the hill can still be modified with the Eraser), begin applying lighter values. Pay attention to maintaining a consistent light source, and make good use of the Soft Blender Stump in the process. Use warm yellowish colours to really bring them forward.

    17 Barking up the tree After the first pass of modelling and blending, go back and begin painting in more highlights, textures and contours to the larger trees. This time, be careful not to obscure these details too much with excessive blending.

    lining the path. Its a useful trick to leave the very base a bit darker, 18 Now for the birch Repeat the last two steps for the birch saplings because this both follows nature and helps to draw a contrast between the trunks and the ground.

    various trees as single strokes. As were now in the foreground, its 19 Leave-ening Now for the foliage. Start drawing in the leaves of the time to enrich the area with the greatest amount of detail in the whole picture.

    Tutorial Creating with distance

    leaf-making, open up a Darken layer (so 20 Layers of leaves For the next round of as not to obscure the branches yet), while painting in the leaves of the larger trees. We began with a pass of lighter leaves (in the sun) and went back to put in some darker leaves (in shadow), keeping true to form regarding overlapping layers.

    set to 100% Opacity and varied in size to suit, and sharpen up the 21 Closing in Now start finalising the details a bit. Take a Basic Eraser contours of the branches as needed. Once the shapes are right, reduce the Opacity of the eraser to 20%, enlarge it a good deal, and lightly brush over the thinnest branches to soften them a bit and plant them within the atmosphere of the rest of the scene.

    the entire canvas a bit, making necessary 22 Wrap it up Now all thats left is to work alterations and cleaning things up. A few rounds of adding layers of highlights, details and blending are about all that is needed. We decided we would like to make one of the trees a bit wider, and since the layers were separated out it only took a minute or so to do.

    Lead em by the noseThe object of this painting is to get the viewer to follow the footpath through the picture. This was accomplished via a host of devilish means! For instance, scientists inform us that we of the Western world enter a picture via the lower left-hand corner, so the path begins there. It is not too wide, or the entrance would dominate the scene and make it hard to get beyond it. The path itself is an exercise in linear perspective, with its single vanishing point. It moves up and down a varied landscape and is surrounded by details that add interest to the journey. It disappears tantalisingly close to the lighted background, which is purposefully hidden at its base so as to be more intriguing and alluring. Finally, look down that path and count the succession of groupings of three items (or shapes) a rhythm which the subconscious picks up and adds to the overall flow.

    Lead em by

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 40 3/4/08 10:22:59

  • 41

    TutorialCreating w

    ith distance

    The ingredients needed for building up depthDistance 101

    EARLY MORNING SHADOWThe middle ground in this scheme is in shadow, which helps set it apart very distinctly from the soft, light background and the bright leading edge of the slope in the foreground. It is placed a fair bit higher than the foreground plane, which serves to enhance the illusion of distance in space. Pictorial alchemists are aware of this trick of perception, and use it to great effect.

    Linear perspective is a strong element of this layer. The footpath snakes its way through the gentle slopes, towards an implied vanishing point. The lines of shrubs on either side work in the same fashion. Details begin to emerge here and there most of them placed strategically to draw interest to various parts of the picture.

    FRONT AND CENTREThe strong leading line of the path begins in the lower left-hand corner, directing the journey through the picture. The far edge of the slope is bathed in bright light, which sets the entire plane off quite sharply from the middle ground. The majority of details and textures in the picture are on this layer, a nod to atmospheric perspective. In the same vein, the warmest, brightest and most saturated colours are in the foreground as well. The small saplings are added to draw sharp contrast with the tall trees in the background a powerful tool of scale relationships that serves to drive home the distance between the two sets of objects. Finally, the dark foliage of the trees combines with the shadows in the near foreground to effectively frame the path.

    SOFT, COOL AND LIGHTContrast between the three fields is helpful in creating a sense of distance. Picking the right kind of lighting can increase that contrast a good deal, greatly enhancing the sense of distance. This piece was conceived as being awash in morning light, with a light haze. With these conditions, by the time we get to the background, the entire scene is awash in reflected light and everything is dramatically lighter than the foreground objects. Anything but the vaguest details blend into masses of light, cool colour with soft edges which will serve to really set this layer apart from the sharper focus of the layers to come. In addition, this layer begins building up rhythms of form, and is suggestive of the overall topography and make-up of the woods. In this case, just a few tree types were employed which in general is good practice, as its far easier to manage placement and rhythm.

    ForegroundMidground

    Back ground

    036-41_OPM_16 Distance.indd 41 3/4/08 10:18:16

  • 42

    ur eyes are pretty good at seeing detail in shadows and in very bright areas. They do this by switching from one area to

    another, and swiftly adjusting to the light or dark (they cant see the detail in shadows and highlights simultaneously). Cameras do rather worse than our eyes, and this means that many photos lack the detail that was actually present.

    This has implications for us colour-cloners. If we want to see more detail in a photo we need a way to reveal and present the detail in the scene. This is where the techniques known as Higher Dynamic Range (HDR) image creation and Tone Mapping can come in useful.

    We are going to look at how an HDR photo can easily be produced and

    Tone Mapped. Dont be put off by the intimidating terminology, the process we will use is quite straightforward.

    A Tone Mapped image is not better than a photo straight out of the camera it just presents its scene

    in a different way. The real fun of HDR and Tone Mapping is the variety of

    effects they offer. You can use the trial Photomatix Pro version 2.5.4 if you have

    Windows XP, or the Photomatix Pro 3.00 Beta 12 RC if you are using Vista. The software is included on the accompanying CD, or it can be downloaded from www.hdrsoft.com. Mac versions are also available.

    How HDR and Tone Mapping can bring a whole new look to your cloned paintings

    First we create a blended, composite image (HDR image) using three photos exposed separately for the highlights, mid-lights (normal), and lowlights of a scene. This HDR image will not display correctly on our monitors, so we need to process it so that we can see the extra detail from the three exposures. This processing is called Tone Mapping. When we Tone Map there are a number of parameters we can adjust, and they can have a big impact on the image (we cover these on the next page). Finally, we need to save the Tone Mapped image in a file format that Painter can read. For this we use the 8bit Tif option. Thats it, were ready to paint!

    How HDR and Tone Mapping can bring a

    How it works

    HDR and Tone Mapping the basicsHDR and Tone Mapping the basicsSetting up your camera and taking the pictureGetting ready

    Take three photos with a wide range of exposures: under-exposed, normal, and over-exposed. Set up the camera to take the photos using Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) with gaps of two stops between photos. If you have them, use a sturdy tripod and cable release (or remote shutter release) to ensure there is no camera shake. Set the camera to Aperture Priority (you need to keep the depth of field the same across the images) and use as slow an ISO setting as you can. Also set your camera to take photos continuously so that a single depression of your shutter will take all three exposures in one burst. If you cant do this, just take the photos singly.

    Feature focus Clone from HDR images

    in the scene. This is where the techniques known as Higher Dynamic Range (HDR) image creation and Tone Mapping can come in useful.

    photo can easily be produced and

    in a different way. The real fun of HDR and Tone Mapping is the variety of

    effects they offer. You can use the trial Photomatix Pro version 2.5.4 if you have

    Windows XP, or the Photomatix Pro 3.00 Beta 12 RC if you are using Vista. The software is

    FEATUREFOCUS

    THE HDR CLONE This side of the image is the clone version of the HDR photo. You can clearly see the improvements made. The shadows and highlights are far more interesting and inviting, and the colours are brighter

    Clone from HDR images

    042-45_OPM_16_featurefocus.indd 42 3/4/08 16:03:51

  • Drawing 101 Drawing people

    Quick guide to people positions

    Different stances

    Paintings can beneit enormously from even a very simple human igure. The easiest position is the standing still, but this will soon become laborious. However, just because you are trying a more dynamic pose does not mean lots of extra work. Always apply the principle of breaking the human form down into circles and lines. Then its just a case of leshing out the guide by thickening the lines. In no time at all you have an array of postures at your ingertips.

    laborious. However, just because you are trying

    breaking the human form down into circles and

    you have an array of postures at your ingertips.

    BEND THE KNEESPart of the left leg is bent sharply behind the right one. It could be hard to make sense of it in the picture, so imagine and represent it on your stickman. Once again, the folds of the jumper and the shadows help to describe the curve of the back. Decisive but subtle black strokes on the shoes suggest the patent leather highlights as they glint and bend.

    FLAT ON YOUR BACKDraw your stickman skeleton. Feel free to represent areas that may be concealed when he is dressed; include his left leg for example. Ensure that the angles and proportions that will be naturally distorted are correct for example, his overly shortened right arm. Pay attention to the folds of the clothing, they will do most of the work for you. Especially describe the heavy shadows that you find above the socks.

    68

    066-070_OPM_16_drawing.indd 68 3/4/08 10:55:02

    Imagine Publishing Ltd No unauthorised copying or distribution

    Front CoverWelcomeCommunityYour LettersInterview : Steve JamesFeature : How to plan a paintingTutorial : Turn photos into sketchesPrimer : ErasersTutorial : Creating with distanceFeature focus : Clone from HDR imagesTutorial : Paint like RenoirArt study : How to paint realistic rainTutorial : Create with brushesPrimer : Angle Brush ControlsDrawing 101 : Drawing peopleQ&A : Art ClassReviews : CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4Reviews : [mju:] 790 SWReviews : BooksOutput : Frame your workReaders galleryCreate your own gallery onlinewww.paintermagazine.co.ukBack cover