Lion

[sharie]

I posted this lion in another thread but thought I would post it here.

I have created paintings in photoshop for many years (mostly animals). The process I use is about the same as if I were painting on one of my traditional canvas.

In photoshop I start with a new empty document. I most the time size very large I make prints of these as large as 60 inch longest side and 300 res or higher. Working this large can be tricky but I can create some very detailed art that way and they print out wonderful.

At the bottom of this lion you see several brushes I have made to use along with examples on how I get some of my results. Brushes I use are paint brush,smudge brush and dodge/burn...all at different strengths and weights and exposures. I also use the marquee tool just as I would if I was masking off on my traditional canvas painting.

[Coy]

outstanding work.

[sharie]

polar mama

I love polar bears and do quite a bit of polar bears art but the ones with babies are my favorites

[sharie]

This is one of my character designs I worked up in Illustrator. This guy took awile to work up and also learned quite a bit while creating him. Many things I now know how to do in a better and more quick way to do

[ZukiH]

i love the polar mama!

Do you start with a normal picture and turn it into digital art?

[sharie]

Thanks the polar mama is one of my favorites.

I start with a new empty document just as I do with my canvas painting. Up on the lion it says how I go about creating my animal works

[Coy]

Absolutly love the polar mama.. my fav so far.

[sharie]

This wolf design is a favorite I have it framed hanging in my den above the fireplace sized at 40in wide. My print process is Giclee (pronounced Gee’clay)
Hahnemuehle Museum Etching, This is a very heavy weight paper 100%cotton I wished the hair texture showed up on the this small size, reducing it kinda shrunk up much of the details.

[sharie]

I had this one printed 60 inches wide. I have always loved creating anything with animals but the polar bears grab my heart.

[ZukiH]

Amazing, Sharie! I just love love love your paintings!

[Geko]

Outstanding work, you should definitively try a tablet. Wacom ones are expensive but worthy, I have a genius tablet and I'm happy with it.

Really loved your work

[rapanui]

Pushing the boundaries between paper and digital painting, truly amazing !!!! I wouldn't have known these paintings were made using Photoshop. I particularly like the polar bear ones. Great work

[iTL]

that wolf is epic..nice work!!

[shefshef019]

Wow, great work! I admire your patience for doing these in Photoshop

I bet these would make great gifts if you printed and framed them!

[glyphica]

Hi Sharie

My favorite is the wolf, the detail is amazing on all of them though. Do you sell these? If not, you really should, they are quite beautiful!

Stephanie

[sevehn]

SNAP!!! totally AMAZING artworks!!! hands-down!!! -- these are awesome Sharie --- it has a light-kinda-touch-feel .... but still detailed enough ...

okay -- my favs are:

- the Polar Bears!!! of coz!!!

and

- the wolf !!!!!!! rockn'


hmmm ... digital painting... nice! i hvnt tried it yet -- but im experimenting with a freeware called SAI... (at least the version that im using) LOL!

[sharie]

Thanks everyone! I love creating this way. I'm happy you all are enjoying them. I am almost done with a new one

[sevehn]

hi Sharie!

uhmmmmm ... am just really super curious ... do u start with a blank canvas and paint from scratch?

am trying to self-study stuff ... LOL! and thanks for the info posted at the start of this thread! am a try it!


=D

[sharie]

Yes from scratch.

I use photoshop (cs3) right now. I open a new empty canvas plain white background. sized quite large most the time around 36 inches or larger and 300 res.

What is important is learning how to use the brushes, for example if you want to blend and have softer edges then you would use a soft brush at a lower strength lets say 75 %. Hard edges or where you might not want blending you would choose a solid hard brush at different strengths. This holds true for any type of brush, paint,smudge dodge and burn any of them.

Practice using the different brushes at different strengths and hardness/softness. Move a color around with the smudge brush at different strengths and hardnesses. The better you know what you can do with your brushes then composition follows.

I make most of my own brushes, small example on the lion, the first design on this thread.

I also use the marquee tool. Lets say I want a very hard crisp looking edge like you would see on an eye Like on the lion. The circle marquee filled with choice of eye color, leaving the marquee I would use a soft round brush (dodge/burn tool) at different strengths,highlights, shadows and such on the lower part of the eye color then on burn the upper part of the eye color using highlights or shadows. now select a new circle marquee for the pupil.

Ok the main thing is get to know what your brushes can do, no different than traditional brushes. Traditional brushes do different things as well as there are different kinds of tradional brushes. my computer painting isn't that much different each has pros and cons

Now this is the most important of all........have fun with it, no matter if you are creating on the computer or traditional canvas. If you love and have fun with what you do it will show in your work.

[sevehn]

WOW!

Thanks for the detailed infor Sharie! - i sure will play with those advises! -- can't wait actually! =D

i just completed a sketch too, now trying to figure how to set the scanner to scan an 11' x 18' or an A3 paper LOL!

- and am start my evil santa entry this week! LOL! -- am having a feeling - my evil santa wont be late (crosses fingers and toes!) xD

xD