First Profile Revisited

[felixdk]

I've revised my first profile to use take advantage of some things that I've learned and bring it into line with my recent work. I like the way a plane looks in flight with a pilot and the props whirling, so those have been added and a background "story" added to give some context. Bill Barnes in his Silver Lancer has just defeated his enemy Mordecai Murphy, the "Saver of Souls" in the Murphy "Dart" fighter.

With a tip of the hat to the old "Pulps" illustrators

[Zverya]

I like the canopy glass effect

[felixdk]

I like the canopy glass effect :lol:

Thanks Zverya,

I know that you prefer real airplanes, but this one, based on a 1930s "Pulp" magazine hero let me strech my imagination a little :) .

[Christian@YYZ]

amazing, what program did you use for this?

I've been trying to do some drawings like this for a long time, but I've never had much luck

[The Rat]

If someone would make a kit of that plane it would add a lot of modelers to the 'what if' fraternity, who could possibly resist something like that?! FANTASTIC! And thanks.

[felixdk]

Christian,

The original drawing was for the Lancer was done in Corel Draw X3. Vectors give you a nice clean drawing to paint. The painting of the Lancer and the drawing of the Murphy Dart and pilot were done in Photoshop CS2. You can use very basic PS tools and still get a good result without benefit of the all the very nice, but complicated tools available; you can learn them gradually.

There's a breakdown of the work done here: Silver Lancer

To The Rat,

You're welcome, it was a lot of fun trying to bring this beast to life. I would love to see a nice kit of the Silver Lancer, but I think scratchbuilding is the only way we're gonna see one.

[Christian@YYZ]

Christian,

The original drawing was for the Lancer was done in Corel Draw X3. Vectors give you a nice clean drawing to paint. The painting of the Lancer and the drawing of the Murphy Dart and pilot were done in Photoshop CS2. You can use very basic PS tools and still get a good result without benefit of the all the very nice, but complicated tools available; you can learn them gradually.

There's a breakdown of the work done here: Silver Lancer

Thanks

I'm going to have a go at something early next week I think...

... how did you create the shadows so accurately? just a case of lots of pracitce and free handing it?

[felixdk]

Thanks

I'm going to have a go at something early next week I think...

... how did you create the shadows so accurately? just a case of lots of pracitce and free handing it?

What I do is decide on the position if the sun and then draw an arrow on a separate layer to represent the angle of the sunlight. Since rays of the sun are parallel, you can just move the arrow around on the painting and use it as a guide. I make a mask using the selection tool for the area on the airframe that will be in shadow and then airbrush the shadow at an opacity of 26% or so, making it heavier where it starts and lighter where reflected light hits it. Leaving the shadow a uniform value really kills any 3D effect on the airframe.

[Christian@YYZ]

What I do is decide on the position if the sun and then draw an arrow on a separate layer to represent the angle of the sunlight. Since rays of the sun are parallel, you can just move the arrow around on the painting and use it as a guide. I make a mask using the selection tool for the area on the airframe that will be in shadow and then airbrush the shadow at an opacity of 26% or so, making it heavier where it starts and lighter where reflected light hits it. Leaving the shadow a uniform value really kills any 3D effect on the airframe.

alright, where can I find the airbrush tool? I just did a quick look through CS2 and I couldn't find it.

[felixdk]

Here you go

If you open the Tool Preset Picker (far left icon in the Options toolbar), you'll also find an airbrush preset in the dropdown menu.

[Christian@YYZ]

Here you go

If you open the Tool Preset Picker (far left icon in the Options toolbar), you'll also find an airbrush preset in the dropdown menu.

ah, that would do it! Thanks a lot

one last question... on trying this myself (using a mouse) I can't see a difference between the airbrush and the normal brush... yay for feeling like a newbie!

Edited August 4, 2007 by Christian@YYZ

[felixdk]

one last question... on trying this myself (using a mouse) I can't see a difference between the airbrush and the normal brush... yay for feeling like a newbie!

I don't think that much of a difference is apparent unless you are using a graphics tablet with a pressure sensitive pen; if you have such a tablet, you can make much better use of the tools in PS CS2.

Looking forward to seeing your profile

[Clave]

Drawing stuff with a mouse is grim... :(

[Christian@YYZ]

Drawing stuff with a mouse is grim... :(

it is, its a hair-pulling experience.....

..... anyone wanna sell me a Wacom Tablet cheap?

[felixdk]

Thanks Jeff,

I don't see why a profile should have to be posed at a certain traditional position or limited to a certain type of background. Each subject suggests its own treatment; this one had to be "Pulpy" :blink: .