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ladyshalafae — random elf pin-up
Published: 2006-11-17 07:02:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 1274; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 26
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Description
Just something to kind of clear the palette between big illustrations and stuff. Completely random pinup done from a photo reference found here on DA. Actually, all I used from the photo was the pose. Everything else was made up.I played with a couple of techniques told me about. One didn't turn out quite how I wanted it on this piece, so I completely scrapped it. However, the two I did use: on a separate layer, i did a gradient from one corner to the other using a highlight and a shadow from the background, then set the layer to soft light and lowered the opacity. It really made the colors pop, but I had to erase it from over his eyes. It had really washed them out, and I was very pleased by the color I had achieved. The other technique is a bit of a variation on what she said; I duplicated the jewelry layer, gaussian blurred it slightly, set it to overlay and lowered the opacity. The gold really shone then, and I was pleased with it. (I've seen this technique in tuts before, variantly, as a way to put a glow on stars. I'm glad she reminded me about it. I'm so going to use it on metals now.)
I was also playing around with using a new brush to add some texture to the skin. Not sure if I entirely like it, so I'm going to have to play around more.
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Comments: 28
*grins* that sounds like a good idea
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Again, another nice piece from you. I have to say that your work is changing from what I saw from you when I joined here. It seems that lately your work has grown. I think you are going for it more or something. You see a goal and you seem to be hitting towards it.
Oh, I want to try that technique! Let me finish this last little girl image and I will. I do like that you share what you did in your works, it makes a beginner digital artist think that maybe I can do this.
Critique: Ok, you know our conversation about not adding blues to skin tones and how people tell you it is wrong? I think this image needs those blues added to it. It would help unite it with the blues of the background, tie the image together and give it that look you always have. It seems that it needs some coolness in the shadows and depths of his curves.
I do agree about the hair needing a little definition. Maybe add an opalescence to it, little glimmers of other colors to the strands so that we can see some individual strands. I try this in my work but I have yet to find a really good way to make hair. It is either too stringy or one clump.
Something about his face bothers me too but I cannot put a finger on it. It could just be my personal preferences in facial features. I feel that it needs more depth and I think that is where the blues that you usually add would draw out a little more inner expression in him.
One thing about your work that I really like is your attention to decorative surfaces such as the background ( that technique), stones and cloth texture. The pants look like soft velvet and nicely executed. Tattoos lie nicely on the body and have the appropriate highlights and shadows, they look real. You have inspired me to try something digital again when I get the time. Keep them coming and please share what you learn. That is what I expect from a community.
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I enjoy sharing what I've done, and what I learn. It's because it's so integral to how I learn, that I can't help from doing it. Even if someone doesn't do exactly what I do, it may inspire them to find what DOES work for them.
Thanks for the critiques. That's my favorite part of comments. It really helps strengthen what I'm doing, and pick up what I'm slacking on.
I actually started with a bluish color in the skins, but it was making it too gray. All the fun stuff we play with.
I actually have no idea how to recreate irridescence. It simply escapes me on how to pull it off.
With things like the background, I honestly tend to "cheat", using some of the tools Photoshop provides. A couple of layer effects, some layer blending, and it turns out all chiseled like that. But the pants are all about using a certain type of textured brush. The tattoos I discovered all on my own; lower the layer opacity, go back with the dodge and burn tools and darken a few spots, but otherwise just let the highlights and shadows of the skin take care of it. (I have three tats, I can see how they play with the skin)
Thanks. I'm still waiting to see the completed faerie girls.
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Good pose, nice body (
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Don't be sorry. Everyone has to have their own opinions.
His face is a little bigger than a normal human face, so it's not entirely normal.
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More like sexy elf pin-up. :B
Only complaint is that his left (our right) side seems too devoid of tattoos when compared to the rest of his skin. It just seems.. empty.
The tattoos themselves are NFBSKing amazing, as is the celtic knotwork in the background.
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Thanks for the fave.
The celtic knots in the background are some brushes I found. Those on his body were done by hand. I had forgotten how much I liked doing knotworks.
Yeah, his left does seem a little empty. I had been planning for the light to kinda balance it, but doesn't seem to balance it enough.
Thanks again.
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Ahhh, yes! Excellent work. Everything looks really unified and tied-together, and the metal looks fantabulous. Great stuff!
As far as texture goes, I'd say go for it. But if you're using texture, you either have to go the whole hog and texture everything, or not at all. Just a bit of texture kinda looks out of place. I'd advise against texturing skin unless he's scaly.
Great work!
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It's that toss up between keeping the skin from looking plastic, and from having some form of lizard man. I'll probably reserve actually texturing skin for a time when I'm doing some huge closeup.
And thanks.
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You're quite welcome, sweetbean.
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ack! if i'm a sweetbean, now my ravens will eat me! *giggles*
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funny you say that.....they actually make that noise when they're eating something especially delicious.
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AWWWWW!!! Cuteness overload!!
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you have no idea the overload of cuteness they are. i mean, i have to actually say "thought, stop putting food in your brother"
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That's bloody adorable. I want some. How did you get them?
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all three of them were out of their respective nests. Thought was born in the redwood that (used to be, before i moved) was in our front yard, and we picked him up during a rainstorm. he was born to be a familiar, and so he wanted to come to my fiance, and jumped out on his own.
Memory also wanted to be found, since he has a gimpy foot, and he was sitting patiently at the base of his birth-tree at a park down the street from where we were living. My fiance had been out using his laptop, saw the little guy just sitting there, not flying away when he got startled, and knew he was meant to come home. It was too precious the way he comes home; he said laptop bags are great, the carry everything. Even memories, and he pulled this shivery little quiet baby out of the bag. He was too cute as a baby. Right now, he looks kinda like a baby vulture, since he's molting; he's bald, and his chest feathers look gray because the down is really poking through.
Zim is a little older, she was more learning to live outside her nest, but was too young to be able to fly back up to the nest. My brother-in-law-to-be brought her home, didn't have the patience to take care of her, so she has ended up being my girl. She's the dumbest of the group.
Can you tell I LOVE talking about the kids?
We really lucked out in adopting them, but I also know there are breeders throughout the states, so I'm sure there are some breeders on your side of the water. I'd love to find a reliable breeder of the African white-necked raven....the grow to be like two feet long, and have a five foot wingspan. Monster raven.
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Awww, they're your babiiiess. That's adorable. I genuinely want one, though. I'll see what I can come up with! They sound like they make great companions. Are they good to keep and look after? What do you feed them?
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They are fun, but only if you have lots of time to dedicate to them while they're young. Or at least, my little murder has learned to do without me while I'm at work.
They are fantastically intelligent and whimsically disobedient. Like, these three like to take the jade Foo dog off my monitor, just because they know it upsets me. Or stand on my big expensive Aliens statue, because they know I think they're cute on it no matter how much I yell. They can find ways into damn near anything, and they love EVERYTHING remotely shiny. But they learn quick, and I've heard of some being really well behaved pets. It really all depends on the mindset of their owner. (Although I heard someone say you don't own a raven, they own you.)
And they eat just about everything. I buy them lots of canned fruits and vegetables, because I can just stock up and dole it out. Mine also get things like oatmeal and cat food, cooked noodles, bread, popcorn, and potatoes. They love meat, so I usually get them chicken or beef liver, because I can get a pound of it for a dollar, normally. I also spoil them with things like graham crackers and sweet cereals. Thought had a thing for coffee for a while. Since they're omnivores, I feed them pretty much whatever they will eat, and rotate it, because these spoiled brats get really bored easily. I don't know if it's just because they're young, but they're particularly fond of sweet things, like pears and graham crackers. I've also found they really dig the Pounce brand cat treat. They see the cannister, and they know I'm about to spoil them.
They like to bathe almost daily, so I keep a big flat tupperware with about a half inch or inch of water in the bottom, along with a normal water dish. They love the most random toys, so right now they have nuts and bolts, plus these giant plastic jacks, three different kinds of cat jingle balls, the newspaper they shred up, some little elephant shaped Monkey in a Barrel style toy, and a chain off a pair of neo-punk pants. They also make their spare food dishes into toys, turning them over and dragging them around the cage. I've also found they like the kind of toys designed for cockatiels and parakeets (budgies); small, colorful, with mirrors and little bells. And they adore bells; not only are they shiny, but they make noise!
They can be VERY messy. I cleaned their cage, and within 24 hours it did not look like I had. They purposely went around destroy the newspaper to make a mess. Lots of little flicks of food and shed feathers everywhere.
If you're home a lot, one bird would be fine, because you could focus on it. If there can't be someone constantly with them (or aware for no more than a couple hours) I would definitely recommend a pair. This murder loves me, loves me being with them, but they entertain themselves while I'm gone, so they're not all stressed out.
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(I'm sure the collective noun for crows is a "murder", and the one for raven is an "unkindness".)
That sounds really interesting. I've looked after birds before, and ravens sound an interesting challenge. I think when ~Dante-deVyre and I have a house of our own, I'll certainly look into it... Thank you! Send them some LOVE from me!
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Okies, they have greedily taken your love.
hmmmm, and unkindness. i guess that's like my brats
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Whoo. Looks like almost my Sintar the crazt wizard. Lovely work my dear.
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