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Tutorial - Common Digital Painting Mistakes
Published: 2012-06-07 04:07:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 231574; Favourites: 12210; Downloads: 4631
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Description
A guide to common digital painting mistakes that I've either seen or done myself...hopefully it helps
UPDATE
If you have questions please visit my journal for a list of FAQ first, you might find them answered there.
[link]
Otherwise, ask away!
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Comments: 759
Thanks a lot! I'm really new at digital art and pretty much just trying to figure things out at the moment. This is really helpful as I always end up thinking "Why doesn't this work?".
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i learn so much. thank you, this tutorial is really really helpful.
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guilty, but I can't work too big or my laptop will die
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best tutorial iΒ΄ve seen.. Great idea to show these errors, and you can do whatever you want except make these mistakes.
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Nearly every single one of these
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Hm... I am thinking about the "work big" point now... I usually work with 2000x1500 pixels as size... but the way you put it it seems I should work even bigger?
What is a good size to work with? At what point the image is to small? ΓΆ_ΓΆ Any advice on that?
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Partly depends what you want to do. Do you want to print? If so, how large? And then as this tutorial says, for comfort and flexibility, being able to zoom in and be able to draw eye lashes without straining your eyes is another factor to consider.
Here are some good rules of thumb: [link]
And here's a more full discussion: [link]
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That's what I call helpfull links! Thank you!
And no I rarely print my pics, they mostly remain digital.
But maybe even for that case a recommended size exists? XD Just wondering.
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Yeah, the links I gave mention for web.
Working big can be nice because it means people can zoom in on your work and appreciate the small details.
The size you're working at at the moment is probably fine, though if you start getting into the illustration/print/whatever business you'll need to work a bit bigger.
Working bigger is also nice for flexibility -- means that if you decide some time later that you want to make prints, you don't have to completely re-do the picture.
In this spirit, another guidelines is 'as big as you can before the software starts to get laggy'.
But yeah. Comfort is probably the most important for you, given you don't want to do prints yet. Maybe try a bigger size and see if it feels better. Otherwise you're prolly fine.
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As far as I know there's not one "standard size." I told someone else that my rule of thumb is I take the part of my piece that I want to be most detailed, then make sure that at 100% the part fills the screen so I can work really close on it.
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HELPFUL!!!! I love you for making this I never got the "Laziness" part before but I think I include all other mistakes in my art >"< Now I can fix them! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
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This was ridiculously helpful. I mean, I've started really practicing digital art during this year and I've done such newbie mistakes - mistakes I wouldn't so easily fall for with traditional art.
Thank you for the tutorial! I will put all learnt to use in a way or another.
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It would be nice to see follow up tutorials possibly being made in the future to give viewers better insight into each of the points that you highlighted in this guide. As for me, I don't really think that there's necessarily a right or wrong way when it comes to digital painting, or art in general to be honest. I think it comes down to a personal level of what you want to achieve out of your work and not what you're told is the right or wrong way to go about it. Who is to say that any one of these highlighted techniques/tools are actually mistakes? Aside from the copy/paste and reliance on cookie-cutter brushes to shortcut things, I would say that many of these "mistakes" is how a lot of artists create their identity or their overall look, if you will. Basically, I've just started believing that there's really no such thing as a right or wrong way when it comes to art in general as a whole. The best tutorial anyone can actually follow is just to go and try things for themselves and see what works for them personally. That's what I believe anyways.
P.S. You seem to really know your stuff when it comes to digital painting... After I get done with this comment, I'm going to go start watching you(deviantart, not the creepy way), as I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. The few things you have so far are very intriguing pieces. Good job.
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thank you! and yes, most of these aren't always "mistakes." I've probably seen a piece or two that uses each of these and does it well. A lot of it is about personal style. I mean, if it works it works!
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My 2 cents: There is a right and wrong, if one of your goals is to make something look believable. Reality, physics of light, etc. are objective. Now, you might want to bend them for artistic purposes, as it says in the conclusion of this tutorial, but you have to know what reality is like and how to render it before you bend it. Otherwise, the art isn't really based on artistic decisions, but rather random choices from not knowing better.
Most of these tips are based on trying to get a better, more accurate rendering of reality, and pointing out some things that beginners think are accurate but actually aren't. (For example, in real life, there's loads of contrast, so much that cameras can't properly capture a photo outside during a sunny day because they just don't have the range of light and dark. So when beginners draw things with low contrast and thinking they're drawing something that accurately represents reality, they're making an error on some factual thing.)
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My point however is that I'm sure that for every one person who wants to draw and digitally paint in a more realistic manner, there's going to be people who would rather buck that style and go with something more unnatural. Your very first sentence led into my original point, right or wrong techniques come down to your personal goals and/or choices. And as for your second paragraph, I understand that aspect of what this guide(as I don't really think this constitutes as a tutorial personally) is trying to help the readers understand...
However, I'm merely arguing that artists shouldn't go off what guides/tutorials say is right or wrong with their way of doing things, but simply go and try new things in whatever medium they wish to use in order to find their own style... Which may or may not be a right or wrong from this very same guide. If everyone digitally painted like `Artgerm or *GENZOMAN , then not only would the aforementioned DA artist cease to be held in high regard, but everyone's art would just run together. My point is that art is born of artistic creativity, not artistic conformity. Why would I as a fellow artist or even a viewer of artwork wish to craft my art style to look like an off-brand of (to use her as an example) ~natasha2808 when I would much rather prefer other artists or myself to become their own artists with their own flair or style.
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I understand the point you're trying to make, but as far as technique go, it's not the same as an artistic decision and there are better techniques than others. I work myself a wide range of styles and medias, and I often tweak and bend rules for specific purposes, but reading this guide, I was nodding franctically. I can remember doing all of those things at one point of another, and eventually realizing that these are not good methods. For ANY style, for that matter. I used the smudge tool and the dodge tool for years, and I've seen the quality of my work get better instantly when I dropped them. As for contrast, level of detail, and the other points mentionned in this guide these are all good things to know. No matter your style, your picture will ALWAYS look better if there's at least some contrast somewhere in it, and if the level of detail is not the same everywhere. Now, as to decide where to put contrast or details and where not to, that is an artistic decision
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Hm, well I can't say I disagree with you, so congrats lol. But still, I just don't think that saying that dropping something from your repertoire will be as successful as if another person chose to drop the same from theirs. That kinda made little sense... What I mean is, you can't necessarily claim that following something seemingly to the letter(ala this guide) will result in the same outcome between two different artists who read and went with what was presented. Looking at your artwork in general, I would consciously say that a lot of your work is, for the most part, going against the grain of what this particular guide says are mistakes.
Personally, I find that to be a great thing, I think art is supposed to be a mixed bag per se. There's plenty of linear, realism, abstract, etc artists that need to find their own wrongs or rights is what makes their art work. I don't think that necessarily contrast makes a picture ALWAYS look better, as I can think about a few instances where I found certain "flat"(I suppose you would call it) artworks to be interestingly wonderful. I do suppose that it's more of a benefit to go off things brought forth by this guide, but I guess what my big point of all this really is, is that I would like to have seen a 12th point be included into the tutorial/guide... That 12th point for me would have to be(and I think it's a big one actually, one that not a lot of people don't get for awhile), "Only use tutorials as launching pads or brief guideline, don't over rely on tutorials and go try new things out yourself in whatever medium you desire." <---Basically lol.
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You're overthinking this my friend... This is a guide for digital painting. It says so in the title. "Common digital painting mistakes". Try new things in whatever medium you desire does not apply. Abstract work or flat styles don't apply. Specifically for digital painting, I can confidently say that everything in this guide is good advice. For example, the smudge tool and dodge tool have their uses, but they are NOT good tools for digital painting. The dodge tool is miraculous for cleaning linearts, because it removes the gray spots, cleaning all the white without affecting the darker lines. However, some people use it in painting because they are lazy, but this tool only makes everything super white and saturated. It can NOT replace careful, proper shading that implies subtle touches of different colors and good blending. Similarly, the smudge tool can be very useful for treating photographs, but some people use it to blend and it has terrible results. I know because I've used it for years. I am confident saying that it should NEVER be used to blend colors in a digital painting. It's just not made for that, it doesn't work. Even if you spend a long time on it, the way this tool works the more you pick at it, the worst it becomes. I agree that we can't speak for all media and styles. There is no universal advice. But for a specific thing, in this case digital painting, there are right and wrong methods.
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You can't apply most of these to something you do using other mediums? I guess color contrasts only exist in photoshop... Sarcasm aside, I don't believe you got my last comment's point at all. I said that while it may be true that you found them all to be good advice, I would argue that some would not given their artistic style and YES artistic mediums. If I drink a coke and find it delicious it doesn't mean that a pepsi-fan will also find it delicious because I found it to be so. And to quickly cover about 10 of your 2nd-half sentences, I would simply reply that also being a digital artist, I would disagree that are right and wrong methods.... Then again, and back to my point, coke and pepsi. Or in layman's terms, to each his own. I actually don't think I'm right or wrong, nor do I think you're right or wrong, or even that this guide's creator is right or wrong... But then again and one last time, that's been my actual point.
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Hey after my last comment I went to check your gallery. So you're a digital colorist. I have to say, your coloring isn't the worst I've seen, but it's a long, long shot from the best. ALL the advice in this guide could apply to your work except maybe the copy/paste, and your coloring would greatly benefit from it. I used to think exactly like you, you know. I thought "No way, even if they say smudge, dodge and burn are no good, *I* have mastered them, *I* can obtain good results with them". No, I didn't obtain good results. My coloring looked very much like yours. I was very stubborn and didn't listen to advice I read in tutorials, and finally it took me years to eventually, by myself, slowly change my method. Here's an old drawing of mine: [link] using the smudge, dodge and burn. And here's a more recent painting: [link] using proper shading methods.
Come back in 3 years and tell me how you color then.
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Um so you just got kinda, actually, really bitchy to be honest. I never once claimed my art is close to being "the best" nor did I claim that my art is supposed to be an example of the benefits of not going with the things mentioned in this tutorial...I also never once said that I actually think that I can't improve my art by following the things outlined in this tutorial, I merely was arguing the point that I have seen wonderful examples where going against the grain worked and I didn't like the "right/wrong" typing. But anyways thanks for the snarky, half-diss of my art for no apparent reason. And if we're going to play the "mines bigger than yours" game, I will say that my "coloring that isn't the worst you've ever seen" has been featured in at least a magazine, several blogs, and most can be found at the very top of google searches. Further so, I haven't posted a single digital painting piece in about 4 years, so seeing as I was 15-16, I'd say it's not really bad at all. Lastly, and to be fair(and I strongly believe you crossed the line when it comes to common courtesy amongst fellow artists), I will say that in regards to your gallery...let's just say I'd rather take the somewhat high road and give you a little more respect/decorum than you've attempted in showing me. Thanks, it's been a real joy chatting with you.... >.>
P.S. I don't really ever get this "butthurt" when it comes to things like this, even my in regards to my art, but you just pushed me to this level. Congrats.
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For real,and it doesn't help that she has no art worthy to prove her points
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It may be hard for you to accept but I'm actually trying to give you advice because you remind me of myself. I don't want to be bitchy just for the sake of being bitchy, and I wouldn't attack someone's artwork just because we disagree. I just happened to check your gallery, and what was a fun theoretical argument was embodied there. What I'm saying is, your stubborness is preventing you from learning. I was once just like that, not listening to anyone's great advice and self-righteously thinking "my technique is as good as any! Art is so subjective, who are THEY to say my method isn't the best?" and I had to take the long way around to realize I was wrong. Yes art is subjective, but there ARE better artists than other, and there ARE ways to improve dramatically. You remind me so much of how I was in high school it's unbelievable. Thinking back, I should have drop my idealistic, unrealistic non-sense that was nothing more than ego, and listen to my teachers, and read tutorials. They know a lot and they can teach you how to be a better artist if you stop being so closed to it.
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That's all fine and dandy, but to be honest, I lost all the respect that I had gained for you while we engaged in these brief difference of opinions. The shame is that I found almost everything you had to say to be well-informed and genuinely interesting. But I'm sorry, I can not continue chatting with you in any context. You may not have meant to, although I can somewhat doubt that to the otherwise...Or you may have meant to go about "giving me advice", but what you said is not something I'll tolerate and is something I find far too beneath the level of someone as intelligent as yourself. Trying to maintain the same sense of courtesy that I feel is something every artist should subscribe to, I will simply leave you with this... I wish you the best in your life, your artistic career, and your future endeavors.
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Well I'm probably a bit blunt. I used to be all butthurt too when people *dared* criticize my work. But I've been in art college for more than 4 years now and my teachers don't sugarcoat it when they point out everything that sucks in every project I hand in. I've come to appreciate their crystal-clear honesty because I know now how helpful they are, and I try to be the same way. I'm sorry if I offended you, it was definitely not my intention, and if I had known that you would never see the advice I was trying to give I wouldn't have bothered.
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Of course contrast exist in other media, what I was saying is that this is a digital painting guide so I can't understand why you'd bring other media in conversation in the first place. Also, the coke and pepsi is not a very good analogy for this topic. Comparing flavor and techniques is like comparing apples and oranges. More appropriate for this situation, let's say there's a screw to tighten. One uses a screwdriver, and the other tries to tighten it with a nut cracker. He may be able to tighten it eventually, but it will take him a very long time, and he still won't be able to do as good a job as the guy with the screwdriver. While you may say to each his own, and I agree to that statement in general, but even if you're a huge fan of the nut cracker and won't recognize it to yourself, the screwdriver is better for this particular job. And the smudge tool is terrible for blending.
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I mostly agree with you Nessamh, but a nitpick:
The smudge tool and dodge tool can be used effectively in digital painting, but only if the artist knows what they're doing. So, the smudge tool if used should not be on the default setting (i.e. turning on scattering can make it more useful, and makes it similar to a Corel Painter blender brush). Dodge and burn have rare uses, and if you use them for general shading it will do weird things and not look good (basically because the tools don't know what saturation you're going for, and don't know what hue shifts in shadows look appropriate). But so long as the artist understands how they work and what effect they want to get, it's possible to use them effectively.
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The smudge tool on scattering can look somewhat good, but for having used it for so long I still don't think it can ever achieve an effect as good as the simple brush and proper blending. I noticed a great improvement in my work when I stopped using smudge altogether. As for dodge and burn, no matter how good people think they can control them, they will always have a major disadvantage: the results they create look widely different from a screen to another. I'm not sure why that is, but both saturation and lightness will look completely different on different screens.
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Incredibly guilty of overblending xD I knew about a lot of these and try to keep them in mind, but it's nice to have a guide to reference, nice, helpful piece, I approve
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Agreed. Go suggest it!
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i am guilty of all of these, thank you so much for this. Very specific and helpful
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This is really cool and helpfullll C: thanks for sharing
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This is the best thing ever!
I have tried to learn digital painting like two years and I think I'm just lately started to understand it. Especially laziness part... (It was quite shock first)
Do you have any warnings about filters?
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agreed, don't put filters as a way to polish something that doesn't look good to begin with. I've never used filters for anything, my philosophy is that it usually looks better when you render it yourself no matter how easy it is because filters won't understand all the nuances of your work. color correction can work sometimes, but if you're always using it make sure that you don't have fundamental problems with your own color choices at the beginning that are causing you to have to rely on a filter at the end.
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I see. I usually try to make my works look more clean with filters... But I should try to use more time to make them look clean without filters.
Thank you very much about this free information and your time.
I appreciate it.
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no problem glad I could help!
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- If it looks cheesy or obviously from Photoshop, reconsider.
- If you're using it because the picture is boring without it, more than likely there are some more fundamental problems and adding a filter would just be putting nail polish on a turd.
- If it's something you know how to render yourself if you put the time into it, but the filter is just an easy fast way to get it done, then it's probably fine.
- If it's just something like colour correction, pros do that all the time and it's fine.
- NO LENS FLARE 
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Thank you very much of your time. I'l try to remember your tips. :'D
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I admit I'm guilty of using smudge tool too much but I somehow managed to master it by now, lol; I tried blending colors by using different opacity colors and brushes but in the end, my smoothing OCD comes back to attack me and my brain goes 'Must...smudge...the crap out of this!' and then it's back to smudge tool, haha.
But this is a very nicely made tutorial and it's really helpful. Thanks for making this!
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You know I used the smudge tool for a long time when I started doing digital, and I thought exactly like you. It took me a long time to come to realize that using this tool is actually a lot more work than blending properly. Because it's SOO easy for the smudge tool to look terrible, when you want to make it look good it takes enormous amounts of tweaking. Plus, when you blend properly you use more colors, and in the end the result is much better!
If you like smooth shading I suggest you try Paint Tool Sai, it's a great cheap program that has some good blending tools, like the marker tool and the water tool. They allow you to make a perfect shading more quickly, using less colors than in Photoshop but achieving a similar result.
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Yeah, I've tried Paint Tool SAI and I agree, the Watercolor tool and most brushes are almost too good to be true, lol. Unfortunately, I don't have any money to buy it so I could only try out the trial version. Maybe someday. xD
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I haven't tried this yet, but if you use the Smudge tool you might find this helpful: [link]
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Ah, yeah, I've experimented with various brush settings when it comes to Smudge tool, too and they're really handy. Thanks!
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Regarding point 7. The use of "dpi" (dots per inch) is usually in conjunction with printing and scanning.
It is more of a "conversion" between the digital and the real world.
In scanning it is to get a more detailed image, as it scans more pixels per inch.
In printing it is used to get the correct dimension and level of detail of a finished work that is then printed physically.
Hence advising people to work in 300 dpi can be misunderstood;
An image of 300x300 pixels in amazingly 1200 dpi will still be too small to add the details you want.
And an image of as an example 18000x12000 pixels in puny 4 dpi probably have the sufficient size for the details you want.
Other than that its a good tip; "work big".
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thanks for clarifying this
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you see, i know this stuff.... but i just can't seem to quit :/ i can sketch with anything, including a tablet and my sketches always come out looking somewhat professional, but i can never color anything right..... it's like when i try to add color i've used the paint bucket tool in MS Paint and done various other things wrong :/ hopefully this helps ^.^ thanks for putting it up!
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