Feature: Digital Painting

This was given a DD a few years ago, and it is well worthy of that distinction. Personally, I admire the composition, especially the placement of the statue looming over the fighting pair below - good visual storytelling, that. The use of light and contrast to guide the eye is also beautifully done, and I love the way it's used on the gladiator. A major thing I learned from studying this piece was the completion of the background, in particular the crowd: not all the details are there. Just suggestions. The viewer's eyes sees the suggestions, and fills in the rest of the blanks. As someone who tends to overwork pieces, this was great for me to see. 

Hairful by

 All of littleulvar's works display a skill with brushwork that I'm currently enduring seventy years of sworn servitude to achieve, and Hairful is no exception. In this piece, I learned again of the power of simplicity, letting the raw brush strokes suggest detail to the eyes. One brush stroke I really like? The one indicating the middle of her collar bone. It's one brush stroke, and yet it gets the job of describing all that anatomy done. Beauty. The use of color is the other thing that keeps me coming back to this piece. When I was young, my mother dressed me in purple a lot because she loved it. I then spent my tween and teen years loathing purple. But recently I have discovered the magic of it when used in art - particularly in shadowing, and Hairful is another reminder of just that.


Aviator Portrait by

In Aviator Portrait, what catches my appreciation the most is the rendering of the face - it's not hyperrealistic, nor simplified, resting in a sweetspot. The little aviator's nose is actually what really gets me. It's delightfully executed - shadow, highlight… very three-dimensional. And adorable. Also, contrary to popular opinion that, being very curly haired myself, I was born with the knowledge of how to recreate curly hair in art… I actually struggle with it. I have therefor spent quite some time studying Hirukio's handling of it here, and learned quite a bit. Finally, I admire the softness of this piece - proof to me, for the third time, that a piece does not have to be rendered to the enth degree to be successful.

Crone by
 
It was difficult deciding which of Lane's pieces to use in this feature, as I find many things in each of his works that I want to emulate and imitate. But I settled on this one, mainly for its use of light, both direct and reflected. The reflected light bouncing up into the crone's face is beautifully warm, rich, and friendly amid the paler, softer colors of her surroundings and the whiteness of her hair. Another thing I devour Lane's art for is his ability to make a digital painting look convincingly traditional. His tutorials on sharpening your strokes and his process step-by-steps are invaluable. I highly recommend you investigate them, and though I could go on and on about the genius in Lane's work, I'll just be quiet now and let it speak for itself.

Owl Griffin and the Flying Ship by :ironRobtheDoodler:

This piece is more in the vein of the work I do now, and the work I expect myself to achieve within the near future. Rob works with exquisitely-executed traditional lineart, and digital color laid overtop. A simpler coloring technique, perhaps, than the artists I featured above, but very successful, nonetheless. Look at the level of realism the three dimensionality achieved in Owl Griffin and the Flying Ship with such a simple color job! (Hah. I sense a pattern being thoroughly preached to me: SIMPLIFY) The result is crisp, clear, and successful, and many, if not most, of Rob's similar work is no different. If you enjoy owl griffins, comics about land sharks, or mech armor, check out his gallery.