I could paint old scary/cool houses like this all day!
This was painted using my NEW colorpicker! (see bottom of post)
This is what I did for my Plein Air FINAL (Unlike my 23 other paintings for the class, the painting portion was done digitally and off location.) I tried to utilize everything I learned over the semester in this painting, and feel I did a good job.
I did this for my final in my BFA degree capstone (ICAP) class.
I love filling my sketchbook with portraits of people from around me, so I decided to make it part of my final for ICAP. The point of this portrait was to take something normal (a class member...which happened to be a fellow illustrator, EVA) and make it (her) special/extraordinary (Watch out! We're delving deep into Art Theory here... haha). I really enjoyed how the drawing turned out.
Finally, a couple weeks ago I decided to venture out and participate in a Japanese PaintChat. Though their program was over-simplified, I discovered something, like an extra arm that I didn't know I had, that I now absolutely NEED! Basically they had a colorpicker that remained available simultaneously as I PAINTED. I found it very natural, easy to adjust COLORS and find them again... Oh my GOSH! where have you BEEN?! Once I fell in love, I HAD to find a similar action in Photoshop!
For me in Photoshop: 1.the HSB Sliders were too halting. 2.Constantly having to open and close the ColorPicker box (only available from the color swatch icon) was such I pain. 3.And the color swatches gave a good/solid range, but did not allow the full/creative control I wanted. (I've personally been using swatches for years, but until now I didn't see a need to change. )
As I dug deeper on this quest I discovered that, until CS5, the color picker could NOT be put on a shortcut key, and you could NOT have it open and work on your document at the same time in PHOTOSHOP. I own CS4, so that is where Anastasiy http://anastasiy.com/colorwheel comes into play. Basically some GENIUS decided to bank on Adobe's serious lack of ingenuity. It is an extra plugin that you, or anyone, PC, or MAC, can add to any version of photoshop (CS3 and above):
Example of me using the Anastasiy Colorpicker while painting.
It makes picking and reacting to colors a THOSANDS times easier.
Honestly after researching CS5's solution, I like this plug-in EVEN MORE ( since it stays continuously open, instead of being connected to a complex keyboard shortcut). Right now I am still using the "Trial" version, and for $14.00 I am going to have to buy the "Full" version, but until the 15 days run out, even the trial/limited version does EXACTLY what I want. With this tool I can NOW do ANYTHING with photoshop!
Having said that, the only quirky thing I've ran into so far, is that when I use eyedropper, from Photoshop's tools, the color does not register on the colorpicker plugin. But since color selection is SO easy, its not that big of a deal. Thank you Anastasiy!
Once again here is the link to Anastasiy : http://anastasiy.com/colorwheel
[Edit 14 December 2011: I bought the official/FULL version today for $11. The full version syncs with the photoshop eyedropper. Repeat the full version of the colorpicker sync's with photoshop's eyedropper.]
I just downloaded it-looking foward to trying it out. When digital sketching or painting in PS what brush do you find you generally start off with. Hard Round, soft, pencil? I have tried several with diffrent result. However I still have't found an approach I am 100% with.
ReplyDeleteTarrius, for basic painting it might be best to start with a hard round brush set on Opacity jitter (assuming that you are using a wacom). To adjust size just use the + or - signs. I use a dry media brush that Photoshop provides, but have edited it to my own liking. Also as a note I found out that the trial version IS FOR ONLY 15 DAYS. Sigh....So now I have to buy it. ^_^
ReplyDeleteJust a thought...
ReplyDeleteThe shortcut to the picker is i. Brush is b. And, you can make it a hotkey! My Intuous 3 has it there automatically.
Also, did you know that you can fullview your Photoshop screen? Press f, then tab. Then tab again to get rid of your things. R also rotates the canvas.
Also, I love the painting of the house!
I recently got a little Motion Computing Tablet PC for a couple hundred dollars. I'm sure it would be a worthwhile investment for you. If you go look at my blog, you can see how it made me better in the recent post with the girl.
Also, I really love your character style, as always.
Then again, maybe you meant the actual box, I see! Which is really cool. Although, I mean, there's always the swatches and stuff...and the sliders option, too.....
ReplyDeleteAnyway!
How did you get your blog to have that nice big picture up there?
I really should be doing my finals. Also, it's so awesome that you graduated. And you're having another kid, too! That's so wonderful for you.
Jami,
ReplyDeleteYah. It is the actual colorpicker dialogue box that I wanted. In my post I mentioned how I don't like the HSB sliders (awfully TINY for one thing), and up until now I've been using swatches (which work, but for me they are unresponsive crutches to color)
To edit your blog header go to " DESIGN (at the top of the page) then click on the "Edit" link on your header...the you just add an image. the hardest part if getting an image that fits just right. ^_^
At one point in my life I was going to get a tablet PC, but I decided back then, and even still think they need more time to develop. Besides, if I wait long enough IPADs will be advanced enough and will be able to run full versions of photoshop....hopefully? haha!
And thanks for all your kind words!