Just one of those times...
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Despite working and reworking a piece, I just can't seem to move it in a direction that I'm satisfied with. I've done about three massive overhauls. I haven't felt this frustrated about a piece for a while. I guess there is only one thing left to do. Watch Big Hero 6.
I hope everyone else is getting along with their art
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I don't have much to contribute other than that is the funniest image I've seen in a while because it hits home so hard. I've wanted to strangle many an ocean in my time haha!
Usually what works for me is having space from a piece. Big Hero 6 sounds like a good idea to me
Ace
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I feel your pain! One of the reasons I tend to avoid working digitally. That being said: What about working out each element separately? That IS one of the advantages of the digital. Of course watching Big Hero 6 and stepping back are both good plans. Got popcorn?
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same here: when I struggle on something, I leave it for a while and when I come back, I focus on one annoying thing at a time. Sometimes I just completely erase the first layer of colour and start over. I find that if I'm struggling, it might be because the base is not working at all
the rocks seem alright to me though: the main colours are down, it's a question of refining now. same for the clouds. I don't really know what I would do with the ocean, but that's probably because I rarely tried my hand at it...
all in all, I think you're on the right track
Also, sometimes, working on details help me get a new spark for the whole thing: for example re-drawing the dragon, separately maybe, then adding it to the painting. or adding flow to the composition, like the balloon and the dragon flying in a nice curve, instead of up... etc
That said, I would like to add one more issue with your painting, sorry! it's a small detail that you can fix easily though: the hand of the little boy right on the horizon line bothered my eye straight away, it's the first thing I saw
good luck! -
i think it has a lot of potential! add some more water to your ocean and get rid of some of the sand
and you can never go wrong with big hero 6!
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I too often have argument with my art. Sometimes I want to kill it and sometimes it wants to kill me. I think I just need to give it some space haha.
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@Shinjifujioka I have every sympathy, it’s so frustrating when you can’t get the image in your head onto paper. I hope that watching Big Hero 6 will help
I’m not sure if you wanted critique as well…don’t want to criticise when you’re feeling frustrated….and I’m sure this piece will look amazing when finished, it’s got seeds ready to grow in the right places and all the things you’re frustrated with are fixable… The one thing I noticed is that the boy is wearing a onesie right next to the surf, presumably on damp sand…he is going to have really wet feet already! He doesn’t look like he is dressed for the beach……so is this a dream-like scene where he meets the dragon from his imagination? (a really great idea that you can definitely pull off..) or something else? I want to understand the story but I’m not sure what it is yet.
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@shinjifujioka I can commiserate.
Just ran across some Aaron Baise stuff that might be helpful (in fact he just tweeted that there is an 8-hour sale on some of his brushes/tutorials on painting water and clouds https://creatureartteacher.com/product/natural-elements-painting-bundle/?src=twt1023).
I am not a real big "specialty brush" guy. I pretty much stick to 2 brushes to do all my work but I watch Blaise's youtube tutorial on his water brushes and I bought them because they looked really really great.
What are your references for the rocks/clouds/water? I've gathered some refs that I like and maybe they will be helpful for you. Here is my pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/honestmullet/ (check out the references page but the illustrations pages have some good stuff too).
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@Dulcie I wasn't exactly looking for a critique, just expressing my frustration to a crowd that I'm sure has experienced something similar at least one time in their life (but I'm not against any critiques either). I don't think a lot of my other friends would understand the unbearable pain and suffering associated with trying to get an image right and not quite being able to do so, haha. I exaggerate of course The story has changed since I first sketched it out. And it actually changed again as I was thinking about how to approach it. I'll be starting the new piece today!
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@mattramsey I really like Aaron Baise's stuff. I'll have to check it out! Thanks for letting me know
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@shinjifujioka I've bought most of Aaron's things and they're all great. What a talented dude he is!
Ace
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This is me with EVERY assignment or commission I get. I swear it seems like I forget everything I learned and fight with it the whole way then turn around and drop something really cool in my sketchbook like it weren't no thang.
Here's a wieird funny thing I discovered about things like water and clouds and glass and metal etc etc.. They're really hard til you learn the "trick" and then they're stupidly easy and you wonder why not everyone can paint (fill in the blank). I had an experience where I was struggling like crazy to paint some glass bottles filled with colored liquid, and I could not figure it out. Then after weeks of wanting to punch every glass bottle in the face It just clicked and I was off to the races. Of course I had to stick glass in all of my paintings after that.@mattramsey thanks for the link. I just happened to have $15 in my Paypal and swooped up the tutorials. Can't wait to get more of his stuff.
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@shinjifujioka Yep! difficult isn't it? After watching Big hero 6 you'll probably find a new way. If not, make a list of what you want with this. check out your favorite artist. Make thumbnail sketches? or maybe a view environment paintings? eventually the feeling will come back, I'am sure of that! Go for it! Oh have you seen the Marco Bucci course thats on SVS? that can be helpful aswel.
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@Leontine I've not watched it yet, is it a good one?
Ace
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@Ace-Connell Both Big hero 6 and Marco Bucci's course are great! Bucci makes me twitch a bit...his pallet lol. It's pretty brilliant though!
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@Lynn-Larson Haha I totally didn't mean Big Hero 6, I meant the course haha. Thanks for both though
Ace
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@shinjifujioka Glad you have got a direction in mind, I'm sure it's going to be amazing when finished! My other half has observed that the more pain/frustration I go through when creating something, the better the finished result...it's like getting mad about it makes you push further than before. Hopefully will be the same for you
I haven't seen Big Hero 6 yet...maybe I should.
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@Dulcie You definitely should watch it! It was my favorite movie of 2014 by far. Hits all the right notes.
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@Ace-Connell Ow Its such a nice film! love it! popcorn fun!
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@mattramsey thanks for the link!