Leontine's Winter Challenge

[Dulcie]

@Leontine Christmas will be a good deadline I've been thinking about this and I've got an idea for it, hopefully it will work...
Lovely picture! I visited Amsterdam a long time ago (school art trip), it was very nice

[Charlie Eve Ryan]

Challenge accepted! Sounds fun!!

[Leontine]

@Rob-Smith maybe you can change the topic name to 'Winter challenge' ? Everybody wants to join in!

[seanwelty]

We may be worn out with winter scenes if you want to participate in this challenge and December's 3rd Thursday challenge which will have to do with Santa's alternative transportation.

[Kasey Snow]

Fun! Do you want us to post finished pieces here?

[Rob Smith]

@Kasey-Snow I think we should post finished works in this thread. Thanks!

[Leontine]

@seanwelty This is the warming up for the SVScontest! Don't push yourself to hard, but join in the fun if you want to...

[audrey dowling]

that's a fun idea not time to play the game but I will follow your progress !

[Leontine]

Hi @Rob-Smith Here's my entry for the winterchallenge. Hope you like it! I have several other idea's but so busy with other projects... for for now this is it I think. thanks

[Rob Smith]

@Leontine Great image!! I like the simplicity of the background yet it reads clearly. A little hat for the bird...very cool. I'm going to have to work harder!! : ).

I have mine in the works. It will be all digital.

[K. W.]

This looks like so much fun--thanks, @Rob-Smith!

@Leontine Your entry is super cute, and I like the composition.

I'm not very experienced with colour yet, so I'd love to try a limited color palate. Will try to enter for sure!

[Leontine]

@K.-W. Thank you!

[Joy Heyer]

@Leontine Very lovely! It love the concept and the rendering! What a great way to start the challenge!

[Rob Smith]

Okay all and @Leontine here is my challenge piece. Comments and critiques are very welcome. Working digitally has been a steep learning curve.

Changes made to the original image based on suggestions by @seanwelty(ice made more subtle), @Leontine(warmth added) and @lonelycatpress(darkened a few areas to improve contrast)

[Bobby Aquitania]

I'm in, I'll do this tomorrow morning for my warm up. I need to step away from my 3T piece, too much elf stuff in my head. I think I will do some fan art piece more to my liking. Hope everyone likes Red Sonja...

[Naroth Kean]

@Rob-Smith that is beautiful, it reminded me of Pascal Campion work! love it!

[seanwelty]

@Rob-Smith Hey Rob, this is a great image. If I may give you a bit of feedback, I think the skate marks are a bit overstated. The image is so strong, I think a softer transition from ice to trees and a more subtle treatment of the ice is warranted. I like how well you simplified the characters. Well done!

[Shelley_Couvi]

Hey there! I love this piece. I really like the flat pastels and the washy trees. The only thing that I think it needs help on is some contrast. If you're working in photoshop, try this trick: make a new layer at the top. fill it completely black and set it to saturation. This will show you when you're having some problems.
For instance, her face is almost the same (shade?) as the trees behind her. I think you could also use some darks near where their hands are clasping, just to bring that forward and bring his face forward and then around the left side to keep you in the picture. (Not sure if that makes sense...) In the picture below, the top images are unedited besides the saturation on the left. Hope this helps! It's really a nice piece.

[Leontine]

@Rob-Smith Ow wauw Rob, This is so nice! Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity, and friendship! (I feel challenged to do one more, but in a view day's I am going to visit my sister in Brazil. ) The illustration feels so winterly, but warm! chapeau! You might want to warm it up just a bit, and then, send them as your Christmas card! Ive shared it on facebook!

[Lydia M]

@Rob Smith Were you watching Eternal Sunshine? Reminds me of one scene.