Week 8 : Visual Effects and Animation
This week, we explored how Painter can be used to animate or add effects to existing footage. The clip below was created with the FX > Glow Brush. Click the image to see the clip.
Next week, we will begin our final projects. We will gearing our projects for the HP "The Computer is Personal Again, Competition".
For more information regarding the HP Screensaver Competition, click the link or image below.
www.workstations-hp.com/screensaver
Week 7 : Clone Tool
Steps to execute the clone brush tool is towards the bottom of the page.
Topics Covered:
• Differences between photo and painting
• Clone Tool / Tracing Paper Technique
• Clone Tool / Turning a photo into a painting.
• Textures: Using the impasto brush.
Images created using the Pastel Brush (left) and Sargent Brush (right).
Assignment:
Create paintings from various photographs. Put two paintings together to create an interesting Diptich focusing on composition, design and texture.
1) Set up
• Find a photograph that you like and bump up th saturation so that the colors are bright.
• Make a clone of the image.
Using the clone tool:
1) Set up
• Find a photograph that you like and bump up th saturation so that the colors are bright.
• Make a clone of the image.
• File>Clone>Save Image as "call it whatever you wantt" and save it on to the desktop.
• Click on the first image.
• Open up the layers pallete and make a new layer.
2) Clone Brush Set Up
• Choose the clone image.
• File>Clone Source>choose your first file
• Choose a brush.
• Set the clone brush. To do this, go the color wheel and click the clone stamp icon. Look at image below.
3) Start Painting
• Begin painting on the layer above the canvas (the new layer you just made).
• Apply the paint texture everywhere. Muck it up.
• Bring focus back into the image by using the eraser to remove textures in unwanted areas.
Week 6: Still Life Painting -
Set up a still life in front of you, light it and paint it on your screen using the painting process I shared with you.
Bring an object to class that you are going to paint. The above still life was created using the Artist's Oils
POINTS TO REMEMBER: Remember to use your viewfinder in nailing the composition. Think in abstract shapes coming together to make your image. Narrow down what you are looking at into 3 -4 basic values first. Lightest then Darkest and the Mid Tones. Finally, grab the blender tool to soften any hard edges that would detract from your main focal point.
Today you are utilizing your new color matching skills to transfer what you see in front of you on to your canvas.
HINT:
Be sure your piece has a strong light source. Solve for color and composition first. Save details last. Use your blender tool to blur areas that draw your eye away from the center of focus. This little trick helps make things look real.
HOMEWORK:
Bring in photo that you would like to turn into a painting.
Week 5 :: Matte Painting II
This week, we continued our study of matte painting.
TOPICS COVERED THIS WEEK:
• Color matching exercise.
• Image Hose
• Creating your own image hose
• Creating random textures
• Surface Lighting Effects.
Assignment 1:
Create a texture for an underground dweller.
Assignment 2:
Create a second matte painting.
HOMEWORK:
Bring in an object that you will be painting as a still life.When we arrive in class, let's all work together to setup lights. Consider also, bringing in a cloth for the table's surface.
Week 4 :: Matte Painting I
This week, we took photographic referenc from sxc.hu, a website that showcases a goldmine of royalty free images. I use their images often to help me when I need photographic reference. In creating matte paintings, remember that they add to the visual effect and are important for those instances where it is impossible or too costly to film.
• Powerpoint Presentation on Matte Painting
• Matte painting demo.
Assignment 1:
Take the rock structure in the photograph and create lookout points on it.
Assignment 2:
Choose another photograph and add an imaginary background to the shot.
Tips and Things to remember:
• Use the eyedropper tool to paint with existing colors in the image. This insures that whatever you are placing in the image fits.
• Add haze to push things back into space and to make the object blend with its surroundings.
• Consider composition and the way your eye travels throughout the piece.
• Work in layers to help you with editing and positioning.
Week 3 :: Drawing - Proportions of the Face - Using Reference
Our assignment this week, is to use existing photographic reference and to change the character to a fantasy or sci-fi character. Please familiarize yourself with the proportions of the face and shadows through the handouts given in class.
Topics Covered Today:
• Paint to path tool.
• B and V hotkeys. Toggles between regular brush (B) and straight brush (V).
• Pen brush.
• Perspective Grid
• Basic perspective review.
• Proportions of the face handout.
• Light on an object handout.
Artwork above is by the Illustrator Brom. Check his site here.
To create a sense of believability and form in your work, you must study and put into your practice of anatomy. If your knowledge in these ares are lacking, then its important that you shoot reference with a digital camera, so that you have a visual guide. Its professional practice, and it makes a huge difference a good piece and a mediocre one.
Next Week:
• Matte Painting.
To familiarize yourself with this type of art, please check the site below:
http://www.mattepainting.org/
Week 2 :: Color Comp Exercise
This week we will learn how to match color on the computer.
Continue to build your visual memory of color combinations by being aware of them and studying them. Color sets tone and emotion for any production and large companies use it as a powerful marketing tool. When you do this exercise, type in the image the name of the brush and variant that you used to help you remember and save it for your records. This assignment will also help you during your midterm where you are required to paint a still life.
