Dire Wolf (Thread updated: Image Warning)

[Acherontia]

One thing I want to remind you of (Fafnir) is that I'm using PSP, so if you're talking about the color layer, is this for PSP or no? I know it exists and what it does, but I couldn't find it in this particular program It... sort of seems to just go BLAEGH all over the shading in PSP, although this may well be down to my failure at understanding the settings

PSP9 = Paint Shop Pro 9, by the way--I don't have Photoshop sadly. Not that I mind--I really do love Paint Shop's capabilities. I think I just don't know how to use it to its full potential!

Anyway, as far as the composition--I'm doing it straight off of a WoW modelviewer image, drawing the line art off of that. That said, I've altered quite a bit of it--namely paws and legs. I'm not doing it for any purpose other than to draw a WoW worg but in my style--it's not meant for any particular site or webpage size... but apologies if I'm misunderstanding what you mean I'll post a step-by-step of how I did it after the fact, so you can see the sort of order I'm putting it together in and point out any mistakes along the way.

The snarl SHOULD hopefully look quite a bit toned down after I add in the fur texture to the face, but I have no idea how well or badly that will turn out!

Thanks again for the help guys, and I shall keep you posted on this work in progress's... progress. >.>

[Fafnir]

Oh, Paintshop, geezus I didn't even know they kept that line going. (last time I used paintshop was when I had a 486DX2...)

Anyway, from the looks of it, PSP supports Color layers. Layer tech has always been more of an Adobe thing, so I don't know what sort of magic this is.
http://www.corel.com/content/pdf/paints ... Layers.pdf (the PDF irony cracks me up)
You should be able to see in step#7 how to set a layer to Color mode.

What I mean by 'form' is, when you step back from the computer and put it on fit-to-screen, are you painting a wolf, or merely painting in a wolf? When you are painting a wolf, you are considering its entire 3D form (in your head, if necessary) every time you move your brush.

This is sort of like taking the WMV model of a worg, stripping it of its texture, and placing it under a spotlight. What about that blank model makes it a worg? the huge fangs for sure, but not only that, the shape of its body, the paws, the layers of fur on its bushy tail. Don't forget that worgs are based on wolves, and probably would maintain the same triple coat layering around the shoulders. The body will be covered in fur yes, but it wraps around a three-dimensional form. This is the big picture that is hard to grasp if you are 'painting in' the lines in semi-finished segments, rather than working on the entire form over and over again, in increasing amounts of complexity.

It's kind of philosophical, sorry. I had a surly teacher.

[Xella]

Paint Shop Pro's Layer Styles/Effects are called "Blend Modes" according to about.com. At the bottom of that list is a link to "adding dreamy photo effects" or some nonsense; the first image on THAT page shows how to pull out the blending modes for each of your layers. I don't know what the specific difference between Color and Color (Legacy) are, you'd have to play with that (or do more googling), but from the description, it should work essentially the same way as Photoshop's does.

I've never really found a real good way of getting texture layers to look right, regardless of program—I see people that use them incredibly well, and it can save a lot of effort if done right... but I just don't have the knack, lol

I can see the texture on the muzzle and (slightly related, but not entirely) it's distinctly less metallic now, hooray! I agree about the snarly-wrinkles, tho. I'm not sure without playing with it if simply lightening them would be the right solution, or if redoing the especially-snarly bits would be best (easiest way to test without losing your current progress would be to copy & paste that portion of the image to its own layer, lock the layer, and mess with it. If it doesn't work out you can just delete that layer and have your old one back, instead of having to remember to open a different version of the file, or remembering not to save, or whatever.)

Flipping the image (horizontally AND vertically) every so often can help you get a fresh eye on things you've been looking at for way too long. Zooming way out occasionally also helps, though obviously it's hard to work on it if it's super small. Stepping back and taking a break is often exceptionally helpful too, but then you get into the poster you started in April of 2009 that you stepped back from so long that the art just looks too dated and so even though you like the premise you can't bring yourself to finish it and... *cough*

[Acherontia]

Ooh, thank you both; I will definitely have a long perusal through both of those links soon.

With the snarly bits I intend to add the texture and then see how it looks. If it turns out to still need working I'll redo it, it shouldn't take TOO long. I hope.

And thank you for reminding me about flipping the image--I forgot, but you're absolutely right, sometimes it just gives you a totally fresh take on it. Funny how the mind works!

[Acherontia]

Original post updated with the finished Worg product, and a link to an image showing the basic process I used to get to it (and a few comments regarding )!

[Lupis]

Looking great! I really like it, especially the face and paws.
As for the "bison" fur, I guess that'd be because of the harsh light and dark on each lock of fur. All I can suggest would be going in strand-by-strand to make them a little smoother, with little hairs in each.
That's a huge pain, of course. >.>

[Acherontia]

Yah, it's awful when combined with the overall appearance of short leg/belly/flank fur. It leaves him the look of a big shaggy buffalo

I know what to do differently next time, now, and I'm still quite happy with the way he came out! My right arm is terribly cramped.

The one art technique I could use serious practice in... is patience. Once I start a project, I usually keep going until I finish it, which leads to burnout & arm cramps, and in the end, often sloppy work : / I just have trouble going back to something when it's not--well, short attention spam I guess! But yeah, all those long hairs... the thought makes me shudder. Perhaps I'll try it only on the portrait at some point and see how it comes out!

Thanks for the comments here & on DA

[Lupis]

Oh, my "patience" is epic. Epically horrendous. I'm the same - if I start a project, I want to finish it in one sit-down. If I don't then I get uninspired. >.<

[Acherontia]

If anyone's interested, I've done a "furred" version now too. I like the darker, more dramatic contrast on the original, but the realism of the new one is something I'm proud of. It took AGES to do. Please, let me know (honestly) what you think!

[Lupis]

What I said on DA. Remarkable. Awesome.

[Azunara]

....

Frak. Just. Wow.

That's...amazing. Really is. It's...realistic and beautiful and I'm going to go hide under a rock. You're like Michelangelo and I'm some artist chilling in the pre-Renaissance.

(It's where we're studying. Sue me. :p)

[TygerDarkstorm]

*Is blown away from sheer amazingness*

[Kamalia]

Agafaba.

Hafabragahra.

*splutters for a few more minutes*

That's... amazing.

[Acherontia]

/blush Thanks guys

It took tons of work, and I love that people like it!!

*looks at it critically* It still has that goofy jaw... If only I could figure out how to fix it. Did I say fix it? No... NO WAY. Too much time If only I could figure out where it went wrong! The rest of it though, I -am- quite proud of--my stuff generally is nowhere near as good.

Incidentally, I did take a suggestion from here and try out the dodge/burn tool, rather than the lighten/darken one, and I think it worked quite a bit better. Don't ask me why, as I'm pretty sure they do almost exactly the same thing But I definitely like the result, so thank you guys again for the help!

[Lupis]

Heh, and I was so proud of my opossum drawing. Which looks maybe less than half as good as this. xD
So, did your arm hurt like heck after drawing all that fur?
Mine did... And I did half the amount of fur...

[Acherontia]

My right forearm is currently made of cramp

[TygerDarkstorm]

Now, I'm not very good with art, but I think I see what you mean about the jaw. The top part points in the direction the wolf is looking, but the bottom part looks as if it's angled towards the viewer. I hope that makes sense. >_<

[Acherontia]

Yeah, I totally do--it almost looks unhinged. It was done off a screenshot, so I can only assume the worgs look like that from the side--maybe so the big saber fangs fit outside the upper jaw?--but it still looks quite bad in a "realistic" image. I know for next time*, then, at least!

A Petopia pic almost in the same pose:




* There may never be a next time judging by the pain in my arm

[TygerDarkstorm]

Oh I see, going off that Petopia pic, the jaw looks the same there too. It must have something to do with the way they made the lips fit around the fangs I guess. Yeah...my knowledge of artistic stuff is incredibly limited. >_>

[Acherontia]

I dunno, I just showed a friend, he helpfully pointed out that the saber teeth on mine are smaller and possibly that the far one is spaced too far forward--could that be it? I'm going blind staring o.o