The Daisy , Step 2 : Painting

-By Serge Birault

First step here :

http://muddycolors.blogspot.fr/2012/06/daisy-first-step-sketch.html



I'm not a specialist of grayscale. I don't use it very often. I came from traditional painting and this technique is not very « natural » for me. But let's try, I will try to avoid the « washed » effect.

I put the sketch on a « multiply » type layer and I start to work under it. I choose my basic tones and my ambient light, it will be green. Of course, the saturation is not very good.



For the painting-like effect, I don't use airbrush but different Ditlev brushes (once again). You can download the pack here: http://cghub.com/scripts/view/85/

I have to paint over the sketch now. I don't want to change the contrast and the luminosity too much so I create only « overlay », « linear burn », « linear dodge » and « difference » layers.<



The amount of layers is quite ridiculous but I add the tones one by one. I often decrease the opacity of the layers to 0-10%.



The choice of colors is logical … Green and orange. I think you know the complementary tones.

Here's the result. It's not perfect but I'm on the good way.

I merge all the layers.

I add the bag full of daisies. It changes a bit the meaning of the picture but my composition is better now. The « hole » on the bottom-right now longer exists.

I add details and I change the contrast and the saturation a little bit.



I can't if tell I'm totally satisfied by this technique. My palette is very close of the one I used for an old picture, « Sashimi's revenge » but the result is not as good. By the way, I spent 80 hours on that pin up and « The daisy » was done in only 8 hours. I think I can work faster with a bit of training but I'm not sure I will use grayscale again. I go back into the one's old ways now.