Digital Painting- Exercise 1

a

b

Induction week has ended, and so has begun term 1 of the course- starting straight off with the CG Artist Toolkit: Photoshop & Digital Painting.

This would be the first time I've drawn digitally, and for the most part of the tutorial it was challenging to get to grips with the coordination between what was being drawn on a tablet, and what was actually being produced straight on the screen.
However, trying out an alternative practise (\medium) besides traditional concept art with pencil, paper, watercolours etc, which I enjoy a lot and have only experimented with, up to this point, was actually really enjoyable.
Though it'll take a lot of practise to get a hang of, it feels like a good way of expanding my knowledge and method outside of my comfort zone. Allowing a wider choice at how's best to respond to a brief, to achieve a specific 'feel' to the piece- that fits with the description.

With digital painting, (though control's a problem), it's seems to be a very forgiving medium. Once you've mastered the shortcut the program's method becomes less of a hindrance, and more second thought.  Additionally, there's a range of brushes depending on the texture you're aiming for.
I'm thinking of attempting a more 'traditional' looking response, for my colour study later today.

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Image a, above, was a quick experimentation using the Photoshop brushes, drawing tablet, and layout of the tools on the program.
Image b shows our first exercise, to paint a still life (black and white- to draw more attention to tone and mark-making alone) as a way of getting a hang of the equipment.