As suggested by Andail over in the comp thread.
Yesterday my Wacom graphics tablet arrived in the mail and I set to work creating an image for the current background competition. This is the result:
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Lighthouse2.PNG)
It's the first time I've really tried to "paint" something, so there are many things I'm fairly unsure about. I've never really been an artist, I just like to draw, so I'm sure I've made many simple errors. I know there are some great artists out there, so I'd love some advice :). I tried to mix the colours a bit as well but left them as the painting started because it turned out badly.
Thanks for your time :).
I like it, especially the waves and the thunder strike. But I think the lighthouse itself is too bright and the left side almost looks like there's a spotlight pointed at it. But all in all, I like it!
The lighthouse's left side I lit up to make the lightning strike seem part of the image. The rocks, too, on the left side are edged with the light. Perhaps I took this too far?
Very nice picture!
However, I might be imagining this, but to me it seems that the lighthouse itself seems to be bending a bit towards the right...
Hmmm, it is possible. I drew it freehand, hoping it was about right... perhaps I was a little off. I'll see about checking it with lines.
Cheers
Which Wacom did you buy and judging by the image above it works pretty well??
Reason I ask is cuz I am thinking of getting the Bamboo Wacom and wanted some info on them before buying one.
Thanks
I had considered buying a Bamboo, but a friend of mine who studies art at university urged me to consider the Graphire Bluetooth, which is what I ended up going with. Rather costly. but I'd been putting funds to one side for a while in the hopes of getting one, so I didn't mind.
Yes, it works very nicely. Pressure sensitivity helps with shading a lot :).
I very much like the energy of the water, there's a great sense of motion there :D
I find the hues a little too diverse for a scene at night. I did a quick paintover to show what I mean, but I'm not really good at this sort of thing, and it's rather too monotone now:
(http://crabshackgallery.com/edits/ben3042.jpg)
I also added a couple of rocks to the background, so the lighthouse looks a bit more centred (front-to-back wise) on the island.
Hope this helps in some way, and have fun with your tablet! :)
I think Mash's paintover is getting closer, but I would up the contrast of the white light on the left of the lighthouse. The lightning would also reflect off the waves onto the tower, so I don't think it's too bright. On the right side, some diffuse light from the yellow beam would probably reflect upon the tower as well :)
The contrast between dark night and strong light of a lighthouse is almost non-existent. I think that bottom part and tower center, near the leftmost side of the lighthouse, should be much, much darker.
Lightning has always very intense color, and almost no attenuation. So, the spotlight on lighthouse should produce softer light and lighting should make sharp, heavily-lit areas.
Something like this, maybe
(http://www.increator.pri.ee/i/critshelp/Lighthouse_inc.png)
But with mashpotato's tinting.
But for a first tablet drawing, it looks quite cool.
Thankyou MashPotato and InCreator for your edits :). I've done some changing, trying to make it darker and less daytime, as well as adding rocks, straightening the tower and adjusting a bit of water that was annoying me. I hope I have improved it:
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/Lighthouse3.png)
Thankyou very much for your help :)
It's not a bad attempt, but it has some issues.
I'm at work right now, but I'll probably do a rather major paint over when I get the time.
:D Awesome. Look forward to it :)