Abbey Park : Update

Not only we had to do traditional studies, we had to also do some digital ones. The transition of traditional to digital is nice, because you expand yourself trying more possibilities, styles that endlessly problem solving.


"This space still need to be filled with Digital Thumbs"

When cycling through my references, found this image I did imagine a great 'setting in minds eye' and so I just went straight into it. 

Here are some of the prep stages. So I started it in grayscale first, trying to establish the correct perspective then the tonal values, lightning, reflection, that gradually build up.

I got to a good stage and I thought why not try add some colour into the equation. So I changed the mode from grayscale to colour and created a new layer 'overlay' For some reason the colours didn't really sit well with it all or looked that good. Maybe because I didn't spend a lot of time on it, but as I was applying it on, just didn't look right.

So yeah, I went back to grayscale and carried on the picture to where I felt it was enough. It was as good battle indeed that I painted in all the foliage as best as I could and putting in those details in the far distance, reflection of the water and when the lights hits and when the darks hits. I really like the painted character, that I felt I captured him well, he doesn't look tirely correct placed their, but I understood material properties like his leather jacket and fabric.

There are some really great parts on this, which I feel I might carry it on and revisit this and finish it as a final or just leave it as a semi-final study, because it really was a great challenge and study that I learned a lot about.

This was my second attempt of a final, I thought to try and make it into a little concept also, since be a bit more creative. I tried to add a character in the background and make the four characters all mysterious. Same process as before, started off in grayscale and worked my way to colour.

Here you could say the final version at the moment. I feel I need to revisit it and fix it a lot, because it was good potential and I like the overall concept of it. Just need to execute it better. I still learn't different ways of approaching this, with making the foliage with quick suggestive marks and different brush settles, this looks very like 'water colour' , which I quite find it interesting.