Trying to figure out a good approach to painting a scene, something in which foreground and background elements are integrated in a pleasing way. I've discovered that this is the biggest hurdle for me to overcome in my quest to train my brain to think in a more painterly fashion. I do better when I'm painting just a character, but when it's a full on scene then my brain kind of overloads. This time I took Ryan's recommendation and made one layer the greyscale values, with a multiply layer on top. I separated each separate element and painted this way. In the end though, I flattened the image to add the details.
This one took me approximately 47 years to complete. To accomplish this I had to go back in time and swat my grandfather's face with a trout multiple times. I had the chance to assassinate Hitler but chose not to.
I don't really consider this a finished piece, so critiques are welcome.
That's funny; I've gone back in time and assassinated Hitler, too! I dropped Buddy Hackett's piano on his head and that pretty much did him in. As far as composition goes, I think this is an interesting piece because half of the victim's body is out of the frame. It's an odd choice but at the same time a very interesting one. I very much want to see what the guy looks like, and you are essentially denying me that (jerk!), putting all of the focus on the brain and the zombie. Roman Polanski did something sort of similar in Rosemary's Baby. He had his DP frame as shot of Mia Farrow on the phone from down a hall so you could only partially see her in frame. The DP thought this odd at the time, but when they saw a cut of the movie with an audience many in the audience craned their necks when this scene arrived, trying to "look around" the corner to see Mia Farrow on the phone. I’m not sure if this is what you intended, but it is a very interesting trick nonetheless. Nice colors as well.
Dustin, this totally rules. For a number of reasons... let me illuminate.
1.) A zombie's target is always brains. In your picture he has removed the whole brain and is about to feast. This is awesome because you can imagine the zombie has got to feel like he's eating a crab dinner... when you are eating crab, and you crack the thick part of a leg, and you get a huge hunk of meat all still intact, you've always got to show the person you are eating with, "check that piece out," Like wise, the zombie is howling to the other zombies to let them know this isn't his first time.
2.) Originally I thought that the skin colored blob right below the brain was the dead dudes neck. But that cant be possible because there is an arm on one side and a leg on the other. So then I thought that maybe he pulled the brain out of his skull THROUGH his rib cage... which would be so hardcore I cant even tell you... although it might be a little on the Mortal Kombat side of things. So I gave up, and I am happier seeing just a tangled mess of body parts all heaped there. Shows a comfortable amount of the disregard zombies have to the 'living'.
3.) Finally, I think that it is awesome that you painted him in a cemetery. Because it means that the zombie found some poor guy who was grieving over a lost loved one, and tore him apart unrecognizable and ended up with a perfect 10 brain extraction.
While his Kermit the Frog Green skin and wiggly pink tongue may imply a light hearted, cartoony approach to a golden classic, you make it very clear that you wanted this one to be disturbing on a number of subconscious levels. You're twisted dude.
4 comments:
Trying to figure out a good approach to painting a scene, something in which foreground and background elements are integrated in a pleasing way. I've discovered that this is the biggest hurdle for me to overcome in my quest to train my brain to think in a more painterly fashion. I do better when I'm painting just a character, but when it's a full on scene then my brain kind of overloads. This time I took Ryan's recommendation and made one layer the greyscale values, with a multiply layer on top. I separated each separate element and painted this way. In the end though, I flattened the image to add the details.
This one took me approximately 47 years to complete. To accomplish this I had to go back in time and swat my grandfather's face with a trout multiple times. I had the chance to assassinate Hitler but chose not to.
I don't really consider this a finished piece, so critiques are welcome.
That's funny; I've gone back in time and assassinated Hitler, too! I dropped Buddy Hackett's piano on his head and that pretty much did him in. As far as composition goes, I think this is an interesting piece because half of the victim's body is out of the frame. It's an odd choice but at the same time a very interesting one. I very much want to see what the guy looks like, and you are essentially denying me that (jerk!), putting all of the focus on the brain and the zombie. Roman Polanski did something sort of similar in Rosemary's Baby. He had his DP frame as shot of Mia Farrow on the phone from down a hall so you could only partially see her in frame. The DP thought this odd at the time, but when they saw a cut of the movie with an audience many in the audience craned their necks when this scene arrived, trying to "look around" the corner to see Mia Farrow on the phone. I’m not sure if this is what you intended, but it is a very interesting trick nonetheless. Nice colors as well.
Dustin, this totally rules. For a number of reasons... let me illuminate.
1.) A zombie's target is always brains. In your picture he has removed the whole brain and is about to feast. This is awesome because you can imagine the zombie has got to feel like he's eating a crab dinner... when you are eating crab, and you crack the thick part of a leg, and you get a huge hunk of meat all still intact, you've always got to show the person you are eating with, "check that piece out," Like wise, the zombie is howling to the other zombies to let them know this isn't his first time.
2.) Originally I thought that the skin colored blob right below the brain was the dead dudes neck. But that cant be possible because there is an arm on one side and a leg on the other. So then I thought that maybe he pulled the brain out of his skull THROUGH his rib cage... which would be so hardcore I cant even tell you... although it might be a little on the Mortal Kombat side of things. So I gave up, and I am happier seeing just a tangled mess of body parts all heaped there. Shows a comfortable amount of the disregard zombies have to the 'living'.
3.) Finally, I think that it is awesome that you painted him in a cemetery. Because it means that the zombie found some poor guy who was grieving over a lost loved one, and tore him apart unrecognizable and ended up with a perfect 10 brain extraction.
While his Kermit the Frog Green skin and wiggly pink tongue may imply a light hearted, cartoony approach to a golden classic, you make it very clear that you wanted this one to be disturbing on a number of subconscious levels. You're twisted dude.
Scott: This is ridiculous, but I've never seen Rosemary's baby. Your comment has made me consider perhaps thinking about watching it again.
Josh: YES dude. Yes indeed.
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