Experiments in digital painting.

[RichardH]

Hi It would be good to encourage other members to start threads on artistic projects you are working on.



To get the ball rolling, here is something I have been working on. First, to be clear, this project is personal and has no relationship with Treeleaf training. The content is not intended as a serious expression of Dharma in any way, it is just being playful.

I have been oil painting for many years but recently have become intrigued by the possibilities of digital painting. I installed a free, basic, paint program called paint.NET, that comes with no strings attached, and can be customized with a variety of pluggin tools created by users of the program. This allows for creating images pixel by pixel, adapting textures from photographic sources, and all manner of layering, combining, and manipulation. After some experimentation, I settled on a procedure that begins with a drawing, then uses sample textures from my own oil paintings and photographs to flesh out the image.

The overall long term project is a fun graphic novel that is visually cinematic throughout the narrative, so that the reader can experience the story like a movie going experience.

I'll start by sharing some background landscapes or "sets" that will be populated by characters.

(For some reason the images will not upload, so I will just post links.)


Here is a drawing of a fantastical landscape, a place in the story called the Sawtooth Range. It was done very quickly and loosely, the idea being that the realism of the digital textures would be wrapped around unrealistic, stylized, forms .

http://i.imgur.com/G8laaN8.jpg


Then here is the setting after digital painting.


http://i.imgur.com/v5gUcXf.jpg


Here are other digital settings created in the same way..

http://i.imgur.com/6Fra1QZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/r9qFLM9.jpg

You will notice that the rock formation in the second image echoes the shapes of the boats in the first. That is for narrative reasons.


Here is an example of a setting, with characters inserted.

The inspiration for this is image is (among other things) "Mitsukuni Defying the Skeleton Spectre Invoked by Princess Takiyasha" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861).

http://i.imgur.com/ektsGzn.jpg


So here is the setting....

http://i.imgur.com/pfKcnmr.jpg



...my son modelling the figure.

http://i.imgur.com/b3yrIrh.jpg


...and the final result...


http://i.imgur.com/rnZ1Qg2.jpg

The character is called Tanha Brah and is described in the story as "one of the great decaying peacocks of the realm". This is a graphic novel so there will be speech balloons and many graphic elements and insertions.


Please share any thoughts.... ask any questions about the process and tools. Please share any graphic experiments you have made. Start a thread, there is no judging here, only support.


Gassho

Daizan

sat today

[Jishin]

That is fantastic work Daizan! Thanks for sharing it.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Meishin]

Very cool.

Gassho
Meishin
Sat today

[Myosha]

Hello,

Thank you for the links.


Gassho
Myosha
sat today

[Jakuden]

Deep bows Daizan, truly touching and inspiring work.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mp]

Lovely Daizan. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Sozan]

Diazan

Interesting technique. Allows your considerable artistic vision to shine.

Gassho
Sozan

s@2day

[Cooperix]

Daizan,
Do you begin with a "hand" drawing that you scan into the program or is the first sketch made digitally as well?

You mention that you use sample textures from paintings and photographs, I'm assuming those are scanned in as needed.
Forgive me but I am not computer savvy when it comes to graphic/drawing programs.
Will you make a print copy of the graphic novel when complete? or will it be available only digitally?

The results are quite impressive !! Fantastic images, surreal landscapes and intriguing and mysterious story line. FUN...

Thank you for sharing.
Anne

~st~

[Rich]

Very beautiful pictures. Thanks

[RichardH]

Daizan,
Do you begin with a "hand" drawing that you scan into the program or is the first sketch made digitally as well?

You mention that you use sample textures from paintings and photographs, I'm assuming those are scanned in as needed.
Forgive me but I am not computer savvy when it comes to graphic/drawing programs.
Will you make a print copy of the graphic novel when complete? or will it be available only digitally?

The results are quite impressive !! Fantastic images, surreal landscapes and intriguing and mysterious story line. FUN...

Thank you for sharing.
Anne

~st~

Hi Anne!

It begins with a drawing in a sketchbook. The sample shown in the OP kept expanding past the edge of the sheet, so it is a few sheets taped together. The drawing starts with a vague idea and the nervous energy of my hand. There is no effort at making a "good" drawing. It retains all the evidence of searching for the form, lots of scratchy noise. The drawing was scanned with an Ipod, using a document scanning app, and kept as a jpg file. The textures are mostly from my own digital photo bank, hundreds of photos of landscapes from New Zealand to the Rockies, taken on painting trips. The textures I'm using most with this project are from the Niagara Escarpment, a geological formation in the region (southern Ontario) consisting of limestone cliffs, mossy crevice caves, and boulder fields. These photos are all on file as jpgs. Also, I have been "scanning" people for the figure work. This just involves taking video of someone turning 360 degrees, then performing actions related to the character. The clips are converted into jpg files, so that each frame is a still photo file. I also created a library of lighting effects and special effects. These were made by experimenting with transparent gradients in the paint program, or playing with camera effects. Household objects can be photographed then morphed and added to, a broom handle becomes a spear, a stack of boxes becomes a fort, etc. One thing I've learned doing this is the importance of a simple, orderly, file system. Everything has to be handy, like arranging colors on a palette.

This project is being made with free, open-source, or community-created software, on a low-end Dell laptop. There is no special equipment needed, and no cost. Actually there was one expense, a good HD monitor, a laptop screen is too small, but that's it. Anyone can give it a try. It is worth knocking around and lots of fun. I'd be happy to show anyone where to get the software and how to set it up.

It should take about a year to complete. Plans for when it is complete it are still forming. Fortunately this has viral potential. Testing of imagery on different social media platforms has brought good numbers of hits and a positive response, so it may just be offered as an ebook after building interest over the next year, but that is getting ahead.. just doing it is the thing. Whatever the case, everyone here will get a free copy for sure!, and if it is a big hit... mink zafus for everyone! (ok.. not mink. Mink is mean)


Please feel free to post and start a discussion about your own projects ! There is no judgement here, only loving support! For everyone, if a project is murky, post about. If it is going well, post about. Going sideways ... post about it. Any kind or type or of creative project is Welcome!

Gassho
Daizan

sat today

[Kyonin]

Fantastic images!

I love them! Thank you Daizan.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Jinyo]

Not sure I understand the process but the results are fantastic !

Thanks for sharing,

Willow

[Byokan]

Daizan,

this is just really, really cool. Thanks so much for sharing the process.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[TyZa]

Daizan,

You clearly worked hard to be that talented. Very cool and amazing paintings!

Gassho,
Tyler
SatToday

[Troy]

Wonderful Daizan


..sat2day•合掌

[Risho]

Wow these are beautiful

Gassho

Risho
-sattoday

[Jyukatsu]

Terrific !
Thanks for sharing, you are very talented
Gassho
Marina sat today