12-18-2022, 06:10 AM
I think I would agree with darktiste. These 4 thumbnails are essentially the same compostions. Of course I see the color differences, but in terms of the big idea, they are not that different. I think there should definitely be a step like this where you figure out the local colors. But it can't be divorced from the lighting. The lighting is going to change the colors and values so drastically that it may not even matter. Especially because the color we actually paint is going to be light source color+local color. If the light source is pretty strong it's going to end up washing out the local color and value. So that's why I say you can't just figure out flat colors and then put just any lighting on top.
So for example Here's a couple lighting thumbails, spending just a little bit on each to get the idea. The spheres represent the number of different light sources, their color, intensity, and orientation to the subject. So like A would be a dusk painting where the strongest light is the wolf. B is sunlit with a shadow over the bottom half so the wolf doesn't have to compete with the lit wall behind. And then C, just tried out for fun, night time, adding a light source from below so that the arch is actually brighter than the sky. I didn't think it would look good, but actually It's pretty cool so you never know unless you try. As I was painting these I realized I may need to change how I do certain elements, like the magic wolf, in order to make it work in the new context, so that's why I think it's pretty important.
And these three could easily be 8 different lighting keys, and those 8 could each be pushed different directions. Not necessary to do that many if you already know what you're going for, but just goes to show you can literally do anything, there's so many options. so be gutsy and give yourself actually substantially different possibilities to pick from.
So for example Here's a couple lighting thumbails, spending just a little bit on each to get the idea. The spheres represent the number of different light sources, their color, intensity, and orientation to the subject. So like A would be a dusk painting where the strongest light is the wolf. B is sunlit with a shadow over the bottom half so the wolf doesn't have to compete with the lit wall behind. And then C, just tried out for fun, night time, adding a light source from below so that the arch is actually brighter than the sky. I didn't think it would look good, but actually It's pretty cool so you never know unless you try. As I was painting these I realized I may need to change how I do certain elements, like the magic wolf, in order to make it work in the new context, so that's why I think it's pretty important.
And these three could easily be 8 different lighting keys, and those 8 could each be pushed different directions. Not necessary to do that many if you already know what you're going for, but just goes to show you can literally do anything, there's so many options. so be gutsy and give yourself actually substantially different possibilities to pick from.