John's Thread (Used to be super active! Still the longest thread name ever in CD)

[DQ_Nick]

Hey Nicky,

What value do you feel like you get from doing master studies beyond an improvement in dexterity and general digital painting ability?

With the Sargent study, I wanted to find out his ticks, inclinations or tendencies during his work process. I would ask myself questions like "where does he usually pull off a lost edge", "why there", "how did he sneak this color in", "how can I replicate that look digitally". Like the Egyptian Girl painting he did, I found out that sometimes it's better to just "suggest" an information than to fully render it (Case in point, her ear is represented just by using a few strokes).

Plus, I wanted to know his color palette, especially the one he often uses for his portrait paintings, and how it translates digitally. Basically, how his colors move up and down in the Photoshop color wheel/sliders. Like the orange for the skin in the portrait of the boy is too saturated compared to my previous color palette, and copying the painting showed me how to pull that color off on a skin tone.

Because I'm starting to feel like if I have an idea for a piece, it's enough to just LOOK at master works and try to emulate the artist's brush strokes, color vibrancy, composition, or whatever they do well within my own subject matter.

That is so true! A lot of the time was spent just color picking, and just looking. I just took a step further to apply them and try to take it as close as the original. There are things I would've had missed out on if I hadn't went through the study. I would go even further to say I still missed out on a lot even after doing the copy. Like little details! Like a stroke I thought that wasn't important but was deliberately put there for a reason. Of course, I couldn't have done that myself. I had help pointing my flaws out (shout out to Tristan B., Amit, Hob, and everyone else who I am forgetting to mention.)

It also looks like you're benefiting from understanding a more structured process too.

Ah dude. I can only hope..


If ever I wasn't clear, or if I misunderstood your question, feel free to follow up! Or I'm a Discord message away!

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Some work:

A thorough analysis as always, Mr.John.

    So basically, you're trying to capture the subtleties and nuances of Sargent through very focused observation. Through a process of comparison, like you mentioned with the skin tones, looking at a master painting helps you to "fill in the gaps" of weak or missing knowledge, which you can then immediately apply to your personal work.

Makes total sense and thank you for your detailed explanation my friend.