Here's a Howie Post drawing that I copied and colored in.
I don't know a lot about color, I just put color down and don't really know why, so I'm studying the backgrounds that I copied and comparing and contrasting them to find the theories behind the colors.
I just wanted to write some things I found out.
The colors in a background use limited hues, probably 2 or 3, they just have a lot of variation in value.
All or most of the colors should be slightly related to keep the painting harmonious. I have been doing this by picking one main background color and keeping the layers over it translucent.
The intensity of the colors all seem to be around the same level, that's what keeps them from looking garish. Most of the backgrounds i noticed have medium or low intensity. I think high intensity colors are harder to work with, and also might distract from the character.
The eye is drawn to wide open areas that are lightly colored and don't have details in them. So that is how the area where either the main character is going to stand, or where something of interest is going to happen and you want to lead the viewers eye there.
Ok, so about this drawing. I had to choose what kind of colors to work with first. I decided to go with a warm palette since it's a drawing of a baby devil raking fall leaves, so it kinda seemed like a given. I'm using red and green as my main hues. There is a couple blueish colors in there that i'm using for cast shadows. I tried to keep the area around the main character nice and clear like how Howie Post intended it to be. I was tempted to add clouds but I think it would clutter it up and opted not to. The little details I kept limited and bunched together in groups.
I would love input from anyone that knows anything. I need all the help I can get, thanks.
Anne
From John: Here's some links that might be helpful:
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/12/donalds-diary.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-neutral-or-natural-colors.htmlhttp://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-pee-and-poo-colors-versus.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theories-for-cartoons-garish.html
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/12/color-theory-montealegre-lion-hearted.html
I think your colors are quite lovely! The thought actually never dawned upon me to use translucent layers. Mind if I ask where you got your brushes, or how you adjusted them? I recognize some shapes from default brushes, only modified. I'd really like to start doing these digital painting practices, too (sorry for copying!) :)
ReplyDeleteI think you kept Howie's drawing very faithful and the colors suit it!
I think the technique is smooth and nice.
ReplyDeleteThe colors are a bit muddy
one thing I like about the HB BG paintings are how happy the colors are - without being pure primaries and secondaries
it's a tricky result to achieve
I threw you a difficult problem in suggesting you paint a Howie Post BG design in an HB painting style
the 2 might styles be hard to blend since Posts's BG designs are more rounded forms than Ed Benedict's flat designy layouts
I like the result!
ReplyDeletemaybe the intensity of the whole picture is to low, but is harmonious.
thanks for sharing the process,Ann!
I suck at colors but I think I'm gonna try something soon.
thanks, I'm on it. Will post more work later tonight
ReplyDeleteI like it as well...
ReplyDeleteI dont understand why the sky is not yellow behind the trees and above the bushs.. it get orange and green.
but I miss the yellow behind the tree, it would be easer to find the silhuets of the cute animals there.
I dont know if it is like this because it is a study and you were not worried to finish it...
very nice,
tchau :)