Always-honest
Banned
Wow, good job!
Just bought me some pencils and sketchbook to see if i can still work with real tools
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Just bought me some pencils and sketchbook to see if i can still work with real tools
.
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Art Self Study |OT| Putting the Fun in Art Fundamentals
- Thread starter DEATH
- Start date
Awesome thread.
I love drawing, and wanted to make a career out of it, but I never did. I don't know why, but somewhere along the line of taking art classes I just lost all motivation and stopped. I've tried to get back into it several times but just can't find the time to sit down and do it. I've got so many other things I want to do, but never end up doing any of it. That and I feel it's all pointless now. I'm too far behind, out of practice, and too old to make a career out of it any more.
Instead I just end up browsing art gallery sites like artstation wishing I had never stopped.
I love drawing, and wanted to make a career out of it, but I never did. I don't know why, but somewhere along the line of taking art classes I just lost all motivation and stopped. I've tried to get back into it several times but just can't find the time to sit down and do it. I've got so many other things I want to do, but never end up doing any of it. That and I feel it's all pointless now. I'm too far behind, out of practice, and too old to make a career out of it any more.
Instead I just end up browsing art gallery sites like artstation wishing I had never stopped.
Subscribed. I started sketching before the semester started, but I realized there was no way I could focus as much as I wanted to on it after it began. As soon as the summer hits I am going to dive into it hard. I met a good art teacher that I'm going to take lessons from and the resources in this thread will be nice supplemental material. Thanks OP, I appreciate it.
I've felt the same. Mostly because of external pressure to make money and make it into a successful career saps my enjoyment out of doing what I just want out of enjoyment. Also the fear of criticism, but I'm working around it by focusing my priorities on what makes me happy and what I need to express. Not anyone else. It's liberating when I can let that sink in.
Inquisitive_Ghost
Member
Very nice thread; subscribed.
Drawing is something I really need to do more; I'm pretty decent but there are always things to improve upon (my buildings are crap, for example), but I have such a hard time keeping motivation up when I have classes to deal with.
And thanks for killing the damn "talent" myth neat the top of the first post; goddamn do I hate that thing. Pretty sure I can draw because I've spent thousands of hours practicing it, not because I'm "talented" and other people aren't.
I actually have Animal Anatomy for Artists by Eliot Goldfinger and I was pretty disappointed with it. It isn't "animal anatomy," it's "mammal anatomy" plus one chicken. If you want to understand how fish or birds or reptiles work from that perspective, the book is totally useless. :|
Drawing is something I really need to do more; I'm pretty decent but there are always things to improve upon (my buildings are crap, for example), but I have such a hard time keeping motivation up when I have classes to deal with.
And thanks for killing the damn "talent" myth neat the top of the first post; goddamn do I hate that thing. Pretty sure I can draw because I've spent thousands of hours practicing it, not because I'm "talented" and other people aren't.
I actually have Animal Anatomy for Artists by Eliot Goldfinger and I was pretty disappointed with it. It isn't "animal anatomy," it's "mammal anatomy" plus one chicken. If you want to understand how fish or birds or reptiles work from that perspective, the book is totally useless. :|
Sibersk Esto
Banned
Subbed
Inquisitive_Ghost
Member
Ugh, this. Really hoping I can get my motivation back up in the summer.
Crossing Eden
Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Subbed.
Prax
Member
These are great books. I very recommend! The best I've seen as far as these kind of books go.
They are out of print as far as I know, but you can buy expensive used and new copies here:
Volume 1: Sketching As Composition Planning: http://www.amazon.com/dp/4766117093/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Volume 2: Logical Proportions: http://www.amazon.com/dp/4766117379/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Volume 3: Unforgettable Characteristics: http://www.amazon.com/dp/4766118227/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Volume 4: All About Perspective: http://www.amazon.com/dp/4766119142/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Volume 5: Sketching Props: http://www.amazon.com/dp/4766120078/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Some example pages I find interesting in this series:
My personal review:
I like this series a lot for having competent artists working on it. They aren't perfect, but you get the sense they actually know what they are doing and it isn't so ugly you want to cry (like most How To.. manga books). I am the type that usually just skims and stops and looks when I spot something interesting, but even with skimming, I seriously got a skill boost from just skimming a couple of years back and need to go back and read through the whole thing in depth.
Since it’s a bit outdated, even though a lot of the fundamentals are great, the CG/colouring with computer parts are a bit of a miss/basic, but if you’re a newbie, they might work well for you as a primer anyway!
I would say the book series is not a complete how-to for drawing, but it helps you keep in mind some of the tips/observations you will need to remember for images, especially for telling an overall narrative, and not just "making a picture". Each book is a couple of hundred pages or so with detailed explanations, lots of examples, artist thoughts/interviews, and walkthroughs of artists going from planning to finished sketch/piece. It gets more and more technical with each book (lol.. perspective and environments.. my eternal foe...!), and I think has a great overall buildup. The series has a focus on stylization and trying to get you to decide how you want to convey something rather than replicate it. It also focuses more on the female form being used as examples, but I think a lot can be applicable for all genders.
For me: I actually dislike just "drawing things" and ended up trashing a lot of my figure drawings and still life artwork from highschool because they meant nothing to me even if technically they were okay. So for me to keep motivated, I have to be trying to tell some kind of story or be involved with the subject in some way (this is why a lot of my art has to do with characters doing something instead of "this is a girl"), because eventually all art will die under a critical eye for me, but if it's telling a story, it's something memorable I want to keep. So I think this is a good series for people like me who want to skip the "how" and get more onto the "why" I want to portray something a certain way--with manga style focus. lol
Fantastic OP that's full of an extensive wealth of information, subscribed. Totally agree with you 100% on art not being a talent and cringe when people say "you're so talented/creative." Always lurking in the Drawing-A-Day thread since I feel a bit intimidated to post anything recent that I've been working on (nothing professional sadly since I haven't gotten any gigs)/feel lazy to post stuff. My art dump/portfolio is here: surielstyle.tumblr.com
As someone who majored in Studio Art/Media Studies at Liberal Arts college, my best advice would be the same advice that Raging Spaniard passed on to me roughly 3-4 years ago: start drawing people in public in a sketchbook. Drawing from life is always one of the best ways one continues to improve. And you before people say "isn't that creepy?" it's absolutely not. It's taught me one of several things:
-Color: I'm always paying attention to the color of people's clothing whenever I look for someone to draw in the subway. If everyone in the car is wearing dark, unsaturated clothes whereas one person is wearing something that is bright and saturated clothes, my eye is going to gravitate towards that person.
-Gesture: What are they doing? Are they standing, reading a book, holding a pole, sleeping, browsing their phone, etc.?
-Posture: Are they slouching, standing straight, or leaning against something? Is there counterposto in their posture?
-Accessories: What is something that the person/people are wearing that makes him/her stand out to me? Maybe it's a set of headphones (which I usually love drawing for whatever reason may be), a gold necklace with a body builder medal (true story), a flower hanging off a hat.
-Facial expression: Are they tired or are they happy? Angry or sad? A person's face says so much just by looking at their faces.
-Perspective:This is usually the most challenging one. How far is the person from me? Do I try to accurately portray them true to the distance as is or do I make it seem like that person was closer to me? What details do I add or leave out?
Of course, all this stuff comes subconsciously as I do it. Ethnicity, age,and gender do not matter to me. It's whoever catches my eye because they're doing something that makes me want to draw that person/group of people. I look back through my initial sketchbooks and I've improved significantly over time. As any artist knows, going to an art supply store is like a being a kid in a candy store; if you don't go in with a shopping list in mind you're gonna end up coming out with a handful of stuff that you don't need with the receipt in the double or triple digits.
I would always recommend that people go to local drawing events in their neck of the woods whenever they have the time/money for it. Why? Because you get to network with other artists (which is vital if you plan on doing it professionally) and draw with other people in the same room in addition to drawing live models. Here in NYC, there's Drink and Draw on Wednesdays in Brooklyn, Drawing Night and Fashion Drawing Night at the Society of Illustrators on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, Dare2Draw usually once a month (next one is in April), and loads of meetup.com groups dedicated to drawing events.
The Loomis books are fantastic books to own. I would also add Scott McCloud's Making Comics to the list as he wrote that one much later in life as an experienced artist. It has so many damn good resources. As for animal books, I have a book called Drawing Wild Life by JC Amberlyn and another one who's name escapes me at the moment. Since I'm kinda bad at perspective and want to improve it, I was thinking about checking this book one of these days:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581809549/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Lastly, I would say if you can't afford a Wacom Intuos Pro, then you can't go wrong with a Wacom Bamboo tablet if you're starting out/want to do it for fun. I have one and while its limits has admittedly annoyed me more than anything else these days, it gets the job done (after tinkering with some settings). I'm totally gonna upgrade to an Intuos Pro one of these months though.
As someone who majored in Studio Art/Media Studies at Liberal Arts college, my best advice would be the same advice that Raging Spaniard passed on to me roughly 3-4 years ago: start drawing people in public in a sketchbook. Drawing from life is always one of the best ways one continues to improve. And you before people say "isn't that creepy?" it's absolutely not. It's taught me one of several things:
-Color: I'm always paying attention to the color of people's clothing whenever I look for someone to draw in the subway. If everyone in the car is wearing dark, unsaturated clothes whereas one person is wearing something that is bright and saturated clothes, my eye is going to gravitate towards that person.
-Gesture: What are they doing? Are they standing, reading a book, holding a pole, sleeping, browsing their phone, etc.?
-Posture: Are they slouching, standing straight, or leaning against something? Is there counterposto in their posture?
-Accessories: What is something that the person/people are wearing that makes him/her stand out to me? Maybe it's a set of headphones (which I usually love drawing for whatever reason may be), a gold necklace with a body builder medal (true story), a flower hanging off a hat.
-Facial expression: Are they tired or are they happy? Angry or sad? A person's face says so much just by looking at their faces.
-Perspective:This is usually the most challenging one. How far is the person from me? Do I try to accurately portray them true to the distance as is or do I make it seem like that person was closer to me? What details do I add or leave out?
Of course, all this stuff comes subconsciously as I do it. Ethnicity, age,and gender do not matter to me. It's whoever catches my eye because they're doing something that makes me want to draw that person/group of people. I look back through my initial sketchbooks and I've improved significantly over time. As any artist knows, going to an art supply store is like a being a kid in a candy store; if you don't go in with a shopping list in mind you're gonna end up coming out with a handful of stuff that you don't need with the receipt in the double or triple digits.
I would always recommend that people go to local drawing events in their neck of the woods whenever they have the time/money for it. Why? Because you get to network with other artists (which is vital if you plan on doing it professionally) and draw with other people in the same room in addition to drawing live models. Here in NYC, there's Drink and Draw on Wednesdays in Brooklyn, Drawing Night and Fashion Drawing Night at the Society of Illustrators on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, Dare2Draw usually once a month (next one is in April), and loads of meetup.com groups dedicated to drawing events.
The Loomis books are fantastic books to own. I would also add Scott McCloud's Making Comics to the list as he wrote that one much later in life as an experienced artist. It has so many damn good resources. As for animal books, I have a book called Drawing Wild Life by JC Amberlyn and another one who's name escapes me at the moment. Since I'm kinda bad at perspective and want to improve it, I was thinking about checking this book one of these days:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581809549/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Lastly, I would say if you can't afford a Wacom Intuos Pro, then you can't go wrong with a Wacom Bamboo tablet if you're starting out/want to do it for fun. I have one and while its limits has admittedly annoyed me more than anything else these days, it gets the job done (after tinkering with some settings). I'm totally gonna upgrade to an Intuos Pro one of these months though.
Yeah. I don't know how well it's going to work, but I'm going to try and treat the summer like its own semester of sorts where I try to make some real solid growth in my hobbies. Make some monetary investment in a teacher and set goals and deadlines to keep me motivated. Then try to maintain my skills the best I can during the fall and spring semesters. I don't know how I'm going to progress in this otherwise.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
Subbed to this thread.
One other animation-style book that I've found useful, or at least interesting, is The Illusion of Life by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. It's especially useful if you want to draw and/or animate in a Disney style.
One other animation-style book that I've found useful, or at least interesting, is The Illusion of Life by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. It's especially useful if you want to draw and/or animate in a Disney style.
Subbed to this thread.
One other animation-style book that I've found useful, or at least interesting, is The Illusion of Life by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. It's especially useful if you want to draw and/or animate in a Disney style.
Going off of this, if you want to learn animation, another great book is 'the animators survival kit' by Richard Williams.
It's more or less my animation bible and it's pretty affordable. There's a dvd set that's about $1000 too lol. Still working to try to get that one.
So far, I need to add/review on the OP:
Bammes
Bridgman
Framed Ink
Digital Tablet Guide
Manny the Manequin
Arts & Farts
How to Draw Manga Sketching Series
Monster Book of Manga
Nicolaides
Illusion of Life
Art Subreddit
Drawn to Life V. 1 & 2
Anything that I missed?
Animator's Survival Kit is already in the OP. Awesome Book BTW
Ninja Edit Thanks Monocle
Bammes
Bridgman
Framed Ink
Digital Tablet Guide
Manny the Manequin
Arts & Farts
How to Draw Manga Sketching Series
Monster Book of Manga
Nicolaides
Illusion of Life
Art Subreddit
Drawn to Life V. 1 & 2
Anything that I missed?
Animator's Survival Kit is already in the OP. Awesome Book BTW
Ninja Edit Thanks Monocle
Monocle
Member
Definitely include Walt Stanchfield's Drawn to Life Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. These are compilations of lecture notes from a master animator. Absolutely packed with practical advice and valuable insight born of long experience. Must-read stuff for any visual artist, regardless of their interest in animation.DEATH;156067858 said:
Hydrargyrus
Member
Fantastic thread.
Subbed and I will check it frequently
Subbed and I will check it frequently
Art Self Study Thread Patch #1 is live!
Changes:
Added Gesture Section (haven't read Walt Stanchfield lectures indepth yet)
Added Bridgman, Bammes and Richer books (stupid me for forgetting those when I'm making the OP)
Added HTDM Sketching Series, Monster Book of Manga Series and Framed Ink (thanks to the guy who recommended me that. It's an awesome book)
Added Handy Reference App on the app list (buy it people, along with LE'corche and Mara Facial Expression)
Will update more further on after the final wave of midterms are done. Also thinking about how will make people engaged in studying and practicing these materials.
Changes:
Added Gesture Section (haven't read Walt Stanchfield lectures indepth yet)
Added Bridgman, Bammes and Richer books (stupid me for forgetting those when I'm making the OP)
Added HTDM Sketching Series, Monster Book of Manga Series and Framed Ink (thanks to the guy who recommended me that. It's an awesome book)
Added Handy Reference App on the app list (buy it people, along with LE'corche and Mara Facial Expression)
Will update more further on after the final wave of midterms are done. Also thinking about how will make people engaged in studying and practicing these materials.
fredrancour
Member
There would probably be actual benefits for me if I had competent art abilities. I guess I will use this thread to make my hands less horribly coordinated.
Dont look too down on yourself man. Again, its just a matter of knowing and practice.
If you want to exercise your line quality and stuff. Check Proko's how to hold the pencil vid. Its not about the hands, it's DA SHOULDERS! To practice, you also want to start doing gesture drawings too...
Smiles and Cries
Member
yeah I need to get some of those books even the manga book would have helped
I am rusty
I had this piece for 20 years sitting around there is one thing I always hated about it
so for the past few nights I changed a few things about it but kept what I hate about it
from this
to this
can't you tell what I hate about it?
here's a hint
that was just lazy when I did that many years ago not sure if I should fix it
when I drew it I did not use a reference that is Tip #1 lol
going to draw a few
on scraps of paper to get my brain to register the shape lol
I am rusty
I had this piece for 20 years sitting around there is one thing I always hated about it
so for the past few nights I changed a few things about it but kept what I hate about it
from this
to this
can't you tell what I hate about it?
here's a hint
THE EAR!
that was just lazy when I did that many years ago not sure if I should fix it
when I drew it I did not use a reference that is Tip #1 lol
going to draw a few
ears
yeah I need to get some of those books even the manga book would have helped
I am rusty
I had this piece for 20 years sitting around there is one thing I always hated about it
so for the past few nights I changed a few things about it but kept what I hate about it
from this
to this
can't you tell what I hate about it?
here's a hint
THE EAR!
that was just lazy when I did that many years ago not sure if I should fix it
when I drew it I did not use a reference that is Tip #1 lol
going to draw a fewon scraps of paper to get my brain to register the shape lolears
If I were you I will redo the piece instead of "fixing" it, especially considering that its hard to repaint over pastels lol.
This might help you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqgw_iMWwlw
The y? part really stood out for me when drawing ears...
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Also, Baron von Something, thanks for recommending Illusion of Life... Awesome book. Added to the OP.
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Also guys, is it okay if I also make a compilation of mini tutorials in masterlist the OP?
Smiles and Cries
Member
DEATH;156617392 said:
ears have always annoyed me
it is not that hard to redo pastels I just use a knife to scrape out the bad and draw the new layer
that piece took to long to redo plus I do no have a board and the colors I would need
I redid the eyes last night so I could add a DNA helix design and a chemical structure
that took me hours to get close to what I was seeing in my head
the ears must be fixed next even tho I have already shared this as a near finished piece lol the ear has to be fixed
thanks for the video
edit: I am using this to re-work my oil pastels
it helps a lot when you want to fix something later because you can work on top of it BE CAREFUL WITH THE FUMES
Smiles and Cries
Member
this is how I am fixing the ear issue
I'll press the pen line onto the oil pastel work
then I'll know what to scrape off and edit
notice the ear goes below the black border of the design the way the face is cut off made the badly drawn ear worst for me
I did not mess up the ears with this drawing
I was not going for detail over drawing style but I got really lazy with the one above for some reason
I'll press the pen line onto the oil pastel work
then I'll know what to scrape off and edit
notice the ear goes below the black border of the design the way the face is cut off made the badly drawn ear worst for me
I did not mess up the ears with this drawing
I was not going for detail over drawing style but I got really lazy with the one above for some reason
Foxy Fox 39
Banned
sssuuuuubbbed
Smiles and Cries
Member
back to the ear problem here is a trick I learned ages ago
the pen was not leaving the mark I wanted so on the reverse side
use oil pastels
like so
Vine vids 3 steps
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578675354778382337
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578676253802291201
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578679199604539393
I'll keep working it until it matches what I want feeling the ear is too small now T_T
I'll come back to it I want to start another drawing tonight since I feel so rusty and my skills are in a coma
the pen was not leaving the mark I wanted so on the reverse side
use oil pastels
like so
Vine vids 3 steps
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578675354778382337
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578676253802291201
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578679199604539393
I'll keep working it until it matches what I want feeling the ear is too small now T_T
I'll come back to it I want to start another drawing tonight since I feel so rusty and my skills are in a coma
Krauser Kat
Member
to help bolster my oil skills. in February i did an oil painting everyday for the whole month. I missed 2 days because my apartment exploded but it was totally worth the lost sleep.
back to the ear problem here is a trick I learned ages ago
the pen was not leaving the mark I wanted so on the reverse side
use oil pastels
like so
Vine vids 3 steps
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578675354778382337
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578676253802291201
https://twitter.com/NazHz/status/578679199604539393
I'll keep working it until it matches what I want feeling the ear is too small now T_T
I'll come back to it I want to start another drawing tonight since I feel so rusty and my skills are in a coma
Darn that's nice. Using pasteled paper like carbon copy? That's genius.
Whole month? I wish I get motivation just like you lol. Those are nice paintings btw.
--------------
Also, if you guys are following Proko, a new anatomy vid is out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GA8oC9PFQo
Smiles and Cries
Member
ears have always annoyed me
it is not that hard to redo pastels I just use a knife to scrape out the bad and draw the new layer
that piece took to long to redo plus I do no have a board and the colors I would need
I redid the eyes last night so I could add a DNA helix design and a chemical structure
that took me hours to get close to what I was seeing in my head
the ears must be fixed next even tho I have already shared this as a near finished piece lol the ear has to be fixed
thanks for the video
edit: I am using this to re-work my oil pastels
it helps a lot when you want to fix something later because you can work on top of it BE CAREFUL WITH THE FUMES
Nice.
Working with gouache right now.
Fucking hate that shit.
Yeah, my school has free figure drawing for alums. I've been meaning to go but I'm in the middle of finishing an animation. I'm hoping I can get some done in the summer though.
Dude, Proko got me REALLY FAR. Seriously. Dude teaches well. I can't recommend him enough. The good thing about his way of teaching too is it's rooted in fundamentals, and knowing fundamentals gives you a sense of direction on what to study next, and allows you to go to multiple styles you want to try and make it easy transition.
Go on OP and I got alot of playlists going to his vids. I figure you are practicing head drawing alot in Drawing a Day Thread, so you can go first to Portrait Drawing Fundamentals. Let us know how well you go...
-----------
Art Livestream with Artgerm painting Hinata...
http://new.livestream.com/stanleyartgermlau/DP2015A/videos/80793404
Smiles and Cries
Member
my drawing tonight still scared of ears lol
I think I have avoided them over the years looking back at my old drawings not detailed ears
I think I have avoided them over the years looking back at my old drawings not detailed ears
DEATH;156926779 said:
I'll have to check his stuff out then cause I feel like I've been regressing lately >.>
Very awesome! This is the kind of stuff I should have done when I was still in art school. Now that I'm studying something completely different, I regret not taking the time to set additional projects for myself. I wonder if I'll ever be able to do something like this considering my work load. And my love of sleep.
evil solrac v3.0
Member
Anyone here work with acrylic paints only? I do big paintings (18x24 and up)and I can't find a cheap way to scan them
Scan them? Good luck with that. Either photograph them or hire a photographer who knows how to properly photograph paintings in the best lighting conditions is what I would advise doing. I did the former with my acrylic paintings.
Guys, I'm kinda stuck... I do not know what makes this thing not "something".
I'm trying to make a skin gradient for painting using blend modes (since I am used to going grayscale first). I can't pinpoint it, but I know it lacks something that gives it some punch...
I'm using Corel Painter BTW. Primarily Basic Round and Digital Airbrush...
I'm trying to make a skin gradient for painting using blend modes (since I am used to going grayscale first). I can't pinpoint it, but I know it lacks something that gives it some punch...
I'm using Corel Painter BTW. Primarily Basic Round and Digital Airbrush...
Huw_Dawson
Member
Add a smidge of a whitish sky blue to the highlights. Highlights are never pure white.
A new art store opened next to the Bluecoats art gallery in Liverpool on Saturday. It is a branch of Cassart. Went in and they had loads of awesome drawing supplies. Unfortunately they are not geared towards comic or manga equipment. Their drop pen and ink selection was kinda weak sauce. Nevertheless, A3 Bristol board galore!
Gonna be getting into ink in a big way. I was studying some of Lowrie's sketches from the twenties and thirties and I loved the earthy expressionist style the ink allowed.
A new art store opened next to the Bluecoats art gallery in Liverpool on Saturday. It is a branch of Cassart. Went in and they had loads of awesome drawing supplies. Unfortunately they are not geared towards comic or manga equipment. Their drop pen and ink selection was kinda weak sauce. Nevertheless, A3 Bristol board galore!
Gonna be getting into ink in a big way. I was studying some of Lowrie's sketches from the twenties and thirties and I loved the earthy expressionist style the ink allowed.
evil solrac v3.0
Member
yeah as long as I can get a digital copy I guess that would work just as well.
Add a smidge of a whitish sky blue to the highlights. Highlights are never pure white.
A new art store opened next to the Bluecoats art gallery in Liverpool on Saturday. It is a branch of Cassart. Went in and they had loads of awesome drawing supplies. Unfortunately they are not geared towards comic or manga equipment. Their drop pen and ink selection was kinda weak sauce. Nevertheless, A3 Bristol board galore!
Gonna be getting into ink in a big way. I was studying some of Lowrie's sketches from the twenties and thirties and I loved the earthy expressionist style the ink allowed.
I tried bluish highlights. That highlight pops out like a bruise. I get what you are saying though. Instead of using bluish key light, I used yellowish key light and blue fill/bounce light instead.
Now I also did some Color Variety on my brush and some Pepper Spray for some random texture and that made it a bit better too. It still looks too smooth though.
Now another problem that came up is doing digital lineart... I do not know if its the brush or it's me lol. Trying to figure out why every lineart attemt I do looks flat and ugly. My sketches look better than the lineart itself.
EDIT Finally found a great leap... I figured out how to edit brushtypes in painter and got a nicely textured airbrush...
Now gotta experiment with pencils...