How can this image be improved?
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in Art Studio
Last month I was doing a series of quick and easy images - a character and a background. Image one was the most popular result. I decided to try and imrove it by adding more detail, better fog effects, depth of field, etc. The result is image two. But I want to push my techniques farther. So, how can this image be improved? Thank you.
IMAGE ONE: Full Size One
IMAGE TWO: Full Size Two
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addition of fog and DOF makes a nice change. There are two things I would sugguest for you to think about. For one: why is she looking pleading in the direction fo the camera? there isn't a story yet to see eraction with the ca do you want this to be an interaction with the camera (with the viewer)? then maybe draw the canera in on her until we see on the part from her head to the peak of the ellbows, maybe even further (while keeping the format) with will make the area in which your foucus is smaller, so the background gets blurrier.
The second though is to give the figure a greater dynamic in her posing, mayb make her dirty? with holes in her clothing? Just some thoughts
maybe dont do quick and easy images of a person randomly standing in front of a background. start there?
The character is illuminated with a warm light that doesn't make sense to me. What is this light, where is it coming from, why is it there?
If it's supposed to be sunlight then the background should be similarly illuminated. If it's supposed to be a street light then it should come at a steeper angle from above and also be colder, to match the TL street lights we see in the background.
Regarding this particular aspect I think you actually took a step back from v1 to v2. Both version have this prblem but in v1 the lighting of the character matches the environment a little better.
On a different note, if the picture is supposed to tell a story then the story isn't clear. I couldn't tell what she's doing or how she's feeling.
If it's just supposed to be a pin-up - nothing wrong with that! - then I suggest showing off her face and/or figure a bit more. Not necessarily by showing more skin; but her current outfit looks closed-off and obscures her silhouette. Part of her face is hidden behind her hands and the background takes up the majority of the image. In a way the character is almost hiding in her own image despite being the focus of it, which is the opposite of what a pin-up should do.
Hope some of this was helpful, good luck!
Aaack ... of course ... I was stuck in powerpoint mode (the original quick and easy images were made to go in powerpoint presentations where the background space would be overlaid with text - hence the unusual cropping). But now I am trying for something more artistic and I can change that -- crop more for the person, add effects for dirt and torn clothing, more dynamic interaction, ... oh, and perhaps a backstory element that makes sense outside of the powerpoint presentation. [and yes that warm skin was bothering me too - it was made warmer when I saved it as an image - an unexpected result as I am just only now beginning to learn to work with high dynamic range images]. Thank you three for jump starting artist mode!
Keep the suggestions coming ... I will be doing this again to see what the final result will be.
Mind if I post work the images?
Not at all ... go for it. Every once-in-a-while I get in a learning mode ... I want to see the limits of what can be done with an image and glean from the techniques used - including postwork!
PS: since this was not originally an art piece, I need to choose some type of composition to work with - hence, my future renditions of this image are going to take a book cover format of 6 X 9 and see what I can do with that.
Video of Post Work is done.
Wow ... an entire video demonstration ... I am impressed. I shall try to view this shortly and see what surprises you have for me. Thank you. Oh ... and what does Drew think of the efforts of either / both of us?
I am ...Drew so likes the image. lol
And he/I comments in the video.
Good stuff.
That .. reminded me of ... " I am Groot" LOL
You may want to consider moving the camera, left, right, up, down, anywhere but straight on her. Move it in closer for her to fill up more of the frame. Her hand pose is either pleading or praying, yet her facial expression seems close to default. Move the brows, give her some emotion, tell a story about what she is feeling or the desparation of her situation. Is she looking at something or reacting to something. Open the eyes more or squint them, add some variety to her standing straight pose. Images work when they convey a story.
Thank you all for the continued suggestions. Here is the current rendition - it is definitely becoming more artistic rather than powerpointish.
Great ... I enjoyed the tips ... in fact, I had not noticed the cables blocking the billboard face, but after seeing you remove them, I realized it would be useful ( see the newest image ). Thank you so much. If you want to work with other of my images, let me know.
Yes. You've captured a sense of dread and those billboard eyes looking at the character is almost creepy.
Your current version is significantly better composed and rendered.
VERY NICE! The closer up version looks much better. It puts the viewer more into her space, you see more clearly her sense of wary/caution. She looks nervous, a bit scared, and like she's worried that she's being followed. The fog and darker-hazy feel of the environment adds a sense of dread. A much-improved composition, imo! :D
I happened be working on a render with Stonemason's Urban Future 5 in a cyberpunk type setting. I thought I share the render and a few pointer with you.
I chose a neo noir style lighting treatment as this is very prevelant in movies of this genre (Blade Runner) Urban future has a lot those elements included.
1. lower your HDRi enviromnent intensity or chose a map with lower light intensity or a night scene
2. take advantage of the UF5 emissive lighting (see the neon lights) I increased the intensity of the available lights to illuminate the scene
3. to give the scene a noir feel, I used overhead spot lights to create that 'rim light effect over the figures. I set the color temperature to 7500K to and the light color to light blue or pink (the neo noir feel)
4. I used a couple of spot lights (key) to give just enough lighting to make the figure recognmizable but not too bright to wash out the shadows
5. DS actually has a matte fog function for distance fog.. I used to give the background that hazy look, which also give the neon lighting the glow
6. I used DOF Fstop 80 which blur the background just slightly.
Is she supposed to have such a waxy skin and dead eyes?
Okay Drew ... check your message inbox.
Is this supposed to be a joke?
Why? Do you disagree that skin looks like a wax figure?
I would agree there should be more in the skin and eyes. I think they suffered in the transfer from High Definition EXR file to JPG file. Part of the learning curve with canvases.