How to do better...

[Prunesquallor]

There are a lot of posts here on how to use the power of ZBrush more, either by using tools you didn't know about or by using them in new ways.

Has anyone got any advice on how to make artistic progress, for instance how to bridge the gap between the image in your head and what you can actually produce.

I know that this is mostly a technical forum but there are a lot of very artistic people here who might be willing to help others to produce the images they want. Doing this would help everyone as he would lead to more submissions and therefore variety. There are probably occasional or former ZBrush users out there who would like to have achieved more but don't know how to.

Perhaps there could be an art focused forum where people could sumbit what they have done with comments so that others could learn? For instance, rather than describing how to create a face people could talk about what makes a face work e.g. lighting, textures, posture or proportions. Some of the posts start to go this way but end when the technical objective has been achieved.

Prunesquallor
A happy :) ...
...but occasionally frustrated :( ...
...experimentor

[Stonecutter]

The best place to start is to realize that the most important part of 'Digital Art' is the 'Art' part, and not the 'Digital' part...
The fundamental skill in painting, sculpting, carving, or any of the other things I've done as a full-time working artist is drawing...You have to study that as a starting point...

Here are some places to start...
Successful Drawing by Loomis: http://www.gameartworks.com/LoomisBooks/successful/page_01.htm

Drawing heads and hands, also by Loomis: http://www.gameartworks.com/LoomisBooks/heads/page_01.htm

Figure Drawing by Loomis: http://www.fineart.sk/page_01.htm

And for an overview of human anatomy: http://www.bartleby.com/107/

Grays' Anatomy online...

Art is a skill, and can be developed, but you do have to put the time in...If you learn to draw, you use the computer as a tool, not depending on it for your work, but as an additional resource to actualize your ideas. A carpenter doesn't build a house as his first project, he learns his tools first, then uses his new skills to advance his work...
Also, since so many of the skills and techniques of traditional Art are transportable to computer graphics, get some Acrylic painting technique books form the library, fill a layer in ZBRush with Flat Color material, and follow the lessons as if you were doing them with regular tools...This will teach you more than you could imagine. ;)

I hope this helps, and good luck...! :tu:

[RC]

Here is a good site with many tips and techniques http://painting.about.com/?once=true&

[zerobugetgamemaker]

Try new things, Always. I started ZBrushing only making trees and abstracts, Then I figured out how to model 3d objects, and made a lot of space ships. Now I'm moving into faces and clothing, and learning about textures. The thing about art is, there's always more to do, so keep trying new things.

David

[Karasuando]

Not that im the spiffest of them all but I do believe I have a few thoughts to share.

first thing I can say is to stick with whatever idea you have, for as long as possible but don't feel pressured to finish it. It seems if you spend enough time with a creation without deadlines or pressure it will eventually turn out good, or atleast thats how it works for me.

And don't get frustrated when creating, if you do I find it better to do something else for a while, find some inspiration and return with an open mind when you are ready.

Even if it means you will not be working as much, you will probably accomplish far more. Because if your mind is not open you will not learn as much you will just want to get the #%"@!£@ thing done. And whenever you look at something else other than your work for a while when you come back you will see things you never saw before and think things you wouldn't have thought, thus learn things you wouldn't have learned.

[DeeVee]

If I was interested in Land/Seascapes the first book I would get my hands on would be "Drawing Scenery:
Landscapes and Seascapes"
By Jack Hamm.
I got this book in 1976 so it might not be any longer in print but I would still try. It is very practical in it's approach to the subject.

DeeVee,
Joe.

[juandel]

this is a very interesting topic you brought up, Prunesquallor! :tu: :tu: :tu: and i favor Stonecutters approach a lot (though i never really learned drawing myself :)) btw: Jack Hamm’s book in a 1983 paperback edition is on stock at amazon for about USD 10,-, DeeVee, and will ship within 2 days.

browsing through some old threads i happened to look into WingedOne’s Spell (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=002172) - further down below are a few links to previous stages. i think this project to be a nice example of how to close the gap between the image in ones mind and reproducing it. all there, from sketch to finale :) there are quiet a few other well documented projects (like Stonecutter’s Troll King - argh! i couldnt find the thread(s)! :mad: - which final version will he hopefully will share when the new renderoptions of 1.5 are available :))

what i think to be the most important part in any great pic "that works" usually is the composition. of course there is much more into it (especially since our minds got used to cinematographic views) but a good starting point might be the classical theory of
the golden section (http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibInArt.html).

- juandel