Ohmygod... 3,200 objects!

[AjIsCoool]

Big FranK changed to Creative Frank, Man truley i envy you [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Keep up the WOOOOOOOOOOW work. The van is getting better and better.
Questions: How did you define the master color for the van? So when you change the color the shadows follows. So you can have a list of different van color. I know how to change existing illustrator but i don't know how to create it.

Thanks

[AjIsCoool]

Big FranK changed to Creative Frank, Man truley i envy you [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Keep up the WOOOOOOOOOOW work. The van is getting better and better.
Questions: How did you define the master color for the van? So when you change the color the shadows follows. So you can have a list of different van color. I know how to change existing illustrator but i don't know how to create it.

Thanks

[Big Frank]

You can see from the attached animation how the van was built up starting from the ground. The two essential named colours were VAN RED and VAN MAGNOLIA corresponding to the two halves of the van. You'll see in the animation that these two are basic block background colours and sit behind a separate VAN SHADOWS layer which is why, however much I change the colour (or the clipview) of either VAN RED or VAN MAGNOLIA, the shadow always looks correct.

--
Big Frank was

[Ross Macintosh]

Thanks Big Frank for making the little vanimation. It is fun to watch.

For those who don't already use named colours - you've got to check them out. They are an easy-to-use powertool in Xara. Look to xara help or the movies for more info on applying them.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[DLFrost]

This is a really great image, Big Frank. I haven't seen hair handled like this in a vector application since I came across a website by some guy in Japan who uses Expression 2 for the hair in his portrature. Xara seems to be well suited for it.

I also liked how you put the image on the VW bus. A local airbrush artist wouldn't charge nearly as much as a mural printer, would they?

If you're willing, a couple of items I noticed...

The teeth should have the same white in them as the whites of the eyes. (This is an old portrait painting and photo-retouching rule.)

The white whisps of hair on the right... Are they supposed to represent hairs lit with rimlighting? If so, use a very bright yellow color and apply transparency to give it that glow look. (Just cause she's hot don't mean she should actually be smoking... ;-)

The tip of the nose and left (her right) nostril need to be reshaped. The pattern of light/shade makes it look like a chunk was chisled out there where it should be rounding out instead.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Doug Frost

[Big Frank]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for your comments - all taken in the best spirit. The drawing, as you have pointed out, is far from perfect. I have the same problem with Xara as I used to have with my old airbrush work. You spend so much time working at a piece that you can no loger see the wood for the trees... lack of concentration. At some point you have to call a halt before you get sick of the sight of the canvas!

Thanks for you comments, thought. I shall take them on board for future works.

--
Big Frank was

[RTK]

A paint job that is worth revisiting!

[RUSS-USSR]

Hello Big Frank.
Thank you for sharing your amazing works. A portrait looks like oil painted canvas. I like more, when artist choose a technique for his idea, like you did, but not the idea for his best tricks. Hope I used my poor English correct.
Best regards.

[colin_e]

What can I say? Superb image, and like everyone else I particularly love the hair. I'd love to see a XaraXone tutorial on this at some point in the future.

The Microbus is pretty damn great as well, this man is clearly a phenomenon ;-)

[Ron Duke]

Big Frank,
You're really pushing me to take a stab at something like this. Really great work.
ron