January 2014 Video Tutorial : Drawing Plastic and Chrome What's the Diff?

**Gare** · 24 February 2014, 02:55 PM

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I'm sure everyone on Earth has seen this painting, but I'd only suggest you use it for inspiration drawing your background for the apple. What Magritte did, in addition to surrealism, is he used some very attractive colours behind the green apple.

Don't bother drawing the bloke.

-g

**stygg2003** · 25 February 2014, 01:17 PM

Well my drawing is not Magritte by any means but used the style of his Apple image and made 3 images.
1.Normal
2.Contrast and Levels
3.Contrast, Levels and colour down to -95

Not sure which one I prefer now

It's been another learning curve doing the Apple and incorporating into my amateurish Magritte but all in all, enjoyable.

Stygg

**Gare** · 25 February 2014, 02:21 PM

It's the process that matters to the artist, not necessarily the finished piece, stygg.

Just play with it until you're happy, ignore Magritte for a while and focus on what you see and feel, not someone else, and get happy in the immersion process.

That's what I do, honest!

-g

**stygg2003** · 25 February 2014, 03:16 PM

I'm happy with the apple its self and the background and foreground so out of the three I prefer the contrast image, all I've added is what I was trying to purvey without tall buildings!!

I think you'll get the title

Stygg

**Gare** · 25 February 2014, 04:05 PM

I won't spoil it for others, stygg, but I believe I know the title. Lived there for almost 20 years, never toured the green chick's head, though.

Now, stygg, moving, on let me ask you: does the background stylistically integrate with the foreground? Do you have shadows casting on the brick wall from the apple resting there? The apple is a highly photorealistic rendering, while I believe not as much effort went into the subordinate elements.

I'm only trying to help you move ahead, stygg, and not being destructively critical. Brute honesty here: I don't think you're done with this composition yet.

Now is the time to think analytically more than you feel about the work. Head and Heart often have to work together harmoniously.

And thinking lots of times means "not doing." So don't pick up the Pen tool or anything; just reflect on the piece for a day, consider other avenues, refinements, make thinking about it part of the process.

And enjoy the process.

"Produce Great Art you will not, if too hard you try."
— (you know which Star Wars character already)

**stygg2003** · 25 February 2014, 05:14 PM

Thanks for feedback Gary and your absolutely right, not much effort went into the subordinate elements. Will sit back and consider what I had in mind in the first place and that was a more greyish wall and the sky and clouds a bit unsettling, darker, storm on the way sort of thing and also shadows which I missed out completely. I think all that would make the apple "pop" and overall convey the message I saw in this image "The Big Apple" and that was, everyone wants to make it to New York and America but it's not always plain sailing. Looks like thinking about art makes one philosophical as well

Stygg

**Gare** · 25 February 2014, 05:20 PM

That's the ticket, stygg. You understand what I meant, which is difficult for most bipedal creatures, and you should weigh how much you want to make this piece a winner against the time you have, against the technical versus the emotional fork in the road we all have to decide upon.

Wow. I not only made it to New York but I was born here. New York State, not the city.

They say there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway.

(that was a joke).

-g

**stygg2003** · 01 March 2014, 03:49 PM

I think this is as far as I can go with this image Gary or should I say want to go? Stuck now between art and techno, the fork you mentioned but still pleased with the outcome- the Apple and the underlying message I wanted the image to put across.

Stygg

**Gare** · 01 March 2014, 04:04 PM

Gawd, I love it, Stygg. Tone down the apple a little because the scene is not casting so much ambient light on it.

Real easy to do: use the Levels command on it.

Beautiful, beautiful imagery. Speaks of YOU, stygg, not "art lessons."

-g

**stygg2003** · 01 March 2014, 05:21 PM

Thank you for such kind remarks Gary and you are correct, I like dark images, they seem to say more and appear mysterious to a viewer. You said tone the apple down a tad, of which I set the level of darkness for the apple to 54 and also the darkness of the storm clouds down to 24, all looks ok ?

Another good weekend for me

Stygg