Yep, you nailed it. This is the second time dappled light effect just 100 percent works, and it really is amazing how well you did it. The rest of it just incredible, I was about to say as usual, and so this is one of the best versions I have ever seen of this now classic bust - and that is no small task. You captured the essence of the ol chap. Gold and editor’s!
The luminous green, the beautiful skin tone, that luxuriant beard, the amazingly rendered face and that dappled light! There is nothing here that isn’t mind blowing. This is my new favourite piece by you mate it’s a whole new level. Gold and Editors
Really good job Dave. No easy effect ( saying because personal experience) but, more far than the effect, the focus and colour scheme gives to it some kind of magical ambiance.
I would suggest yo to play with temperature contrast also in the shadows because the back feels a little bit cold and night.
Gold and editor's by the way.
I really appreciate the feedback :). Your perspective is strong since you’ve so effectively rendered this technique so it is great to hear from you.
Initially I had the back a little bit more cold than the final result but I warmed it a little. I thought the back could be cold because it’s getting shadow tinted by the blue sky and the potential surrounding trees. Maybe I didn’t go far enough?
I see him walking through a fairly thick forest and this moment there was a space in the trees that let light through. In truth the cold shadows on the front lower right (his right) is much much colder than the back.
I did get a sense that maybe I desaturated the colours a bit too much compared to the front and that this cold feeling wasn’t quite right but the colours on his back are more warm than the colours I used for the shadows on the front.
Typically in the past I would have left the back of this model a lot more dark because if we look at him in a stuck moment in time do we then allow for our eyes to adjust to the less light on the back or do we paint the whole model with the same ‘aperture’ as the front of the model when in reality if we were standing behind our eyes would adjust and we would see more. This balance of light and dark in the areas away from a very focused light source is something that has troubled and fascinated me since I start painting busts and trying to think of more interesting light situations.
I still think I have a LONG way to go to understanding and perfecting these ideas but I’ve recently had epiphanies that I think will make for interesting results as I try different things on future projects. One thing I’m almost certain of though, I won’t be leaving big parts of a model just dark and flat anymore.
There is a way to use the light hitting the back of a model with less focused intensity in really interesting ways and since this is miniature painting and we can hold these objects in our hands and look from all angles we must take into account all angles otherwise I’m taking shortcuts and working for photos that may as well be 2D art.
Anyway sorry for a long lot of thoughts you just inspired this long lot of thoughts in me with your great comment. So thank you very much for helping it’s important to me.
And ooops as usual my long winded comments ended up needing 3 comments.
toppulous
Gold - may be my favorite thing from you yet. The cast shadows are amazing.Jakob VPLUS
Yep, you nailed it. This is the second time dappled light effect just 100 percent works, and it really is amazing how well you did it. The rest of it just incredible, I was about to say as usual, and so this is one of the best versions I have ever seen of this now classic bust - and that is no small task. You captured the essence of the ol chap. Gold and editor’s!girlpainter57
dapple shadows are great the face as awesome charactorTimPLUS
The luminous green, the beautiful skin tone, that luxuriant beard, the amazingly rendered face and that dappled light! There is nothing here that isn’t mind blowing. This is my new favourite piece by you mate it’s a whole new level. Gold and EditorsLuceq
Outstanding. Great work!Eugene Dravskikh
Extreme!Ville Nurmi
Oh Wau! The grey background makes it look even better. So gold!davidg100
This is truly a masterpiece… gold.Erkka MarttioPLUS
Love everything about this, but particularly the shadows are obviously incredible. Gold!Natalia Oracz
Beautiful version! I feel like it's one of the best uses for this kind of shadows. Gold and Editors from me :)Chris "D.Vader" SuhrePLUS
Love the tree shadow effects.Marc MussatPLUS
Amazing painting ! Love both colors and the shadow effect !Angel C Villalba "KaspareK"
Gold!!!!"SCV Park" Yeong Min
Very Nice painting~!!Andrew judson
Absolutely love this piece. Those shadows are amazing mate.Magnus FagerbergPLUS
Wow, excellent job with the play of shadows!Alex ✍
Beautiful work David! Love the forest effect!Roman LappatPLUS
The light work is crazy and so well done with the game of saturation and desaturation! Adorable version!Conrad Mynett
What was it the judges said; needed a bit more shadow across the brow? It's awesome, I love it :)Archigrog
Crazy and refined paintjob…casted foliage shadows are incredibleStefano Lancioni
Love it!Patricia Sancho
Really good job Dave. No easy effect ( saying because personal experience) but, more far than the effect, the focus and colour scheme gives to it some kind of magical ambiance. I would suggest yo to play with temperature contrast also in the shadows because the back feels a little bit cold and night. Gold and editor's by the way.DavidColwellPLUS
I really appreciate the feedback :). Your perspective is strong since you’ve so effectively rendered this technique so it is great to hear from you. Initially I had the back a little bit more cold than the final result but I warmed it a little. I thought the back could be cold because it’s getting shadow tinted by the blue sky and the potential surrounding trees. Maybe I didn’t go far enough? I see him walking through a fairly thick forest and this moment there was a space in the trees that let light through. In truth the cold shadows on the front lower right (his right) is much much colder than the back. I did get a sense that maybe I desaturated the colours a bit too much compared to the front and that this cold feeling wasn’t quite right but the colours on his back are more warm than the colours I used for the shadows on the front.DavidColwellPLUS
Typically in the past I would have left the back of this model a lot more dark because if we look at him in a stuck moment in time do we then allow for our eyes to adjust to the less light on the back or do we paint the whole model with the same ‘aperture’ as the front of the model when in reality if we were standing behind our eyes would adjust and we would see more. This balance of light and dark in the areas away from a very focused light source is something that has troubled and fascinated me since I start painting busts and trying to think of more interesting light situations. I still think I have a LONG way to go to understanding and perfecting these ideas but I’ve recently had epiphanies that I think will make for interesting results as I try different things on future projects. One thing I’m almost certain of though, I won’t be leaving big parts of a model just dark and flat anymore.DavidColwellPLUS
There is a way to use the light hitting the back of a model with less focused intensity in really interesting ways and since this is miniature painting and we can hold these objects in our hands and look from all angles we must take into account all angles otherwise I’m taking shortcuts and working for photos that may as well be 2D art. Anyway sorry for a long lot of thoughts you just inspired this long lot of thoughts in me with your great comment. So thank you very much for helping it’s important to me. And ooops as usual my long winded comments ended up needing 3 comments.LeSquatchPainting
I have no words to express how looking at this piece makes me feel. Absolute banger of a piece! Gold for sure.StephanPLUS
unic piece, painted by one of the grandmasters.Michael FischerPLUS
Hallo David, Very nice light composition. Everything is alright together. Gold.Anthony Wang
I love your take on dappled light here!Mariano del Olmo
Gold David!! Truly amazing!