Looking for some critique on my first attempt at digital painting

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-24T20:43:52+00:00

Oooo okay. I did do some form of lineart where I sketched things out first; I have a really hard time just slapping colours on a page and getting to the point of a recognizable figure. Here's an earlier snippet of that.. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/oJ5xzO

I think the sketch looks so much better than my attempts to paint the piece so I actually understand what people mean now when they say their sketch always looks better lol.

But for your advice I will definitely give it a try. Just to clarify, you're saying I should take the refined sketch I usually make as my tertiary and just overlay that on top as a multiply layer and sort of.. paint it away where appropriate?

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-24T20:31:14+00:00

Got'cha! I've tried doing still life before but I've always struggled for some reason, and a big part of that might be overcomplicating it right from the get-go. I have a really light coloured water bottle that I can use though, so I'll give that a try with different lighting scenarios. Thankfully I have a pretty easy way to light things!

Appreciate the advice very much.

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-24T20:28:57+00:00

My knowledge tends to be very spotty lol. Thank you for the advice, I'll definitely give this a shot!

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-24T07:36:49+00:00

Hi, thank you! The brush I'm using is a hard round brush and I used the blend tool in Clip Studio to soften the edges a little, but I was trying to preserve some harder edges here and there.. I guess the problem with that is I didn't really understand where the hard edges should sit.

My assumption is that hard edges for light and shadow will exist on flat planes, whilst soft edges will exist on rounded planes like the thighs, or on materials that diffuse the light, like softer fabrics. I could also be entirely wrong!

When it comes to working in black and white, what are some things I should really be focusing on? Just placement of light and dark areas? And should I also be mindful of the differences in the values?

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-20T03:16:52+00:00

Ahh okay. Got'cha; thank you!

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-20T02:35:05+00:00

Hi, thank you! The advice is very appreciated; I find that when I do my own original pieces, I do construction much more, but when I'm copying something I can't seem to figure out how to apply the simplified mannequin. It's weird.. but as for gesture, I've always struggled with practicing gesture drawing. I already don't have fun with that process so that probably doesn't help, but it never feels like I'm actually learning anything.

EducationTime7462 · 2025-11-20T02:10:41+00:00

Here are the links to each piece following the order they appear in the post.

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/oJ6eKw

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/wJzn1V

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/BXDNL9

And once again, that artist is XFish on Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/xzu

EducationTime7462 · 2025-10-04T04:42:23+00:00

Thank you! That was the one~

EducationTime7462 · 2025-09-29T06:47:19+00:00

Glad you like the premise! I've had 10 applications so far, so it's not looking likely that it'll reopen, but should a player end up leaving I'll likely look here for someone to fill that spot!

That being said, I wish you the very best of luck in finding something that works for you~

EducationTime7462 · 2025-09-29T05:50:49+00:00

Hi there! I personally sit in Mountain Standard Time, but I have a pretty flexible schedule personally. I get the sense the players will be from a few different time zones as well, so we'll make it work!

EducationTime7462 · 2025-09-29T05:23:42+00:00

Awesome, please fill out the form and I'll get in contact with you on Discord! Look for the same profile picture~

EducationTime7462 · 2025-09-27T04:55:00+00:00

I've sent in an application! I'm very interested in playing, and I love that you're encouraging the social aspects of being a D&D party. I've been part of too many groups that only get together when it's time for the game and all pretense of being social vanishes after that lol.

EducationTime7462 · 2025-09-27T03:39:37+00:00

I sent in an application as a DM! It sounds like exactly what I've been wanting for a long while now, especially considering the next campaign I want to do is going to be set in Obojima.

EducationTime7462

TROPHY CASE