In Search of Dandelions (Tortoise)

[kwheller]

This drawing is of my neighbor's African Spurred Tortoise who loves to eat dandelion flowers! It is on Strathmore 500 Bristol plate with Staedtler leads. The copy of the drawing doesn't show the light gray background very well. I could really use your feedback of where to go from here, as it is still in a draft stage of development. Once the drawing is complete, I might tint the dandelion yellow with Prismacolor Verithin (like I did the piranha's red belly), although I am very undecided about that since I love graphite. Thanks for your help.

[Mike Sibley]

If it's not showing the grey background, I'm assuming your image is lighter than it is in reality. In that case, my next point can be ignored... I think it's lacking contrast.

If it looks more like this, then it's looking good:

KATHY-tortoise.jpg

I didn't know African Spurred Tortoises existed, but you've handled the spurs on yours very well. They're not dominant, but they are clearly understandable when noticed.

I'm not a fan of colour being mixed with a graphite drawing - except when Linda does it - but I think a yellow dandelion would really add to the story here.

[kwheller]

Thanks for showing my drawing with more contrast. What a difference more contrast makes!! It is currently somewhere between the two pictures. I do still tend to draw light. Im going to increase the contrast as you have suggested. Thanks!

[Mike Sibley]

In my opinion, more contrast equals improved three-dimensionality, more presence, and a greater sense of reality. Or, looking at it the other way round... a lack of contrast results in flat drawings.

That's why I usually establish a bit of my darkest value first. And if the reference doesn't contain any really dark values, I'll find legitimate reasons to inventing some. Darks matter.

[kwheller]

That makes sense. Do you think I should spray it with workable fixative before I add more contrast since Im working on such a smooth surface? That might help me achieve those darks, do you think?

[Mike Sibley]

That would do no harm. Although, you could find a relatively unimportant spot to test new shading on first, before fixing (perhaps under the shell to the left of the head). Just to give you the choice of spraying or not.

[kwheller]

Thank you so much! I'll do that. Having more contrast seems so obvious, but I just didnt see it until you pointed it out. I had the same problem on one of my earlier drawings. I believe I have the same software program as you (Affinity). Can you point me in the right direction on how you are increasing the contrast or what I would call it to look it up? If I scan my drawings into the program and do what you are doing with the contrast, it should help me judge better about the contrast. (Here I'm thinking I have good contrast until I see your example with more contrast and only then realize I don't).
Thanks again for your help.

[Shmush]

Wonderful detail! Really makes it 3 dimensional. Since it seems the dandelion is part of the story should it be bigger or perhaps even a grouping of dandelions???

[Mike Sibley]

I believe I have the same software program as you (Affinity). Can you point me in the right direction on how you are increasing the contrast or what I would call it to look it up?

I tweaked it manually, but try this:

Open your scan in Affinity Photo
Duplicate it (CTRL+J)
Try "auto contrast" first: There is a block of 4 icons left of centre above the image - click the second left (disk: half black, half white)
If that didn't look good, delete the duplicate (keyboard DELETE)
Select the original scan and duplicate it again (CTRL+J)

Now try manually.
CTRL+L to call up LEVELS
You have three sliders. The top one will darken darks and increase contrast
the white one brightens light values and whites.
The bottom one (gamma) affects mid-tones

First, try to return your scan to what your original probably looks like.
To do that:
Hold down ALT - that will allow to see where and what you're altering
If, for example, you want to make the background white
adjust the middle (white) slider until the background is highlighted.
As soon as your adjustments encroach on the foreground, back off a little.
Let go of ALT to see the result.
You can accept it, or alter it visually from there.
The same applies to the black slider - but not gamma.

For speed, I usually try the top icons first:
Auto contrast, then
Auto levels
You can try Auto White Balance too. If any step doesn't look good, hit CTRL+Z to undo. Then try again.

If you like the look so far, but you're not certain the next step will work...
Hit CTRL+J to duplicate the work so far, then work on the copy.
If it didn't work, delete the copy, and you're back to where you were.

At any stage, you can combine copies. Click on the top one, then hit CTRL+E to merge it with the one below. Or simply save the entire result as a new image.

If you save the image, it will save as a native ".afphoto" file (to preserve the layers).
To save as a JPG or PNG: go to File > Export > choose the file type > follow instructions and navigate to the destination.

(Most of the above works in Photoshop too)

[kwheller]

dandelion is part of the story should it be bigger or perhaps even a grouping of dandelions???

Hi Shmush:
Thanks so much for your kind comments! I too wonder if the dandelion should be bigger or more of a grouping. However, if I decide to tint the dandelion (flower or flower and leaves), then I would tend to leave it small since the color will draw people in. At least that's what I'm thinking. If I decide to leave it all graphite, I think I will make it bigger since it is such a part of the story. Right now it is proportional to the 45 lb tortoise (who will reach 100 lbs or so)! Really appreciate your insights.