The Moment Before WIP

[A Former User]

I absolutely love #9, the dogs face is brilliant! Maybe the Mom in the background could have just turned and seen the dog about the take a bite so she looks shocked or something?

[steph_artist]

Love the look of delight on the dog's face in 14. I also love 9. Can't wait to see what you do.

[Kat]

I like #9, but #1 is my favorite because of the "sneaky" factor. You're not entirely sure what the dog will do, but you know it's up to something regarding dinner. As a dog owner, I can totally relate LOL!

[ShannonB]

1, 4 and 9 are my favourites, I like the long table in the first, all set up and lovely, knowing it will be demolished

[StudioLooong]

Thanks everyone! Thats super helpful, I'll probably take 2 or 3 of these to the rough sketch phase and see if one sticks out after I refine them a little bit.

[StudioLooong]

I've worked up a new sketch, wondering if the story comes through a little better in this one? It's still very rough but I want to have the couple so infatuate with each other in this outdoor cafe setting that they don't notice the dog checking out their muffins.

[Heather Boyd]

@StudioLooong

I like #1 and #9 the best.

I like the angle of #1. #9 could have the figure in the back catching the dog at a glance in the corner of his eye.

[Eli]

I still love 9 the best. Composition is great, it's super clear and really funny.

[Eli]

Re: #9 I guess if you wanted to up the suspense, you could have the person in the background headed towards the door carrying a dish, just in time to see the ham meet its demise.

[StudioLooong]

Okay, so a bit of a change in direction, I wasn't in love with any of the dog comps and I wanted to land on something that I was excited to work on this weekend so I changed concepts to this little froggy. Here is my rough sketch with the value groups roughed in.

[StudioLooong]

[StudioLooong]

Ive worked up two different versions, one is more mid-day and one is more evening, any critique on color would be appreciated! I haven't added any highlights/shadows to these yet so I know i need to work on that.

[Heather Boyd]

@StudioLooong I like the warmer of the first one just adds a little extra pop.

[Johanna Kim]

@StudioLooong I like the warmer one on the left. Looking great so far. When you work on the highlights/shadows, note where the light sources and reflections are coming from.

[A Former User]

I like the one on the left too, maybe you could add a bit of a highlight on his eyes so he stands out a bit more? Maybe also make those 2 leaves on the left a bit darker so they're not lost in the bush behind
I love the texture you have here though, did you do it traditional first? or is this a fancy digital brush? I also love the soft purples you have in the background

[Buddy Skelton]

I guess I'm the oddball because I love the one on the right! Lol

[StudioLooong]

@hannahmccaffery still working on the shadow/highlights I do all the line work with pencil and scan it in and go from there, I haven't found a pencil brush in photoshop that i'm completely happy with yet, real pencil is still easier for me to get the texture i want but the color is all digital.

[StudioLooong]

I think the bird in silhouette makes more sense with the evening lighting scenario, and the log fits into the color story a little better. Here is where i'm at now.

[shinjifujioka]

Really love the textures! Adds so much interest to the piece. I also like how you have that atmospheric perspective thing going. Looking forward to seeing the finished piece!