Willie Nelson - digital portrait

I am frustrated about Corel PhotoPain(t)'s inability to export to png; the program continues to crash. Re-installation did not resolve the problem. Downloaded a trial version of Affinity Photo. I will explain its functions once I have become more experienced in creating digital portraits in this program. Until now I am mostly experimenting. I selected Willie Nelson, because he has an interesting head and a matching personality. I don't like smooth faces; they're no challenge to paint. I always try to put an emphasis on the main features of the subject's face, which leads to differences from the reference material, without losing the person's likeness. Typical facial features are subtly exaggerated.

Affinity Photo's UI is easy to get familiar with for those working with Corel PhotoPain(t) and Adobe Photoshop. Many shortcuts are linked to the same function. I must say I'm pleasantly surprised by AP. After getting annoyed with Corel and dumping Photoshop I tried GIMP, which is a really good program with a weird interface. AP's interface on the other hand, doesn't only offer similarity to Corel's and Adobe's photo-editors, it also adds functionality that allows to do the same with less clicks. Quite promising, considering the program hasn't been around that long.

Tip for desktop computer users: click on one of the images, which will lead you to the Blogger Lightbox. Use the mouse scroll wheel to switch between the various stages, so that you can see the differences between them. As usual, the oldest stage images are at the bottom and newest one on top.

Intermediate color test 01

Al Pacino

This is the sequence of the portrait containing date and time of each shot. Oldest at the bottom, newest on top. Tools: Corel PhotoPaint & Huion H610PRO graphic tablet. Most detailing done with mouse. I will discusss into detail the techniques used to create this portrait in an other blog entry. Perhaps I must try Corel Painter one day as well.

There is something interesting about Pacino's face. As you may know the right side of the body - including the face - is controlled by the left brain and vice versa. If you vertically cover one half of his face you see two totally different expressions and even tissue texture. The left side of the face, controlled by the left brain hemisphere, is calm and shows relatively smooth skin tissue (relatively low muscle tension = relaxed), while the left side of his face reflects a very investigative gaze and displays more muscular tension, suggesting higher tenseness.

To see the difference between stages, click on the top image and you'll jump to the Blogger Lightbox. Then use the scroll wheel of the mouse to quickly browse through the sequential stage images.

AP July 18 2017 13:07 - head is completed

AP July 17 2017 22:05 - Texture detailing & ears

AP July 17 2017 12:33 - detailing texture left cheek

AP July 16 2017 20:30 - colored version

AP July 16 2017 20:30. Did some more detailing on the base layer.

AP 4x July 15 2017 15:11 - color tests

AP July 15 2017 12:02 - Further detailing textures

AP July 15 2017 00:49 - texturing upper cheeks

AP July 14 2017 03:13 - Updated face textures

AP July 12 2017 17:11 - Forehead texture & color test

AP July 12 2017 01:33 - color test

AP July 11 2017 14:20

AP July 10 2017 23:17

AP July 10 2017 (after computer crashed) 14:07

AP July 07 2017 23:00 

AP July 07 2017 19:43 

AP July 07 2017 17:10 

AP July 06 2017 13:47 

AP July 05 2017 19:54   

AP July 04 2017 15:30

AP July 04 2017 11:27

AP July 04 2017 00:21

AP July 03 2017 17:00

AP July 03 2017 13:30

AP July 02 2017 11:40

AP July 03 2017 09:00