When working on a complex and detailed piece, where do you begin? Do you start with the background first or do you try to put all the pieces down at once then blend like hell?

I usually do the background first to determine lighting and placement, but sometimes I'll start by working on the object that will be the focal point.

When I do something big, I usually start with thinking. A fluid idea is good, but without a well thought concept you won't get very far. Write it all down. Plan it. Dream about it. Build it up in your mind, AND THEN start it.

Start with different scraps, to test the angles and the view. Then build up the environment, then the details like buildings, people etc. Then comes the overworking etc.

But projects should always begin in your head, not on a canvas

I agree with iGod, in most cases, if not in all of them, it is needed to have a good idea in your mind before starting, whenever i don't plan something, i'm not satisfied with the outcome. I believe i always have good ideas, but just don't have the experience and tools to pull it off, i'd love to be better at digital painting, but it's such a big challenge, specially seeing that i'm really bad at drawing.

Previously edited by IGzlz (April 12th, 2010 9:35 PM)

Yeah, a great piece should always start with planning. I didn't want to open with that though because I figured it would be a little obvious, but maybe for newer people it's great to explain.

So where would you start after you had the idea?

Did you actually get what I said ?

I never talked about the idea. An idea is something that just comes to your mind, it's there. It doesn't need any overthinking and so on. What I talked about was everything that comes after. When you have an idea, you should plan out the concept and think over it again and again. You can actually draw some sketches to plan it out. Then you start with the structurizing of the main parts of your image. In this phase you don't have to pay attention on detail, but you have to respect the light and shadows already. This part of the workflow is essential for the whole outcome at the end. A good planned piece will always be better than something that just "came". After that you can start with the work itself.

Wheter you start with a background, a character, an object or whatever is normally irrelevant and just depends on personal tastes. BUT, in some cases, like for example Matte-paintings you should always start with the main environment and the background work. But you actually don't have to. As already said, it depends on personal tastes. So don't think about this, it's just not important at all.

Hope this can clear things a bit more up ^^

I just start something when I like it I finish it o.o.. But ye like igod said always have atleast a vague idea before you start xD

I always start with the middle part, or do both at the same time.. I guess Im a bit chaotic ;p

okay yeah, sorry. over-thinking is my downfall but i get what you mean. the reason I started this thread to begin with was because I was looking at r2on's image in Unleashed - "Trapped in a Dream" and I was wondering... where did he start with that image with all those roots and whatnot?

Previously edited by BrianPhilip (November 19th, 2010 11:56 AM)

An obvious, yet needed topic.  Thankss

background

Don't know if this will help, but this is how I normally do it... I always think of ideas in my head first, but never really flesh them out that much. Then I look for stock that kind of fits in with the idea, or even ask a model and go do a shoot. Then I composite the photos in Photoshop, trying to piece them together the way I imagined them in my mind. After that, I start drawing the individual elements separately, and then I scan them in and combine them in Photoshop. Although, sometimes I'll draw everything together if I already have the composition planned out fully It's all really a matter of personal preference I suppose, you have to find a process that works best for you and gets the best end results. I've never been one for keeping a sketchbook, but apparently that helps a lot!