Bust study.

So, for the first project I decided to create the head sculpture. It was both fun and complicated, since I wanted to apply all the valuable information given throughout the units.

I have always struggled with color, trying to understand a "logical" way to figure out all the concepts. So,both James Gurney's "Color and light" and this course were very valuable indeed.

Materials that were used were the given base drawing along with Photoshop.
I didn't want to settle with the simple dark values study, so i took a screenshot of the colored version one.

I started by opening the document in Photoshop.
The first task was to get rid of the white background so I used a grey color and the proceeded with pink/salmon.
This also helped me to remember which was the ambience light that would affect the overall composition.

Then, using a simple textured brush I applied the base planes.
This helped me to analyze the number of lights and the planes that would be facing each one.

Once the structure is done, the selection of all colors started.
As Jean Fraisse stated in the video, there were 3 main lights affecting the bust:
The first one was a cold, blueish/white one; the second was a warm yellow one and , as mentioned before, a pinkish ambience light.
I started to search and paint the colors accordingly and placed them on the left side.

Then, the fun began. After placing the flats, the process of color selection and use started. It felt as if I was completing a puzzle.
I placed the colors with a solid textured brush, analyzing if the color was a light or dark one. The color was also selected by considering the closest light and its temperature.
Then, once all the faces were done, I proceeded to add specularity. I was careful to apply bounce lights considering the objects surrounding the bust.
All the planes facing the yellow light had a warmer tone.
Those facing the blue light became duller and had more neutral coldness to it.
And those faces in "shadow" were affected mostly by the ambience, which was warmer.
All of this was done by using a brush with transparency and in a single layer, since I wanted to simulate the "Alla Prima" or "Analog media" feeling.
So , no multiply layers, color picking or color correction were used.
Thank you so much for making this course so simple and fun Jean. It was a roller coaster of emotions!