I wanted to try a more realistic style of drawing ponies, but since drawing backgrounds are a huge pain I decided to try drawing over a photo. The background is actually a photo I took myself! The glass teacup is from a set that I inherited from my grandmother. :) Since the character’s cutie mark is a teacup, I thought it was a perfect fit. :heart:
This is a bit of a style experiment for me, so I’d love to hear any and critiques!
That’s why the flowers were so detailed.
@Blissey1
O_O
I see it too.
oh hey, so you can! I never woulda noticed
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You talking about the background? That was a combination of blur, a light dose of some random photoshop effects (cutout and I think some other one I forget?), and some heavy colour changes using both the photo filter and a gradient layer on overlay. The flower and leaves in her hair were originally photos too though, and I painted over top of those heavily to make them fit. As far as I could judge, the background didn’t need any additional brushwork in this case so I didn’t add any.
That’s why!
Brilliant.
And then you basically brushed the colours to make it look like a painting?
@SeraphimDawn
Ha ha, funny that you bring up the glass. Yes, as Nightweaver guessed, it’s the actual glass from the photograph. The trick is surprisingly dumb. I just put the entire pony into a layer group and added a partial mask that reduced the opacity of the bottom half of her body to about 80% or so. You can tell because if you look really closely, you can still see the ring of the bottom of the cup through her. Overall I’m actually shocked it worked so well. I did the mask with a brush so it’s not 100% consistently the same opacity, which I think helps make it look a bit more realistic.
I think the glass is an actual glass that’s part of the photograph that comprises the background, and the pony was layered behind the front of the glass… somehow. I’m pretty adept at Photoshop but even I can’t quite figure that part out.
It turned out great and you still seem to have a firm grasp on this style.
I can’t draw for shiz, let alone things without lines.
I can’t help but to notice the fine detail on the glass. It must have been tricky to pull that part off.
I think this style looks spectacular though! You really made this picture look beautiful and adorable.
Thank you! I normally rely heavily on lines and this was my first time doing serious lineless artwork, so that is definitely a big difference right there. Funnily enough the idea of drawing without lines always scared me before, ha ha. I also was specifically aiming for a realistic style this time, which is something I don’t normally do with ponies. I used to doodle human faces with hair more in this style in the past but that’s a reeeally long time ago.
This piece looks way different from all your past submissions.
For a first time piece, this is amazing!
It’s almost like you have been using this style for a long time.
@team blueplant
Thanks a bunch! But aww, no Twilight Sparkle badge. :(
@team blueplant
Specifically, here
You talk about me for sure
in the “site and policy” forum there is a thread about all the badges and how to get them
Thank you very much! These badges are pretty cool, is there a way to see all the available ones or how to get them? :3
It’s really cute, and well done! Congratulations!
One day I’ll get a 1K image. Just gotta learn how to do all the fine details.
Also, thanks! <3
On her Deviant, it’s more mixed between the styles.
Thank you, I’m definitely planning to do more in this style and will share. :D
@Blissey1
@Meanlucario
Aww, thanks! And yes, I’m female. ^_^
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OK. Also, it’s her, according to her Deviantart.
no, I was specifically following up from you saying “you deserve it” with “just like you now deserve”, not just mentioning everyone else who congratulated him
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