Nick's Rage Against the Machine Spot

[Caesar]

... and English is not my native language ....

[Nickillus]

I'd not even contemplated challenging you in Italian - which is one of the many languages I don't speak. I barely manage English.

[Nickillus]

bit more on this one.

[Caesar]

This is another great piece and fantastic speechless tutorial in a way, dear Nick! My sons were excite to know that I met You in here when they saw a fantasy work collection book I bought. They would have asked an autograph!
I guess You've got several layers here too and I really wonder which tools and which setting You are using ... Your natural flow of steps make anything look so easy ... but when I'm in front of a new sheet and try to concentrate on planning and thinking to a process and to select all the various details ... then I feel a bit lost and worried and I end up messing up with any resource or setting I select at the moment ....
I really believe than any bit and piece of Your forthcoming tutorials will be a treasure of information for me to set up some sort of effective and efficient process.

[Nickillus]

Thanks for the ongoing support, Caesar - much appreciated.

Wordlessly is the best way to deal with a chatterbox like me.
I've attached a grab with the colour samples enlarged and as much of the overladen layers palette as I could show in one go (I'm such a layer hoarder). I've named the ones I can remember what they are (which is always a good idea to do as you go - slap my legs for being 'relaxed' about it).

The general pattern of any piece usually starts with
laying down a base tone/colour (bucket fill - save the colour so it can be used to edit/paint back in if necessary) -

drawing on a layer over the top (whatever the main topic/character may be) -

blocking in some tones on a layer between, using chalk or oils usually -
add a tonal layer of another shadow colour over the top, setting it to multiply and then working the light areas back in using either the eraser or a lighter (often complementary colour/s - all depends on the colour scheme idea of the piece) -

Adding more elements/characters/whatever on separate layers (above or below dependent on relative positioning to original element) using the same set up ---------- pays to group and name these if you are going to collect layers like I do.

Repeat as you will and build up the complexity (like I'm doing with the crabs, which I have on top at the moment - so not right yet, but I'll keep at them). I have three layers of over-all tone at various points in the layer stack, plus separate 'shadow' , multiply layers over individual elements for detailing and darker areas for instance (watercolour+palette knife+eraser to create)

I've done a lot of this one with the chalk, which I really like, but have blurred the tonal-over layers to knock the effect of working on them with that tool back a bit on background elements. I play it by eye as I go. Let the image tell you what it needs.

You have a great eye, Caesar - I've seen you images. Just believe in yourself more and go for it.
Simply - my technique revolves around the combination of solid and 'glazing' (mulitply - watercolour - burn - take your pick) layers - applied to a drawing as good as I can get it (doesn't have to be tight - that's not what I mean). Having a number of them builds up subtleties - no great secret. Use whatever tools you prefer. Hope that helps.

[Caesar]

Dear Nick, i'm immensely grateful to You for Your explanation further clarifying what You already teached on Your tutorials and I started to undersand studying Your entries. I also found another tutorial where the image contained robots and an apparent human composed in a sort of circle where light beams directs from one station to the other.
Thank You again very much, dear master!

[SCP]

Brilliant and inspiring thread!Always look forward to seeing your work.

[Rowena]

Absolutely superb and all so very inspiring!

[Belvrog]

Really like the wip of the ailing woodcutter Nick. Wonderful painting.

[Nickillus]

Really kind comments as always, guys, and I do appreciate them - thank you all.
Still have to finish that pirate/mermaid one, but have started a companion piece to it after a false start involving an idea about a trawler. This one will be more land based as I think it will fit the bill of what I'm after better. Same sort of process - drawing, washes and body colour on separate layers, over a toned base. Fairly muted so far and not sure of which way want to take the lighting and colour palette yet.