Well this one was more challenging. I worked on more things in the background. Even worked to add more detail. My husband helped me also push the creature texture more as I thought I was done, but then he pointed out that the crab-like parts were a bit too smooth. This led me to working those in, but also realizing that, like photoshop maybe you can also make and import brushes made. This led me to look up if I could import those files and then I looked for brushes to add. I have ones in photoshop that I enjoy as well. There is a huge amount of brushes that was available by a MatttyB in the Gumload app/ platform for people who create stuff. The one I’m happy the most with it the set that will help with more nature backgrounds, which is a bonus. trying to create every tiny leaf can be rather exhausting! In my paintings I usually use a brush that allows me to texturize and blend the colors together, this is basically the same concept.
When starting this I really wasn't entirely sure how to go about it. I had some inspiration of a water type of creature after watching the new movie " Aquaman". Go see that!! There is some underwater city ideas rummaging around in my brain too. I love the mythology of the lost city of Alantis. So when I first had drawn the creature and had started the painting I had gone into its creation first before the background, but then noticed or rather realized it wasn't really looking quite right. I did a bit more research on looking at how an octopus tenacle looks in nature, so I can implement those things more ideally in the painting. Rather then trying to fix the one I was working in I decided to wipe it and re-import the image sketched and then redraw the tentacles in a more favorable way. Once the creature was redrawn it was then put it on its own layer and the background was started. There was an idea in mind of something, but what wasn't quite clear. Starting with some cloud and pushing some color around and texture, it's as if it started forming itself. The original thought was to maybe put some rocks in like distance mountains. I had started with clouds, then thought maybe a moon, but changed into a planet. When the rocks were going in the thought of floating rocks that then turned into floating buildings on rocks just seem to take shape. The most challenging part to work with is lending exactly how everything can blend. I started using the different brushes for certain textures
When I searched today about importing brushes, There was a tip about blending with the the same brush you use to paint with! Now why didn't I think of that?? I'm sure there is a great many of things to learn, but I feel overall I made a big step in the direction of learning how this process works. It's similar like painting, but more complex in its own fashion. I think the overall finished piece is what I am quite pleased with. I do notice that when I'm done and bring it in photoshop and adjust the the tone and contrast that it shifts it, in a good way, but fixes the colors in a fashion i like. Seems like a simply 2 click step, but is helpful in the final result. Maybe eventually when i do that it won't be much change, like when I import my paintings the color isn't too different.
I hope you enjoy the end result
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