Photo-Bashing

Not entirely sure where or when this terms came about but essentially 'photo bashing' is manipulating photos/picture/images of your choice into your own artwork and painting over. Its used by professionals to quickly generate ideas, add detail which in turn speeds up proficiency in your artwork. Doing complex detailing can become very time consuming so its a very useful technique.

When starting out this technique wasn't was used much from my knowledge and we are going back a few years now.. but as times change and the creative community grows larger a lot more people have added this into their workflow including myself.

The beauty of this is not only can you structure the specific look, pattern, effect. You can arrive with a different outcome that was never planned so in essence a 'happy accident'. Works out for me quite a bit!

Note: If you are looking to try this technique start by finding vivid images photos of whatever you like. Insert over your artwork change layer blending mode to 'Overlay' or 'Multiply'. Its a good starting point and fun exercise.

First ever Photo-Bashing attempts. 

Rough Stuff

A few more rough ideas I kept hold of more playful an loose. :)

Sources of Inspiration

When it comes to creating art its important to remain consistently inspired allowing you to generate new fresh innovative ideas. In this post I just want to share some sources of inspiration I personally use (entertainment industry design specific) in the form of popular YouTube channels listed below. They consist of an array of industry talent working individuals a heap of knowledge techniques critics and tutorials.

From time to time I take a sit a back from being creative and watch these guys, sometimes let them play in the background whilst working. Its taught me a hell of a lot, boosted my knowledge of the industries out there.

If you haven't yet visited these channels I highly recommend following you'll learn tons. A big shout out to these guys and their channels, all the content they share is free so they are using their own time to give back to us guys learning, would also like to add a massive THANK YOU for the valuable information provided.

Follow them!


FZD School
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdyjrrJAjDIACjCsjAGFAA

Ross Draws
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLEVrhumRsK67JkP3G4w5cQ

Art Cafe
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyGGrJ-wQlvcWujLKHzB42w

Level Up
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzPkdDPBOrEKyUrRSCZv0A

Scott Robertson
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJhSmz4zo9t-Z2GdHECW7A

Turning Point

Now, a lot of the works displayed on my blog have been mainly unfinished items. After spending hours and hours of my own time improving, I really started to get somewhere. Here are the concept illustrations which really show the turning point in my artwork as a whole. Bringing in colours combining composition and storytelling, things started coming together.

Instead of producing draft after draft I began selecting one idea and taking it to the next level.

Theme: Mystical Cave.

Theme: CgHub Character creation challenge (Flying Lizard)

This particular illustration was of significance to me as it was the last image I had shared on ChHub before the website was taken down :( sad times. Felt a great sense of achievement with this image I have taken this into into Maya and put my 3D knowledge to use.

Black and White Values

If you haven't already noticed a lot of my artwork consist of black and white values, this is how I prefer to work and create studies. Sometimes taking out unnecessary color help create a more clearer vision of what you are trying to depict or portray in your concept. Adding colour tends to cloud an idea in my own opinion so I like to add colour later.

Some may prefer the opposite and start with colour as its a way to quickly create mood atmosphere and so on. This is just my way which I have integrated into my own personal workflow.

All Enviroment themed below. 

Action shots

Played with a few camera angles and discovered some action shots. No specific story-line or inspiration for these just worked on them as draft ideas in my head.

Enviroment Art

Still touching the surface with my designs. Now we move onto more early environment art pieces, as a huge admirer of the concept art in general, an area I would really focus on was environment design. I liked Investing a lot of time in developing cool looking environments whatever they maybe from imagination. The subject would often differ from concept to concept giving myself a more varied challenge each time.

Using the various brushes accumulated I would start laying down strokes helping build a vision ultimately feeding my confidence.

Exploring Characters

As well as designing environments another side I would like to pursue is creating interesting characters. The images below consist of early unfinished and unpolished development sketches, again just getting some ideas out there. I didn't quite have the knowledge to complete an image just yet. So large portion of time would involve experimenting shapes/composition. 

These images in particular at the time were inspired by events around me which include film games and illustration in general. Nothing special in mind really.

Early Explorations

Not much to say here really apart from the images below are some of my first ever concept explorations I produced based on own ideas often random thoughts(fantasy/sci-fi themed). A combinations of learning the tools and brushes expressing ideas was the main focus.

I knew the only way to get better was to keep practicing so learning the tools was a vital staring point.

Having Photoshop as the base program, the transition went from 90 % using pen and paper 10% digital, to a blend of using paper 20% of the time and now 80% digital. After spending hours and hours on Photoshop it has become second nature like drawing on pen and paper.

Things you are likely to see even in some of my recent piece's, which I will share on other upcoming posts, are development art work, Environment, Sci-fi, Alien Ships and all kinds of crazy weird ideas.

Thumbnailing!

When starting out on a piece of concept art its always good practice to play around with some thumbnails, keeping it quick and simple. Establish some sort of composition even if you have no idea's, get a few shapes down, very quickly you will find something that works.

Really enjoyed this process and discovered ideas developing very quickly. Addition to the this process of essentially idea mark making. I would throw some colour over the top and get a feel of the mood.

Here are some old thumbnails:

My First Piece of Concept Art

Okay this is a little embarrassing but hey, here is my first ever piece of concept art in which I considered as a 'finished piece' (I promise my art gets gets better). 

An old artist community challenge I posted on Cg Hub.

Think its important to share old piece's like this as it really shows the development I have gone through to where I am today, and to others artists out there this depicts how bad I once was. Practice makes perfect.

Anatomicae #15 - Day of the Tentacle

Whilst some areas of this image work there are some obvious area's that don't. I tried playing with the perspective and push the elements in shot. Think I'll consider revising this piece in the future and bring it to life. 

My New Blog! (Intro)

Welcome to my blog!

Its been a few years since I last posted/used blogger, really excited to be back now ready to make a return and start sharing my work again.


Who am I? What is this blog about?

So you may be thinking who I am and what this blog is about. Well my names Raj Dhillon a multidisciplinary illustrator artist living in the United Kingdom (Kent - to be more specific). Currently freelancing generally taking on various graphic design projects. Studied at the University for the Creative Arts (Rochester) and obtained a degree in CG Arts and Animation. I have huge passion for all things related to art and design, particularly in digital design. Love film animation games concept art visual effects and more so the entertainment industry is where I ultimately would like to end up.


This blog is a place where I'd like to off load my personal works old, new, digital and traditional. Sharing all kinds of creative things some design work, tutorials of my processes, current works and much more. 


Free free to contact and follow me :D