Manip

[HFD]

Boring day today, so I decided to have a bash at doing a manip. I haven't done one in a few years, so I'm a bit rusty. Anyone care to rate?

[quite a big picture so linking to it]

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/6896/manipdn3.jpg

I used this stock image:

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/564923

[Triple X]

You don't like little kids, do you? lol, good job.

[Tywon]

That first one scared Satan himself out of me when it popped up. If thats what you were aiming for, good job (Y)

[Lord Nibbler]

The texture doesn't look "real". You need to blend it in more, and make sure it doesn't overlap, from the chin to the neck for example.

The quality's a bit low too, on the texture, I don't know whether you've stretched it.

[HFD]

Thanks for the replies folks.

The texture doesn't look "real". You need to blend it in more, and make sure it doesn't overlap, from the chin to the neck for example.

The quality's a bit low too, on the texture, I don't know whether you've stretched it.

[Docpepper]

Not a bad attempt but theres some things that could be better.

I like the way you closed the eye . Maybe for added detail you could have added some stitches yummy!

as mentioned the textures seem low quality . if done right stretching a smaller texture to fit an image can work. it looks like you used maybe 2 or 3 different textures and it looks like each have been applied to the same spots . Some times this works great but other times it takes some work.

The best advice I can give on texturing is this . get all the textures you want to include in your manip and put each one on new layer above your subject. For me I like to desaturate some of my textures first(on some skin tones textures seems to blend better when they are desaturated) but sometimes the texture has all the colors you need so desaturating wouldn't work.

Now on each of those texture layers add a layer mask and fill it with dark black to hide the texture . Do this for each layer. Now start with the first texture layer and with a white brush go in the mask and paint some areas of the subject with that texture. Set the blend mode to your liking and move on to the next layer doing the same but making this text texture shown in other spots of the subject.

I also find that if you apply texture to yourself you get a better sense of how it contours on the skin . For instance. Sometimes If I'm having problems getting textures to look good , I'll go outside and wet my face. I'll then get a handful of dirt and with my eyes closed I throw the dirt on my face. Then I examine myself in the mirror , observing how the dirt stuck to my face and in which parts more dirt clung to and etc.

There's two problems I see with the manip but you'll fix these and learn how to avoid them with practice. First problem for me is the color . there's too much contrast imo and it makes the the image look fake. Some of the textures are yellow light brown/tannish and etc. It contrasts with the redness of her skin.

Secondly it doesn't seem like you've done anything with the background. A background or lack thereof can make a break a manip sometimes. A black background with some brush work and textures can be simple and make a perfect background. When making manips it helps to use things in your life as inspiration.

For example just looking at the original stock Images of my favorite fairy tale comes to mind. That fairy tale being "Little Red Riding Hood" I'd take and cut her out of the background . Find some forest/wood stocks and modify them my liking and make a woodsy looking background . The place her on the background and manipulate her in which ever way I want to depict the mood i'm in. To stick with the fairytaile themes I'd probably have one half of her face transforming into a wolf or something like that. After all the min manipulating was done I'd color her robe to medium red color and then finally I'd work on my lightsource/lightning layer.

Sorry bout the long winded post , but you've got potential and with practice you'll only get better. Keep up the good work

[Guest Bas]

I won't go into detail like ol' Doc here, but it's decent. A bit bland, and flat.