Folds and waves in flags?

[DMarie]

Hi guys. I am wondering how you go about getting the illusion of folds and waves in flags? I can picture it in my mind, but then I can't seem to get a way to acutally mask it out. Thanks in advance for the help!

[Cameron Arts]

Hi DMarie.

The key to convincing folds in flags is threefold (no pun intended):
1. shadows in the deepest recesses
2. well placed soft highlights
3. (most importantly & hardest) stripes that follow the contour of the flag.

If I get a moment today, I can post a quick how to if you like, including what to cut for masking.

Are you painting this on a white background, or a colored one?

[DMarie]

Hi there and thanks for the quick response! I will be painting on a white background.

[Diaz Dezine]

http://www.airbrushtechnique.com/for...ad.php?t=12715
This link is a good reference. Foe has done a good example of this.
DIAZ

[Cameron Arts]

Wow, that's cool, Diaz! Thanks! (I hadn't seen that yet.)

I don't know if this is what you were looking for or not, DMarie, but I put together a short how-to for painting a US flag using masking techniques. There are a lot of ways to approach it, but I described the way I seem to do it most. I hope it helps some. (Maybe someone else has another way they can share.)

http://www.airbrushtechnique.com/for...ad.php?t=12722

The example I posted is pretty simplistic, but some of the shading explanations apply to even a close up freehand painting of flag wrinkles. If it's not what you needed, perhaps it will benefit someone else.

Good luck, & don't forget to take pics of your project to show us!

[fontgeek]

Cameron and others gave some good examples and ideas.
Some things I have found from doing murals with the U.S. flag on it were to use a very light gray for the basic stars and white stripes, and a fairly bright, blood red for the red stripes. I use the gray for the stars and stripe because it lets me add highlights using true white on the light gray stripes and stars, and a darker gray for the shadows on the white stripes. I use a lightened version of the red for the highlights on the red, and I use a cardinal red, with a touch of umber mixed in for the shadows on the red stripes. I will sometimes use a transparent gray to darken the deepest parts of the folds or ripples, a lot depends upon the design, and how severe the folds or ripples are.
You can still get some amazing effects just by adding the shadows and higlights, even if you don't distort the stripes or field of stars.

Attached is some "Bunting" I made. These were 4' wide by 2' tall on foamcore, but the same tricks could be done on anything.

[xzotic ink]

THANKS EVERYONE,,THIS IS GREAT INFO,,,i needed this

[Ern666]

Hey all i don't have a how-to but i have some pics of a flag i did.
hope this will help you out.
Ern

[KDSilverBrush]

wow, I agree with Xzotic, some great tips here. I must think to simplistic LOL