Trying my hand @ flames.

Would like to try to do flames pretty soon. Does anybody have any suggestions on templates/books/instruction I should get? Don't want to drop money when I know I dont have to. Any suggestions openly welcome.

[aixguy]

Well, lets see something you have painted.. if you don't have the basic skills down pat, you would need to start at the beginning.. Or you can spend money on dvd, books and templates and get discouraged when you don't get very good results.

[GregerLMacleod]

LOL Kinder, gentler and so to the point aix. LOL

Alternative scenario:

Go on line, watch some FREE clips of people painting real fire, see who's methods you like best and see what they're using. practice and try to emulate what they've shown you. Decide if you want to buy templates or make your own, and instead of being discouraged upload progress pics, write in to the forum for advice, learn and grow, and get great results!

Here's a start for finding FREE flames instruction. You can take it from there.



YouTube - Realistic Flames tutorial - [part - 1 of 3]

[GregerLMacleod]

Doormouse,

Of course I'm assuming that you have basic skills, and can already use an airbrush! : ) If not, start with daggers, dots and all the fun basics.......

Greger

[TheDoormouse]

I'm starting from the begining. Lots of lines and dots excersizes. I mess around with a skull stencil and do shading and such. A buddy of mine said I should try true flames next. I really don't have any work to show, just dots and lines. Am I jumping the gun?

[GregerLMacleod]

Perhaps you should try to build towards flames Doormouse, they aren't easy and require good foundation skills along with patience. Check out those links that I posted for you. After all, they're free.
You can always try doing the same strokes it takes to create fire with what ever color you're using while doing daggers and dots. See how it works for U and practice, practice, practice. It'll come in time.
Greger

[TheDoormouse]

Thank you Greger, I appreciate it.

[aixguy]

I didn't mean to come off Mean.. I just see so many people jump in the deep end with sharks and Parana and end up getting frustrated to the point of giving up. And if not giving up, it takes them sooo much longer to progress in their ability because they are relying on stencils or trying to be mother nature with painting fire that looks real. Guess I should work on my diplomacy

[aixguy]

Ok, now we know you are at the start of the start, let me ask you a question, and I will assume the answer. What surfaces do you plan on painting on? From the sound of it you want to do tins and other hard surfaces. If this isn't true, my advice is still the same, just the surface would change. Find a picture of something you like, something fairly low in detail and NOT a skull . The image should be just beyond what you think is your ability. Note: It needs to be a high resolution image even if the detail is low, and it may take you days to find something appropriate that you want to paint (I know it does for me every time).

Once you find something you will need to find something to paint on. You can buy illustration board at fine art stores. Hot Press illustration board will somewhat mimic painting on a primed metal surface. It does absorb some paint but if you don't get the air pressure and paint reduction correct it will spider all over the place just like metal will. If you have a desktop computer (tower style) you can paint the side cover after you prep it according to the material it is made of. If it is just painted, you can scuff with a scotch brite and paint!

Transfer the main reference line to the surface using whatever means you have available, (There are a bunch just ask if you need help) and paint the picture. Use free hand shields if need be, but try and control the paint using the trigger and now close or far from the surface you are. This is how you lean to airbrush! Do the dots and daggers as well, and when you start to paint a picture you will see how these motions are actually used. So give it a go, there is plenty of time to paint fire.. crawl, stagger, walk, and then run.
Again, sorry for the smart ass post.. sometimes I don't think.

[TheDoormouse]

No offense taken aixguy. I have a tendency of shooting for the stars right out of the gates. I believe I have some of the basics down though. As far as trigger positions and where I have my airbrush to the "canvas" I can pretty much get my dots and lines down with no spidering. I have a giant pad of art board that I practice on. I have been practicing daggering a bunch, and basically purchased the stencil out of curiosity. I appreciate the help, and everyones a wise ass once in awhile, dont beat yourself up over this one.

[Snuff]

I'll step in and be my usual wise ass self, and take the heat off ya Doug.

Doug and the others are right.....get the basics down first. Most importantly learn to apply them. Flames are not for beginners!

Do apples and oranges first to learn the application of the "dots, lines, and daggers" Get shading and fading down. It'll save ya a lot of frustration.

Believe me real flames have caused a lot of frustration for a lot of people, Me included. When you do get to them the'll be as much of a PIA at first as doing good daggers. But getting a good foundation down will pay off big time. Be patient, the flashy stuff will come in time.

[fontgeek]

Snuff has it right, you need to learn to walk before you can run.

Besides doing dots, lines, and daggers, you need to learn shading and spraying with a light touch. Doing the same excersizes for the dots, lines, and daggers, try doing them using less paint to create lighter shades in the coloring. Learning to paint with a light hand or touch lets you get more out of your paint and brush, and can reduce the numbers of colors you will need to get the desired results.

Learning how to make and use masks and stencils for simple and complex/multiple piece templates, learning perspectives, lightsource and shadows should be high on your list. While those basic drills may seem boring, the reality is that they are the foundations for all the painting you will do, so you need to learn them forwards and backwards, up and down, and diagonally too. The use of shading, and templates, masks and stencils and learning when and how to use them is equally important.