affinity designer Porsche 911 - Realistic Drawing

[sacboi]

Completely new too drawing with curves which after stumbling upon these examples prompted an interest in the workflow, anyways for now just following along with Isabel Aracama's Udemy AD tute and pretty much enjoying the process thus far.

Cheers.

Reference Image

Current Progress (atm detailing the body shell)

Edited February 28, 2020 by sacboi

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

I don't want to be killjoy as it's always nice to see people trying realism but you need to look at your highlights and shading more. There's nothing that dark or light on the body and there's quite a bit of gradient to it. Personally I'd have filled the base with a top to bottom gradient, nearly all are that direction light at the top (not really surprising), I think that will make things easier.

But the thing for me is that the reference image is just too small (2850x1900 is all I can download), it's not a hi-res photo to start with and most of it isn't of the car. So you have a lot of blur and noise where you can only guess at edges and detail.  The more realistic you want it the more of a problem that is.  It's better to have too much detail and simplify than not enough which you can't do anything about. My reference image would be more like this size preferably larger (different 911 as I don't do modern) although they evidently don't know how to focus so not the best.

Put a tiny bit of blur over the whole thing if you haven't already, just enough so the edges aren't hard. You see people who don't and they look like cutout pictures.

[sacboi]

Thank you no problem at all, indeed much appreciated. I work with DCC apps mostly Blender 3D as a hard surface modeller and trying translate or 're-configure' so to speak a polygonal mindset into a 2D vector format is personally a bit of a challenge also lighting has always been a fundamental weakness in my work, as well. So I'll definitely get right on it and see if I can iron out those issues somewhat, oh and btw your Jaguar car is amazing, the amount of effort involved let alone finesse to achieve a 3D rendered aesthetic is truly mind-blowing  🤯

Cheers.

Edited February 29, 2020 by sacboi

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

I'm sure you'll get the hang of it, I would be far worse in a 3d app. You can't always do a highlight or shadow in one object sometimes you have to do 2 or more and blur them in to one. Don't just thing areas but think of variations within those areas. Realistic is different to illustration where you usually simplify everything as much as you can, it's the exact opposite which is why it takes so long. And the more simple the subject the more effort you have to go to whereas when if it's very complicated, like an engine, then it can hide things that aren't perfect.

But like I said resolution of the reference photo matters.

Thanks regarding the Jaguar, the source file may or may not help you but at least it gives an idea of how much I split things up. Not that how I do things is the right way or only way but it works for me, usually.

[sacboi]

Hi There:

Continuing blocking-out the car, also forgot to mention after re-reading my OP, that I actually had been working from a higher res'd cropped reference for a number of days, prior too initially posting this WIP, only linking the low resolution image as a kind of visual shot for topic context/description, anyhow my bad : )

Ok, I think I've made an honest attempt re-editing problems highlighted previously. Basically by tweaking fx (blur, glow, shadow) values, better layer management and paying more attention to detail, through spending whatever spare time beginning to build an overall familiarity utilisng these new drawing techniques while importantly during the process, having a ball, doing so.

Cheers.

Edited March 4, 2020 by sacboi

[sacboi]

Finally calling this done. Certainly put more that a few hours into it but nonetheless overall, pretty happy with the end result alongside learning a heck of alot as well. Anyways I'm going to further explore this particular illustrative method as too whether other subject matter I've in mind can also be rendered realistically. 

Cheers.

 

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

Turned out well for a first attempt. It's not a 2 minute job is it lol, but neither is it rocket science if you are careful and think about basically everything.

A couple of suggestions: less overall blur, it's just a bit too much. It does give it a more painted look which is fine if that's what you wanted but you lose detail for example around the door handle. Just generally speaking some seem to think that you can create it simply and then shove a load of blur on and it magically turns it into a photo, unfortunately it doesn't .

Don't copy wheels and just rotate them as it doesn't quite work if you are talking about photorealistic/render. You can sometimes use a copy as the basis for the other but not without at least some fiddling as they are never exactly the same as you can see from the photo.

I am guessing you couldn't do some details as it was just noise on the reference so as I said before higher resolution and the less noise the better. Sometimes a photo will has been saved with a lot of compression so it's not always automatically the largest you can find that is the best.

[sacboi]

21 hours ago, VectorVonDoom said:

Turned out well for a first attempt. It's not a 2 minute job is it lol, but neither is it rocket science if you are careful and think about basically everything.

Thankyou, I'm stoked how it eventually turned out. Although personally vector realistic leaning content creation methods are definitely via my very limited experience still challenging, in terms of accruing a 'level of fluency' that imo comparable too 3d asset generation end-to-end...if not more so.

And again appreciate taking the time commenting on those areas needing further attention, also it's interesting you'd picked up on the painterly aspect which indeed was the intended aim since this piece will be gifted too dear family friends, celebrating their wedding anniversary, appropriately framed of course

I'm might try my hand at drawing a 3/4 frontal view of the same car, whilst resolve the aforementioned faults or at least near enough.

Cheers.

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

There are varying degrees of photorealism. If you look at most paintings from the 60's they are almost crude vs some of the stuff done today but they still work. It's the same with vector. You can simplify it, just not too much, and will still look great especially on screen and has the advantages of less likely to get bored of it and you can do a lot more of them. Then you can go a lot more detailed which hopefully looks good at any size but takes multiple times longer. For me I'm impressed when even zoomed in I'm still not sure if it's a photo or drawing. My stuff it's usually just bits of it that are like that, I need to try harder.

As you now now it isn't a Sunday afternoon project so top of the list is to make sure you really, really like the reference photo but also have a think about any areas that might be a problem and if those are even doable (without taking until the next century).  

[sacboi]

13 hours ago, VectorVonDoom said:

As you now now it isn't a Sunday afternoon project so top of the list is to make sure you really, really like the reference photo but also have a think about any areas that might be a problem and if those are even doable (without taking until the next century). 

Heh, absolutely right there. Now if it wasn't already obvious, one would be entirely correct to presume that I'm a unapologetic *Petrol Head* naturally attuned to anything that even resembles motor racing, be it car/truck/motorbike and/or other vehicular oriented mode of transport, I'd even worked in the production sector for a selection of renown auto manufacturers so expanding upon that train of thought regarding potential reference material. My dream, back when a much younger version of myself was to either spectate or more importantly self fund an entry to compete in the "Paris Dakar" rally, a long distance cross country event that originally was held over a two week period through North African desert region but these days slightly shorter duration and currently situated in Saudi Arabia, although still open to various categories eg: car, truck, motorbike, quad, buggy...etc. 

So what I really, really want to do, is a kind of artistic tribute too the rally's founder, the late great Thierry Sabine. Envisioning a dynamic scene, such as a competitor cresting the lip of a sand dune, emerging amidst swirling dust...riding/driving whatever which to my mind encapsulates the "Dakar's" very essence. I'm also aware that AD has a raster component similar to Photoshop, I believe? called Persona? would it be possible to paint a relevant background environment, utilizing this feature set? 

The reasoning behind my queries, if you don't mind is that typically when working in games dev or pre-rendered content, I solely leverage Blender 3d, an open source suite of embedded tools i.e. parametric modeling, keyframe animation, texturing, compositing, digital sculpture to name but a few...basically an all in one CG 'swiss army knife' solution

Anyway I'd be grateful for any info.

Cheers.     

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

You can mix vector and raster but the vector would have to be top notch, not just good, or it will stick out like a sore thumb, so every little detail, no skimping at all. But you would have to think of the background it would be on for highlights and shading so it matches which might be a pain as they probably won't be the same as in a static shot, plus you'd have to give it a sense of movement. Then you have to blend it in somehow. So I probably wouldn't go that route if I were doing it.

I did think about a Monte Carlo scene with a Mini Copper, I was going to draw the background too, but I think you might have the same problem, horrible grainy low-res references for that vintage. Perhaps just do a vintage, static Dakar car that you like the look of instead and that you can find in high res, for example like this. Moving ones will usually have a fair amount of blur which is doable but more work and more tricky but something similar to this would be nice, even if this example is from behind, and you could ,with a good chunk of effort, draw the background too on something like that especially if you crop it. The advantage of a rear view is you don't need to do the headlamps, vintage ones take an age to do. So as usual see if suitable res and quality references are out there, if there are pick one you like and that you think you can manage. 

The other way is to forget anything close to photorealistic and do a stylised one, then you can do sand coming up or whatever. I'm sure there are examples out there eg posters, if not Dakar ones then rally ones, you can use for ideas.

[sacboi]

Thank you so much. Will definitely dig deeper or concept something workable, perhaps scale down the initial premise, while naturally also formulating a reasonable timeframe toward finalization into account, too.

Cheers. 

edit:

Had mentioned in this thread's starter post, the Porsche was inspired via a tutorial, authored by Isabel Aracama. So really, credit to her artistic let alone teaching skills that I'd managed too draw anything resembling realism so I thought an important clarification to note here, if it wasn't already clear.  

[sacboi]

Working on this, on/off over the past three months or so. There's a bit more detail alongside a somewhat 'accrued' competency sorting through managing layers since the previous illustration and still a ways to go (re-work/editing). My finalised goal is an under cover carpark environment with reflective effects also the 'asphalt' like texture is procedural, generated from scratch in gimp.

[Aftemplate]

Outstanding work is incredible.

[sacboi]

Aftemplate

Thanks, appreciate the kind words.

[VectorVonDoom_NoMore]

Some really good progress there.

[sacboi]

Thank you, definitely a method of 2D content creation worth further exploration.

[sacboi]

After a few more tweaks, final version:

[IsabelAracama]

On 11/8/2020 at 5:26 AM, sacboi said:

After a few more tweaks, final version:

 

Hey sacboi! I just found this by pure chance!! It is great and I am so happy I discovered it!!

I love to see what ppl come up with, especially when the result is so good! Do you mind if I post this on my student's gallery and show it on a couple of posts? (with your name on it obviously hhh) It came out really well, and so did the Porsche 911!

Pity I didn't see this thread before! Congrats and thanks for taking the class by the way

 

[sacboi]

4 hours ago, IsabelAracama said:

Hey sacboi! I just found this by pure chance!! It is great and I am so happy I discovered it!!

I love to see what ppl come up with, especially when the result is so good! Do you mind if I post this on my student's gallery and show it on a couple of posts? (with your name on it obviously hhh) It came out really well, and so did the Porsche 911!

Pity I didn't see this thread before! Congrats and thanks for taking the class by the way

Hi Isabel

Thank you very much and sure no worries, don't mind at all. I'm actually flattered that you'd thought it good enough too re-post on your students gallery or in general plus the course was personally an insightful learning process about a digital 2D drawing technique I was previously unaware of, so again my expressed thanks for sharing your expertise.

Cheers.

[IsabelAracama]

Very much appreciated and congrats again sacboi. If you have a Twitter handle I'd like to use it for the post. Cheers! 

 

[Invictus]

I think thats fantastic you've nailed it !

[sacboi]

On 12/8/2020 at 7:34 AM, Invictus said:

I think thats fantastic you've nailed it !

Thank you, was a fun project and learned a lot throughout it's duration.

Cheers.

[Niall123492]

@sacboi this is great! Nice seeing the different stages. Great work!

[sacboi]

1 hour ago, Niall123492 said:

@sacboi this is great! Nice seeing the different stages. Great work!

Thanks, very kind of you and hope it was in any way helpful