affinity designer Murderous mindset

[VectorWhiz]

First test of complex drawing in Affinity Designer 2. Crashed three times - first crash moderate data loss, the following second significant data loss. Image is not finished yet, but I ordered a new computer and will wait for the new rig to arrive before continuing to work on this 100% vector drawing. Rendered image on top, vector outline below. Progress sequence in my portfolio blog: https://communicats.blogspot.com/2022/11/continuing-jaguar-illustration-in.html

Update November 22 2022: Felt the urge to continue the project in spite of the unpleasant crash experiences on my very old computer (2004). I drew some reflections in the water and detailed the hair in the ear areas with the pen tool as Stuart RC suggested.

Update 24 November 2022: Started to draw the jag's fur texture in its face. The image below is downscaled and shows less accurate detail than the actual size. The old machine crashed only one time (....). Details and sequence images in my portfolio blog.

Update November 26 2022: Worked on the tail, the left eye that I enlarged slightly and began experimenting with the overall fur texture. I don't want a single pixel in this drawing; it must remain 100% vector. This means no 'vector' brushes, symbols and patterns are included, since they do not contain real vectors. I temporarily used the Styles function in just one shape, but that is to observe the result. Later I will use a method that exclusively involves pure vector shapes and strokes in a specific way. I may probably have to wait until the more powerful computer, that I ordered, arrives to successfully draw the jag's fur texture.

 

 

Below is the previous stage.

 

Below is the vector outline view of one of the most recent stages.

 

[StuartRc]

This is simply stunning.. fantastic piece of work.. as usual even though it is not finished yet.. hope the new PC speed things up for you.. Ripple effect would be a nice addition! to the new Warp Tool...I use the Pencil with Sculpt on to get irregular edges

[VectorWhiz]

"I use the Pencil with Sculpt on to get irregular edges" Thanks for the tip. That would have saved me a lot of time, if I had known. I should look more into the pencil tool, I guess; never used it before.

[Archangel]

On 11/20/2022 at 1:59 AM, VectorWhiz said:

First test of complex drawing in Affinity Designer 2. Crashed three times - first crash moderate data loss, the following second significant data loss. Image is not finished yet, but I ordered a new computer and will wait for the new rig to arrive before continuing to work on this 100% vector drawing. Rendered image on top, vector outline below. Progress sequence in my portfolio blog: https://communicats.blogspot.com/2022/11/continuing-jaguar-illustration-in.html

Update November 22 2022: Felt the urge to continue the project in spite of the unpleasant crash experiences on my very old computer (2004). I drew some reflections in the water and detailed the hair in the ear areas with the pen tool as Stuart RC suggested.

 

If that is what you can achieve on a very old computer. Goodness, knows what you will achieve with a more powerful and up-to-date beast of a machine. You sir are a legend. I am in awe of the quality of your work.

[VectorWhiz]

@Michael S Harvey: Thank you for the most kind comment. Really looking forward to the new machine to arrive. It's a Minisforum HX90Gwith 64BG RAM and a dedicated GPU, so I think that should make a world of difference.

[Ldina]

What can I say...Incredible! 

[NotMyFault]

While really appreciating the artwork and dedication, i always feel a bit irritation based on the global blur used in such artwork.

i‘m used to tack sharp Photos, focussed on the eyes, and showing some blurriness by depth of field in other areas (out-of-focus

I‘m asking myself if I‘m the only one feeling in that way, and if there is a suitable workflow which could provide more realistic results.

Again, you artwork is great, no critique, just a question.
 

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by NotMyFault

[VectorWhiz]

I'm sorry, did you not notice the depth of field aspect of this drawing? Furthermore, there also is no global blur in the image, since each object was given its own blur ratio, which is a function of this type of software, that requires values of shape properties to be set in order to render them. This is quite easily verifiable in the .afdesign-file of course. So, I'm not sure what may have caused your irritation.

[NotMyFault]

You are right, the blur is applied locally, and the background is more blurred. What is irritating for me is: even the eyes are blurred. I cannot see any non-blurred part on the image. It feels like i forgot to put on my glasses.

[VectorWhiz]

Here's an interesting professional photographer's take on sharpness vs blurriness in realism:

https://petapixel.com/2017/04/03/why-sharpness-is-overrated/

 

[Komatös]

Great work! 

I bow humbly to your skill. And I do not see that the eyes are blurred!
 

[Ashcat]

Is this picture painted or is it a photo?

About the blurring: the left and right side of the body is to sharp. Removed with a sharp erase tool or cut out? Same for the top of the water. It looks a bit of sliced photos and put these two together. If you don’t want to blur the edges you maybe can use the smudged tool with a very small brush witdh so it will look like fur/hair.

 

[VectorWhiz]

It neither is a picture or photo, it is 100% manually drawn from scratch vector, which is shown in the vector outline image at the bottom. I didn't even use vector brushes, which aren't real vectors. The balancing of areas is a thing that can only be done in the final stages - colours, colour intensity and level of blur require an oversight of the complete image to carry out the balancing properly and I haven't yet reached that stage.