as for your uploading issues, i don't know. i mean...if it was jpeg it flattened your layers for you. and made it a fairly small sized image. i sometimes have trouble like this too on DA, i think it may just be a bad server moment. don't know though.

and as for you image, nice work! i love the smoke, very well done. also, i like how you can kinda see you pencil marks though the color. it kinda gives it a grainy/earthy feel. also, you did really good with the lighting. the only suggestion is that the neck and face look a little funny. maybe try to find a reference picture? but it's not too bad. wonderful work!

--
"Imitation is Suicide" -Emerson

Beware of Attack Artist!!!
[link]

well... yea... but it also happened on sheezyart... to different sites at the same time... I'd think that's kaind of a big bloody coincidance... oh well... maybe it was a local problem...

Huh... but as for the image... I'm still not satisfied with it... that "smoke" is sapposed to be sand...

I left the original linework under all the layers, just softhening some of the lines that stuck out the most...

the lighting was a really cheep thing... just one black layer with 50% transparency and dodge and burn tools...

ANd finally... the face and neck... yes... I'm a compleet amatore when it comes down to that... facial expretions and shading just aren't my thing...

Referance would probably have helped... but I guess I was to "confident" in my self to do that... when will I EVER learn...

Oh well... maybe it'll be a little better next time... though it dosen't seem likelly...

Still thanks for stoping by...

i thought it would be sand considering the title. but it does look like smoke...i do have something you could try to make it look like sand. select all your sand with the lasso tool then go to filters, noise, add noise. the window comes up that let's you mess around with it. check the monochromatic box at the bottom of the window. them mess around with it till it looks good.

that's how i made my sand.

i've never heard of that kinda of shading but i think it's a really good idea...not really a cheap thing. it's just kind of instead of darkening the lighter canvas, you're lightening the darker canvas.

best thing about photoshop is that it's fairly easy to rework/fix your mistakes. just make a new layer...and go crazy...lol

and you learn from your mistakes.

(PS i know photoshop but i know next to nothing about computers. sorry i couldn't help you more there. )

--
"Imitation is Suicide" -Emerson

Beware of Attack Artist!!!
[link]

I'll have to look in to that... thanks...

As well as work more on his face...

If nothing elce, at least I'm getting some practice with humans, something i doubt I would have done with my own characters very soon... so, even though this is turning out to be a failier, at least I'm getting some practice... so it's a good start...

And the irony is that I'm sapposed to know I thing or two about computers, cause I am studying computer science in the uni... but shamefully, I never have the interest to delv deep in computer stuff... just doo that wich is necesary and then skip to something elce...

Sad... sin't it???

so what's your main interest then, if you're really not into what you're studying? just curious.

(practice is good. )

--
"Imitation is Suicide" -Emerson

Beware of Attack Artist!!!
[link]

don't get me wrong... I want to become a computer programer when I graduate... but...I also like doing my little doodles... and hoping that one day I will actually be skilled... I don't want that for money or a career in art... that's the last thing I want... I want to improve art just for my self... and work on my comp stuff for a living... How and if I'll manage this remains to be seen... obviously once I get employed, my arts will take a defenete drop... but hopefully not a total one...

i understand you. i would love to have a career in art, but who knows if that will happen. >.> i'll probably end up getting a major in chemistry and a minor in art, then my art would take a backseat to my career. but that way i wouldn't live out the whole "starving artist" bit. <.<

--
"Imitation is Suicide" -Emerson

Beware of Attack Artist!!!
[link]

my point exactly... yes, the wholle starving artist bit defenetly scares me... and combined with my general lack of inspiration, it's a true horror...

But I'm just scared that I won't do good in the real career I
m going for, because I'm not RELLY excited by it... as in, I don't spend my free time studying up on that subject, or be present on boards that specialise in that thing... or chat with friends that do that and so on... wich is waht I imagin people do when they are pasioanted by something ( like I am with art )...

SO I'm kainda scared about the outcome...

Oh well... better just take it one step at atime...

one step at a time is probably a good idea. if you feel something pulling at you though...i'd try to follow it. because i'd rather not get trapped in a job i dislike, i think i would even choose starving artist to that. but alas...gotta do what you gotta do...



--
"Imitation is Suicide" -Emerson

Beware of Attack Artist!!!
[link]