Summer Morning

[yeticatcher]

Not unlike the Winter Girl sketches I do when I spot a girl and later will try to capture the moment from memory, this lovely young lady I spotted on a warm Summer morning walking along in SF while I was driving to the studio. Probably an Art College student (CCA is in the area). I couldn't help but have her beauty, strawberry-blonde hair and flower pattern dress stick in my mind.

http://www.trubalcava.com/illustrations/images/strawberry_blonde01.jpg

http://www.trubalcava.com/illustrations/images/strawberry_blondeCU01.jpg

Hope you all had a great summer!

-Yeti

[alexcat321]

This is so real that it's unreal. I love it and I think everything looks great. At first glance I thought it was a photograph but man does this look close to that. Great job

[yeticatcher]

Thanks, alexcat321. I did use some reference for lighting and pose. That corner of the street is right near our studio so it helped in getting it close as a background.

http://www.trubalcava.com/Reference/Picture_1.png

-Yeti

[William Blankenship]

OMG, that freaking gorgeous!

[yeticatcher]

Thanks, 3'LL! :)

[MBirkhofer]

Really nice man.
she does seem to be floating a bit, and isn't really weighted as much as she should.
Remember when working with references, you will often have to exaggerate features in order to sell what the eye picks up naturally in a photo.
Also, the angle of her to the ground is different so this changes the weight, or angle she should be standing at.

[litebox]

nice work man! love the face!

[mikeexner3]

I noticed the floating aspect of this too, but still... goodness, Tom! This is gorgeous.

[JeffW.]

Hell we NEVER have women who look like that walking around here in Louisiana. Maker her about 100lbs heavier and it's more accurate.

Great pic!

[ditchman]

great colour work on the skin!

[khoipham]

very photo realistic, but something seems to be a touch off. perhaps light her head/face a bit more? not sure. but still, amazing work nonetheless.

[yeticatcher]

MBirkhofer: You echo exactly what I tell people about referenced work. :) Guess I should practice what I preach. Thanks for the reminder. This is actually a fix from a previous attempt. Originally I had her toe pointing upward too much. What really differs in the pose and weight distribution is that the reference girl is walking more flat-footed and has no heel, in mine I added the heel and therefore added extra challenges. I could change the angle of the shadow so it doesn't slope so much toward the foreground.

Thanks, litebox!

mikeexner3: Thank you Mike!

JeffW. Well, she was definitely an eye-opener here too. ;) Thanks Jeff.

ditchman: Thanks!

khoipham: You may be right, her facial lighting could use some tweaking. Thanks.

Cheers folks! :)

-Yeti

[midknight]

really nice

[brian buster]

you have a great amount of talent, but please, please please please, choose a better background than a car park next time. it's just not flattering.

[yeticatcher]

Thank you midknight. :)

brian buster: Thanks. I painted the exact place where I saw this girl. That's what I intended, to capture that paradoxical moment, such a pretty girl amidst this industrial, drab environment. I understand your reaction. So, I guess in essence, this piece evokes what I expected in it's appearance. ;)

-Yeti