Color mixing-Hair

[Ranger370]

I have watched several tutorials on blending color for skin tones but I really need to know where to start and what to mix to get me in the ballpark for this photo on the hair. I'm using Driscoll detail skin tones and Wicked detail for most of it but the hair has me stumped because I just can't seem to get it even close in my tests. Eyes and hair are my nemesis.... Any suggestions as what I should do?

 

[Madbrush]

I have watched several tutorials on blending color for skin tones but I really need to know where to start and what to mix to get me in the ballpark for this photo on the hair. I'm using Driscoll detail skin tones and Wicked detail for most of it but the hair has me stumped because I just can't seem to get it even close in my tests. Eyes and hair are my nemesis.... Any suggestions as what I should do?View attachment 17519

This might help you with the tones for the skin; http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/paints/steve-driscoll-flesh-tone-set/

If I was going to attempt the hair, I would start by creating the hair monotone using sepia or light umber, building up in layers to to get the dark and light areas and then hit it in one go with an extremely transparent yellowish brown, the loose hairs lying on the face I would scrape out with a fine blade after the face was done, I'm not saying that my method is correct or the best, but that's how I personally would tackle it.

The eyes on this one should be easy because the micro shapes that make them up are clearly visible and it should be a case of picking these shapes out in the correct colours, this mixed with a little scraping of the highlights should achieve convincing results.

It's none of my business, but isn't this maybe a little over ambitious after your Geronimo attempt, I don't mean that in any bad way, but you could save yourself some frustration by continuing for a short time with monotone, I think this might be a little in at the deep end being full colour.

You could convert this image to black and white which might make it an easier project.

 

[ad fez]

Hmmmm, although a little disheartening, madbrush had got a point, I've only ben painting a year and a bit, so not a massive time in the grand scheme of things, and am yet to try full colour, I think it scares me a little bit so maybe I'm just sticking to what I know and putting off the inevitable failure, so on that basis I applaud you for determination and willingness to jump straight in, at the very least it wil be a good learning opportunity doing it in full colour, mono is where I'm comfortable but you crack on with what you fancy, whats the worst that can happen, screw it up metaphorically then screw it up literally? Try again? Just remember to not let it put you off at ask if it looks like crap, its reasonably advanced and your reasonably new but go for it.....as for help, I dunno stock with madbrush, he does colour!

 

[jagardn]

Ranger,
In my opinion you really need to know how to mix color. Even starting with a flesh tone set only gets you in the ballpark.
You still need to know how colors and complements work to shift the base fleshtone. Mixing a fleshtone is no different than matching any color.

Your base midtone looks like a combo of white, orange, red, with some blue to cut down the chroma.

 

[Tigertron]

I have found that the Driscoll fleash tones work very well straight out if the bottle for hair. For skin tones they need to be tweaked.

 

[Madbrush]

Ranger,
In my opinion you really need to know how to mix color. Even starting with a flesh tone set only gets you in the ballpark.
You still need to know how colors and complements work to shift the base fleshtone. Mixing a fleshtone is no different than matching any color.

Your base midtone looks like a combo of white, orange, red, with some blue to cut down the chroma.
View attachment 17521

LOL, I just opened this photo and then to close it, I actually clicked on the red X on that little colour chart, how stupid is that? and I don't even drink

 

[jagardn]

LOL, I just opened this photo and then to close it, I actually clicked on the red X on that little colour chart, how stupid is that? and I don't even drink

How many times did you have to click it before it closed? HAHA

 

[Madbrush]

How many times did you have to click it before it closed? HAHA

LOL, It didn't close, it got bigger and I thought "WTF" ha ha ha

 

[MBeattie]

First, I am an absolute novice and have minimal experience with airbrushing with color. I am using Golden Airbrush paint - not that it makes a difference. However, the Golden website has a virtual paint mixer. I haven't made enough posts yet to include a real link but substituting a "*" for a ".", the site is "www*goldenpaints*com/products/mixer/". There are a number of ways to pick your desired color (color chart, etc) but one method allows you to upload an image and pick a color off the image. It then makes some calculations and gives you a mix ratio combination (ie 70% titanate yellow, 20% cadmium red, 20% neutral gray). Obviously the base colors are not the ones you are using but they may well be close and give you a starting point. Anyway, it doesn't cost anything to check.

 

[jagardn]

LOL, It didn't close, it got bigger and I thought "WTF" ha ha ha

I tried exactly what you said, and laughed my ass off! LOL

 

[Madbrush]

I tried exactly what you said, and laughed my ass off! LOL

And was Mr Daniels in the vicinity when you did this?, , Your worse than me, I told you what would happen and you went and did it anyway, , it's a bit like those blond girls in horror movies who just have to go down into that dark cellar even after hearing screams and their boyfriends were last seen alive there 2 weeks ago, ha ha ha

 

[jagardn]

No Jack this time, just did it to make myself laugh. My job requires a lot of laughing and Jack to keep my sanity.

 

[Squishy]

Ranger have you seen Mitch's 'Denise Tuorial'?? She has similar hair colour to this I think so, you could see how Mitch approached it. Good on you for giving it a go, you learn best by doing I think, so good luck with it!

 

[Ranger370]

Thanks everyone. I am probably crazy for attempting this but even in failure I never fail to learn something. I wanted to try a face that was not all lines and craggy looking because I seem to have trouble getting eyes right and seeing the difference in tones. All typical rookie stuff but since I'm only investing time and a little paint then what's the loss? I am working hard on my trigger and AB control and a challenge seems to help with both. I can knock out landscapes all day long and learn great things about colors but it doesn't help with my control issues.

 

[ad fez]

No Jack this time, just did it to make myself laugh. My job requires a lot of laughing and Jack to keep my sanity.

if only my job description included jack daniels

 

[Madbrush]

Thanks everyone. I am probably crazy for attempting this but even in failure I never fail to learn something. I wanted to try a face that was not all lines and craggy looking because I seem to have trouble getting eyes right and seeing the difference in tones. All typical rookie stuff but since I'm only investing time and a little paint then what's the loss? I am working hard on my trigger and AB control and a challenge seems to help with both. I can knock out landscapes all day long and learn great things about colors but it doesn't help with my control issues.

You seem to know what you want and where you need to concentrate your efforts, but I would still recommend a few monotone practices before moving on to full colour, I don't mind failure either, but I won't give it personal invitation.

If you are determined to do the colour version anyway, take Squishy's advice and check out Mitch's Denise tutorial.