In an effort to improve my digital painting skills, I attempted repainting a portrait that I photographed. Rather than using the subtle soft light from the original photo, I wanted to work with more dynamic light. I chose to work in black & white to keep my focus on the value and contrast.
After making the initial adjustments to the reference photo, I proceeded to digitally paint the portrait. Referencing the source photo, I blocked in the tonal values and used the Mixer Brush to add detail into the final piece.
Stephen Emlund
Looks great!