Cowboy - Hue Shifting Study

[theorb77]

Now, the idea here was to get used to working in color, since pencil-work and line-art is where I'm stronger-- I spent too much time idolizing the Image Comics revolution in the 90's.

That being said, please excuse errors in anatomy (even a cartoon needs to have some basis in anatomy, I think) and so forth.  I am most interested in selecting colors for a palette and the process of selection.  I tried to listen to Argyle's post on my last thread about low saturation shadows shifted to blue and high saturation speculars, tried being the operative word.



I'm pretty happy with the reds in his shirt, but not so much with the pants.

[Manupix]

Either the pants highlight is too bright, or the shirts highlight is too dark. Probably in between.
Considering the sun position, only the right side edge of things should get direct light, so the main middle color should be blue shifted too.
But you might also consider moving the sun (> out of the picture).

I don't get where the green in the pants come from. In grazing light, most of the color is from the light source, and very little from the lit object.

The hat lighting is very different, from the front. Also the right side is curving up, so should cast a shadow.
The shadows on the ground should be blue shifted too, and should point straight away from the sun, and diverge too.

[RAMENSHOP]

In the orange setting sunlight, his blue jeans will look purple.

[theorb77]

Yes, sorry.  I initially had the sun in the upper left corner and the sky still blue, so the shadows don't fall right.  I changed the position of the sun to a sunset as sort of a last minute thing, without thinking about the change to the light.

You know, one day I'm gonna post something here that ain't sloppy.

[skamocore]

If you look at some images of sunsets you'll notice just how bright the sun appears to be. Also, you'll find that unless lit by something else, most foreground figures are more or less in complete darkness.

I did a quick edit:

[theorb77]

Have to say, I love both of these edits!  That fiery sunset is awesome, and the extra detail on the cactus and hat in Ramenshop's edit is just beautiful.

I appreciate the effort, and you've given me a lot to think about.