GR#194 - Helmet - Shading

[odedrt9]

Hmm I tried to draw a roman helmet after a big break from drawing..
It is also my first time shading a metal so it probably not perferct...

This is the first shading try:


I asked a friend of mine and she said that the shading should be more clean because it's metallic so I tried to clean it a bit.
But the cheek shield bothered me so I tried to reshade it but now it's not so reaistic.. And I don't know how to fix it..


If you could help me with the shading and the hair on the top(because I don't even know how to start it) I'd be grateful ^^

P.S
I'm pretty much new to pixel arting... Just so you know..

[Manupix]

You picked a difficult task for a beginner 
Maybe you should practice on simpler stuff first so you can get a good grasp of shading basics?
As in, not metal and not hair 

Anyway we'd need to see the reference for this helmet. So far, volumes are hard to tell.

[odedrt9]

You picked a difficult task for a beginner 
Maybe you should practice on simpler stuff first so you can get a good grasp of shading basics?
As in, not metal and not hair 

Anyway we'd need to see the reference for this helmet. So far, volumes are hard to tell.

Haha yes, I know it's a difficult task.. I'm not a real beginner but I also don't have a lot of experience.
Hmm it's not my first work or anything.. And I wanted to try some different things, and the helmet was in front of me xD
So I just started to draw it.. And it's a good practice in general don't you agree?

anyway, this is the reference:
http://i.imgur.com/10gjYUI.jpg

[Manupix]

Is this something you own? If so, choose a better viewing angle!
Maybe practice sketching it (on paper) from a number of angles, till you find the best possible angle for volume readability.
For instance, it's easier to understand from a 3/4 angle like this:



In your version, front and back are not obvious to unfamiliar viewers.

Also the crest is slanted towards the back and not level as in yours, this is an important front/back clue.

As for shading, the problem with bright metal is everything you see is a reflection of the surroundings, and not much more. A very soft light will make everything even, maybe to the point of looking dull. Bright lights will create a lot of speculars, to the point of confusion.
The advantage of drawing over photography is you don't need to be consistent in these reflections, but you need to look hard at it in various light settings. Taking pictures helps, too.

[odedrt9]

Yeah, I own it ^^
It's really helpful, Thanks a lot!

I see what you mean, i'll try to draw some sketches from different angles as you said as well as different light source directions.
And then I'll try to redraw it and upload it again.

Ok, I actually did a few sketches of the helmet from different perspectives.
And that's what I came up with(It's a quick drawing just for an experiment):

What do you think? Is it better(perspective\readability wise)?

[Fizzick]

good, now use broad blocks of color to divide each part of metal into shadow/mid/highlight. try to study the way a single strong light source plays on metal.

[odedrt9]

Hmm I didn't have much time because of tests and work..
But I came up with these:

And:

I still think that the shading isn't realistic but I think it's better...
I'll try to do some research on metal shading when I'll have some free time.

[Fizzick]

Try using three colors for each kind of material, that would probably help you eliminate the pillow shading around the center. Also shoot for consistency, it looks like your light source is a little confused. I'll shoot you an edit when I get home.

[odedrt9]

Thanks for the reply
I concentrated the light a bit and added a few more colors:

[Fizzick]

No, I mean reduce the colors. To easily manipulate the light on an object it is essential you begin simply. Try using only three colors for each material.