i have been assigned to do an incised (carved lettering) on a flat masonite panel (with paint) the reference photo furnished to me by the head of the signshop department shows a light grey background.
the actual background of the panel chosen for this project is maybe 2 drops of black off of stark white. how do i achieve this effect on white?
here are some color studies i have done in fireworks and photoshop.
I'm not following ya too well, The web page you have a link to is a 2 tone grey letter on a white background, so that would be 2 shades of grey to make those letters.
Hmm somehow I feel I'm missing something here lol
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
i am confused too bob!!! hahahahahha
these are just rough 2 tone color studies, i have to introduce a white highlight according to the aforementioned photo.(the reason for these studies is to simply break up light and dark and the way light would play against these color combinations.
my problem is, the foreman has picked a background too close to white. (not at all like his photo.
thanks for the reply.
mark
Posted by Mark Matyjakowski (Member # 294) on :
Do they want it to look like a carved letter?... or a painted beveled letter? If to be fake carving, what time of day (like they know ) will it be in the background (which way will the natural shadows be going on the stuff surrounding it)
"My" eyes perceive your stuides as coming up off the page without surrounding refrences.
Is it a black-n-white movie or are you allowed to use a bit of color?
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
good points mark.
the lettering suppose to simulate a carved letter. the problem being i feel is in the background color, if the background was a little darker then i could see achieving the effect by introducing a stark white as a highlight color.
the foreman is adamant about the background color though.(it matches the building color he has chosen.)
you have made great points about how they will shoot this scene and what direction the light plays against the "faux" surfaces.(i don't think they know either! LOL)
i just try to do what i am told on the limited amount of information i am given.
frustrated in movieville,
bubba
[ December 12, 2002, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Mark Fair Signs ]
Posted by Rich Stebbing (Member # 368) on :
Hey Mark none of those color studies look incised. Can you use a thin darker outline?I really think an outline will be needed to pull this off. Can you introduce maybe a real pale blue. Of course you could use a background white that is less than white (1-shot) and then use a polar white or something stark. Or you could really incise some lettering on a white panel and study that,....hey I am thinking of the top of my head here. Sounds to be challenging for sure and would like to know how you solve this one. Good luck.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Mark...
I see number 1 as a v-carved letter and in looks fine like you got it. The contrast looks like bright sun from an angle.
Number 3 looks like a rounded bottom with softer, diffused light. I would vote to use 3 but darken just a wee bit.
I don't think it needs a highlite, but if somebody is specifying that, I'd put one on anyway just to please them. Maybe a brighter white than 1shot though,...1shot white is slightly gray because it has silver in it.
Well, that's the way I see it...good luck!
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
hey rich, i agree with the suggestions you have made buddy.
unfortunately i have very little to say about the background color used on this sign(it is written in stone at this point(pun intended)
i remember you from the "muster" back in '99, what a pleasure to meet you!
i spent most of the morning doing color studies with paint. i really like the idea of using a "polar white" you suggested.
thanks man,
mark
Posted by vance galliher (Member # 581) on :
hahahahahaaaaaaa......welcome to "hollywood" mark!.....i see your renderings as incised........and it is just as matter of value, or angle of cut, or time of day........ just take control and let him see how lucky he is to have you on this project........vance
Posted by John Deaton III (Member # 925) on :
I tried it with a small outline of white around it, dont know if that helped, but making the incising a little darker in contrast seemed to help some. I think its just a matter of how you look at it. It does seem to look more incised if the effect has a hard edge instead of smooth. Posted by timi NC (Member # 576) on :
Mark,...if you will have to use the background color the foreman chose, then any highlites on the incised letter would have to be lighter on the highlite bevels and darker for the shadows. If The foreman chose say one shot lettering enamel with black for the background color you might try polar white for the highlites and darken the background some for the shadows this should keep the tone of the planes painted as they would appear on a building or sign if they were actually incised. also The direction of the natural lighting if for an exterior application would have to be consistant with with the time of day the shoot is going to take place. If interior they should be consistant with light sources under normal circumstances not lighting such as aluminum leaf reflector boards. The easiest way to do this would be wet on wet to get the effect with latex paints. I would suggest trying to find a pure titanium white acrylic pigment for the highlites as most latex paints are not that close to pure white.
[ December 13, 2002, 12:24 AM: Message edited by: timi NC ]
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
Hey Mark,
If you remember the white on white beveled letters on the back of my station wagon, give me a call. It's a little too much to type out.
270 275-9552
Posted by Arvil Shep' Shepherd (Member # 2030) on :
Mark, For the highlight..use an Opaque Water Color in a tube.......I beleive it is called "Guache".. It is almost pure White......However you need to seal it with a little clear .because moisture will re melt it.You could use a Faux Finish Clear Satin......or even Clear Fingernail Polish..
"Just do it" your way.and I am sure when the Foreman sees it.he will think you are some kind of a genius.....(Watch him when he thinks no one is looking.he will run his hand over the sign.to see if it is really painted on.......he he he he
Shep'
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
Guaches are really nice paints, since they cover so well. They are fun to use, especially, for fill ins that don't require blending. They come in sets too, I used to use them in design class (it was required). Mark, when you get a chance, and are using acrylic paints, try gel mediums if you ever use acrylics, what a neat effect which creates a 3-D effect bringing colors (or whites and blacks) to a greater dimension of brightness. Don't know if you will ever use these, but try it sometime. Guaches, don't need a lot of water, like water colors, they are thick and require less. Good luck in your project!
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
I sure like Stebbing's idea of grabbing a board and carvin g a letter and painting the whole thing white and orienting it to the sun in a similar direction as mid day on the building. Take a couple photos of it from a couple angles and use those photos for referance material.
My experience with studio work is that half of the stuff I made for any movie never made it onto the final cut, and most signs are background, slightly out of focus, and viewed for less than a second.
Do your best keeping it in perspective. Is this one of the major signs in the show?
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
thanks for all the tips guys. i finished it today and the foreman was very pleased. it was a challenge but i pulled it off!
thanks again,
mark
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
OK...So...where are the pictures????
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
it may be a while before i get to show photos of anything movie related, i had to sign a form about confidentiality before starting the job.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
There were some large foam statues carved for a movie set that I was working on that were magnificant! The painted finishes we did was real hot. I wanted to keep a few of these after the movie was shot. It was explained to me that if someone else saw it and photographed it and published it before the movie was released, than it was theirs legally. They chose to cut them up with chain saws rather than take the chance.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
) will it be in the background (which way will the natural shadows be going on the stuff surrounding it)![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
