this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2026
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Water Study (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by BallShapedMan@lemmy.world to c/artshare@lemmy.world
24 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I received a record amount of feedback on my last attempt to paint water on skin. Thank you all! The biggest mistake I made was I was trying to paint water on a waxed surface like a car on skin.

I learned a long time ago light reacts with skin very different than hard surfaces. Only makes sense water would do the same. And several of you pointed that out. It also explains why I couldn't find any famous artists who painted what I was looking for. Because skin isn't car!

Oops.

How did I do this time?

Timelapse: https://bsky.app/profile/ballshapedman.bsky.social/post/3mqpccs4yis2q

Edit: There is supposed to be a small waterfall off screen to her left. The actual model was in the shower as a wet skin reference. I didn't want to paint someone in the shower. And people in waterfall scenes mostly focus on the waterfall! So I adapted this one.

all 25 comments
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[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 16 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Major improvement over the last one! πŸ‘

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you! I'm trying. Its wild how you can look at something you're entire life and never really see it.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Sexy, visually arresting.

I'm not enough of an artist to give any technical feedback, but it worked for me.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Thank up! I'll take that as a win.

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.org 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Now THAT is water!

Really love how you made the face.

The Waterfall portion seems to be "just" the splashback?

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah that's it, just the spray. I needed a reason for her to be wet that isn't "sudden onset moistness"...

And thank you!

[–] unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Kinda spooky, very nice

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you!

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

A considerable improvement, particularly over the last water on skin attempt. The highlight and the internal illumination is there, as well as shadows around the highlight. Consistent lighting angle, too. Not overly detailed, but it definitely feels like water when you see it. I particularly like the water dripping down the face that is much thinner at the top making it barely lense at all and is barely visible above the droplet. Good work.

Only question I have is the bit on the right side of her nose (viewer's right, not hers). Is that meant to be a water droplet or a piercing? It looks more like a piercing, so I was guessing that was the case. If not, if it is meant to be water, that droplet might need another pass.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Thank you! I really like that part of the water myself.

And it's a piercing! I normally don't include stuff like that but it seemed to fit my perceived personality of her so much I tried to include it.

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Gotcha. Well good work, man. Keep it up.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you! I'm trying 🀘

[–] kendg@lemmy.cafe 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I wouldn't say you're other wet works aren't good but I'll agree this is better. Thanks for sharing.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you!

[–] Viceversa@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The water looks slimy, especially right of the nose.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Maybe it's just really thick water? 😁

Do you think it looks slimy everywhere or in specific spots? If the second do you mind sharing which spots look that way the most to you other than right of the nose? And it is because I use a wide color range that brings in greens like to the right of the nose do you think?

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Ooo just came across this one after revisiting the prior one. Agreed, much improvement. I went through comments first to see what feedback was provided already. I have to agree here, there's a sort of slimy quality to the water. Water has pretty low cohesion, so the swatch over here nose seems a bit wide and the runoff from her chin has a bit too much of a tail. I could see it being from a sudden water balloon burst, though, where the shear volume of unstable water ignores surface tension limits for a moment. But some things to point to during more study is how different fluids behave between differences in surface tension, adhesion to surfaces, cohesion to itself, and viscosity. Alcohol is low in 3, high in adhesion. Water is close. Syrup is in the middle/other end. Hocked phlegm is the other end.

The context of the scene adds some confusion for me as well. Where did the water come from? Seems like it's a tropical beach on a sunny day. If she popped up from the water, the water lingered a little too long. If it's raining, there's no raindrops. If she's a mermaid that shot out of the sea, there could be more water flying off to show the motion.

But again, my buddy, I love the continued work and contribution to the community. I genuinely continue to enjoy your green grim reaper as it continues to rotate through my backgrounds. Please, continue.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Good feedback, thank you!

[–] Cybersec@piefed.social 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’ll give you another angle of feedback in that context will always help, I.e. in this case she looks like she is very recently drenched, like under a lot of water now or emerging from it, but can’t see a source of that and she looks to be on land. If she was emerging from the water or standing under a shower it becomes more obvious.

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

All good points. I tried to hint at an off screen waterfall that didn't convey very well. Others have mentioned that this much water would probably come from getting out of a body of water or a shower...

Next time 😁

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

One of the things that can help with water is that it's reflective rather than being colored. Since you established the waterfall in the background, slight hints of those colors can help the water droplets convey what they are more than just white.

Since you mentioned it was a model in a shower, that's much higher pressure water that's conveyed well as white, not to mention I will bet the shower she was in was white.

Nonetheless, great work!

[–] BallShapedMan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Oh good points, and you're right about the water in the reference.

[–] Pupschism@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The water dripping down the chin is definitely a standout! Great improvement :)