Vexel help?, Expert advice needed... Options

[anime-essence]

Original image
First vexel - Amy Winehouse
^This is not a finished product; I'm just starting and need help.

Yes I've read tutorials on this process by searching online, here, on deviantart.com, and vexels.net (cannot post because its closing), however I need the expertise of those who have created a vexel before. Any advice would be appreciated.

So I decided to ask those here who have had an on-hands experience with vectoring/vexeling on the basics.

I created the basic lineart, base layers, some details that need improvement such as the hair, earrings, and neck down.
*I really need help with the layers on the face like techniques that will make her look real (shadow/lighting/etc).

I'm a bit lost at the moment and need advice on how to continue/redo the skin - Am I doing ok ay?Changes? Removal? Sucky!!?
How do I layer to make the skin appear real?

If you are knowledgeable please reply, from one designer to another.

[Gigi]

I think your problem here is that you don't have enough contrast. I can see the layers if I squint. It's good that you are using more layers, but you're not utilizing the different tones between layers that create depth. You need contrast.

If you've read some of the tutorials or tips, probably one of the 'cardinal rules' of vexelling is never to sample skin tone from the actual reference picture - I say you throw that rule out the window. Sampling skin tones from the actual picture will guide you in terms of using realistic colours and shades of the colours. The important thing is to really smooth out the skin texture so that you get a more "average" colour (instead of one of those rogue blue dots or something). That can be accomplished by using a "Smart Blur" filter on the image. Make sure you do this on a new layer, though.

If you do it well enough, you can create something very realistic. I haven't finished many vexels, mind you, only because I'm lazy, but I do think I'm good with skin so my advice is credible. For example, I've done this by sampling skin colours:


However, I also think that the vexel you've got going on right now is more graphic and uses less realism, so I would say, for this one, to focus on creating more contrast. Make your top layers lighter than they are now. For a lineart-heavy vexel, even shading with gradients would be nice (although I'm no one to ask about that; I'm horrible!).

Everything else looks really amazing, though, especially for your first!