Hey, this is my first real attempt at a photoshop (with illustrator linework) render. It would be great to get some feedback so I can go away, do another and improve! So let me know what you think. Cheers.
This is great for a first render!
A few things I would say:
Right now the render relies a lot on linework to read. Let the form read more through color, tone, and value shifts. For example, toward the bottom of the phone, the form starts to roll at the base of the lower button (or appears to due to the side piece) yet the color is not shifting. Pump up the contrast on the reflections, like the slight form break above the buttons that turns up, let it catch the light more.
Try rendering it all in grey scale, then colorizing a few areas. It is much easier to see the value shifts when you are working in grey scale at first.
Darker darks, lighter lights.
In addition, small highlight lines on part breaks goes a long way.
I would say grab some pics of some different phones and look at how different surfaces react to light…crisp edges will appear almost white, pillowed surfaces will have a gradient.
The best way is to honestly try different things, save you layers and keep a good photo reference for surfaces.
I would say grab some pics of some different phones and look at how different surfaces react to light…crisp edges will appear almost white, pillowed surfaces will have a gradient.
The best way is to honestly try different things, save you layers and keep a good photo reference for surfaces.
Something is odd about the dial area. Something isn’t in correct perspective. It might be the graphics on the keys or something.
Not sure but my eye tells me something is off. Overall it’s nice.
Listen to Yo!
-J->
Yeah I think that the perspective on the lower buttons is just a little off.
Check out www.psdtuts.com and www.vectortuts.com for some nice tutorials on PS and AI tricks.
Nice first try though
Its that line right above the buttons or the bottom of the screen…
Nice go at a first try!!
Better than my first PS render for sure.
I think the minor axis on the ellipses for the control wheel is a bit narrow given the angle of the face.
See attached image and see how the the shading happens on the lower angle surface as described by Yo.
Again great for the first go around, now et’s see an update! 
Thanks for all the feedback, I’ve tried to put some of it into practice, and have started again, in greyscale (Cheers Yo), and have tried to shift some of the original linework to make the elipse fatter, and the buttons / bottom of the screen line up a bit (Any better?).
I’m just a bit stuck, my lack of life drawing is getting to me with the materials, I seem to be making everything look a little soft, and am really struggling with the highlight.
Any suggestions? Thanks for all the feedback before!
Oh, and I’ve only started on the face so far, haven’t touched the side!
The buttons were looking better on your first one. It’s out of perspective in both cases, but in the first one, there was contrast & depth…the ellipse should be more vertical and needs depth. Even the screen would benefit heaps with some depth added. Right now it’s looking like a paper cut-paste job.
Try to see how IDiot has used shadows & highlights to give depth to the details.
By the way, I think you’ve gotten Yo wrong here…once you finish your render in greyscale, use ctrl+U and hit colorize to understand it looks in colour. Scott Robertson uses this technique brilliantly. You may also want to check out some of his stuff on the Gnomon workshop to see how it’s done.
Good luck! 
Desecrator, cheers for the advice, maybe I’ll go back to scratch and have another proper look at those buttons. The render’s not finished yet, which is why I haven’t colourized it, is it worth playing with this as I go? I’ll check out Scott Robertson and the Gnomon workshop. Thanks!