Miyamoto Musashi

[GUYJIN]

http://novamesh.com/NEW IMAGES/Samurai.jpg

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Looking good! Where is this piece heading next? Inked? Painted? What is it for? Inspirational sources? Some comments about it would be nice.

[GUYJIN]

Oh...sorry bout that.. I eventually will color it. It was just a thing I did for myselfe, since I do have a weak spot for swords and martial arts and samurai in particular :)

Plus Miyamoto Musashi is an inspirational character. Never defeated, he also is the author of "The Book of 5 Rings" which is sort of a bible for kendo, and much more.

[JoshuaTheJames]

coooool...


Yo, you should really put some more design into this guy. He looks great, but there is nothing really setting him apart from other samurai pics. Perhaps you could put some more patterning on the outfit(all your own based on historical motifs). Perhaps even make his sword longer and really, really detail the sword with elements that may reflect this specific character.

thanks for sharring,

-Joshua

[JoshuaTheJames]

oh yeah!

Since the face is the focal point I would really! nail down the anatomical details..reallly give that face character.

I feel these aspects will definitely set this piece apart.

-Joshua

[GUYJIN]

Thanx muchissimo :)

Will try to do it :chug:

[NOOSE]

nice!!!..great hands! cant wait for the color :)

[My3blka]

This is really good, I like it.

[MastaBlasta]

dude you do the Musashi justice with this picture! its freakin' excellent my only comment is that the tsuba(hand guard on teh sword) look a little too small. other then that this is the coolest samurai ive ever seen on these boards.

[Zaphod]

I like this peice! Especially since I'm sitting here in Kumamoto (where Musashi lived) and looking at it.

Did you get inspiration from the manga "Vagabond" (or bagabondo in japanese)? It does remind me of that artist's rendition of Miyamoto Musashi.

My only crit (or question maybe) is why you didn't add his second sword, one of the thing he's known and famous for?

[GUYJIN]

Its true, Miyamoto did use 2 swords, and I beleve one of them was woden, a "bokken". But that was later on, I think...
As for inspiration, um, there was not much out there actually, I just felt like drawing a samurai, adn than what better samurai to draw than Miyamoto ? :)

[Romus]

Looks great, i likes it

[Samael]

He started with the wooden sword, and then moved on to the two sword method much later in his life.

He didn't return to the wooden sword until he fought his rival Sasaki Kojiro. At the duel he carved his sword from an oar.


I like the drawing, but if the objective is to stay true to the historical figure, I'm afraid you're a bit off.

He was short and filthy, being notorious for going weeks in the wilderness without cleaning himself at all. He also shaved his head in the traditional fashion.

[Mark_Li]

He didn't shave his head till much later, because he had a carbuncle and such when he was young and so he had an ugly scar. But in any case, the piece would be much stronger if his clothes were historically accurate, and if the blade of the sword was facing up instead of down ;D


But I'm nitpicking. The technical skill is great, its just way too cleancut to be Musashi. He needs a bit of beard and some big sideburns.

[Rusty Red Robot]

Wow . . . fantastic! Just fantastic! Only one crit . . . the sword is upside down. Samurais carry their swords so that the sharp edge points up, so the scabbard should curve up, not down.

[mushuhaha]

haha, very nice pencil work. i can see some obvious influence in the design from Inoue Takehiko's Vagabond. yea, i agree, he looks a bit too clean to stay true for the real character, but then you never know...



Takehiko rocks!

[Karim M.]

Hey Cool.
A Musashi Fan ^^
I read the Book from Eiji Yoshikawa, too and you're damn right. it's very inspirating.
And Musashi did use two Swords. A long Katana and a shorter Wakizashi. That's the main part of his Sowrd School.
The second point is, that I thought Musashi would be "rougher", wehen I read the book. If you would put some more dirt and hairs in the picture it would be very great. ;)

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Perhaps adding some sort of texture on his suit would add more character like Josh* suggested. A swirling wyrm/dragon perhaps?
That way you don't have to redraw anything.

[chadrm17]

Man, That looks awsome. Are you goin to put in any background? It would look great with some decapitated samurai.

[GUYJIN]

Done... No more. Finished... Finitto... Kaput.

http://www.novamesh.com/TheGOODSTUFF/2D/OTHER/ReadyJPG/Miyamoto.jpg

[Mark_Li]

Its good...but my favorite thing about it is how you didn't take anybodies suggestions...

[GUYJIN]

Originally posted by Mark_Li
Its good...but my favorite thing about it is how you didn't take anybodies suggestions...

I am cofused...is it sarcasm?!

[Karim M.]

Yep I think so ^^

It's very coo but you should have listened to some statements in this thread... Anyway cool work.

PS: What means "Kaput"?
Do you mean the German Work "kaputt"?
That means destroyed ^^

[GUYJIN]

I actually did... Or I though I did?... Um... Especialy the part about the face that came from Josh :(. As for the sword and its position. True, its a mistake, but I think its irrelevant to the whole thing.
"Kaputt" I ment as in I was finished...tired with this piece.

[bwkeough]

I think the colored version is definitely an improvement over the already nice sketch. The folds in the clothing is handled well, great colors in the shadows there. The scabbard as it passes under his left hand needs to be colored in tho.

The comment about not following the suggestions refers to the details about the history of Musashi: two swords, sword blade up, scruffy appearance. If you changed the title to "anonymous samurai hero," those problems would go away.

[alex_86]

Why, why would you do this? He looks like a monk from shaolin. I love the style but the details are all wrong! His gi is wrong, his pants are too long and not flared enough, his tsuba is too small, his hair isn't right, and he doesnt have any of the formal features of samurai clothing. Why oh WHY???

Anyways I love ur rendering none the less so if you don't care I don't mind. Juss sayin i would done it differently. :p

[S51]

Well at least you've remained calm about this. :rolleyes:

Personally I like it, even if there are accuracy issues.

[davi]

personally i think it's turnning out really good. I would personally ignore some of the opinioned replies. Most don't seem to be actual crits to me.

[alex_86]

:D Good advice cause I still love it!!!

[chadrm17]

Thats looks badass. I love the background. it gives it more of an authentic feeling. Great work on the face and arms. And the feet too. Love it!!!:D

[GUYJIN]

wow, thanx for the kind words gents! :)
I never had an intention to paint or draw a historicaly accurate image of Miyamoto. I've read about him and will be the first to say that the "letter" of the drawing is not correct. But I was more focused on the "spirit" of it. I beleve from that point of vue it came out not too bad. Thanx again :D :chug: