Character Redraw

[Branch]

Personal piece - a redraw of an old roleplaying character. You can see the WIP here. (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52431) C&C welcome.
http://www.branchworkshop.com/retroproject/Enderon1.jpg

detail
http://www.branchworkshop.com/retroproject/retro10.jpg

inspiration for piece - drawn when I was 13.
http://www.branchworkshop.com/retroproject/retro1small.jpg

[Wrok]

I love this kinda artwork, doing peronal charicters. I like the work and the befor and after. At first i thought he stance was kinda off but i can't really tell you what i think is wrong with it.

[JaneM]

Hmm, well I don't know for sure, but it looks to me as the neck isn't placed where it's supposed to be. It looks too far to the right.
Either way, it looks a bit unfinished to me. I think working a bit more with the blue mantle and the squares on his vest would help that. Yet, the over all rough style is cool, with the leaves on the trees and all. :)
Cool character, cool pose. Keep it up.

[KevinP]

There are some other areas that need more attention as mentioned. But I thought I'd offer a quick fix for ya. I threw it into Pshop for a few minutes and alpha channelled him and a few leaves out. dodged out some far background also. You need to seperate your subject more from his environment IMO. Texture wise or value wise he needs to 'pop' more than his surroundings. I also smoothed out his cape fer ya.


http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/8859/enderon1s8qg.jpg

Hope this helps. Keep going, this looks like it has promise.

[Boom]

i dont think the painting need to be smoothed out, but i do agree that some added contrast would be nice. Also remember at all times - know where your light source is and render accordingly to it. Even if the setting is cloudy overcast like you have it here you must respect the setting you have given yourself.

Headplacement feels wrong and lessens the dynamics of the painting.The head feels like a paste from another painting. The paintstyle of the head doesn't compute with the rest of the painting, imo. Both arms could use some tightening to bring them to quality of the lower half of the figure which is quite good.

Your are on the right track. With a little more 'thinking-before-painting (TM)' you will get much further. :)

[dogfood]

The lighting is what is really buggin me (that and the tiny right hand). The head is indicating some very strange light source which isn't represented anywhere else in the piece. Most of the rest of the piece is showing diffused light, except perhaps the rocks, which have some vague texture going on (indicating they were not referenced). This scheme is putting both legs on the same plane (as they are the strongest indicators of the diffused lighting). A decision really needs to be made and stuck to regarding the source and quality of the light.

It would also help to get some references on facial colors and blondes (not critical, but it would help take this one to the next level).

There is certainly some good stuff going on here (I love that it's a redraw from many years ago). I did ask myself where he keeps the extra blade, though (only because this seems to be a realistic set of gear).

[Pavel Sokov]

i like the lighter version more.
im loving the nature around him and the fallen leaves

[Branch]

Tweaked version based on your crits
http://www.branchworkshop.com/retroproject/Enderon2.jpg

tweaks:
dogfood - dead-on observations - I've tried to tone down the contrast on the face and work in some better flesh tones. I redid the hair, tried to get rid of that unnatural yellow (I have no excuse on the hair color, I'm blond and I should have used a mirror for reference.) You were absolutely right about the rocks - no ref. So I got some and touched them up. On the stance I retouched the legs - lessening the contrast on the back one and bringing out highlights on the front one - I think it helps make the pose more believable. Also redid that crappy hand - I didn't follow my photo reference very well the first time. Thanks for the insights.

Boom - One thing that I think made the head placement look wrong was the angle of the left arm. I redid the upper arm - following my photo reference better. The other thing that could be screwing with the appearence of the head is the cloak and padded armor position.

KevinP - I think you're absolutely right - the figure was getting alittle lost in the background. I've tried to darken and tone down the background in places to bring out the foreground elements.

JaneM - Hoping the left arm redraw helps the head placement issue.

Wrok - As dogfood pointed out I emphasized both legs equally making the legs look like they were on the same plane. Hopefully my touchup fixed this.

Thank you for taking the time to post a crit - feel free to C&C the new one.

[Pavel Sokov]

loking the new version, and the new folds on his arm.
i do think the ca[pe needs a tiny bit of smoothing out