Creature Design

[KawizradSaddrax]

I’m not sure how far I want to go with this character. I’ve decided to post it up here, and get some opinions on it. I scanned a drawing, and colored with layer effects in ps. Nothing to elaborate here as far as the coloring, but I’m rather fond of the character design. Any ideas and suggestions I would be grateful for. Thanks in advance!

/weller


http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/Monster.jpg

[softocean]

Um, interesting concept. It may help to get the whole character in frame. Maybe he has webbed toes?

[Mamoth]

not sure the pale lines on top are helping :bashful:

[Texahol]

figure out who this guy is, where he lives, what he eats, how big he is, and what he is doing.

Then pick a lightsource.

[KawizradSaddrax]

Thanks for the crits guys! I will remove the lines on the top layer. I didn’t notice how annoying they were it was brought up.
I brought this file back into ps, and started messing around with it a bit more. I am pretty much going to start it over. Thanks again for the crits! Keep your eyes on the WIP thread; any other crits you have will be very helpful, especially concerning lighting.

Can a mod please move this to the WIP section? (Thanks!)


/weller

[markwagner]

Great scratches! Sometimes I take some of my scratches away (if possible) that are overtop the main piece so they aren't distracting for the eye to see what you are really trying to communicate to the viewer. Also look for a place to focus, understand composition, check out the old masters tool of the Golden Means.

If you did one eye with something, some sort of presence "someone home", a highlight off the eye which always refers to moisture and something being alive, your piece would come alive.

~M

[KawizradSaddrax]

Ditches the overlaying lines and I pretty much started over. Its obviously not finished yet, so please don’t bother me with comments like “it looks UN finished” Other wise, rip it up! I may or may not draw finish drawing the bottom section. Any comments on what I have done yet? Any help would be grateful, before I get too much further. Thanks in advance!

/weller

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/MonsterPencil.jpg

[KawizradSaddrax]

Thanks for the comments so far guys. I took them into account for this update. I am hoping to finish the legs over this weekend, but who knows how that will go. I appreciate all your ideas so far, keep em coming.

/weller

[THUNDERCOCK]

Better progress in the second one...the scratches are ok for sketches but remember that the sketches should help define or at least compliment the form you are trying to express...random scratches just says careless amateur and don't really help do anything...don't take that personally...use it as a learning experience...also...don't be affraid to used a bit of contrast to punch up some areas that you feel are important for the viewer to notice...I've taken the liberty of reworking your fist image quickly to give you an idea of both examples...hope you don't mind. I used some random colors for the highlights but you should choose colors way more carefully in order to really convey a sense of depth and weight. See the way the blue lines are loose but still help describe what you're looking at. Even if they don't hit the mark the first time it's the direction in which they travel that helps lead the viewer to where it is supposed to go or connect or whatever you want. think of it as sort of hatching in a way. there are a couple of places where the lines shoot across the form like on the shoulder...you can often get away with that in my opinion because it reaches across a form in the shadows. It does flatten things out but also can add a bit of personal style....hope this has been helpful...keep going!!

[KawizradSaddrax]

freakin sweet. Cant thank you enough. *grabs wacom*

[THUNDERCOCK]

any progress?...just wondering if any of my tips were useful...if so to what extent?

[sickelsick]

the rework looks much better. i think a swamp backfground would be kool. ill keep a lookout for your stuff.

[KawizradSaddrax]

You guys are great. I appreciate the comment a lot. I have been working on it here and there when I get a chance, as it turns out I never get as much work done on the weekends as I want. Your comments are very help full. I have decided to go back to square one, and start from the ground up. This time I’m going to spend some more time on it, and be sure to get the results I’m looking for. I love the idea of a swamp background. I was thinking a cave/mountain setting before, but s swamp sounds much more exciting. Thanks again for watching! I’ll see what I can get done this week. The feet are meant to be a big like elephant’s feet. They will end up being more like clumps of flesh, and toe nails when I’m done I think. I’m a bit concerned about the length of the lower leg, not sure if it’s long enough. Any insight? Thanks again!

/weller

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/MonsterPencilReMake.jpg

[SeaUrchinsToSun]

With his shoulders so close together, I'd imagine he'd be more hunched over, which seems to conflict with the tree-trunk-like legs. I'd spread them out a bit, and bend them. And the vertical jaw is a defining trait of this creature, so I'd try to think out it's bone structure a bit more (only from what I can see). Right now it doesn't have a chin, or even a lip for that matter. Giving that mouth a really clear shape and dimension will be very important. Keep at it and I wanna see how you develop this.

[KawizradSaddrax]

Sea: Thanks’ for the comments, none of those things I noticed before! I like what you have said. I’m sad that I’m at work, because I’m feeling inspired to draw. I do want the character to be hunched over; I guess my drawing doesn’t show that very well. I will work on this, and the shoulders.

I was browsing the CG channel boards, and I found a great reference picture for the general effect that I am trying to achieve with this character. I really like the skin tone of the character, and I am hoping to do a similar thing with mine, except with more scales, and a thicker surface texture. Image Courtesy of “foreverendering” the thread I am referring to:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=280173&page=4

I also really like his treatment of the lower leg, I would almost consider something like that for mine as well, but I’m unsure still. Thanks again for the comments so far, and thanks in advance for ones to come.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/jaromey/july16.jpg

[sickelsick]

i think the horselegs would be kool. but i was also thinking.... imagine how it would look with the fat legs u got now, but make them bowlegged. that would give him more of a sense of weight, u know? see how that looks.

if u gunna do swamp like i said, im thinking have a lot of little flies flyin around.
lemme know what u think.

[KawizradSaddrax]

okay *whew* 30 sketches later...i did what every person should do. Hit the creature thread for referance. This is what i came up with.
ThunderCock, i tryed to use your advice above and apply it to the new drawing. rather then focusing on details (like above) i made sure to get some good out lines. I though this guy needed some sort of action pose, i think this works out okay for him. okay *whew* 30 sketches later...I did what every person should do. Hit the creature thread for reference. This is what I came up with.

ThunderCock, I tried to use your advice above and apply it to the new drawing. Rather then focusing on details (like above) i made sure to get some good out lines. I though this guy needed some sort of action pose, i think this works out okay for him.

Coming soon.. Back ground sketches, and a detail of the face! Thanks for all the help so far everyone, keep the ideas/comments coming. I did a quick version of the lighting, this is my weakest point so done be affraid to say somthing about it.

/weller

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/monster-redraw.jpg

[sickelsick]

i likes!

i cant really see the lighting cuz of the white background and yellow lights. give the BG a different color so the lighting stands out some more.

[Jedmo]

The new sketches look much better than the old one. They have much more gesture, and attention to anatomy. Much more life to the new version. Awesome improvement, keep it up.

[fierymaiden]

ok yeah i agree i like the new pose.. but... i still think, for the mass of his body he may need bulkier legs. to hold up that mass (thats mostly in his hands.. dear GOD) hes going to need massive legs!! just a thought

[THUNDERCOCK]

yeah...way bulkier legs and the arms need a little adjustment too...act out that pose and notice where your body is pulled in or flared out....shoulders hunched and up....elbows out and hands even further out....really try to convey that especially in the arm that is behind his body....I think he would need wider feet as well...if you look at the overall size of the body it looks like he would be constantly battling his lack of balance....maybe try to give him a nice solid base to stand on. And remember to slow down when figuring things out. Really try to determine where the light and shadow will be. Here's a hint...highlights and shadows never touch directly....theres always a middle tone to seperate them unless your dealing with really shiny or reflective objects...then only sometimes do highlights and shadows touch. We all know your just starting out and getting bombarded by new info that is all foreign especially if you don't know where to look for the answers to your artistic solutions but I think if you're gonna post here and seek help then it's time to step up your game...meaning...its up to you to really try to apply some of the suggestions and do some personal studies for self improvement. Study from real life all that you can and draw from it, There are no mistakes or wrong answers in nature or real life situations...just different ways to percieve them. you'll find a lot of your own questions get answered if you really look. Its a tedious and sometimes lengthy process but eventually you will figure it out. That being said....run a search for something like rhino's and horses.....study the legs....find out how they are similar, how they are different and then try to combine them in a unique way that may be suitable for this character....also find some pics of like sea creatures and fish that have gnarly teeth....keep in mind that if its worth mentioning in your drawing then it's worth making it believable. Dont give us generic triangle shape teeth...each tooth should be unique. it should relate somehow to the ones next to it, is it bigger more jagged, sunken in, rotting away, broken off,....
anyways...you get the idea....you should also check out the refernce section of CA....the guys here often post some cool stuff that I have used in my drawings and found links to other stuff. Glad to see you're back at it...keep going!!!

[KawizradSaddrax]

I agree with the leg thing, and I noticed one hand is significantly smaller then the other. I’m pretty happy with the over all pose. I’m having trouble sorting out the area where his shoulder and neck will meet. Please keep in mind this is a sketch, and by no means meant to be interpreted as a final drawing. Yes I did take some short cuts with the teeth, and just about everything else as well. Like I said before, I’m starting from the ground up, and trying to get a good basic shape before I start digging deep into tedious details. Thundercock has inspired me to start doing animal anatomy drawings. I have done a bunch before, but mostly from life. From life is good… but it doesn’t allow you to see the bone structure (unless your drawing from a skeleton obviously) I have posted a few sketches I did this evening below. More to come! I wasn’t very happy with the elephant pictures I was finding, so I think I will go to the zoo this weekend and try and draw there. It might give me a change to see things I wouldn’t have though of before. If anyone else wants to join me, that would be great! I’m in NYC hit me up if you want go. Thanks for the crits so far! I’m going to do more research before I continue with this piece, but keep watching, because I will be posting sketches along the way. Thanks everyone very much for all the help, and thanks for following up! I want to get better, so keep the comments coming.

/weller

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/legs1.jpg

[THUNDERCOCK]

hey man...sorry for sounding assertive...if you're not pushed to do better then you won't and you'll find yourself running in circles....here's the thing with bone structure....its all relative. meaning once you grasp the basic idea of it you can relate it to almost any animal because then anatomical landmarks are the same...just in different size shape or proportion. for example...if you know how to find the patella on a lion then you'll know how to find one on a goat or dog or whatever...because not only would you expect to find one in the same place but it would look similar in how it affects the structure of the leg. Nice studies BTW....check out some anantomy books if you can...learn where the muscles originate and insert...at least the major ones. You'll be amazed when really studied how similar we are to our common fauna friends.. and if you want unparalleled animal anatomy check out a book called Cyclopedia Anatomicae. Its about 25$ and should be available at your local library...I'm sure its even cheaper on ebay or amazon but I haven't looked to confirm that.. Anyways...now get creative...try to combine some of those leg shapes to create something authentic that looks believable. I understand this is just a sketch but professionalism starts with just that. If you look at some of the other artists sketches that post them from time to time you'll see what I mean. Their thoughts are complete and expressed well and don't need any interpritation or explanation...ROCK ON!!!...PS if you need some anatomy stuff I can help you find what you need....just post the request or email me...Peace!

[KawizradSaddrax]

I know…I know.. I’ve been neglecting the forum. I do have a good excuse though. I just moved from NYC to Tampa bay area. I am back on track though. I though I would post up a work in progress and let everyone know I haven’t forgotten about this project. As you can see, I gave him a diet, and made a few other obvious changes. The model was done in Maya, imported into z brush, and now I am painting over a render in Photoshop (sadly my computer doesn’t have enough balls to texture this in Z Brush). I will try and post updates regularly, although I barely have time to work on this. Sigh Thanks to everyone in advance for the critiques.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/SandCreature.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/cweller60/Creature6.jpg

/weller