Dark Sorceress

[CKWorth]

This is my entry for CGTalk's CGChallenge. We are supposed to create a really cool videogame character. It's done for now but I don't like it much. Maybe I've been looking at it too long. Anyway, it would be nice to have some critiques on this. Any ways I might be able to make it more interesting to look at?

http://www.spherenoire.com/forumart/sorceresscolor.jpg

[michael see]

can't view ur pics though..i'll come back again tomorrow..

[blackhand]

The rendering is nice overall, but I think some of your proportions and anatomy could use a bit of work. The upper chest seems a bit torqued and out of place in relation to the head. The left arm looks a bit squat in comparison to the body, and the hand seems somewhat manly. The pose is also somewhat confusing because you can't see the right leg--it's unclear how she's supporting herself if her left leg is bent so much.

The magic effect coming off the stave and hand is a very nice touch. For some suggestions to make the image look more interesting, I'd try to set the figure off from the background more--figure and foreground are too similiar in color and value right now. Perhaps some stronger blue highlights in the areas near the magic effect as well.

[CKWorth]

blackhand - Thanks for the comments. Here's a little outline to show what is going on with her pose. That black stump there is her right leg. Her left arm is supposed to be comming toward us a little. It's hard to make it not look weird. Yeah, I know what you mean about separating her from the background. I'm trying to figure out how to do it in a dark setting. I've already added more highlights and I'm afraid they would be overdone if I put more on. :(

http://www.spherenoire.com/forumart/sorceresscolorlines.jpg

[Boom]

hoi....

nice painting and some solid rendering techinque. Looks beautiful and very professional. :)

I think you problem with this painting lies in the line of action of the sorceress. It's very awkard right now, but should be fairly easy to solve.

If you look at the hips they have a direction which is straight ahead, and so is the stomach - all well... but the chest is twisted abit towards us while the shoulder area again have a the same direction as the hips/stomach. This is looking awkard and is impossible to do in real life.. just try! ;) Combined with the 90' degree turn of the head it takes action out of the pose and make it look odd.

I would fix the char so that the line of action would seem more fluid and natural. Either turn the chest to follow the lowerbody or vise versa.

Also your use of contrast is abit incoherent throughout the piece. I simply love the way you did the right lower leg/foot with the high contrast which suits the mood perfectly.. but at the same time miss that same high contrast in the upper body... especially at the face which should throw a shadow on the shoulder ...

its already a nice painting.. alitte more work and it will be perfect! :)

[Clodhopper]

I think its looking pretty good. i think you should add more red from the cape around the left leg so that it is clear where the leg is at. but the cape looks kinda flat, maybe add more wrinkles and folds, or a design to it- some bigger rips and tears perhapse.
also, the hair doesn't seem to match the motion of the figure, but then i saw that second image and i see it much more clearly. maybe just add highlights specificaly on the hair, so you can see what its doing.

also, i think evil sorceresses would have a little more bling. i think she badly needs an amulet, some silver studs in her clothing, some earings, some rings, bracelets. a belt buckle, a knife sheath. pualdrons maybe...and a pouch to carry her sorceress stuff. i really think that would make yer image more "interesting". her chest really looks especially blank to me, i think she either needs some leather straps or perhapse continue the laces higher up on that bresier thing....or, fill the space with a big goudy amulet, or, or, or a tattoo? and you can make the breasts "shinier".
thats just my humble input, i guess most of my suggestions are self preference- but i really think theres alot you can do to the costume to make it stand out more.