Power, (Please crit) Updated

[Jonah]

I've been browsing these forums for a few months and have learn a damn lot. So, first order of the day is thanks.

I'd love some critique on the poses and posture and color especially, so I'll be able to incorporate them into this or my next piece.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5373/gamecharwipfinisheduo2.jpg

Thanks again.

[Jonah]

So, I've updated it, added a more complete background, strengthened the lighting and changed the composition.

Please comment and criticize away.

[Jewl]

I can see you worked hard on this. Lots of attention to detail, cast and reflected light.

Compositionally, there's way too much empty space on all sides. You can have empty space if it's doing something, like emphasizing how alone your guy is, or something interesting like that. Your empty space doesn't do anything.
And they're sitting right in the middle of the picture. Try to make the whole image work together, it should feel cohesive, like the parts were made to complement each other.

All in all though, you need to get back to the basics. You have good ideas, but you need to work on your gestures, and you need to work on faces (the guy on the left really needs a face job). You seem a tad too antsy to get it pretty and colored when the drawing basics are still off.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12104 <- Barogue drawing, it'll help improve your eye. Some life drawing would really help you too.

[CCThrom]

There is a lot that's good here, but I have to second Jewl's overall crit.

Anatomically, you are getting hung up on surface detail when at this point you need to understand structure. Don't get me wrong, a lot of your details are nice and definitly point in the right direction... but at this stage of the game it is MORE important to understand things like:

how does the head connect to the neck and body?
how do the shoulders and knees line up?
where do those hidden arms and legs really go?

My advice is to do a lot of simplified ball-and-cylinder figure sketches. Lots. Do them quick. Observe from life. Trace simplified figures over photographs. Whatever works for you. Become familiar with the overall proportions of a figure and only THEN work on things like all the pretty abdominal and transverse muscles.

Hope you dont mind a lineover to get started. Seriously though, do a bunch of figure work THIS simple. You've got a great start and I give you props for attempting tricky foreshortening and not avoiding the hands!

[Jonah]

Thanks for the crit, the over drawing paticually. I'll pay around with the composition and the postures as you said. I've done alot of the simplified ball and stick drawings, but i guess i just haven't been practicing enough.
Also I don't nearly enough life drawing, so i will try and get some done and try that Barogue drawing stuff as well.

Thanks agen, looks like I've got work to do :-D

[jason_maranto]

I'd tone down the abs a bit...

Best,
Jason