Elven Forest SUPER MEGA XXX XXX XXX - Crits pretty please

[Frank Wade]

Hi guys.

How could I make this better? I realize the composition is boring, should have caught that earlier. Is there anything I can do short of redrawing the picture to help this? Also, general critiques are very encouraged. Thanks all.

PEACE!

[Vishaka]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the composition. I get the impression that I'm looking at the main figure through several layers of foliage, it feels very voyeuristic. I like the effect. (I can't tell if this is really the case since it's not finished) Your elven girl is beautiful, I want to see this when it's done. :D

[Anthis]

Agreed with Vishaka, its the first thing I noticed.
I'd add some more different colours for diversity. Maybe some sparks of light, couple of lighter leaves, waterdrops, whatever. Or an interesting glow to the earrings.
As for the girl; Hair blends in a bit too much with the background. Not sure if I should comment on the anatomy, its an elf anyways.
These were my thoughts anyways. I'd love to see the final pic, I like where this is going >_>

[~Faust~]

Damn, after the title I was expecting on finding some hardcore porn in here, yet there is only a hand of boobies, quite frustrating really..

But I'll crit anyways, since I'm here already:

I agree with my previous poster that the color palette is a tad monochrome. You should really add some diversity in here. Your picture is a very beatiful one, though and it is indeed heading in a nice direction.

Things that bother me more though, is structure problems with her face and anatomy. I made a quick paintover of what I mean (In red all the things that felt awkward:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137048&stc=1&d=1178897259

I even made a quick try at the thing (Mainly moved and rotated some of the features:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137049&stc=1&d=1178897272

It is mainly a matter of perspective I guess. Regarding the boobs, it really is more a matter of taste but her neck is faaar to long in any case.

[Lars-Rasmussen]

I agree with all of the above. Your composition is fine but you could add some interest by putting a couple of fireflies (goes well with elves) or another glowing source in the right side of the image. Thereby you get a soft glow from that source to the front of her body, making her curves turn more, and giving some colorvariety to the image.
Her anatomy is overall allright, and being an elf, artistic freedom is more than ok - but her right boob (the one "facing" us) seems a bit too wide considering the lesser volume of the other one. It's also a bit too low - the shoulders are following a perspective line, and so should the boobs.

Its gonna be beautiful tho - good job :D

[Jason Rainville]

Faust I disagree a bit with your paintover. I think her facial anatomy is fine, and the neck exxaggeration is within tolerable limits. Giving her a more rounded face as you have and a thick neck takes away any hint of her being a slight elf.

I do agree that the breast closest to us looks odd, I think it's a case of the breast being turned too far outward. Here's a little paintover;

[~Faust~]

Well, I'll give you that you don't have to alter or "huminify" her face at all. BUT as I see it, her face is still wrong in her own structure. If I would have to make out a horizon-line it would have to be somewhat around her neck (Haha, that's vague) anyway, that means she is looking slightly down on us. Her eyes, however are exactly on the same level inducing a horizonline there which is not apparent and flattens the whole character. Plus, her chin is pointing to much to the right (from the viewer's point) as it should be (again, the eyes are the measure)

Oh and I forgot to clarify that I think her hair is blending too much with the background on the backside of her head.

[Jason Rainville]

The level of her eyes are affected by the horizon line, but what if the head is rotated. Even if she's looking down at us in comparasin to her body, she would still be looking directly at us. Her eyes can be on the same line or whacked out depending on how her head tilts. As far as I see it anyway, her head looks to be in line with her body and it doesn't look at all like she's looking down. It looks like we're looking at her face from only slightly below. Since we're a decent ways away, I don't think the fish-eye effect would be that apparent.

[Micaiah Nelson]

I agree with all of them on the tourso correction. Line up the eye and ears, shoulders up, chest out neck Straight. But I like the style your going at but tighten every thing up. The hair is blending in with the blur.

[infinitemonkey]

Frank, I hope you don't mind but I also went over your piece where I think you could use some work.

Highlights - I love the through-the-forest perspective, but you still want to take advantage of the ambient light to attract the eye to key features: The eyes, lips, and the neck and curve of the shoulder. I also threw some in the hair, on the ear, and the (bamboo?) trunk that seemed to be in the same area as your figure.

The face: I raised her left eyebrow to match the other, and enlarged her left eye somewhat. I also moved that eye a little to the right, to avoid the convergence of lines with the edge of her face. I cleared away the hair behind that eye as well, as it muddied the area.

The breasts: I gave her reduction surgery. She is far too young-looking to have bulbous saggy breasts. I also relocated the foremost nipple to the front of her chest.

The neck: I did straighten it and clear out some of the muddiness the hair was creating - it looked like she was hiding an adam's apple. While I didn't touch it, I think it needs to be shortened.

Otherwise I really liked the style, colour, and direction you're going. The way it's composed and framed it resembles a still from a movie.

[aiya its ai]

I agree with Rhineville's post. At this point an artist can stylize if he wants.

The highlights in infinitemonkey's post were a good touch. Although that set of breasts makes me think "boob job." Then again... she is walking naked in a forest. Might be cold out there.

I was always one for long "graceful" necks, so I'll leave it to the artist to decide whether or not he wants it shortened. I am leaning more towards the shortening though >>;

[DimMak]

just my opinion, but the breasts looked more real the original way you had them. maybe a bit too wide on the one on her right side. but they hung more naturally

i like youre stylization overall though. comes off well. i would suggest trying to work some more of the complements into the shadows.

keep at it!

[juliabax]

Felt like giving the girl a boob job! I think a natural look for her breasts fits her forestloving persona. From that perspective her nipple should look a tiny bit ellyptical. And I think if you add the other arm on the other side the posture looks more natural, IMHO.

Just going with the current paintover flow! Hope it helps! I love the composition, you shouldn´t change it.

Julia

[cmoreland]

Anatomically correct or not, I like the original breasts better. I pretty much agree with DimMak on this one.

Also her posture looks awkward in the repaint by Juliabax...her ribs and arms make her look just a little more erect or startled than the original where she seemed to just be glancing as she's walking through the forest or just standing there relaxed.

I'd make the ears longer but that's just me :-)

Awesome work! I'd love to see the finished art!

[Texahol]

hrm, I thought I already replied to this, looks like ca failed on me.

The composition isn't what is killing it. Right now the reason it seems boring, is because your figure is very stiff and boring. She's not doing anything, she's just standing there glancing over at us for no apparent reason. If you have figures they should either be doing something, or nothing, but with PURPOSE. If we are voyeurs, and she is looking right at is, is she surprised, or giving us a "come hither" look, or maybe something else like "who the fuck are you?".

crits on the anatomy. I dunno what's up with all these paintovers. Yeah, they are pornstar boobs. her right [our left] boob is off. I agree with rhineville's po the most. There is more than enough porn out there to get some boob ref. Check out domai or coolio's babes. Just do a google search, they have a lot of naked women.

With the face, you have misaligned features. It seems you went back to the jutty chin thing, I thought you got over that a while ago :<
what I'm seeing here is the nose and chin in profile, the mouth in 3/4 and her left eye [our right] is on the side of her head. Her ear is too far forward in relation to how far back her eye and jaw are. I'm also not sure where you get that weird glare in her eyes from. The lighsource is behind her. although, I would add either I second light source, or at least a reflective light source in front of her to pop the form a bit more. What might help you align your features, is drawing the centerline of the face [hell do it on her chest too, it'll help you place the boobage] Try to think about big forms and then details when placing objects. The eyes are set into the head, you seem to be missing socketage and 3d form because of it. She has almost no bridge to her nose, aside from that line.

A masterfully drawn X that doesn't go with Y will do you no good. If it's not correct, you should fix it. Don't try so desperately to salvage something just 'cause you liked one aspect. If you did it once, you can probably do it again, only better.