First "High-Caliber" painting

[MeBabyMe]

So I normally don't like to spend a lot of time on digital paintings (i think its because im just not used to it yet), but i decided to force myself to do this one. It took me two days, and it was pretty fun. Photoshop.

I'm almost outta high school, so i gotta start making a portfolio for college, and im thinkin bout putting this in there, please let me know what you think, as well as any critiques you have.

No texture overlays/ photo overlays

thanks for viewing

[KilianJ]

Thats pretty fricking awesome.

[MeBabyMe]

not much of a critique, but thank you

[Artfix]

Amazingly well-rendered. On first inspection, everything looks fine, but you wanted crits so I looked closely.

The nose started to look funny as I stared at it--the way the left wing of his nose meets his face looks cut-off. Also, since we're looking down on him slightly, should the underside of his nose be showing? Imagine if he were to hold his head up straight, his nose would be very, very upturned.

His mouth seems to be turning away just a little more than his nose and eyes.

One more thing, the streak of rain falling past his jaw, looks like a form of his face. I mean, it looks like it might be his chin connecting to his jaw. I would remove it.

You could put more emotion into his face if it is important. I imagine someone in his situation would be gritting his teeth more, and their nose would be..whats the word..snarled more?

Great technique tho. Good work

[GuzBoroda]

It's really beautiful! Water, hair, drops everything is cool.
Critique? Well, his nose remains me a cat... a little...

[resurepus]

the nose has already been mentiones, so not much critique besides that. Good work!

[Sascha Thau]

Is this the whole picture? It looks like it is cut out of something. IF this is the final picture I'd critizise the composition. There's too much cut off. Think of cut off things that the viewer tries to complete these things. Used in the right way you can really enhance a picture, make it more interesting. Overused you achieve confusion. Be careful with such things.

The head is cut off twice, above and beyond and the gun on the right side, so you have three areas where the view wanders off the picture and tries to "see" something. Three different directions opposite of each other. They are contradicting themselves. It's almost as if you wanted the viewer to not look on the main focus. This is not so good in my opinion. Was this intentional? Why?

These "fleeing" lines are a bit unlucky, because in my eyes your main focus is where the gun meets the head, is not strong enough to overcome these deviations. Your gunpoint is hidden in a dark blob with lost edges. The eye is attracted to places withe the most contrast and/or the most detail. You have reflections on the gunbarrel, but I think they are not strong enough.
Maybe mor patches of highly reflective sweat around it would solve this. I don't know, there are some possibilities, but I would have to try them myself to see if they are good enough.

Everything else is top notch. Nice job with the textures. Good work!

[Sascha Thau]

double the fun

[Pavel Sokov]

I love it, but like Sascha said, but it looks like a cropped image and that really brings it down.

[MeBabyMe]

Artfix: thank you, and yea i see what you mean with the nose being "cut-off", and also, good point about the underside of the nose being too visible.

GuzBoroda: thanks, and yup haha

resurepus: haha thanks

Sascha: actually that is the full image, and i understand what you were saying about the "cropped" look of the composition. I did that because 1.) i was using a few references (made it a bit limited) and 2.) i wanted to keep the picture close, intense, and full of dread. I suppose i shouldve added some fingers on the handle of the gun i guess. thanks for the critique

Pavel: thanks

[meth]

Well at first look i would say you used one ref from movie Seven, and this is Brad Pitt(i think i even know the scene where this is happening)? So it is done ok, someone above mentioned nose and there is something wrong with it, don't know what.
The thing i don't like is the way you crop it, probably you wanted to emphasise those rain drops, but it is harmful for entire image.

M

[sharprm]

looks great. how did you do the skin and leather so it has the bumpiness?

crits: maybe ear is a bit funny like motion blur around it. the falling rain can be confused with him having glad wrap on his head. especially the hair above the temple area looks a bit like glad wrap.

heh i wish i could draw like that in highschool (or now ) keep it up!

[Nickodemus]

I know the image from Seven in question. This looks pretty close if that's what you were going for. Great rendering throughout.

My main crit would be with the nose, as well. It just looks way to pointy and jagged on his left side.

Great to look at.

[KilianJ]

Ok crit..

His T shirt lacks detail.. Just a little bit like a sense of the collar or something. Plus other things like the nose. In regards to the cropping I think If you had not cropped his chin then the image would feel close up but not cropped..

Anyways its still damn swish.

[MeBabyMe]

Mateja: You are right it is from Se7en, and i used 3 screenshots and put them together to make the composition. And the cropping is noted, thanks

Sharprm: i used a hard round brush to lay down the flats, smeared em together, then used cloudlike brushes to get a bit of uneven texture on top. hahaha and you are completely right about the glad wrap hahahaha... i wouldnt have even thought but you have a good point, thanks haha

Lunarsis: thanks, and yea i think the nose seems like its cut off at the nostril

KilianJ: good point about the chin cropping, and yea i purposely kept out the detail of his jacket, i guess just trying to be more cinematic rather than artistic =/ good points, and thanks

[sharprm]

could u post a ref of the dvd still if u have it? I think it'd help spot things. I think his teeth could be too small.

[Bdbros]

looks amazing,I love the level of details on this.

[lfrued]

It seems to me that you have conceived of this head as a block overall. Be careful when using cast shadows as they can actually destroy the illusion of three dimensional form. I think that is the case here with shadow of the gun. always remember not to put dark details in your highlights as they will become the main focus of your drawing. You need to think much more about composition and designing the space before rendering. And if working from a photo or model don't copy slavishly what you see.

[MeBabyMe]

sharprm: i dont have the movie anymore, sorry. you might be able to find the scene somewhere on the internet. plus, i used about 3 screenshots to piece together this image composition

bdbros: thanks

lfrued: you have good points, except your first one of cast shadows destroying 3 dimensional form. sounds like youve got that backward, or didnt explain yourself well