First cry for help

[Mistel]

Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I've been around for a few days commenting on other peoples works though

My current project is a storyboard. I'm doing it for an animation and I'm also creating the concept arts for it. It's a university project, so it'll most likely never be animated. However, I still have a deadline (next tuesday) and until then I have to fully render a few of the panels.

The problem is that I haven't touched photoshop in AGES. I've only done traditional art lately and it came as a shock to me when I had to struggle this much to paint digitally again.

I hope to get some ideas on how to make to environment look less flat, maybe some ideas on how to make the tanks reflect light (I have no clue how to even begin doing that), and how to make the water look less like jelly. Just some advice would be really helpful. I'll throw in one of the concept drawings of the character in case that helps.

I'd be grateful if anyone would do a paintover!

Help!

[Wgrace]

Well, judging by the fact that there are sea creatures present, I'm going to assume that is an ocean or sea, or at least some extremely large body of water outside, which immediately begs the question: Why is the water perfectly flat and motionless? I think adding some wave and motion to the water outside will immediately make it more convincing, maybe a bubble or two somewhere in the picture, at least in the tanks where there are jellyfish. As far as how to show light manipulation through water - I'd suggest using real life as a reference, try searching some images of underground/underwater aquariums - there are a lot of really good reference images you could use on images.google.com. Also - you may want to have your little manta ray fellow cast at least a portion of a shadow, he is higher elevated than the border of that front windows frame, so his shadow should fall further into the room than the frames.

I wish I could help more with the water but my technique is probably even worse, those are just some ideas I have when I look at your painting. Wish I could do a paint over for you, sorry.

possibly good starting reference photo:

[eclectic rhapsody]

This might not be too much help, but...if you look at a glass of water, you'll find that the water "hugs" the edge of the container that it's in. The edges that touch the walls of the cup are slightly raised compared to the water in the middle of the cups area.

Since this water is bent and "distorted" it reflects lite differently. If you look at a fish tank, where the water stops, it often turns white or a darker shade of blue. So in your jars, where the water meets the edge of the container, perhaps it should be a different color?

I think that another thing that are making these look like gelatin is the fact that it's so opaque. It's coloring is that of cartoon water, but its "behavior" (no waves, bubbles) is closer to that of stagnant irl water. Maybe you need to push it more in one of those directions?

Also, the water outside the windows on the outside curves. This further suggests that it's a solid shape, as opposed to a liquid, as it doesn't seem to be moving...

Good luck on your project.

[Mistel]

Thank you both for the help. You both pointed out things I haden't thought about I'll imediately start improving the picture now.

[Mistel]

Hi again guys I've done some improvements and I hope that it looks better. I worked on the water mainly, but also added some details.

Just wanted to mention to Wgrace; The manta ray that you mentioned about is actually her mask/hat that's falling off her head... so it's in mid air inside the submarine. Since it's just slightly under the vanishing point I didn't think it would cast any shadow on any of the visible surfaces... if you think I'm wrong please correct me

I'm still not happy with the water in the windows... The problem might be that the water is too dark in the circular windows, but really right now I have no clue :/ I'll keep playing around. If anyone has got some good advice again I'd be grateful. Thank you

[Wgrace]

WAY better man. Good job improving that, it really is the little things that make the difference, I like what you did with the grounds surface above where the ladder is, that small hint of light breaking up through the water and shining through onto the ground is key, I think, really makes it so much more convincing. The streaks on the tanks and tone shift for the edges of the water help a lot too.

[LJFHutch]

I'm no expert, but I think you should consider the following:

* The water on the windows should probably be following the same perspective as that of the rest of the drawing, it seems strange at the moment.
* Your overall perspective seems to be changing, have a look at the curved bit at the end and then at your tanks, they're not using the same perspective. Your jars seem a bit odd as well.
* Water color - your water is blue, when it should probably be a lot more green, at least, outside, inside the water will be more or less clear and colorless.
* Shouldn't the hand on the right of the ladder be inverted? Seems strange considering she is holding herself upside down.
* Maybe add in a reflection on the floor of the window? Not sharp or bright, but seems like it could be reflecting more there. (mine is rough, just realized the sides are too wide)

- the perspective lines I did were by eye, so don't take my word for it, but definitely put in some perspective lines to help you out.



Looking good though