New to art new to conceptart.org

[phoenix560]

Hey Guys, I'm new to art, I didn't take art at school, so I am trying to teach myself now.... I have only completed a couple of peaces so I thought I would sign up here!

Here goes; This I named 'The summoning' and it is actually a portrait of my fiancée. hope you like....

[phoenix560]

My latest peace..... hope you like....

[phoenix560]

This was my first complete painting EVER! Done in Photoshop about a month ago

[Kenny_Callicutt]

Id pull out some of the form on the leaping guy, and make the snake thing even bigger. Really push the scale difference between the two characters the piece is about. Visually the thing occupying the most real estate is the environment/sky, because of that, this has a calm, almost boring mood.

A comment about edges. They get softer on things that are further away- So seeing that you have the rock formations overlapping the snake thing, the hardest edges in the snake thing, should not be as hard as the rock formation. My point being, the edges on the darker side of the jaw are a bit harsh, and the dark values are a bit too deep.

[village idiot]

That's a really nice pic- but you just need a few more colours in it to 'zing it out' .
but there's a lot of talent there.
keep going

[phoenix560]

Sorry I know that this is not the sketchbook forum and not for WIPs but I just had to agree with Kenny_Callicutt and alter the image a bit

Sorry again.

[Noah Bradley]

Much, much, much more time spent drawing from reference is needed. The reason the piece looks so lacking in detail is that you're trying to draw from imagination without enough information to do that.

[Lithriel]

Very interesting concept. It has a nice flow.

I would really think about taking art if you can. It makes a huge difference to have that foundational knowledge.

[Elwell]

Merged/moved.

[phoenix560]

Thanks guys for your feedback, as I say I am brand new to art ans since I was about 12-13 I haven't even picked up a pencil..... I lost my confidence with art at that age and didn't take art for my final exams. when I left school I joined the British forces and forgot all about it. About a year ago i was given Photoshop as a gift for my birthday, at first I messed with some photo editing.

A month ago I saw a painting in a magazine and it re-ignited my imagination. Now art is all I can think about.

Thanks for the link to the course in NYC but I live in the southwest of the UK. I cant afford art lessons at the moment, maybe next year when my fiancee finishes her studies. So in the mean time all I have is youtube and forums

Thanks again for the replies and they are all duly noted, lots and lots of studies

[Mah ' Crub]

You are doing just fine.....lots of artists never go to school, and some say that they are more pure that way.....yes it's great to learn foundations and all the cool tricks that are passed along, but if you find your own style on your own, then you may be one of the ones that they teach about....just keep painting and follow your dream....study things, like images of the things you want to paint, things in nature, photos...make a scrap book of pics for reference...it does help.....but most of all, just keep at it and you will improve with each piece.....sometimes the critiques here can sound rather harsh, and blount, but that is what this forum is for....don't be afraid of the remarks, and don't let them squash you....not at all.....most people do want to help.

Mah ' Crub

[phoenix560]

Thank you sooo much Mah ' Crub for your kind words they have made my day I like to take critiques as a way of learning and getting honest feedback.

I am determined to keep going and improve. That is what art is about, besides I wouldn't find it that easy to put the brushes down now lol.

thanks again

[KJamesJR]

lol that guy doesn't stand a chance against that monster.

[Ceteri]

Your new to art? You have mad talent for not taking any classes.
My only concern is how you render distance.

many of your photos the BG character is blurred significantly more than it should be and thus it looks like its miles away when I can see your trying to convey that the creature is only about a couple of feet/meters away.

[phoenix560]

Thanks KJamesJR & Ceteri.

Yep completely new!! Thanks for the kind words....

OK so bit blurry as to not be as harsh as the foreground but not too blurry as to take away the distance! got it!

Thanks dude

[Ceteri]

Haha your HELL of a lot better than me and I been practicing for 4 months now XD but I am definitely going to keep track of your progress and see how far and much you evolve through time.

[Stryno]

Ok I am not the best artist to give advice, but some sound advice I have gotten from my studies-
The Devil is in the Details, Like Noah said, refrances are our friends. You have a good eye for Composition, that is what I lack the most, but your structers are not strong enough to carry your works. Quickest way to build the foundation is to get into a class. They help, and they do not turn you into a copy machine like some beleave, they give you the skill set to create, by teaching rules that are known. And, my biggest advice, that you would get in any art class, is lose the Signature. It is the first thing I noticed on most of your works, a Small legible name in one of the corners works for almost all occasions. Good luck and have fun.

[Pawelotti]

I agree about the blurriness, drawing from life and art classes - take it all in. However, you are clearly very talented - these are strong images, you have an eye for composition. Don't let go of your dream, no matter what anyone tells you.

[phoenix560]

Thank you Pawelotti..... And thank you to everyone who has commented. will definitely not stop and I am looking into classes at the moment. I recently went on holiday so I haven't been on, however All id did on holiday was sketch, take photos and observe as much as I could,

Thanks again... you are all awesome XD