IOW #5 - Crossing the Marshes

[AdrianNagorski]

Chow this week is just killing me with frustration so i thought i'd have take a break and do the marsh crossing.

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Things I Do Weekly -- sketchbook

Wasted - The game's production sketchbook

Ctrl+Paint, a place for beginners, many helpful videos!
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[jonafunart]

WIP #2

[Blitz]

^^^ I am just digging yours so far jonafunart.

I love the style.

[Rob Powell]

update...
wanted to try to work from scrathc with colours, but those dam colours are not very cooperative, so I decided to work off of what I already had, resized the thumb and started cleaning it up, still lots to fix, the reeds are about 75% to where I want them, everything else is still miles off...

[limbox]

Is too my marshes too much forest-like?
I'm using photo as reference, is it allowed?

[Gadbury]

Nice Rob Powell - Like the burning torches and stuff - I think you could do something pretty cool with the colours and lighting. Maybe try some random photos on overlay layers to get some rough colour information going that you can use as a sort of springboard to get the colours going

Great topic - I think I want to do some sort of Left 4 Dead style gang of guys crossing a zombie infested swamp, lol

[c-rallis]

Is too my marshes too much forest-like?
I'm using photo as reference, is it allowed?

I think you fell into the same trap like I did. Adding trees looks like a river or a swamp. Marshes are like open fields of grassland with shallow water. There may be one or two trees, dead or alive, but that's all. That doesn't mean that there couldn't be a forest on the horizon or something like that.
If I were you I'd look the perspective of your composition. Objects that are closer to the viewer are bigger than those far away. That said, the creatures in your composition should have different sizes.
Hope I didn't sound too picky
Cheers
Chris

[Dile_]

wip 2, still haven't touche the figures too much, trying to make the depth read more D: Thanks for the crits! I'll repay the favour as soon as my headaches are gone and I can look at the screen again! Keep being awesome everyone!

[Gadbury]

Awesome stuff Dile_

Think I got carried away with the left 4 dead idea

[Bergy68]

I'll give a go at this one.

[grenogs]

Is too my marshes too much forest-like?
I'm using photo as reference, is it allowed?
]

I think as long as your not recreating someone else's photos it's OK. To do an exact copy would be classed as copywriting, but to just use an image as photographic reference then i'm pretty sure it's aloud here. You'll probably find that the majority of professional illustrators that have a realist style will use photo reference for their work.

[Bergy68]

update

[Rob Powell]

time for some feedback....

Bergy68: looks interesting, I think try to push the composition a little more and add some varying values and contrast, add some foreground elements, like some reeds or something to push the focus to where you want it.

Gadbury: thnx for the advice, I'd def like to see some zombies and undead things moving about the marshlands, like one in thw background slowly sneaking up on the heroes...

Dile_: holy details batman, this awesome so far, like there are about ready to cross over into some major battle, I think I want to see more fire in the background, it would def get the viewer to scan over the marshlands from the soldiers to the background

limbox: neat looking critters there, perhaps trim down the trees just a tad, and add some more reeds and bushes, I'd remove that twig in the foreground because it's interfering with your character, at least move it over

jonafunart: looks very cool atm, the background has a nice realistic look to it, although the stylistc camels there don't seem to fit in all that well with the background, maybe after they are refined a bit, but atm there cartoony look sort clashes with the nice background

Adrian: at first it's kinda hard to make out what's going on in your image because everything's almost the same value, that bird I believe is high up, judging by it's shadow, def add some darker tones to the bird so it brings the bird closer to the foreground

nifleim: nice start, little hard to crit at this point, but after reading your comments I can almost see where your taking this, will be interesting

snatti: number 3 def has a unique spin on the topic considering almost everyone else (including myself) is doing something fantasy based, number 3 looks like it's part of somekind of modern warfare which would be interesting, would still be interesting how the others turn out as well, so I guess it's best if you just work your magic

jpacer: yours is bordering on the swampland, with those trees, adding more vegetaion growing from the water may push back to marshlands

grenogs: I like it with the grass because it gives it a more interesting composition, though I might trim it down a bit because your starting to lose some of the attention on the main focal points, which are the people or whatever walking in the background

c-rallis: I'm liking this piece so far, has a good action sense to it, little bit generic the idea, but is well executed

Grumbleputty: I think it would look cool if there was a little hitch-hiker in the log, like a little frog or something, just watch the lighting, your getting a bit of a cut and paste kind of look to your character, so try to add some atmospheric light, your sketch seems a little more interesting, because your character seems to have a little bit of a personality, where as in the rendring her face seems too much like a doll's.

Defiled: I like the added effects of the wind, gives the piece a better flow and adds some extra eeriness to it, can't wait for another update

LibertineM: nice intital sketch, may be a bit late, but I think you should try adding some warmer hues to the latern light, because it is most likely fire light which is of course quite warm, which will contrast well with the cyan lighting you have all around...

[Bergy68]

Last update before work

[Dreoilin]

Well I didn't finish last time, and I'm jumping in late this time... let's see if I get it done lol.

[c-rallis]

c-rallis: I'm liking this piece so far, has a good action sense to it, little bit generic the idea, but is well executed

Cheers Rob! I'm glad you like it

As for my WIP, I've finished the bg and started working on the creature.

[Grumbleputty]

Thanks to everyone for the crits- all your points are well taken and appreciated- especially in regards to the girl's face, which lost all of it's character when I added color.

I've tuned it a bit more, went back to the original sketch to re-do the face and bring back some warmth, and brightened up the scene a bit.

Good call on the hitchhiker Rob- in my original concept the girl is a (reluctant) witch's apprentice, who gets sent on all sorts of strange errands to get potion ingredients. There's meant to be a cat sitting on the back of the log who watches over the girl and makes sure she doesn't run off, and a friendly critter of some sort that is a more sympathetic friend. But I haven't worked up the courage to tackle the cat yet, and I haven't settled on what sort of critter the friend should be.

I'm supposed to be doing my day job now, so I'll hold off on feedback for all the terrific work here until later.

[Misplacedhippos]

Sketchy sketchy. Maybe too much hill? Maybe I will just extend canvas to the left and show more marsh.

[zimfin]

Awesome entries so far...again! Stepping in late but up for the challenge.

I'm going for zombies crossing the marshland, (probably in search of brains) and intend on getting a gloomy, creepy feel to the image.

[jonafunart]

I think this is finished, I MAY do a little more tweaking if I think of anything. And sorry for not giving any crits guys but I don't really know what I'm talking about yet.

[Gadbury]

Rob Powell - Thanks, yeah I wanted to include zombies, I should have planned my image better. Maybe I can still get something working in there.

Update - Still need to try and get the background to read as a burning city or something

[zimfin]

Gadbury - That looks awesome!

[Dile_]

Thanks gadbury! Looks great!

wip numbero tres!

[c-rallis]

You guys are doing a great job so far!
Dile's image cought my attention. There's a sense of calmness, yet you can feel the tention. Like silence before the storm. I like it!

The demon is finished. Fighter's left to work on.
This is where I'm at now...

[JeiWo]

Here's what I've been working on, can't decide out of these 2 which composition works better, or if I should try something different. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Rob Powell]

update...
values are still not quite done...will need to get the values done soon otherwise I won't have time for colours, may need to darken the figure a bit cuz he shouldn't be the main focus...

[Gadbury]

JeiWo - looking good - I think I prefer the second one although I can't explain why

[c-rallis]

This is my finished illustration. Any critique's gladly welcome.
Cheers!
Chris

[Rob Powell]

C-rallis: add some of that torch light to the creature, it helps the two characters interact better and it'll improve the form on your monster

[zimfin]

Okay, I was once again unimpressed with my starting image so I have moved things around. Trying to make it more interesting and threatening hence the confrontation. Still early stages but I have higher hopes now and a lot to do before the deadline.