Pin-up critique

[Juho]

Hi, I would really appreciate your feedback on this pin-up.
I aimed for a classical pin-up style in the like of Gil Elvgren and others...
But someone like Gil Elvgren is sonova good and when I compare this to his paintings I get depressed

So the question is, how can I make it more beautiful?

[arenhaus]

But someone like Gil Elvgren is sonova good and when I compare this to his paintings I get depressed

So the question is, how can I make it more beautiful?

The answer is: by constructing the form and anatomy better.

Getting depressed because someone is sonova good gets you nowhere. Analyse WHAT makes them that good, study their methods, then learn to apply them and get better than them.

But for now, just study the fundamentals. You have a LOT of progress to make on those.

[hitnrun]

1) you should have an actual model with a light source if you want to emulate his work.

2) Use oil paints - or find out how to achieve the same effect with digital.

3) stronger shadows, more whimsical hair, garter belts, more schlera (white of the eye), warmer skin tones (unless you want the pale haired, dark skinned beauty - which is just fine), and I would make sure to show more torso. Also have the model doing something other than sitting there looking at the viewer.

I think you should have more values by the eyes, and give that woman a warm, inviting, totally 50's toothy smile!

What you have doesn't look bad, in fact with a background, it'd be quite alright. But if you're looking to get to Gil Elvgrens style, I think the changes I've mentioned are legit. They may not get you completely there, but it'll help.

[dpaint]

The breasts are completely unbelievable in their position and shape. Look at women that aren't augmented to look like pool toys. Real women don't lok like that.

[Revidescent]

Did you use reference? Gil Elvgren did! (If you scroll down a bit, it's a whole page of his reference photos and the final work. Very cool stuff.)

As well as the anatomy issues mentioned by others, if you're going for the classic pinup look, take another look at her face and expression. What you've got here now is sort of a dead-eyed sexiness, as opposed to the expressive, often playful looks of many classic pinup artists.

[tobbA]

The breasts attach to the chest about half way up the pectoralis muscle. For them to be as high as you have put them you'd probably get some sort of "fold" where the breast meets the chest. (I might have exaggerated it a bit.) If you want this to be sexy you'd probably want to lower the edge of the dress so that it doesn't cover the entire breast... Also there is pretty much never a perfect curve to the part where the bum meets the back. Because of how the muscles are placed there will be at least a slight indention to separate them. Don't forget to add folds where the fabric and body bends. And lastly, I couldn't see her right arm anywhere...

[Juho]

arenhaus: Dont worry I wasnt actually depressed, but more like impressed by Gil

Yeah I should pay more attention to the fundamentals. Painting feels so much different from line drawing what I am more accustomated to do. I really must change my way of thinking and think more about planes when painting and try to "sculpt" the painting in my mind.



hitnrun: Thanks man, those are all valid points. Its true that I need a good reference for the lighting and overall accuracy. I actually had a reference photo, but I didnt like the lighting in it... or the pose... actually
I didnt like anything it, and its hard to find any excuse why I even used it

But for my next pin up I try to get a better reference.

And yeah, seems like Gil used a lot of strong shadows and exaggerated cast shadows.



dpaint: Even though I like big breasts you are right



Revidescent: Thanks, thats a very interesting link.You are right about the expression. I planned to do a couple of pin-ups so I started with the easiest expression, but on the next one I will definetely use the more iconic pin-up smile.



tobbA: Thanks for the tips, I will do just that. And theres the hand, problem solved



I will try make this as good as possible, but some of the problems lie in the fundamentals so I have also started a new one in which I focus more on the foundations.

[Juho]

Okay, heres my progress. I need to rest my eyes from this for a while, meanwhile it would be cool if you could give me some pointers.

And by the way this was my reference:
http://www.mmaconvert.com/2009/05/07...o-pin-up-girl/

As you can see I took many liberties from it and exaggarated her pose and also didnt follow the lighting setup very much because the ligthing felt so artifical.

Anyhow I also construted some very rough and scary looking planes on a different layer to help me to understand the structure of the face

[Alice Herring]

There are some anatomical issues - the breasts are still weird, the lower arm is missing an entire muscle group, the ellipses on the hose of her right leg flattens the form, the knees aren't properly defined, anad the arm/hand relationship is also rather ambiguous.

You might get more out of trying to study an actual Elvgren painting, in addition to more life-drawing. Not to mention not all photo references are created equal - the reference you have chosen to use has been airbrushed. (not to mention removed from the original background)

[tobbA]

It's air brushed, and also taken with a pretty unfortunate lighting direction, so most forms are hard to read. Since you're not actually trying to recreate the photo you use as reference you might be better off just looking around on the web for similar poses and use them to inform your image.

[Juho]

Alice Herring: Thanks for the tips. Hose ellipses are fixed now. I also tried to define her forearm muscle more if you meant that. But I couldnt do much about the breast issue because I cant see what is wrong.

I may have to call this done because it hasnt progressed very much lately, only small tinkerings here and there. And the biggest problems lie in the foundations and poor reference picture

tobbA: Yeah, you are right about the lighting. Its hard to find a similar picture for lighting reference, so I started to do a whole new pin-up.


In this new pin up I have used MUCH better reference. Skin tones are warmer like suggested in the earlier posts and there is also that iconic pin up smile.

This is a WIP but it would be cool to hear already at this stage if something is terribly wrong