Sleepyhead

[kevinsano]

Something I've been working on and off the past few days. I'm not really looking to make any in depth changes, but some input's always nice.

[Saramel]

Very cute - obviously MLP anatomy isn't supposed to be accurate, so I won't get into that, but maybe a light background of blue sky and some light clouds behind might be nice, since right now it is a white cloud against a white background. But it is a really sweet picture, I like it!

[axisis]

I just dont understand the whole hype of MLP.

Subject mater aside, its nicely rendered and perhaps it could do with a little more fur highlights...

[raqmo]

with the tale going down like that, the butt area of the cloud looks too thin to be a comfortable pillow...

yeah, and the background color.

nice lighting on the face. and it's pretty fluffy and cute.

[kevinsano]

Worked on it a bit more. I thought a cut out style half background would work to contrast the top half of the cloud, since I do want to keep the picture floating in white space.

I just dont understand the whole hype of MLP.

Neither do I, I just kinda rolled into it. All I know is that I met some interesting people because of it and that meeting them caused me to take digital painting a bit more seriously.

[tobbA]

I like it. But I think your colors need some more variability. Your shadows are just a darker version of the high light color. I would assume that in a scene like this the shadows would be cooler than the light areas because of the blue fill light coming from the sky. And your lights would be slightly warmer because of the color of the sunlight.

[kevinsano]

I like it. But I think your colors need some more variability. Your shadows are just a darker version of the high light color. I would assume that in a scene like this the shadows would be cooler than the light areas because of the blue fill light coming from the sky. And your lights would be slightly warmer because of the color of the sunlight.

I don't really understand much about color temperature. I added a color layer on top to test out some combinations. Is this along the lines of what you meant?

EDIT: Found a better combination

[kevinsano]

worked on it a bit more. The feathers are a bit in a preliminary stage in terms of placement.

[littlebones]

If the shading on the cloud behind her head is so dark, wouldn't the cloud also be about that dark on the underside, and perhaps where her tail would cast a shadow?

Very cute, I haven't gotten into MLP myself but I always thought the rainbow one (Rainbow Dash?) had the best design.

[kevinsano]

Lightened up the shadows on the cloud a bit and detailed some other area. Thanks for the input, everyone, it's really shaping up nicely.

[Lhune]

I don't think the yellows were a good idea; if your intention is to make the light warmer, all you have to do is shove the hue of the blue you're using a bit more towards red. This is because all color is relative; for example, purple next to blue will make the purple seem warm, but if you put that same purple next to a red, the purple will appear cold. Here's an excellent guide you might find interesting; http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm .

Also here's a suggestion, it's not the best but I hope it gives you the right idea.

[kevinsano]

I don't think the yellows were a good idea; if your intention is to make the light warmer, all you have to do is shove the hue of the blue you're using a bit more towards red. This is because all color is relative; for example, purple next to blue will make the purple seem warm, but if you put that same purple next to a red, the purple will appear cold. Here's an excellent guide you might find interesting; http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm .

Also here's a suggestion, it's not the best but I hope it gives you the right idea.

I get what you're saying, but in my (limited) knowledge I'd expect (strong) sunlight to shift the cyan into green/yellow instead of deeper into the red spectrum. Your paintover feels more like fluorescent lighting to me.

[kevinsano]

It's pretty much finished for the purpose I want to use it for. Additional critique is still welcome, though.

[keith_v]

Whenever you're shading an object, don't think of it in terms of an illustration, think of it as an actual three-dimensional object taking up space. This means that not only will the object catch direct light, but it will also catch light bouncing off surfaces. Painting in these sections of indirect lighting will help to give your design more dimension.

[kevinsano]

Whenever you're shading an object, don't think of it in terms of an illustration, think of it as an actual three-dimensional object taking up space. This means that not only will the object catch direct light, but it will also catch light bouncing off surfaces. Painting in these sections of indirect lighting will help to give your design more dimension.

I made some variations with that along with some other changes. Mind taking a look at it?

[revboyjames]

This illustration made me smile. Thanks for sharing. I've also enjoyed seeing your shading/lighting progress.

[Chris Sanders]

if i have to be honest. you havent changed a damn thing from the original. agging overlayes is not going to dramatically improve the image, and the slight rimlight (which dont make a hell of a lot of sence) and the slight bounce light dont change that the lighting doesnt make much sence. I would take another look at Lhunes paintover rathar than keith v's. Keith what youve said make sence but the paintover would be some what true if the horse was wearing like laminated plastic or something. also rimlighting has to be more considered; if the sun is to main light source then the light off those clouds should be less extreme, and if the rimlight is the main light source then the rest of the form would be described in bounce light.

Also Kevinsano, have you ever seen any of bobby chiu's videos on youtube? there well worth checking out if this is the sort of thing you see your self doing for a career.

[kevinsano]

@dog-faced
Please don't misunderstand my intentions. Like I mentioned in the opening post, I'm not trying to make any sort of dramatic change. Furthermore, the way things stand now I don't know how to make use of Lhune's paintover, I thought I already made my perception of it clear enough. If you can explain how to make use of it, perhaps it would be more helpful.

I do agree that the rim lights may be too much, but that's pretty much what I wanted to confirm.

As for Bobby Chui, yes I have. The man is one of my idols.(The guy who shares your name is too, but that's a different story)

[Chris Sanders]

The most negative thing you can do on this forum is put something up youve already decided is finished. i know this place is called the WIP and critique centre. but i think finished critiques should be reserved for the "its finally finished" section. if you want to use this section to its utmost; then put it up early ready for good constructive step by step critique, or if you want to post it up when youve already spent a while on it, then you have to be ready to rip the thing apart. because thats how you learn, arts all about trial and error, and being to replicate good results. i must admit that i didn't read the opening text when i started comenting; or i would have started with saying that that is the worst possible attitude to picture making. working hard on a piece to improve it really shows your dedicated to getting better as an illustrator.

I didn't read your thoughts of the paint over as words are cheep, i looked at the progress that you made since then advice and there is no evidence that it sunk in. What lhune has put forward in the painting is volume changes that describe form better than your original. you need to think of how the light works by thinking in terms of cylinders and spheres lit by a single light source.

i got fed up with colours here so i just did a quick example similar to Lhunes but in value.

also a note on the shadow you have on the leg. a cast shadow doesnt go past the core shadow into the bounce light from a single light source.

[kevinsano]

Thank you, that is much more helpful. I still have no idea how your additions have any bearing on Lhune's post that you keep mentioning, since its focus seemed to be on color theory and not volume. Other than a bit at the legs it followed the original shading pretty closely.

At any rate, thanks for the clarification and keep in mind that not everything is made for the purpose of intense study and drastic rehauling, dedication or not.

I'll take a look at the other section you mentioned to see whether it's a better fit for similar posts. I'm calling this thing done after I incorporate/mull over your input, but I do hope I'll see your expertise again when I post an early WIP.