Two headed Dragon WIP (+6)

[Tchuk]

I originally just saw something resembling this is the thumbnail below for a radically different image,



After a little bit of work I came up with this two headed beast with a flowing main of fire; now this is mostly just a quick sketch with the idea of values and anatomy being roughly correct before I really delve in. Looking into it now though I think perhaps a less level platform may be better, perhaps the hind legs should be raised, and I'm really not sure about the wings.



Anyway please excuse the rough mess but any C&C would be welcome right about now

[rseward]

I like the idea. Right now I'm thinking there's too much tail and too little wings. If you pull off the fire mane thing that'll be epic beastyness. With the difference between the two heads it's tempting for me to think there are two creatures on the rock rather than one, two-headed creature. I'm not sure if rearranging the pov to show both heads attaching to the body would help? Or making the JUST four legs thing more clear? I'd agree the platform is too convenient a perch as is. Really dig the concept overall, and I'm looking forward to seeing it evolve! Hope this helps!

[LordLouis]

Hm, the back legs bug me. They're too long I think. I mean I see what you are getting at type-wise, but because the thighs are pulled up so high and close to the body, the lowest part of the leg shouldn't be able to move like that.

I think in terms of movement, only those two would be possible:

(obviously wonky anatomy etc, just for demonstrative purposes (perfect excuse))

References like:




Google: "Dragon Anatomy"

Feel free to correct me though! Just my thoughts.

[Artfix]

Yeah cool idea. Work out the legs and pose. Right now it looks like he's up on a rock going "eeeek, mice!"

[Tchuk]

Thanks for the advice guys I've tried adjusting the angle of the shot to give it a more dynamic and imposing feel, I've also adjusted the legs accordingly and enlarged the wings.



Still a bit messy, needs to be cleaned up but this is what I have right now

[Jon296]

hey whats up, looks good so far, I would flesh out the wing abit, make it look like it has a bit more of a scale to it, and with the head looking near the camera, give it more of a dragon look, maybe elongate the nose and mouth and add longer horns, good luck

[Tchuk]

Brought the wings out a bit, gave it a bit more of draconic presense and changed it's anatomy more. Decided to try adding a second moon to up the highfantasy scene too.

[Lhune]

If you're going to add a second moon, I wouldn't place it on the almost exact opposite side of the canvas from the other moon. It's too "convenient" if that makes sense, and them sitting neatly up in a corner isn't helping much either. Composition wise you could pretty much crop off the entire right side of the canvas right now, because everything is happening on the left. You could turn the dragon around.

You've improved the anatomy so far, but you have been overlooking a few things. The neck muscles connect to those of the legs; they don't abruptly stop and then suddenly have a leg on top. The hind legs appear a bit too fat to me, and I would definitely plant that front leg somewhere on the ground. Animals don't really hold up their legs like that unless trained or moving so it looks rather random, and he'll need it for balance.

Here's a paintover with my suggestions. Mind you I'm not good at environments so don't pay attention to the background too much.



It also seemed lighter in Photoshop :/. Sorry about that.

[rseward]

I dig the update! If you're pulling back the point of view, try inserting some little ridge or rock poking up to overlap the figure and make the depth a bit more clear.

[Tchuk]

Tried taking you advice Lhune, I've changed the forward footing, adjusted the moons slightly, changed the composition, (althought I think maybe the dragon should be moved a little more to the side like yours is upon reflection), change the forward muscles although these might need to be reqorked and cleaned up, thinned out the back legs and adjusted the tail. I've also added a person looking from out a window in the foreground, just to add to the perspective.

Again this should be a lot cleaner but once composition etc is done it'll be on it's way

I've tried flipping it too but I'm not sure which is better. I'm liking the direction yours is in tbh, feels like it reads better.

[carakhan]

I know you haven't gotten there yet, but watch your values, right now everything is on the same plane, and I noticed it in Lhune's paintover too. I'm not so sure about the two moons, right now since theyre on completely opposite sides of the page, its just dividing it and drawing my eye to the edges of the picture instead of your intended focus. Remember that everything can be used in composition, the brightest parts of your painting are likely to catch the viewers eye, you don't want them to instantly be led off the page. Just because its the moon doesn't mean it has to be the brightest, you can use gentle colors to push the moon back without being distracting. Perhaps a larger moon silhouetting the dragon behind him, with another one underneath, or overlapping. Use it to frame your character.

[LordLouis]

I like the version facing to the left. I actually look at the dragon's heads.
The version facing to the right, I start looking at the fire (or whatever that is on top of the dragon) and move from wing to moon and back, quite annoying.
On the other hand I see the person in the window more on the right-facing version.

[Tchuk]

Sorry it's been a while since I last updated, just thought I'd quickly move the moon behind the upper head to make it stand out a bit more as well as move the other moon down towards the man in the window. I was hoping this would fix the composition problem but my brain just isn't having much luck right now. The composition still feels wrong.

[Tchuk]

Been looking up tutorials and levels etc since I could probably use them. This is what I have so far.

[LordLouis]

The wings are luminescent? Awesome idea! I like it.

[Tchuk]

Just a quick update.

[Artfix]

Hey T,

IMO, the rendering of the dragon is not working. It looks like a bunch of lumps. Its really hard to see where the body is, legs are, etc. I also think the distant head is way too small...why is the neck on that head so much longer?

I would go back to greyscale, and paint it some more until the shapes are more clearly defined. You will probly need to lighten up the shadows significantly. You can do this by making the lower body more ambient-lit, or you can add some bounced light..maybe a cool color or grey color.

Or you can take the other path, and make the lower body even darker but the shape still needs to read as a body with legs. If you did this, you would need to lighten the BG behind him.