Underwater creature -- please help!

**Jo2morrow** · May 14th, 2012, 04:11 PM

Hi guys, I've mostly been a lurker, but I'd appreciate any help I can get on this piece. I'm mostly having trouble with the lighting on the creature/creating a believable underwater environment (the design itself is kind of meh too). Also, I know the pose is kind of boring, but it was suggested to me to use a formal, guard-type looking pose. The creature is on a separate layer, so moving and/or changing size would be relatively easy.

This is due for class tomorrow morning, so any critique I can get is extremely appreciated!
Oh, and a day will come when I have time to contribute more to this amazing site!!

**LuckyCharm** · May 14th, 2012, 10:03 PM

No one has answered, so I'll do my best to give a *hopefully* helpful critique.

I do believe you managed to make a believable underwater scene (or at least one where I can just look at it and know it's underwater.) However, if this is in the deepest part of the ocean, you must consider the extreme darkness that that would imply. By using alternate light sources (such as the trident thingie), would really help give more life to the picture. Maybe add some glowy jellyfish too (just an idea).

The pose seems fine to me and the anatomy of the creature seems to work too. I'd make the stick of the trident longer though, it seems weird that it would grab it at the end like that; probably let it reach until the ground. Adding some light reflections on to the top (of the water) would probably help add to the illusion that it isn't so deep, thus the fairly clear water makes sense. Maybe pass over the whole creature with a very transparent shade of blue? As of now it seems as if it was just copied and pasted over the background and not a part of the whole image.

Just my two cents, hope it helps, and good luck!

**michaelharris** · May 14th, 2012, 10:12 PM

The lighting looks fine, I would just focus on making it brighter closer to the light source and darker further away. Right now the light hitting the body is about the same at the shoulder as it is at the tentacles. Perspective wise The columbu on the left is IN FRONT of the figure. As you have drawn it, the beam going horizontally would come in front of the figure, not behind it. You have created one of those MC Escher drawings by accident. A quick fix would be to make the column on the left a separate column and not attached to the horizontal beam. Also in the ocean there is a lot more "stuff" (particles, dirt, rocks) floating around so the background would be darker. However, that might be visually boring so its up to you, just remember the objects in the background will have less contrast and be more gray than things in the foreground. That blue you have in the background is a little more chromatic than it should be so its bringing the background forward.

Its a good start. Try for something more dynamic next time.

**Jo2morrow** · May 14th, 2012, 11:56 PM

@LuckyCharm: Thanks! Yes, the trident will be brighter and longer.
@michaelharris: thanks for catching that perspective issue! Wow, can't believe I didn't see that. I've tried making the background darker, but in that case do you think I should make the foreground darker and/or warmer, as opposed to a cooler, less saturated background?

Thanks a lot for the responses guys, I will post progress if I can!