Need critic on Portfolio Piece, "Foot soldier"

**Kiung Yoo** · June 26th, 2010, 01:19 PM

I am building a portfolio for the Art Center College of Design's Entertainment Design Major for the Fall of 2011. Here is one of the pieces I recently finished working on that is part of a full game concept I've been working on with several other game programming students.

I'd love to hear whatever critic you all can give me. Thank you!

**Kiung Yoo** · June 26th, 2010, 08:46 PM

Thank you Mr. James

**jbrown67** · June 27th, 2010, 01:06 AM

I think the suit looks great, but it needs something in the background. I'm thinking have it standing on a pedestal in a museum just in front of a european-style cathedral window with some light streaming down on it. you could put a bit of color hilights in there too that would match the background. I think something like that would make it a more complete piece to submit in a portfolio. amazing job so far!

**Kiung Yoo** · June 27th, 2010, 12:05 PM

That's not a bad idea, I didn't consider adding an enviroment.

**Streetz** · June 27th, 2010, 12:28 PM

Looks good. Good job in making the armor look shiny. Maybe ground the figure using a shadow. Also something about his stance feels off. It seems as though he could not really be standing like that. It might have to do with the placement of the feet. Hope that helps man.

**Prometheus|ANJ** · June 27th, 2010, 12:44 PM

Perhaps it would be nice with some variation in the tempo. Right now your seams are kind of evenly spaced and just lines.

In architecture there are often little borders and stuff where different sections merge. I call them bridges because they can be used prepare the eye for a transition from one surface to another, or make the transition look nice in some way. Seams/borders on clothes do a similar job.

**Kiung Yoo** · June 27th, 2010, 06:22 PM

oye, great advice! Thanks guys =D

**Kiung Yoo** · June 27th, 2010, 06:22 PM

I'll be reposting soon

**dpaint** · June 27th, 2010, 11:21 PM

I think you've drawn and rendered this well but I have a problem with the concept. Foot solders wouldn't dress in full body armor for the obvious reason they couldn't walk very far in it. Also its a character, so show him, maybe with the helmet off, face scarred, weary looking from all he or she has seen.
Paint a story, not just a museum piece. Dent and scratch the armor make it looked lived in, if you have to have it. You need to research your ideas and give them an air of reality to sell it. Its not just about rendering something; plenty of people can do that.

**Dan Bee** · June 29th, 2010, 02:27 AM

you could put designs into the chest plate. look up European armer and or Spanish armer designs. overall looks fantastic!!!

**Tom Fenton** · June 29th, 2010, 10:48 AM

Just a little bit like hes about to fall over backwards my advice is look into using forshortening methodes on the left leg this could be the problem. if u use the select tool and warp it about u may find whats wrong with the stance quite simply that way. hope this helps

**Ian Barker** · July 4th, 2010, 10:08 AM

This is a solid drawing, and you've already gotten some good crit on it so I'll mention something else. This is just me personally, but if I were an art director I would not hire you, because it not a very original design. There are thousands of people who have probably already drawn very similar looking armor. I'd like to see something that takes more of a risk, and reflects your personal design sensibilities. Something only you could have come up with. Obviously that's easier said than done, but it's something to think about.

**OZ!** · August 12th, 2010, 12:45 AM

I like this a lot but there are two issues(one addressed by Tom). The first is his balance. His center of gravity is rocking backward. The second is his helmet. If it was just his head, that would be ok, but he has a helmet and therefore it has to be quite a bit bigger. As it is, he has a very small head. Otherwise the art is great. I agree about the armor on a foot soldier(maybe you should mechanize him?). Rule 1 of concept art is to be creative and still feasible(steampunk him so moving around during hand to hand in all that might make more sense). Why would he wear that much armor? What is he fighting? If he's going to be a foot soldier with that much armor he should be fighting something well out of the range of what that little sword can do. Know what I mean? As a stand alone pic, this is top notch. As concept art... Its a Knight in Armor. Don't be afraid to spice it up.

**neuroballistic** · August 22nd, 2010, 06:25 PM

I like the overall design of the suit and it's taking on the beginnings of looking like metal.

First thing that stood out out for me was that there was no color! Adding color would take it to the next level of looking more like real metal. First thing I would do is gather tons of reference images for armor. You will notice when looking at those images is that the metal has color...whether it's color from the metal itself, reflected, or warm/cool lighting. You can also add color using decorative details like gold inlay, etc.
I might add details like how the suit is held together...screws, straps, etc...to "sell" it a bit more. As far as the background goes, he seems to be floating right now, he needs to be grounded to something. Adding a simple shadow will work.

Looking forward to the update!