Halo 3!!!

**Flashy** · September 20th, 2007, 06:27 PM

(Check the bottom to see changes I've made based on your crits) This all started when I saw an awesome pin up workshop in Imagine FX by Nic Klein. I wanted to do something similar to his comic cover exercise, but thought I'd learn more if I put my own twist on things. Anyway, then I saw the new Halo 3 trailer and got carried away! Hope you like it and crits and comments are always appreciated as I'm pretty new to photoshop and digital art.

**Matsign** · September 20th, 2007, 06:34 PM

I like it so far. Nice glow effects on the baddie and M.C.'s helmet. I like the purple shadow as well. I've got a beef with the right arm in perspective. There isn't enough movement in the rest of the piece to make me believe that arm is in motion at that second. Tone down the texture there and add muscle detail. You've got something great going here. The whole right side of the composition and Master Chief look fine. It's that arm thats bugging the shit out of me.

**SoulBeaver** · September 23rd, 2007, 03:11 PM

Don't mind me, but the left arm shouldn't be that big. Foreshortening doesn't make an arm fat unless its like wide-angle, or? xD

I was thinking if you could aim the lighting towards the main focus of the scene so the rest doesn't stick out as much would be nice.

**SoulBeaver** · September 23rd, 2007, 03:41 PM

What I just noticed is that, without the lower arm on the left being shown, it almost looks like he's giving the Master Chief a hug. Aaawww.

And myes, I get what you're saying, so it's stylized and I can't really comment on that much more other than you should have maybe overblown the rest of it as well.

So that's all, cheers and can't wait to see what you do with it!

**Flashy** · September 23rd, 2007, 04:05 PM

The reason the whole piece isnt overblown is to highlight the uneven or imposible odds the hero is up against. This wouldnt be as apparent if they were both exagerated or the same size. If that is'nt clear its a shame. Cheer for the comments, except the hug one lol!

**Jason Rainville** · September 23rd, 2007, 04:20 PM

Sorry, but right now that arm isn't 'exaggeration', it's wrong.

I understand brutes are larger than master chief, but we're seeing the arm as if it's very close to us, not COMING towards us, the angle and size are wrong. Make it smaller, rotate it so it's coming at us at a sharper angle. Use cylinders to help with the construction of limbs in perspective.

Also, the textuing on the brute's skin doesn't feel right. Did you use a ready-made texture filter or do that yourself?

It also looks like you're making up the underarm anatomy. Get some reference for it, I'll tell you right now that the lat curves up and over the torso and terminates between the tricep and bicep on the inside of the arm.

**Vict0r** · September 23rd, 2007, 04:24 PM

the textures are a little plain... may more light and shadow over the big guy give a less feel of that.

The enviroment perspective taking the back building as reference, don´t look coincident with the first one... its ok as reality, but may for this image work better at the same point of vanishing.

The image is well and decent as i see... and a good work... keep it up.

**Flashy** · September 23rd, 2007, 06:28 PM

Heres the inspiration. The texture was my own, not a filter Rhineville. If its lame its cos this is the first image I've overlayed texture on too. Photoshop still mystifies me but I'm learning lol!

**Vict0r** · September 23rd, 2007, 07:14 PM

I see... then its that, put more linght and shadow over the volumens in the muscles... that must help. COngrats and keep it up!

**Jason Rainville** · September 23rd, 2007, 07:17 PM

Alright, I can see the problem now. In the illo you posted, the exaggeration was very quirky and obvious (and comical), but in yours it's skirting the line between real and not. First, unless you're doing a caricature of a brute, i'd say realism is what you're going for. Second, using a warped reference is probably not a good idea.

try to do some searches for professional wrestling images on google and try to get something that closely matches what you're trying to do.

**LordJay** · September 25th, 2007, 03:47 PM

Honestly I think this getting too attached to realism for this piece would be a flaw. If this were created specifically for use by the creators of halo then I would advise you make it more realistic. However since this is obviously an homage to Nic Klein as well as Halo I think its perfect. One must always remember their clients. And also, if we all only did realism their would be no diversity in illustration.

**armetage** · September 26th, 2007, 05:45 AM

Well your brute kinda lacks a shoulder! If you make shouldpads remember that there actually needs to be a shoulder under it + that the shoulderpad itself has a mass, Often pretty think when it comes to brutes

**armetage** · September 26th, 2007, 05:51 AM

here is an example

**Flashy** · February 17th, 2008, 10:12 AM

Ok, its been a while since I had the energy to come back to this thing but here goes. Got rid of the arm in perspective altogether.It sucked. Decided until I sort out my knowledge of human anatomy (never mind that of mutant alien apes) that the brute would get more fur. Not only does this hide the muscle structure but it sells the characters movement a bit more too. Hope its an improvement.

**kidult** · February 17th, 2008, 10:22 AM

The composition seems much better on this last one. The guy really seems to be looming over the other figure. Might want to find some ref for the fur looks a bit straw like.