Chow 129 :: "It's Elementary ..."

[edujante]

Thanks 4 the comments!!
Clochette: Colours works, well the harmony works, not the contrast, I think you have to focus the light on Sherlock.Is easy in your comp cause you have 2 light points...One cold in his back(the window) and a calid hard point light in the fireplace.If you start darking all the pict and than you start to built all the volume with this 2 light you gonna get a great result!!
pd: well, this is How i work maybe youre not looking this kind of ilumination...(sorry my poor english)

[cowboy surfer]

sketchy sketch... I wanted to capture him deep in thought but its surprisingly hard not to make him look bored or angry!

I might go for a more energetic pose when he is busy sluething and extiable.

[Windsrock]

My first drawing with pen and tablet. I try to do my best but don't put my hopes too high. One thing at the time. I made him play violin.

[Clochette]

Thanks for the feed back everybody!

Today I've watch it with clean and rest eyes, and I changed the colors and contrast a bit, I think this is better, but well I'm late!
Sorry to not comment every entries! :/

[Dan!]

my idea so far- trying to get a natural look to him on the job- we'll see how it works out

[dirkvandulmen]

well here's another color update, thrown in some more color, tried to make him more in his time kind of, but still keep the image colourfull,maybe even a bit mystical. I'm gonna try and finish this one....
thanks ducky & max for your comments.... enjoy.

[madhatter106]

madhatter106: Looks pretty good. The violin looks a little chunky (thick). Also it seems like he has stopped playing and is looking off to the side at something. If you want him to be playing might I suggest to raise the arm holding the neck of the violin a little higher so he is holding the violin more horizontally instead of vertically. Also his fingers are not on the strings which contributes to the feeling that he is not playing. Otherwise I like it, nice look to the face and nice robe.

Woohoo, that's exactly what I was going for - I wanted him to have paused mid-note, lowered the violin just a bit, and be lost in some thought or reverie that we can't see or know. I think this was in part inspired in the same direction that posh is going, as I wanted to work a picture of Irene somewhere into the decor...is he contemplating a particular fact over a new case, or is he lost in the memory of her? Glad I was able to convey it...I will examine the violin chunky factor as well, as the intial quick sketch was done with only a couple of reference pictures in front of me...

Max Martelli - I like the idea of showing him in active use of "the seven percent solution." I think he's looking really young - perhaps it's in the face or the hair, but he looks to be in his early 20's at the oldest...he is so fresh and almost baby-faced, I think that is what is most detracting me from thinking "Holmes." Maybe he shouldn't be sitting on a stool? It's trick because you can't do the iconic Holmes paraphernalia in the action you've depicted - he wouldn't be wearing the distinct coat, or have the pipe or magnifying glass in his hands, since he's shooting up...so I guess in one sense you've painted yourself into a corner. Maybe we need to see evidence of these things, as you suggested with the magnifying glass, in the decor around him.

Clochette - I love the color scheme. The thing that bothers me, though, is the layout of the room - it's very narrow and long for one thing. Also, I think that the perspective begins to get very extreme the further down your eye goes to the bottom of the picture plane - the chest specifically starts to get pretty "fish-eyed" and distorted. Architecturally, I think I'm bothered most by the fact that the fireplace is facing the window...in the (albeit only a dozen) research pictures I downloaded of Victorian decor, most of them had the fireplace on a wall that is perpendicular to the windows. (I wonder if this is for a practical reason, though my memory from History of Architecture and Decor class is fading me after fifteen years.) I understand your placement, though, as you want to have him facing the fireplace. Perhaps it's exacerbated by the narrowness of the room, but it's something that struck me when I looked at the color version of your piece. I am in love with the carpet, I think it's perfect...

[Hideyoshi]

thanks a lot for the c&c, everyone!

trying to give back some:

Max Martelli: interesting take! I didn't know about Holmes' drug addiction! Lol, I actually don't know much at all about him It's good that you got rid of the table - it was rather off perspective. I think you could try to go with a more interesting lighting situation...right now it's very studio lightesque.

amaliax: those are some nice lively sketches! Great expressions, keep going!

Posh: ah, you always make it look so easy! This topic seems right up your alley, can't wait for your usual dramatic lighting on the finish (hoping that you do finish this time!) The only crit I have is that the piece lacks a wee bit of depth and perspectivity.

tim: cool style! I won't bother mentioning that the character and background don't have matching perspectives because I assume it's part of said style
I'd maybe try cropping out the left area and adding more of the tree on the right to balance things...

clochette: that's a nice angle going on! I like the setup of the scene with its dual light scources! The floor pattern is a neat touch. Hope you get Watson back in there

Gezzunder: nice, that's a lot like Holmes You might wanna consider placing some subtle details on the wall to maintain areas of interest.
And welcome to CA!

dirkvandulmen: I like it, it's a charming depiction of him! Great that you decided to add a background!

Bolo: he has a cool attitude! But I think his body looks very feminine with the shoes and all.

DeeLock: good face, now give him clothes!

madhatter: good start, nice going with the reference gathering! Just waiting for how you'll continue!


Adele: Very nice, I totally prefer the first one! He has lots of personality in that! Maybe I'd change the angle of either that stick or the one wall which is parallel to it.

duckfeets: Nice expressions on your first take (why did you start over?). Make sure you follow the 3/4 visibility rule!

Alcazar: you always pay good attention to accurate costumes which is great!

Uglyographer: cool, I like the coat! His face has strong personality!

Flipnastywebby: Nice one! Looking like a badass His walking stick is fancy!

Sforza: nice, although its simple you can tell he is a determined and confident character.

edujante: always stylish! Lovely depiction!

tomwaits4noman: unconventional, but interesting! Curious as to how this develops.

thesaint: good head design, suits him! On with the rest!

VampireHungerStrike: nice sketch, looking promising! I like how you've portrayed him in a scene.

mcmatz: nice, his head looks a bit big comparing to his body. Already has some convincing costume details.

cowboysurfer: ah, good move placing him into an environment! Watch for perspective, still a bit off.

Windsrock: great for being your first try with digital! Keep going!

DECYPL: nice, I like the strong sense of silhoutte!


Whew, now I am exhausted! Sorry, comments got lame towards the end. Hope I didn't miss anyone.

[DSAzeppelin]

DECYPL Love your sketch so far. Is he adjusting his jacket??? I'm really digging that. It gives it a lot more substance, life-like, he's not in a pose...he's actually in motion, doing something.

Nice man!


and Windsrock, that's a great start for being your first tablet painting. A head of the game so far

[MJ_Alcazar]

Ok, adjusted a lot of things. Tried to fix the clothing designs, I hope I didn't create a whole bunch of new mistakes. I added Watson, I never saw him as a bumbling idiot, more like a concerned friend. As Holmes could be cold and calculating, Watson could see the human aspects of it. Oh, and I noticed a lot of crits about my cigar, I was hoping that it would look less stereotypical, but I was wrong. I will try to add a pipe in, but just trying to figure out how.

Ok, going to try to get everyone.....

Dirkvandulum - Yours is coming along great, I'm liking him. I would adjust the pipe towards the side of his mouth more, right now to my eyes it looks like it is sticking right in front of his face. I love the colors, and the look of concentration on his face.

DECYPL - I love him, the movement is great, it looks very natural. Good job.

Clochette - colors are much better. I like the scene. The box? in the foreground isn't on the same plane as everything else....either that or that one shadow in the forground is making it seem as if it's on the wrong plane.

Windsrock - good start!

cowboy surfer - good start, I think he looks deep in concentration.

duckyfeet1 - I'll comment more when it's further along.

Max Martelli - I think that you should bring his right leg a little over towards the left. Right now he looks like he's tumbling off the stool. Nice direction though.

mcmatz - I think it looks good so far, I'm liking the pose.

VampireHungerStrike - I like it. Keep up the good work.

Hideyoshi - looking good, I love the mood.

edujante - awesome. The expressions on their faces are perfect!

Adele - I'm really liking the top one the best.

[Windsrock]

I think I'm done for today. Thanks for supporters

[madhatter106]

MJ Alcazar - glad to see the pants lengthened. Why do you have him with a cigar, when you have the perfect opportunity to include the calabash pipe?

As for the coat, it's reading to me a bit too early in period - it looks very similar to something would wear much earlier in the century (Regency fashion), something like Beau Brummel would wear. [Check out the start of the wikipedia article on tailcoats at this link here.] It's mostly because we're seeing so much of the vest underneath, even with the coat completely buttoned, it makes it look earlier in that Brummel/Regency period...

I think you should go with something like the frock coat, like in this wikipedia link here, or the morning coat (also known then as the cutaway coat, since it "cut away" from the body to allow for riding), like in this wikipedia link here. Both the frock coat and the morning coat are seen in the Victorian photographs I posted earlier in the thread.

Should you choose to do the cutaway/morning coat, you would still be able to draw his hand in his pocket, since the center front of the coat angles away to the side. It would be trickier with the longer, straighter frock coat, as I can't remember at what point in fashion they included outer pockets, if they ever did. (I think there's mention of this in the cut/details section of the wiki article.) Of course, you could always have his frock coat unbuttoned (or just buttoned at the top, like in a couple of my posted research photographs) and have his hand slipped into the trouser pocket.

A general note on the buttons, one I would share with anyone/everyone - I'd be careful not to go "button crazy" and include too many of them. I love to draw them too, but really take a look at the research and see how many there were on a typical coat that you're trying to replicate/reproduce. Though there may be some variations, I think you'll find that too many buttons, and it starts to look like a different period...

[Adele]

Clochette much improved

[MJ_Alcazar]

Thank you madhatter106. Hopefully this try looks a little better.
By popular demand, he now has a pipe.
Now that I have it scanned and everything, you can really see all the places I had to redraw, so I will have to redo the whole thing.

[Max Martelli]

MJ_Alcazar: nicely reworked so far. This just popped into my head, the hand that used to have the cigar looks odd in its position right now givin that you had to eliminate the cigar. I would suggest a cane. It would sit nicely in that hand in the position it is in.

More crits and updates later on.

[vineris]

Another CHOW too good to pass up!

[BludHund]

Poshspice - immediately made me think of the Arrow Shirt Man.

T I M - the face is very characterful ...sour and thoughtful, a rather elderly Holmes, but his legs seem to be ending at the knee, or maybe even the hip. Compare the length of his arms and consider that the elbows should hang at about waist and the wrists at about the crotch. also the arms seem to be of unequal lengths.

Deelock - Well you may not have anything else yet but the face is promising. Watch the nose, seems to be dipping down to much for the viewing angle, think of it as pointing toward the viewer. Also I think the ear is too small.

Madhatter106 - I won't critique the costume His face seems excessively heavy-boned, almost simian, try refining the proportional thickness of the brow, chin, and zygomatic arch (cheek). Hands look good too. I feel like the left side of the composition is a bit of a vacuum, maybe crop it a bit if you are going to leave it empty.

Adele - the street scene/closeup, definitely. I like the use of the walking stick. Something about his face seems a little 'off' to me, maybe the eyes...also, watch the perspective and angles of his hat.

MJ Alcazar - Coat looks much better. Check the size on Watson's hat. Also his book might look better if it was thinner, like a notebook, this looks like a dictionary. Other than that, the layout looks pretty solid.

Uglyographer - You might rethink the wide pant cuff and big feet. Victorians always seemed to be rather keen on tapering and daintiness down there. Think wingtips, if you want something a little funky. Also, you should put some more thought into the front of the coat, especially the belt, it looks too much like a bathrobe or priest's cassock...a trench coat has some kind of loops to hold up the belt.

Sforza - awesome. No hat, he's not going out just yet, he's still in his apartment, checking his weapon before he goes out. (at least that's what I see ) Maybe he shouldn't have put his coat on just yet though, I'm not sure. If you want to include the hat, you could put it on a hat stand in the background, but I think it'd ruin the subtle line of his skull if he were wearing it. Oh...and remember, a top hat distinctly tapers such that the top is wider than the bottom, this looks more like an Amish hat.

edujante - really like the Holmes, the subtle lines are just right. Not really sold on the Watson, though.

VampireHungerStrike - everything looks excellent so far, except maybe the proportions of the dead girl. Holmes seems spot-on though...umm maybe he should have a hat though, not sure. Maybe he put his hat down or took it off at any rate...

McMatz - check your proportions, I think his head is too big and his legs are too short.

Clochette - The carpet has certainly brought things into focus I think your brush strokes may be a part of the problem, kind of blobby, some of the corners need to be filled in and tightened up, I think Holmes' hands in particular are a key detail that needs to be defined. Colors are looking much better though, especially now that you've blocked in the values.

DECYPL - I really love this. The pose is great...you need to clear up some of the details, hands and feet in particular, just make sure that everything is readable. Also...should he be wearing a hat?

Windsrock - I think his eyes might be little crooked or at least uneven. Also, I would highly recommend tightening up his hands, use some reference. Right now they look pretty blobby.



Spent a several hours wrangling over this yesterday. Obviously I still have a lot of bad habits in drawing heads.

I'm going for a more fine-boned Holmes than the typical lantern-jawed English look, with a general impression of 'sharpness'. Basil Rathbone is just to softly good-looking for my idea of Holmes, even if he does have the great slick hair and aquiline nose.

I have a ton of work to do on this, I know, but I've got high hopes.

[Adele]

i havent done anything on the character...no time...but worked on the background as it needed a light source... I'll be working on the character tonight and hoping to finish it over the weekend.

and ive attached a version that is toonish....the easy way out

[Senira]

edujante--Loving the style! It's great to see more work in CHOW that's stylized for animation. I like Watson's design particularly; his face conveys the bemused and bumbling sidekick aspect of Watson well, and is a great complement to Holme's lankier figure. His design makes me think of American Mcgee's Grimm.

I too decided to go for a more stylized look this round. I've been looking at Pascal Campion's stuff for a few weeks now, so I think I'm going to try something in that vein. Here's what I've doodled so far. They're mostly heads, because I'm a bad bad designer and I always draw heads before I draw bodies.


Batman shows up too, for some reason.

[Uglyographer]

Hello all,

Posting my latest offering.



In response :

Tom - I hear you. I often find my poses "stiff". I am hoping
as my knowledge of anatomy increases, I will be able to become
more fluid. Though, I fear I just may be a stick in the mud by
nature.

Max - Anatomy help is why I'm here. I agree, I think the arms
are off. I will try to address them.

Ducky - I need to do a little more research on the clothes
from that period. Kind of just roughing in a general jacket
shape.

Hideyoshi - Thanks!

BludHund - Definitely. I will try to narrow the leg. I want
to redesign the jacket because it reminds me too much of a
Cardinal's garb.

------------------------------------------

Also, I tried my best to be constructive and give my best crits. Hope they are helpful!

Max Martelli - I would like to see the whole figure and thank
you for adjusting the pose. I think that he should be on a
couch or something more comfortable than a stool. His face
is very young (especially for a drug addict). Thank you for
tackling the aspect of his drug addiction. I agree that it is
hard to identify him as Sherlock Holmes. I think that you may
have to bite the bullet and include a background to tell the
full story.

Amaliax - I love cartoony! Love some of these sketches, very
fun. Cartoony has all the merits of a fully rendered image :
perspective, anatomy, lighting, color theory, and so forth.

Poshspice - tried to find the thumbs up emoticon. Failed.
Lovely work, of course. Didn't know Holmes was so attractive.
Purrrr....

t i m - I enjoy your anatomical exaggeration. Would like to
see you play with colors a little more. Everything seems very
saturated. Atmospheric perspective could alse be added to
make the bg more interesting.

Clochette - Hooray Clochette! Thank you for the environment.
I am trying to hold myself more accountable for my poor,
suffering characters, who seem to only hang out in space or
the immaterial void. The interior is very warm, rich and
inviting. This a very intimate moment with Holmes, perhaps
not often found witin the pages of fiction. The inclusion of
Mr Watson kills the mood a little for me, even though I like
the character design. The colors are brighter than I
expected. Too much light? Can't wait to see more. Thanks for
the reference!

Gezzunder - I like where this is going. I would spend a
little time with some reference for his pose. The left arm
seems like its jammed in there. Also, the crossed legs seems
a little odd. I think the chair could also be revisited.
Would you see the top of the chair? Also think about the rest
of the room. It can bring a lot to the illustration.

Dirkvandulmen - This is very fun! I am no sure about the
placement of the left shoulder. Seems to high. Based on the
light sources, I don't think there would be any light hitting
the pants or the tie. I might put those in complete shadow so
they don't seems more important than they really are.

Bolo - I like your initial sketch. Selfishly, I would like
to see more of the face but as far storytelling goes, if you
added a very engaging background, it may not be necessary.
Yet, this is a character design forum, so I'm not sure if that
opinion is valid. Is he wearing a deerstalker cap?

DeeLock- Clothes...defintely some clothes. Check out the
reference some of our comarades have posted. Madhatter,
Clochette, Poshspice... Very helpful!

Mad Hatter - Love the pose. I think there might be an issue
with the robe and where it is sinched. I feel like I would be
able to see the knot. As of right now it seems like his waist
is turned away from the viewer, yet his legs look like they
are facing forward.

Adele - Like the first sketch very much. Anatomy is odd in the
second. I would think he would be farther off the ground for
such a pose.

Ducyfeets1 - Would like to see the full figure.

MJ_Alcazar - I think his head could stand to be a little
larger (Height over width). I would also consider the right
hand which doesn't look like it is resting in a pocket or on a
hip necessarily. Those are also some incredibly muscular
legs! They are nearly tearing through the fabric. I
appreciate your interpretation of Watson. Include him if you
have the time.

Flipnastywebby - The style of rendering goes well with the
topic. Pants seem too tight around the crotch. A little
worried about the pose, seems like he's anxious or dancing in
place, sort of.

Sforza - No hat for me. I like the proportions ( maybe
stretch the upper body but a pinch). And play with the head
location, could it be placed a little farther back? More on
the neck?

Edujante - Super cute. Really like your Holmes.

Tomwaits4noman - Still very sketchy, though it looks like fun.
The right leg seems too small in comparison to the left.

thesaint - Lovely head. I patiently await the body...

Hideyoshi - Love the bg! LOVE. IT. Textural and dirty. The
stagecoach is nicely done. Can't wait to see more of Mr.
Holmes.

VampireHungerStrike - Excited to see where this is going.
Love the pattern you created with the stone work. She seems a
little small incomparison to Holmes.

mcmatz - Those are tiny little feet! Also, I would stretch
out his skull in the back a little. Need room for that
enormous brain. I would also make him taller. Remember the 7
1/2 heads rule.

Cowboy surfer - I like Holmes' expression. Not entirely sure
about the arm with the cane in it. Would the cane be longer
or sticking out the other side? Also, the left hand seems
small.

Windsrock - Very good for your first time! The violin gets
lost in the red from his jacket. Maybe try to define the two
as separate objects with color or texture.

DECYPL - I like the style. The head may be a little small
width wise, I think.

Vineris - The right arm seems like it could be foreshortened
just a bit. Overall, like the design. Could I get a little
more leg? Can't help it, like full-figured...

BludHund - Head sketches look promising...

Senira - Great heads. Like the second sketch a lot. Let's
see the whole thing.

------------------------

Thanks guys!

My best,

j

[Max Martelli]

Here's an update,

Crits and such a little later.

Enjoy.

[amaliax]

Hi again. I haven't had much time to work on this yet, but I got a little more done. It's obviously still really rough, but it still needs as much criticism as it can get! I sincerely appreciate everyone who commented on my first draft of cartoony expressions. And it's good to hear that cartoony isn't such a bad thing as I tend to think of it--it's easier for me, so I tend to think of it as not being up to potential, even though I know that in the right hands it can be artwork.

There are some really excellent designs here. It's interesting to see the range of styles and expressions. I will go more individual another day, as there is no time left in this one.

[madhatter106]

MJ Alcazar - coat looking good, and glad you included the pipe. I'd echo an earlier poster who said that adding a cane would look quite natural for his other hand. One quick note - the final button on his coat should be on the other side of the coat, since that button is not used to button the two sides together. Does that make sense? If not, grab a coat or shirt from the closet and button the front of it, all but the last button -when you compare it to what you've drawn, you'll see what I'm talking about...

adele - love the coloring so far, the mood is perfect. The one thing that bugs me is that the lapel of the coat is looking really wide - I don't know if it's a stylistic thing, but just seems wide to me. Otherwise, I'm glad you went with the standing Holmes version and not the ladder Holmes version...he looks much more dignified here...

[DeeLock]

Thanks for the crits everyone.

Here's a little more progress.

Made him a taller and gave him some clothes

[cowboy surfer]

OK version 2. More energetic hot on the trail of deducing!

(The magnifying glass is to go in his left hand)

[Clochette]

Adele : I prefer the second sketch! The stylization works better imo, and more dynamic!
I hope you'll have the time!

PS : I went through your web site : so much fun!
PPS : Thanks, glad you see an improvement!

Uglyographer : Thank you! Your design is good, I like the pose and expression, maybe the nose could be more thin. It is a little too round and big, I imagine Holmes (based on the books description) with an aquiline nose.

Max Martelli : Your choice of showing him injecting morphine or cocaine could work but not in this situation, for me. If we didn't know that we are in the chow 129, we can't recognize Sherlock Holmes! :/ Your picture shows him like a drug user, but not an Victorian, English and phlegmatic one! Plus, he usually used drugs not at work, but in the depression period. So maybe the clothes (which are the working clothes here) could be change for a more comfortable and elegant dressing gown? And I seriously think you could add some clues (haha) for us to understand that he IS Holmes! Keep it up!

Sorry for the others, I commented the ones where I had an instant crit in mind, so it means that your stuff work for me!


Idea : Poshpiece suggested Jude Law for Watson, and I think to David Bowie for Holmes.

[Blaise]

Getting a late start, but here's what I've got so far-

[Ads]

hey guys, heres what ive come up with. would have liked to spend more time on it but cant

[Ads]

sketch:

[vineris]

Hokay.

Max Martelli - I agree, nothing about that seems to say "Holmes". The face is too much off of the usual mold to get away without the easily-recognizeable trappings. I'd also vote for a pose change, that looks pretty uncomfortable.
Poshspice - classy and distinguished! All your versions look like classic movie actors.
Clochette - that's starting to look pretty good. For some reason, his right arm seems awkward to me in all the pictures except the one with Dr. Watson.
Gezzunder - The arm that's holding the pipe seems too folded up, there's hardly any room for it. You might want to move that elbow out and forward. The perspective seems slightly odd but I can't tell if that's just me.
dirkvandulmen - a more comical approach to Holmes. All the trappings are there, but truthfully it feels more like one of the bumbling police inspectors than a great detective. Especially since I don't think Holmes ever had a mustache.
Bolo - the shoes and hat are very pointy. You might also want to show the face, seeing as without it he could be anyone.
Deelock - the face is pretty good. The proportions on the body seem to be off, though.
madhatter - the area around the mouth seems too puffy. It's almost like he's a lion-man, with no upper lip.
Adele - I like the first Holmes better too. Looks good!
duckyfeets - the second version does look better. Too soon to say much.
Sforza - I like the no-hat version. I like where you're going with this, although the way you've got the coat and skinny legs, it makes him look thick around the middle. Perhaps lengthen the arms a bit as well?
edujante - hilarious! I love it.
tomwaits - seems a bit beefy for Holmes.
hideyoshi - great environment!
Vampirehungerstrike - very nice! Good angle. Are there supposed to be no cobblestones beneath his feet?
mcmatz - good face, but it seems too big for the body.
cowboysurfer - interesting coat! That hat looks smaller than his head (where is all the hair behind his head coming from?), and you probably want to reference that pose, the shoulders don't seem to quite match up with the rest of the body.
decypl - the upper arms seem like they need a bit more clear foreshortening (my problem too )
MJ Alcazar - I like the poses. Now it's time to start referencing clothing folds! The collars and ties look good, but everything else looks like lines, not bends in fabric. Watch how those eyes line up!
Windsrock - interesting texture on the coat. Reference the hands! Sausage fingers just don't look good.
Bludhund - good variety of faces. I kinda like the slightly-evil looking Holmes on the far right.

More later!