Battle scene

**joecinq03** · April 26th, 2012, 09:53 PM

Just a pretty quick thing I've been working on: critiques, suggestions, likes, dislikes, theories on why the Blackhawks are eliminated in the first round are all welcome.

If you would like the size of the image bigger then please give a shout.

**Artfix** · April 26th, 2012, 09:56 PM

This is cool. I realize it was a quickie so far. But things you will need to sort out: Is the battle happening, starting, over? Is the king in danger or not?

What are they on exactly? It doesnt need to be lit up like christmas, but it shouldnt be a distraction for the viewer to wonder about.

Looking forward to seeing the next step!

**joecinq03** · April 26th, 2012, 10:02 PM

Ooo quick reply.

It really is just a hill and a bunch of debris, I certainly can detail that aspect more though my concern is making sure the viewer is looking at the two on the top. I suppose I can put in various things pointing up to keep with the composition, its a tricky thing with the extreme brightness of the sun behind them and keeping the values looking good.

Thanks!

**Artfix** · April 26th, 2012, 10:33 PM

trust me with that contrast of the figures in front of the sky, the human brain looks at that no matter what. Even if your brain was integrated to an explosive, and someone told u not to look at high contrast and then showed u the image, u would still be blown up.

Just put in some reflected light to indicate the debris. Otherwise I thought it might b a pile of bodies.

P.s. consider extending the hill out to the right side of the frame. The inexplicable high hill right there is making it seem not like a hill know what I mean? It looks like it must have been man-made...or maybe it was? A pile of debris...if so...why would they be on top of it? Make it look like it belongs.

**joecinq03** · April 26th, 2012, 11:42 PM

Fair enough. Originally the idea was a sort of grotesque pile of bodies and such, it sort of still is now though obviously not defined.

This is what happens when you paint just to paint

**SnailsPace** · April 27th, 2012, 12:16 AM

Am I the only one who sees the King and Benjamin Franklin doing it missionary style? *giggles tee hee hee, seriously though, you guys see that... lol

Looks like an epic start dude, I'm just having fun

**joecinq03** · April 27th, 2012, 12:58 AM

Haha

Originally when I was painting it the king was alone and then I started painting his friend there and I started having reservations. The profile of the bald dude was reworked using the famous Alfred Hitchcock profile as a reference

Added a test lightning bolt and 2 others that are unworked. I think its a wee bit too thick but i'm liking it. Had a sort of happy accident in the lower right compensating between extending the hill and not losing the depth over there. I'm probably going to add some sort of fire or fireballs flying at the castle/defenders on the right. It may throw off the whole composition but its nice effects/lighting practice. Considering widening the image as well.

**TinyBird** · April 27th, 2012, 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by SnailsPace

Am I the only one who sees the King and Benjamin Franklin doing it missionary style? *giggles tee hee hee, seriously though, you guys see that... lol

Actually yeah I see it too, even before you said it. Which probably has to do with that I don't know the context of this, if there is one (though the word "Blackhawks" suggests there is one).
Even just lowering the pointing legs on the right might help on this to make the silhouette less... questionable.

**joecinq03** · April 27th, 2012, 01:42 AM

http://i.imgur.com/aMPkH.jpg

Looks a bit better. Originally there were two arrows in Ben Franklin's chest but they were not working. I think I'll brighten it up a bit to show his right arm dangling lifeless, that should do it.

**SlowDaddie** · April 27th, 2012, 01:45 AM

that's seriously awesome. colors look great. agreed with the missionary style (but only saw it when someone else pointed it out). I'd ditch the lighting bolt on the left, it's ... "loud." I like the fainter one behind it, its awesome when you see it and doesn't distract from the overall painting. Good work.

**joecinq03** · April 27th, 2012, 02:00 AM

Thanks for the compliments!

I think you're quite right about the bolt being too loud, though I think I can work it in so that you "find it" like the other rather than your eye snapping to it. My friend thinks it cheapens the image but we already have hilltop fornication, I don't think some lightning and fire is going to hurt things.

**SnailsPace** · April 27th, 2012, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by joecinq03

hilltop fornication

Yeah, sorry about that lol. I'm sure you can work that silhouette into something that reads clear, really once you get that figured out, it should pull the whole image together, since the mound leads us right there and everything else frames it.

**SnailsPace** · April 27th, 2012, 03:25 AM

See now I feel bad, and I have to do something nice for you. ")

(gawd, I luv Frank Miller, ooooo fanboy splooge)

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**joecinq03** · April 28th, 2012, 01:05 AM

Cool refs, did not see them until just now, i'm liking the top and bottom ones!

So I embraced Michael Bay's theory that if you don't know what to do just add explosions and Nicolas Cage. Just playing with rendering fire so that explains the blazing inferno, haven't decided what i'm going to do over there yet. I think i'll include some fires to the left from previous lightning attacks. The warm colors in the fire clash with the sky so I either might scale back the fire a ton or darken / cool off the sky which I really don't want to do. I've had some neat suggests to the left that would involve far more cool colors so it would balance everything out.

edit: yep big fire will be nixed in favor of some snake ghost creatures attacking, little fires going in on the left.