WIP - All types of crits welcome

[Toriknew]

So this will be one of the first time I'm going to try real-time revision while working on a piece.

I'm working on re-drawing an old piece for practice and for fun, so this is what I have so far:



She's kind of ambiguously aged, generally in the older child to early adolescent range. I see a lot of problems with it already in terms of how it's posed so I'm probably going to start from scratch, as I haven't made it that far yet.

The original image has basically the same composition as this one, as well as the same pose. However, I can certainly change the composition if it improves the message of the piece.

I don't want a very realistic style, but I want to make something that's pretty smoothly colored (not painterly) if possible.

Some questions:

I have problems with making her have childlike features without having her look like that guy from SAW. Any advice on fixing that?

I also have a problem with folds. The wind is blowing probably from the side or front. Right now it looks too static for me. Do you guys have any tips on rendering that?

ALSO I've always had a massive problem rendering folds behind the figure or rendering that transition scene from the front folds to the back folds. I've tried to gather refs but I can't find any good ones that show that with the right texture of fabric.

I also have a problem making her really lean on the broom?

[fxEVo]

This maybe fall into the uncanny valley case, you can read about that here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

Since you are both trying to be realistic, with all of the detailed features of the face and trying to be cute at the same time, so it's hard to make it happen without very good skills, so I think you should make decision about that.

Also, when you put on some color, it will look more pleasing to the eyes.

[Toriknew]

Hm, I didn't exactly want it to be "realistic", more have a softer coloring style that takes into account a lot of different type of light/conveys more subtle lighting?

thanks for the advice.

[fxEVo]

The I would suggest you continue to go to next steps, right now it's still too soon to comment.

[JFierce]

The fold issue, the left half of the folds are heading left (our left not the figures), so make them drift a bit more right. Remember folds entire purpose is to define the form underneath having it stick out doesn't tell us about the form or the wind. Another cue for wind would be the hair being swept slightly to the right. The face the only creepy part I'm getting is the missing tooth and maybe that the nose is less buttonish and cute since it has a slight hump on the left of it. With the fold question again just remember it describes the form, have it wrap around the form, and it shows where there's tension.


I like to make pictures recently when trying to explain. Helps me analyze a bit more on what I do wrong as well.
Quick and quite a bit off. But anyways quick explanation of what I'm thinking at least.



Also forgot the little bow would be influenced by wind as well.