If you want to learn about composition check out the great critiques in here!!!

[scottg]

Man, I get really nerves every time I post here ( all of two times counting this one )Anyway. I would really appreciate and comments and critiques. Thanks.

scottg

[tgfx]

I like it. Not that interesting but a good pic.

[scottg]

Thanks tgfx.

Do you have any suggestions on how to make it more interesting? If you do I would appreciate any help you can give.

A friend said it look like he was making one hell of a fart. ha

Thanks again for looking

scottg

[yelahttam]

Actually, I like the mushroom cloud background a lot more than the figure. The cloud has a lot of life and motion to it, my eye kept goin to it instead of the figure. First off, spend more tiem studying the human figure, learn the rules so that you can bend them when drawing a big character like the Hulk. Second, the lighting is a good start, but not nearly harsh enough, if he's kneeling in front of an atom bomb explosion. Keep doing backgrounds like that, though.... - mh

http://www.matthaley.com

[scottg]

Hey Matt,

Thanks for looking! I really appreciate it. You hit it on the head with everything. The only thing is I can't see is the anatomy problem. Don't get me wrong. I know they're there. But I guess since I did the drawing I cant find them. I used plenty of reference...AAAHHGG!!! It's very frustrating. Any tips on that would be great.

By the way nice site!

scottg

[JeffZNY]

Weeeell, let's see if I can maybe lend a hand. The hulk is supposed to be extremely massive and disproportionate, but if you look at your drawing here, his elbows are literally level with the bottom of his crotch. This might be a good place to start in terms of those anatomy problems. Obviously with a character like this, everythign should be exagerated, but the trick is recognizing the line between exagerated and grotesque or disturbing. Also, as has already been stated, you need some very thin, but harsh, highlights around the edge of the figure--an almost white shade of bright orange or yellow. Afterall, that's no normal lamp lighting him from behind, it's a friggin atom bomb...there should be extreme contrast there. Oh, and I almost forgot...that dark shadow running down his chest is kinda cool, but not quite working for me. I think the main problem is that the shadow runs down the middle of his chest and crotch, but not his face. Either extend the shadow to his face, or dull it on the body, but keep it consistent with the overall lighting. Hope to see a new version soon...I'm sure it will be much improved as you're obviously talented!

[yelahttam]

Using too much reference is what killed the figure. Just draw it first. His body has soem dimension to it, but his hands look like flat cardboard cut-outs. Get into the rhythm of the figure first, then once you have everything drawn, you can do some referencing. Good luck! - mh

[nardfrog]

I think having darker, defined edges with better transitions to the outlines of form will spruce this picture up a lot.

Not to cut short other ppls critiques but I dont feel the need to be so analylitical when it comes to porportions when you are dealing with a comic character. things are supposed to be stylized and exergerated. proper anatomy should be a base, not a restricter. I like the lighting on this one, but why is there a nuke going off?

[scottg]

JeffNy

great tips Now that you point out the arm length and such I can see it. Thanks. I kind of feel the way nardfrog feels about the anatomy being a base not a restriction. But the arms are way long.

Real good advice yelahttam. Now if I can just focus on having good dynamic line work first and get the anatomy right later. But I always lose focus to soon on one part or another in an illustration. Which lead to mistakes in all categories. Thanks

Nardfrog thanks dude. Youre right if I do darken the out line it will pop more exspecily after I lightened the body.But I got this post after I did the repaint so I'll add that later. Thanks again man. By the way. I already told you this but nice work on you're thunderdome with phill!!

Here's an update with some of the stuff JeffNz pointed out. Highlighting the body. Darkening the face. And a little work on the arms. But this was just a quick patch so there still off. And I tried to work on the hands to. Don't think I got them either. But all the tips have made the piece better so thanks allot guys.

[jdinx]

hey scott,

i did a quick little mouse over on your image. i wasn't concerned about anything else at this stage, but to point out that your piece lacks that punch mainly because it lacks the big masses, the large abstract shapes that hold an image together. i don't think what i did was anything great, but at least it shows you that you need to think in terms of the large masses in your painting all the way thru. always try and reduce your image in size (thru out your painting process), and see if your big design, your large shapes are working, and holding up. it (big shapes)should illicit something in the abstract that is interesting to look at. from your thumbnails up, try to keep your shapes distinguishable, and interesting all by them selfs. what happens (to me too...just not as much anymore), is when you start to develop and polish your image, you begin to loose your large masses because you are now adding detail which means lighter values. you can get lost in the detail, at the expense of your masses. try and keep your values simple for these areas. when i was inking comic books, one of the first things i learned was..."when in doubt, black it out". translated, if you have an area that is falling apart and is looking a little weak, it may strengthen the piece if you fill that area in and make it one large shape or mass. i hope this helps.

good luck,
jD

*try flipping your piece to help you see the over all composition as well.

[scottg]

Hey jdinx. Thanks for the work over and the critique. And great advice it is. Design is a hard thing for me. I don't think I will ever understand it. Thanks again.

scottg

[jdinx]

i thought i'd elaborate a bit more about the "big shape" thing, since i've had a few requests to do so. here are some black & white studies i did on grey paper from a class i took by marshal vandruff(http://www.draw123.com/). if you haven't taken a class from him, i highly recommend doing so. this class was specifically on composition. we worked from master paintings that he projected up on the big screen. he first blurred out the images so you couldn't really tell if is was a person, a pole, a rocketship, etc. we then studied it and talked about it for a while,and then we painted a quick little study from it. then he brought it into focus and we finished the image up, and talked more about how and why it worked. it was to teach us to see the big shapes first, and how they illicit a feeling from those big bold shape motives that every great painting has. strong diagonals and pointy shapes felt threatening, uneasy, certainly not friendly. while big roundy, fluffy cloud like shapes felt friendlier, you get the point. i also attached a frazetta piece to show you how it's done. how to look at a masters work, and see that he was thinking in these terms...THE BIG SHAPES.

hope this helps.

jD

[scottg]

jdinx.

Man, It was great of you to do this. thanks! Hopefully others will get something from this as well.

scottg

[James Kei]

Your painting has a lot of potential....
I like a lot of things about it.

thats a great critiqe JD.

To add to that.....
I'ts also a good Idea to think about assigning three distinct values to those big shapes.

Light, Middle, Dark.

This way it will maximize the impact of the picture as a whole.
That Frazzeta painting that JD has translated is a great example of this.

Here is an example I posted on a different thread....

[scottg]

James,

Thank you for posting this example. Its very helpful.

I have learned allot from everyone who posted here. Thank you all. This rocks.

scottg