First 'All Digital' work - please crit hard!

**Spartan** · October 4th, 2005, 09:59 PM

Well, here's my first all digital piece! I tried for more cinematic lighting and atmospheric perspective, as well as keeping the detail on the most important part of the image.

I know the pose is a bit contrived, and the subject matter is indeed cliche, but I deliberately wanted to focus on the painting process itself. I think it turned out ok, but more importantly, I think it marks a big step forward for me - not only are there no boobs whatsoever (j/k) but I feel like I learned alot doing it.

I have to tip my hat to Daryl Mandryk and Matt Dixon for giving me a couple general tips before I started - they are super cool guys.

I really want to continue pushing myself, so please - any tips or crits you think will help me next time will be more than appreciated.

Cheers Guys,

**Matt_Waggle** · October 4th, 2005, 10:38 PM

I think the hands could use some work, I dont really believe they are holding anything. They look like fists with the objects pushed thru them.

I didnt get the fact the flag was attached until the fifth time I looked at it.

The metal of the gear reads as metal nicely. But I think the depth and frequency of the texture makes it more like iron and not a lighter, more practical metal.

As buff as he is I think some viens in the arm would add alot, If he were that roided out hed have very little body fat and the viens would be popping up alot.

I think the loin guard thing could use some rethinking, it sticks out to me as a little unfinished compared to the rest of the suit. Also the material doesnt read with me (im not sure what its made of)

Overall its really nice, it has a warhammer style to it, which is great. Throw some color down on this badboy and Ill critique again, good job.

**The Brett** · October 4th, 2005, 10:42 PM

Overall it looks kinda soft, line-wise. Add some near-black where lines intersect (like the scarf and the armor).

Also the head could be a smidge bigger.

Other than that, a damn good first digital painting.

-brett

**vigostar** · October 4th, 2005, 10:50 PM

hats off to you spartan for a great first run at a completely digi piece... other then what the others mentioned i think you came up with a very strong piece... I would push the contrast a bit.. mess with the levels... get the values popping..!!! you have alot of detail thats going to waste becuz it seems to get lost without that contrast... Keep on rocking dude..

**Mandryk** · October 4th, 2005, 10:58 PM

yo Chris,

very cool for your first all digital peice, and probably a wise choice to just concentrate on the values for now - color can come later. Here's some crits cuz I know you're craving them...

-The flagpole is unusualy thin I think... it looks like the pole he's holding could snap at any moment.
- pretty nice job rendering the armor, it looks beat up, used and abused. just be careful to not to overdo it or it begins to feel like rock instead of steel. I feel the gun and the shoulder armor are sufferring a bit because of this.
- design-wise I find it a little disconcerting that no armor is visible on *his* left side - no indication of another shoulder pad or anything. It seems a little unbalanced
- the composition is a little too crowded toward the bottom of the picture. It feels like it ends too abrubtly.
- i like the gauges and machinery on his belt.
- i agree with the above crit about viens on the arm.
- Maybe add some pupils to the eyes. You've already covered half his face with a scarf, so there isn't much there to read - the eyes have to say it all.

Anyways, can't wait to see more man, keep rockin it.

cheers

daryl

**Lone Wolf** · October 4th, 2005, 11:23 PM

I like it. Fix the things Mandryk mentioned and it will be cool. I can definetly see the Matt Dixon influence in this piece.Cool.

**mindfields** · October 4th, 2005, 11:51 PM

- The fog on the right boot merges with the backgroung mountains giving the slight impression he's a giant walking over the mountains.

- We can really use more darker zones.

- I feel there's a problem with the right leg's positioning. I see the right knee pointing towards the viewer's direction but in this pose it's supposed to be more directed to the background area. Also the right femoral area is a tad too short. Maybe is not the leg, but some problem in the waist area. Yep, there's something not right that I can't accurately pinpoint in that area.

**Bowlin** · October 5th, 2005, 08:17 AM

I agree with vigostar that the pic needs a little more contrast. Great job, especially for a first digital.

**untitleduser** · October 5th, 2005, 09:20 AM

Very very nice. The only that bothers me is that you've skipped the whole bottom value range. I'd say just take whatever brush you're using and set it to black (or near black) and make some strokes in the areas where light would get trapped so it'd would be dark naturally. Nice job.

**tgfx** · October 5th, 2005, 09:24 AM

nothing wrong with this one man...Super work

**Spartan** · October 5th, 2005, 01:56 PM

Damn guys!
Thank all you so much for the crits - this is exactly what I'm looking for!

MattW - I hear you on the veins - I'm going to add those tonight. I wanted a more Iron-like look to the metal, though - as unpractical as it is

I guess the groin thingy is a little unfinished, but I was trying to concentrate the bulk of the rendering on the focal point. I'll dive back in there and see what I can do.

The Brett- I wanted to have a bit of cartoon influence with the head size, maybe I can try sizing it up a bit - thanks! I will add some darker lines here and there too...

Vigostar - Thanks man! I'll run it through the 'ol levels filter and see what comes out

Daryl - Hey man - thanks for posting, and the thoughtful crits. I hear you on the flagpole, the left side armor and the pupils - I'll work on those. I don't quite follow your comment about the lower composition being too cluttered, etc - can you clarify?

Lonewolf - Thanks for the support man.

Mindfields - I see what you mean about the fog...I'll work on that. As for the mysterious 'something wrong', is it HIS right leg, or the leg on the right side of the pic?

Bowlin - I agree about the contrast too, after seeing it at work on a different monitor. Thanks for looking!

Untitled User - It's weird, this thing looks pretty dark on my monitor, but the overwhelming reaction is that there isn't enough contrast/black. Maybe I have to tweak out my brightness

tgfx - Thanks homie!

Again, thanks so much guys - I'll post the update later tonight.
Cheers,

**modernprometheo** · October 5th, 2005, 03:26 PM

HI!! yes , i think we want to see that !!! good first post!!

**Pavel Sokov** · October 5th, 2005, 04:18 PM

i do also think the head could be bigger.
but i also have some suggestions on the characters actualy design. i think his muscles that are showing are really spherical, and bubbly looking, i think u should rework that.
the head in my opinion doesnt fit the character and is boring. i mean his hair is just making him look like hes a 20 year old student, and his body makes him look like a juggeranut.
i think the ehad should be remade from scratch, i suggest a large brootal BALD julkish looking face, or even better a mask.
the cloth hes wearing on his head isnt going to protect him from nuclear fumes all that much, i think.

**DV8** · October 5th, 2005, 04:20 PM

nice painting... not he most original subject, but cool all the same. thoughts:
-veins on the arm?
-why cover face? do an alternate with full face to show that you are not covering it cause you didnt want to paint it
-back arm is lacking some detail.... paint some detail, then maybe blur it out slightly to help with depth
-clouds in bg look a little too rushed.

but overall nice piece- thanks for sharing.

Mike