Protect me...

**Steve-O** · July 10th, 2006, 11:14 PM

Hey everyone this is the initial sketch for a peice I am making for a contest. I've used some references and have really tried to work on my anatomy. Please tell me if you see anything that needs to be addressed before i take this to the next stage. Crits welcome but be gentle please...

Thanks

**Infinit** · July 11th, 2006, 05:01 AM

the ear sits too low and is a bit pointy

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 07:41 AM

Thanks Infinit, I'll work on that!

**Heat** · July 11th, 2006, 08:06 AM

interesting. the left side of the face needs to turn the corner a bit more

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 08:31 AM

I'm sorry but can you tell me what you mean by turn the corner? Is the front too flat? When I render i'm hoping to round the head out a bit. But please forgive me if I've missed something

**MatthewGraves** · July 11th, 2006, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Infinit

the ear sits too low and is a bit pointy

I don't think "pointy" is a fair crit, as I've known a lot of people with rather pointy ears.

This is a subjective crit that depends on whether or not the artist wants it that way.

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 01:40 PM

Matt you've made a good point... I think the ear needs to be addressed, but i also intended it to be "pointy" as this may end up being an elf like character. I didn't want to go over board and make it stand out. You guys know where i can find some good "elf ear references"?

**aqua-relle** · July 11th, 2006, 02:34 PM

Depending on the style, elf ears can either be ears that look human-like but simply come up to a point rather then curve around, or they can be these long things that jut out a good inch or two from the head.

But continuing with ear place ment, since that's really the main issue (though I think we should see a little bit of his right pant leg for some reason) it doesn't seem to rest quite right. If you were to draw a line from the top of the head that goes down through the neck, the line of where the ear attaches wouldn't be parallel (or close enough). If the ear was rotated to the left slightly, and maybe shifted closer to the eye, it may look a little more "right". Have you tried flipping the image to check proportional consistances?

Oh, and great job on the nose BTW. That angle of the face is almost always really hard to draw and you pulled it off nicely here.

**JAG.** · July 11th, 2006, 02:58 PM

indeed, the ear seems too far back aaway from the face. also, his left shoulder and arm seem too far out. starting from his ear.. follow the line of his back and there's a hump, then it dips and a second hump [which is currently his shoulder]. the shoulder should be inbetween those hu,ps, more to the end of the first one where it starts to dip. - JAG

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 03:23 PM

Hey thanks for the feedback guys!

aqua - thanks for the suggestion, I'm goin to erase the ear and move it in and up and see where that leaves us.

JAG - thanks for stopping by, I see the hump that you are referring to and now that i look at it, that makes sense. I think thats the issue with working with references.

I'll have an update tonight guys when i get out of work. Thanks again!

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 06:01 PM

I've made the suggested changes to the ear shoulder and added the calf under his right leg.

I feel that this is looking 100% better already thanks guys!

Gonn go refine my lines and then start coloring

**aqua-relle** · July 11th, 2006, 06:17 PM

Yeah that definately looks a lot better- especially since you put his pant legs in, it looks like he's kneeling rather then floating on leg-stumps.

And that ear is really... cute. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Can't wait for the finished product!

**Steve-O** · July 11th, 2006, 11:08 PM

I've added the skin layer and the floor layer. I've never done a full peice with a background so I've got some ideas for the "circle." Going to add some runes or something. Please tell me how you think it's coming along?

**Steve-O** · July 12th, 2006, 11:02 AM

I'm having some issues with deciding on a color scheme for his robe. I was the peice to be moody and dark, but still have an interesting color. I'm thinking sticking with the blue/black. The orb at the end of his wand will be the light source and I have decided if that will be a warm reddish orange color(to compliment the blues) or if I should go with a green eerie color. What do you guys think?

Also, I mention that this is my first full digital peice, and I don't have many texture brushes, anyone have a tutorial or suggestions on how to make my floor look like stone?

**Steve-O** · July 12th, 2006, 06:15 PM

Added in the wand rendering. Also I put down a bit of texture on the floor with some custom brushes(Will add more) And I adjusted the contrast on the skin a bit to address some of the shadows.

**Steve-O** · July 12th, 2006, 11:37 PM

Wow that was a long night... I'm beat. Here is where I left of for the night. Any feedback is appreciated

**aqua-relle** · July 13th, 2006, 08:20 AM

Where is you light source? Because right now, according to the head, it's the viewer's... eye. If that makes any sense. But the shirt (the jacket looks fine) ma not reflect that completely.

**Steve-O** · July 13th, 2006, 08:48 AM

I think i'm going to have 2 light sources, one being the orb on the wand and the other being some sort of off scene light source. I was also thinking of maybe putting a few candles in the scene but that sounds a bit ambitious and i'm not that good

Thanks for the feedback aqua, was starting to think I was doing something wrong, no one was talking to me

**aqua-relle** · July 13th, 2006, 09:00 PM

These forums are a bit strange... it takes awhile before any feedback is given. ANd I'm not nessicairly the right person to give any feedback (though it scares me a bit on the things that people aren't mentioning in certain threads... X-x)

Looking at it again now, there's something strange about how you shaded the transition of his cheek into his temple. I'm not quite sure what it is.

**Steve-O** · July 16th, 2006, 10:42 PM

Guys I think I'm done with the subject of this piece and I really need some suggestions as to what to put into the background. I've changed the title of this from The summoning to "protect me..." I felt that the expression on his face and the atmosphere was more serene and it fits.

So for the BG I was thinking of some sort of oncoming trouble or attack that he needs protections from. Any ideas?

**Samuel Gray** · July 17th, 2006, 02:49 AM

His facial features are off with the angle of the head (especially the right eye). The staff thing is way too short I think. His left shoulder and back are too hunchback feeling. If your going to use the staff as a light source then color and fit the surroundings to it, or with the ground.

its looking good so far i think.

**JAG.** · July 17th, 2006, 08:12 AM

i think the rendering is coming along nicely.. but aqua-relle has a point. the face does seem slightly contorted. i think the brow over his right eye is too far forward.. it should curve back away from the viewer, following the curvature of his head. for the background [looks good so far], maybe a storm is coming. or something ominous with dark clouds.. something super-natural. i hope i was clear on my explanation of the face.. if not ill try to do a paint over after work. - JAG

**Steve-O** · July 17th, 2006, 09:06 AM

Thanks guys, I'll admit i'm a bit discouraged that I didn't see these errors before painting. But I guess that's part of the process. I'll try to fix the face tonight. I guess I'm so used to looking at it, that my brain sees it as making sense.

JAG I agree with the omnious oncoming trouble. I like the storm idea, although I've never really digitally painted a sky... What better time than now I guess. thanks again

**ThatsNotPoetry** · July 17th, 2006, 09:31 AM

Sorry, I realize now that the blue may be hard to see. Also, sorry for bringing this up so late in your project.

But anyway. The head is round, and so the face must map around the shape of the head. You made his eyebrows straight across.

Also, the nose is angling more toward the left, so you shouldn't be able to see the other side of his nose very well, over the bridge.

Also, the mouth should be beneath the nose, following the line down.

And the head is far too large for the size of his face.

Hope that is helpful for future projects!

**Steve-O** · July 17th, 2006, 09:40 AM

Eff - Hey thanks so much for taking the time to do this! Another perspective will just make the painting stronger in the end. I see what you mean with these lines and will deffinatly take this with me in the future. Stop back tonight and I'll have an update for you.