Brock and Molotov WIP

**fuuryoku** · July 31st, 2006, 05:47 PM

Thought I'd try putting a piece up as I work on it, to see what feedback I get on missteps I might be making along the way. I keep thinking maybe there's something in my process that keeps me from being able to get good work when I work loose and fast, which is something I really want to get good at. I can get very nice pieces if I spend two weeks on them, but I can't really afford that kind of time for most color work.

So I'll post milestones on this piece as I go and listen to any feedback that comes in as I work.

At this point I have blocked in a simple background and laid initial color under the sketch, and am starting to define the faces and forms. About 1 1/2 - 2 hours work from starting point.

-Fuu

**fuuryoku** · July 31st, 2006, 07:10 PM

about an hour later. Fixed a few anatomy issues- I'm sure I'll find more as I define things. Got the basic masses in now and some sense of light sources.

any thoughts or major missteps?

-Fuu

**theBoognish** · July 31st, 2006, 08:06 PM

Are these from The Venture Bros? So far so good, I would just say to look again at the areas where the clothing wraps arpund the body, life her belt and eyepatch, and his sleaves. Show the volume of the mass by moving these curves along the surface of the form. I also think her right shoulder could angle down more. I don't know if you are following colors from the show, but if it were me I would give more contrast in the color of their shirts as well. Good work and good luck.

**ThatsNotPoetry** · July 31st, 2006, 11:40 PM

Brock is so freaking awesome, always. Congrats no such a fantastic subject!!

I think it looks great. that's a tough position you gave yourself, for his face. Kudos! Also, he needs to be MUCH bigger than her. He's like. 2 feet taller than her or some crap.

**fuuryoku** · August 1st, 2006, 02:35 AM

Put in some more time on it tonight, about 90 mins. Fixed some more anatomy issues I saw. Still trying to find a good semi-realistic look that's still essentially Brock, but Molotov's cooperating nicely in that regard. Granted the show doesn't make her catsuit glossy, but it fits (at least in my mind anyway,) and the specular play helps pull her away from Brock. Need to put some time on Brock's bod now, and get his bowie back out in front, so it doesn't look like he's stabbing Molotov.

**fuuryoku** · August 1st, 2006, 01:52 PM

Decided that Molotov's right arm resting on Brock's hand just wasn't working, so I moved her arm up above her head to hopefully improve flow. This also exposes more of Brock's forearm, helping separate the figures more. Finally got Brock's face to start working right for me as well.

comments welcomed.

**dogfood** · August 2nd, 2006, 09:17 AM

Kudos on a great subject.

First off, the revised pose changes the dynamic completely, especially with Borck's knife down there. It's a lot less intimate, now; and while understand their relationship, it's always been mutually uncomfortable. Now, it's all on Brock being weird.

As far as the process, I've always been reprimanded to work with larger brushes first. That would help out a lot of the scribblyness in Borck's shirt and pants.

And for a couple of design decisions, I think the background color doesn't do justice to the characters (seems more proper for Mike and Carrol Brady). Perhaps something a little more energetic would help things pop and be more true tothe characters. I think I also would have put more jaw on Brock. I know you're going for more realistic, but real people can have larger jaws.

Cool stuff.

**fuuryoku** · August 2nd, 2006, 03:06 PM

Ok, taking DF's comments into consideration, I brought Brock's arm up aroung Mol and switched the bowie to the other hand. actually cupping her ribs/ bewbs would be out-of-character so I put a lighter in said raised hand. Also brought Brock's gaze down to engage him in the scene a bit more. Total paint time about 5 hours at this point.

Thoughts so far?

-Fuu

PS: Anyone know a good procedure for getting convincing blood spatter in Painter?

**dogfood** · August 2nd, 2006, 03:17 PM

It's reading much better with the new pose, but Brock is starting to look a tad like Slash (not that that's a bad thing, but...).

**Sirio_Brozzi** · August 2nd, 2006, 04:16 PM

Nice piece so far, but Brock isn't really looking like Brock just yet..

I think the eyebrows could be thicker and the expression more tense, and as mentioned, the jaw could be bigger. Molotov looks good, the pose works.

**fuuryoku** · August 3rd, 2006, 07:12 PM

How's this? Did some reshaping of the mandibles to try tom add mass to that lantern of a jaw Brock has and played with the angle of the creases coming off the nose to be closer to the toon version. Seems a bit better to my eye, but I could always use an objective opinion.

Also cleaned up the t-shirt a bit and jeans, evened out some of the shading on Molotov's catsuit, and played with skin tones just a bit