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Author Topic: Art. Observe it!  (Read 6504 times)

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Art. Observe it!
« on: March 03, 2011, 02:33:56 AM »


Jorumn Fargazer, the Defiler.

Feel free to praise or critique.

Offline Shadow Chorus

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2011, 05:16:13 AM »
Awesome. Now I wish I had a picture of Seth to add.

Offline Angie

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2011, 12:55:56 PM »
Well, your linework's better than mine. Or more polished, at least.

The gratuitous lens flare is more than a little bit distracting, do you have a version of the image without that slapped on?

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2011, 01:05:34 PM »
Very good. I like the shading effects on the robe/cloak especially.  The lightning is also very cool - did you hand-draw the lightning or use photoshop effects to make it?

If I were to look for things the critique, there are mainly two things I'm not sure about:
- Jorumn's legs seem just a little too short in proportion to his torso.  It's not major though, and might partially be due to the perspective.
- I'm not sure what Jorumn's left hand is doing - if he's got it on his hip, or behind his back.  The shading would suggest it's at his hip, but the hand itself isn't actually visible (perhaps due to the fur on the sleeve, but that would mean he has a rather small hand).

Also, I know a lot of people (like Angie :P) have a thing about GRATUITOUS LENS FLARES!  Personally I don't think it looks particularly out of place here, but some people aren't going to like it much.

Overall a good piece though.  Trying out your new tablet, eh?

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2011, 05:31:48 PM »
I found about 40 custom brushes for lightning and added my own touches/cuts to make it look just so.  I don't typically use any "effects" Photoshop has, since they tend to look corny and predictable.  Even the "lense flare" is just me using a brush very carefully, but it seems I overdid it. XD

Pros: Line work, shading on coat, lightning.

Cons: Too much glare, hard to see the pocket he has his hand in, legs possibly too short.  After I finish my homework for the week, I'll get to work on these! :3

Now, here's an image of him without the lightning layer.  His hand is pretty much bare bones art since I intended to have the shine from the lightning overwhelming it anyway.  After looking at some photos of lightning again, they all have a sort of flaring effect where they converge or originate.  So I don't want to remove that altogether, but I feel like I should definitely tone it down.




And yes.  So far, I am LOVING my new toy!  This is my first "finished" digital piece with a background and all, actually.

I really appreciate the feedback guys.  Keep it coming if you can.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2011, 05:37:14 PM by Jorumn Fargazer »

Offline john greymore

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2011, 11:31:11 PM »
I'm no artist and my drawing really sucks,

But I can say I really love it!

Including the gratuitous lens flare ;)
Destruction begets Creation. Creation begets Interaction. Interaction begets Society. Society begets Use. Use begets Destruction.

Thus the cycle begins and ends.

Offline Danyael

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2011, 06:01:26 PM »
Damn. Someone's got some mad skills. Any chance I could persuade you into doing a few works?
"Yeah, well, ya' better have a spatula where we're goin' cause my ass is frozen to this yak!" :o

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2011, 09:03:57 PM »
I need to get in the habit of drawing often on this baby in order to get better, so I intend to do a little something for everybody who wants it somewhere down the road.  Especially since, for my line of work, I need to learn to see through other people's imaginations through their eyes.  It may not be for a few weeks due to school, but I'd be glad to.

Offline Shadow Chorus

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2011, 10:25:49 PM »
I'd definitely love to see your interpretation of Seth.

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2011, 11:05:04 PM »


Changes:

-Reduced lens flare (which looks WAY better now)
-Added pendant around his neck which I previously forgot.
-Made pocket slightly more obvious.
-Stronger highlights
-Signature less blatant

After looking at the legs some more, it's just a combo of his baggy clothes and his leg wrappings that give that appearance.  The proportions are correct.

@Shadow Chorus:  I'm sure I'll get around to it at some point.  I intend to draw everyone in Epic Battle once I get rolling in that story.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2011, 11:09:23 PM by Jorumn Fargazer »

Offline Kitharsis

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2011, 10:49:57 AM »
Critiques!

First of all, very nice.  For your first 'finished' digital piece this is an awesome beginning!

-The bandages are nicely done.  Very stylized and they actually fit his shape and contours.
-I like the nonchalant, egotistical wizard pose as he shoots lightning out of his hand.  The expression adds to this very well.
-The lens flare light source is casting the right shadows and highlights on his body.  That can be tricky and I always mess up light sources so kudos!
-The feathers on his coat are great.  I wonder if you could create some subtle reflections from the lens flare off of the feathers.  I would hate to do it, being so tedious, but just a thought.  They work the way they are now very well though.  Personally I wouldn't change them.


-The background isn't much of a contrast to Jorumn.  This attributes to Soul's comment on his left hand being ambiguous.  It might just be the contrast on my monitor but it seems like its fading away into darkness.  I don't think I would have noticed it too much in the new one if it wasn't already pointed out though.  Lots of dark blue on dark blue.
-Pretty sure its the flare of his coat that makes his legs seem shorter.  It widens his base, and the beginning of the flareout begins below his hips, almost mid thigh.  This makes his torso seem longer even though its not.
-This might be personal preference, but clothes are wrinkly!   Maybe I need to iron more...  But his coat seems plasticy rather than flowing like a garment.
-Background again.  It might be just the way I'm interpreting it, but there doesn't seem to be much depth to it.  I'm not sure where he is, or if the bright ovals are part of the spell, but it all seems to be on one plane.  If you allowed the highlighted ovals in the background to fade out the farther they were from the lens flare it would make the focus even more on Jorumn.  But really thats just from idea rather than execution.  I never do backgrounds ;)


Keep arting!  I haven done much other than doodling during meetings at work, so I envy your motivation.

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2011, 05:05:04 PM »
Well, I'm going to just have to put this in the old scraps section of my art book and try to tackle Jorumn again in the future.  It seems to be his robe causing most of the problems, but hey, learning experience.  Once I start from scratch on him again, I'll be able to tackle these issues better. 

Thanks for the info guys!  Some artists never know what they're doing wrong so they keep making the same mistakes.  I really appreciate it!


Note:  The background is the Grand Archive, a hidden "library" (there's actually very few traditional tomes) of infinite arcane knowledge that his foster father called home.  Its architecture exists outside of the laws of physics, and is constantly changing in a pattern that only a mage who understands the deepest laws of the arcane can fathom.  Mage hunting invaders have gotten lost for weeks inside of it only to die of starvation, to find the exit in the clouds or miles under the ocean, or worse:  they find the mage.

Offline Kitharsis

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2011, 07:33:41 PM »
Scraps schmaps!!!  For all the nitpicking I did, I would be really proud to make something this good!  Don't discredit yourself. You do certainly have some talent there.

Offline Archdemon Stu

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Re: Art. Observe it!
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2011, 11:45:24 PM »
Oh don't get me wrong, I am totally proud of this, but once I get some practice doing a few more, I want to try Jorumn again anyway.  I figure it'll be a good way to measure any improvement.  Besides, for the most part, it was a test for my new toy. :D

The nitpicking is actually very appreciated.  I look at way too many artists on Deviant Art that have like 20 digital paintings-- all of which are terrible-- because nobody will critique them, or they won't listen to critique.  Since you guys found plenty pros and cons, I'll definitely be asking for more critique in the future, since people I know otherwise are way too soft.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2011, 04:00:58 AM by Jorumn Fargazer »