Some pieces need harsh critique Please

Zato-1

Hey everyone, I've done a little bit of doodling and I want some harsh critique especially if it directs me to how I can improve, but feel free to post "It looks off", and I'll try to find out what you mean myself.

This I did after looking at a guy's work from Deviant art, I completely forget his name but if anyone would post it I'll edit this post with credit for the idea. This was me trying to copy one of his pieces, both in style and subject. Never done anything "cute" before so this was quite a departure for me.


This one I did a while ago, was trying to do a one-color painting but I messed up where the bat-logo should be


This one I did a couple of days ago, I was going for a "vectorized" style with stark black as my only color. Forgive the background's blandness, I was thinking this with some other design elements would go on a T-shirt



Also, feel free to correct the images yourself to show me how I should fix them. Or draw mustaches on them =P

Thanks all in advance

KitAlexHarrison

Your pieces have a captivatingly "liquid" quality to them which I really like, particularly in the first image. I'm not sure if it was your intention, but the Batman looks a little a nightmarish, somewhat reminiscent of how the Scarecrow sees him in Batman Begins. As for the Skullturion, you should first make it your avatar then perhaps work on a full body for him for your next piece.

You ask for "harsh critique" - I'm no art critic, but I honestly think these are really, really good.

Zato-1

KitAlexHarrison wrote: »

Your pieces have a captivatingly "liquid" quality to them which I really like, particularly in the first image. I'm not sure if it was your intention, but the Batman looks a little a nightmarish, somewhat reminiscent of how the Scarecrow sees him in Batman Begins. As for the Skullturion, you should first make it your avatar then perhaps work on a full body for him for your next piece.

You ask for "harsh critique" - I'm no art critic, but I honestly think these are really, really good.

Thanks man You know with the Skullturion (I like that name a lot) I was thinking about making a body, now I definitely will.
With batman i'll be honest it was just a happy coincidence that he came out nightmarish.

Thanks again

Now someone give me some HARSH CRITIQUE.. Angel Of Bacon : I summon thee!

tracertong

If you're looking to improve (as am i), I would do full figure drawings - IE not just the torso of batman in a suit with his face almost fully hidden or a lone skull but a complete human figure from head to toe.

I'm doing this as well and figure I need to improve a lot more before I can post anything real for critique.

Good luck.

m3nace

I'd advise you to upload your images in .png format rather than .jpg
jpg is what's causing your pics to have those jaggy artifacts around lines and stuff - basically it's a file format that works best for photos not so much for digital paintings.

Also, do you have some other stuff you could show us? I feel it's a bit hard to crit this stuff (it's good stuff though) because of it being relatively monochromatic.

As for the batman piece: It could use some more rim-lighting on his back, seeing how much it highlights other parts of his cloak it should defo light his back up. Some of the more radiant clouds (which are thus bound to be the most dense ones) could maaaaybe (maybe) use a bit of a darker side underneath them (only the ones that really pop compared to the others).

HugmasterGeneral

Rather than critique, I'd like to ask, what is your goal as an artist?

While it can be abstract like "I like to draw" or "I want to make things that look cool" it might guide you better to have more concrete goals. Something like "I'd like to create art for magazines," or mine which is "Use art to tell a story." It can add a lot of focus and help you get lots of practice if you know exactly what you're aiming for.

Zato-1

tracertong wrote: »

If you're looking to improve (as am i), I would do full figure drawings - IE not just the torso of batman in a suit with his face almost fully hidden or a lone skull but a complete human figure from head to toe.

I'm doing this as well and figure I need to improve a lot more before I can post anything real for critique.

Good luck.

Thanks, I was actually doing a full figured pose the other day, shouldn't take me too long to make it presentable, but you're right, I really don't do enough of those.

m3nace wrote: »

I'd advise you to upload your images in .png format rather than .jpg
jpg is what's causing your pics to have those jaggy artifacts around lines and stuff - basically it's a file format that works best for photos not so much for digital paintings.

Also, do you have some other stuff you could show us? I feel it's a bit hard to crit this stuff (it's good stuff though) because of it being relatively monochromatic.

As for the batman piece: It could use some more rim-lighting on his back, seeing how much it highlights other parts of his cloak it should defo light his back up. Some of the more radiant clouds (which are thus bound to be the most dense ones) could maaaaybe (maybe) use a bit of a darker side underneath them (only the ones that really pop compared to the others).

Will do on the format thingy, I never knew it did that so PNG all the way now =D

I'll dig up some more varied presentable stuff and post it. I usually do worse than these that's why I posted them, I wanted advice to improve on my better stuff.

For batman, thanks a ton! I went into photoshop and tried some rough strokes doing what you said and it was magic! Definitely gonna help me in the long term too

rfilyaw wrote: »

Rather than critique, I'd like to ask, what is your goal as an artist?

While it can be abstract like "I like to draw" or "I want to make things that look cool" it might guide you better to have more concrete goals. Something like "I'd like to create art for magazines," or mine which is "Use art to tell a story." It can add a lot of focus and help you get lots of practice if you know exactly what you're aiming for.

Concept art. I would say that's def my higher goal. Concept art for videogames animation and toys in the short term, figurines and videogame concept art in the long term.
The thing is while yours is an excellent question, I don't have an excellent answer to match it, the aim is eventually concept art, but in the meantime I just really, really like drawing things that look cool. I've done tons of T-shirts and been having some pretty decent success with that, especially since that area intersects with my profession as a graphic designer quite a lot. But the eventual goal is concept art so that's where I'm concentrating my practice and training.

Tell me this though, which one of the three styles shows more promise to you guys? I want to master whichever one I'm better at since I love anything drawn or painted the same. Figured I'd get good with one before learning the other, improve one part at a time.
Tell me
Also someone get Angel Of Bacon in here.. He's gonna trash these pieces enough to my liking. (yes I've been lurking a lot here )

Wassermelone

Theres really not much point to critique your stuff on a piece by piece basis.

But clearly, if you want to be a concept artist, you have a lot of work to do. The best advice anyone here can give you is to paint paint paint your ass off. Paint from life. Paint from imagination. Paint from life. Paint from masters. Paint from life. Etc. Etc.

ChicoBlue

And perspective.

Study perspective.

For god sakes, study perspective. The nitty gritty of it. Learn how to measure things in perspective, how to create symmetrical objects, how to cast shadows, how to use distorted perspective to create cinematic effects, etc.

Use perspective to draw environments, vehicles, weapons, props, and everything.

Wassermelone

That or do what I did - get a basic understanding of perspective.

Then mercilessly 'cheat' and learn a 3d modeling program to setup basic 3d shells to paint over.

Zato-1

Wassermelone wrote: »

That or do what I did - get a basic understanding of perspective.

Then mercilessly 'cheat' and learn a 3d modeling program to setup basic 3d shells to paint over.

lol I love that. I hope that's not really cheating, it's too brilliant to be considered cheating =D
I was really hoping for someone to catch any glaring mistake or tell me why this is or that doesn't look right cuz it points me in the direction I need to go (and fix!), that's mainly my point in asking for picky critique, but you guys are giving me GOLD here. I have no professional training in art so I need all the help I can get. EVERYTHING you know can and will help me, no matter how obvious it may seem to you I might easily be oblivious to it. That said I WILL paint my ass off, thanks man .

I'm a little confused though, do I have a problem with perspective or do you mean a concept artist needs to be perfect at it?

Mustang

A lot of pros 'cheat' with the 3d method. I don't see any issue with it myself, some purists might, but if you're under the pump to meet a deadline you should use everything you can throw at it.

ChicoBlue

I wouldn't consider using 3d models as cheating any more than I would consider using custom brushes cheating. It's a perfectly reasonable method.

That said, the better at perspective you are the faster you will be able to design things and the more competent your designs will be.

There isn't really much to critique perspective-wise in any of these pieces, my plea for you to study hard was more of a general tip.

Zato-1

Will do, thanks again
Also, Chicoblue, my god your work is amazing. Looking at how much better your artwork got in 5 years (or probably less) is inspiring. I wanna ask, the painting of the smoking head looking up with multiple textures and a flurry of colors, is that totally your idea or is that a common style? (You must forgive me, I'm not very well-versed in art) it looks stunning..


Keep em coming people!

Mes3

Don't skimp out on working in traditional media. Especially since you're trying to get better. You'll think a lot more about lines and laying things down properly the first time. Plus, its always nice to be able to bust out awesome shit with a pencil/charcoal/paint.

Wassermelone

Yeah, its not cheating, I just joke about it being cheating because its how I do it.

You want to get good at environments because theres a shortage of good environment concept artists in the industry because everybody wants to do characters.

ninjai

Wassermelone wrote: »

You want to get good at environments because theres a shortage of good environment concept artists in the industry because everybody wants to do characters.

I love environmental concept art :P I just don't understand it.