HALP (rather large image)

The One Dark Knight

I need help





So,


Got a wacom, got some nice photoshop software. Trying to learn how to paint, and it's slow going. I know I'm going about it all the wrong ways, but hey.


Here's my work on this piece so far. I don't really have much experience coloring, this is perhaps my 3rd or 4th attempt to actually color some linework.


I would really, really like some help/constructive criticism. Most of it is still flats. Do I need to ramp up the contrast more? How extensively should I blend colors? etc, etc


Thanks, if you could take a tiny bit of time to help me, it'd be greatly appreciated.


Background isn't final. Linework is (unless there's glaring mistakes).


EDIT: I've only shaded/put coloring on the skin/hair/horns guys. I haven't even started on the clothes. That's all still flats.

Aronaxx

really freaking dig this. my only crit is the hand not holding the bird. is she just placing her thumb under her fingers? seems like it would protrude just a tad bit more.

Rye

As with ANY art, it's about experimentation. No one can tell you whether your coloring should be soft or hard edged. That is up to the artist.

However, your coloring isn't.... good on this peice. At least you didn't leave the background white.

Right now you're simply concerned about Black and White. Black makes things darker, white makes things lighter.

It's true, but that only works in the absence(spelling) of color. When you have color, the color bleeds into everything. You start having to use warm colors (orange, yellow red) to bring light to a subject instead of white.

Your picture is too bland with the lighting. You have not pushed it far enough. Your skin tone should only be the peachiest peach when it's the closest to the light source without causing a bloom. Right now, everything is that light skin tone and it looks flat. Light has to come from above or below the subject, and as such there should be a compression of values the further you get. If the lighting is coming from the top, the skin should gradually get darker the further away you are. Her thighs should be much darker than her arms, for example.

Things that are perpendicular to light are the darkest. Her corset for example.
Things that face the opposite direction should get a back light. Judging by the background, it should be a slightly green backlight.

Another thing you've done to make it harder for you is that you've chosen a bunch of different colors and home values to work with. It can take you hours and hours to color a naked figure and try to get the values right. Trying to jump into dealing with different home values makes things hard.

Your figure has some anatomy problems, and not just the ones that obviously stylistic. Your figure is extremely gaunt, which gives you less room to play around with volumes and have fun coloring. You have to choose - do I pack the detail in or do I abbreviate it somehow?

TheBog

I like you, Dark Knight. The coloring is alright, I suppose, as is the linework. But you really gotta use some line variation to make it not so flat. As for the light source.. it doesn't really look like you have one consistent light source. Also, if you're gonna shade the skin, shade the clothing and everything else too. I'm sure that was the next logical step. Also.. I realize it's stylized and everything, but I'll be damned if that's not the skinniest living thing I've ever seen. If you look at her left arm, I don't even think skeletons are that skinny. Also that whole arm (the one with tons of bracelets on it) just looks wrong. I don't know my anatomy very well either so I'm not really sure how to describe it, but it just looks unnatural. The right arm is better, but could use some work too.

So.. um.. coloring critique, eh? Well I suck at coloring so lets see what I can come up with.. The head is colored pretty well overall. I like how you did the hair (would look much better with line variation, though). Like I said.. looks okay overall I suppose. I'm not the one to be giving coloring advice.

The One Dark Knight

Yeah, arm is off Bog. And she is rather skinny.

A lot of stuff... infact most all of it, comes from doodles. So although I try to refine anatomy I don't always get it perfect. Thanks though, there are some things I could fix.


Rye- thanks a lot, that's actually a great help. I see now (at least partially) what's been bugging me - I'm not looking at the form as a whole, just as a sum of parts. Is there any way you would recommend going about learning good coloring skills? As I said, I'm basically completely new to coloring. I know color theory from my art class, but that's about it.


I love the good feedback this forum produces - keep it coming



I'm sort of afraid actually. It took me a good 3 years to get my drawing skills up to par, and I imagine it'll take some time before I can color well.

galen

You channeling some Weja there?

Rye

I wish I could come up with a more creative way to answer your question, but I'll go with tried and true tut link:

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm

The One Dark Knight

galen wrote: »

You channeling some Weja there?

Weja is gloriously kickass.


So pretty much yeah. I've taken a lot of inspiration from her.

Tam

The idea you have here....is awesome. I don't think a change of colors is necessary. The background is kind of empty though.

Ravenshadow

I think the lines are a tad heavy handed here. You've got a slender, delicate looking form and you're hurting it with thick lines.

When I draw with my tablet, to get the lines a little more naturally looking I turn the opacity to about 50% and try and sketch softly.

I think more delicate lines would definitely help this.