these are somewhat works in progress, but they're the best I think I've got at the moment, as far as coloring/shit like that. I'll try to get some lineart up here soon, if fevor for it is evident.
please don't tear me to shreds?
brandon boyd of ze band incubus
schala and whinybitch janus, with crazybitch zeal in the back
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First one: not digging the hair's airbrush/ no outline thing, especially with the thick black line on the jaw leading right into it- it makes it makes the hair look slapped on top of the drawing instead of being a cohesive part of it.
Second one: Line weights, please. Not necessarily on the bg/face part, but the figures need something to punch them out, give them depth. Or, conversely, they need to be made to be more stylized, more obviously treated as graphic elements rather than simply figures.
Also, while the top portion of the girl is well done, the forms start falling apart around the level of the small girl's head, and continue to get more lax and ill-defined approaching the bottom. Also, the hands are just-bad. it looks like the thumb has a tiny triangle cut out of it, and since the girl's forearm is not drawn to indicate the form of the arm receding in space, it looks like the larger girl's hand is simply hacking off the little girl's hand, rather than being placed over top of where it would be.
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When you play with line weights, perhaps you should experiment with colored lines. They don't have to be black. In the first one, I can almost see a nice sienna or brown under the chin (and in fact around the entire form itself) working better than the jarring black.
(don't WIP's go in the doodle tread?)
1. yeah, I was expecting something like that. I'm a bitch, but it's all good.
2. it was trial and error. I realize the hair looked shit, as I fucked up in the layering process, but it's always fixable. I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw it.
3. THANK YOU. god, that helps. the actual drawing was done about a year and a half/two years ago, so I realize it sucks towards the bottom. and that hand thing. I'm sure if I were to redraw it, it might look loads better. but as far as coloring, is lining or style about all you'd say to do to fix the focal point of the two characters, or would maybe more shading/color help?
Unless that's the point.
I have no idea if this is referencing something, or what it is referencing if it is. In any case, it doesn't matter. Not if they want help on improving the pieces while they are in progress, no.
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The Schala, Janus, Zeal characters are from chrono trigger. Snes classic that no one will shut up about.... including me
Well, if you're talking about simply creating a more 'rendered' look with the characters, it may or may not help; if the rendering style adds significant enough contrast, it could draw the eye quickly.
However, the biggest problem is one of color composition; by default, the eye is going to be intially drawn to the stark white area of the face, rather than the more full-figure characters. Which may or may not be what you're going for, I don't know. If you are looking for the eye to be drawn immediately to the characters, you should consider subduing the white color of the face (light blue or another analogous color), and changing the costumes of the characters to complimentary colors, stark black or start white; anything that creates a contrast. Right now you've got it going on in the smaller details of the figure, but it doesn't seem to applied in such a way that makes the viewer think that these particluar aspects are being brought to the forefront of the viewer's attention for a reason.
On the other hand, you could also opt for an entirely monochromatic color scheme, which would probably work if you made the tones of the face and the characters similar in value.
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Note the fact that they are purple and blue (analogous hues). Perhaps you could use that to add come more contrast.
That's not to say that you should duplicate the coloring of the original artist. You shouldn't be satisfied with copying. You have to stretch the color a little bit to make it your own.
The shading on the small janus picture is a good thing to reference. it goes from shadow (royal purple, which is a very BLUE purple) to a periwinkle light side (a warmer purple). Perhaps in photoshop you could play with other warm hues to mix your colors for shadow and highlight. Just remember: Warms in light, Cools in shadow.
I say just play around with colors and save before messing anything up. OR better yet, just keep making new layers or take snapshots whenever you're worried about ruining anything.