Terra Dunewalker - Boobs and Blood [WIP Update 2]

F87

Hi guys, it's been a while!

This is a character concept I started yesterday, but you must keep in mind, that I have been struggling a lot lately. Doing these simple posed, cliche type characters is my comfort zone, and I'm really enjoying this one.

I want to tweak and fix everything before I start putting in final details and lighting. I plan on really rendering this one out as well.

So, any feedback is greatly appreciated and thanks for your time.

Visti

Everything seems washed out, because you're basically using no hard edges/brushes. Also perhaps do a quick paintover on another layer to check how long her neck is under that scarf.

ManonvonSuperock

It looks like you're using a pretty hard edged brush, which is good. I think the washed-out trait that Visti's talking about comes from the low saturation, closely-keyed colors that you use, and I'd say that's your strongest feature in most of your works.

You've got a good color composition here. Most of the format is play between some muted blues and oranges with a secondary play of some relatively-higher saturation yellows and violets. You handle the balance between yellow and violet well, which can be tricky. You've definitely got an eye for balancing how much of each color to use based on its saturation.

The strong red on the spear gives it some temperature-contrast as you're working in a primarily cool format, but it doesn't pop too much because you've worked some red into the sky and the ground. The only thing I'm not digging about this color-wise is the blue-green you've got for the snake hair. There's nothing even close to that hue elsewhere in the painting, and it stands out because of it.

As for the content, her right elbow seems too far up her arm, her neck's pretty gangly as dude said, and when I hear "Dunewalker" I wouldn't imagine a pale little white girl.

Visti

Oh, wait. By hard edges I meant that it looks like all strokes were painted at like 50% opacity and not actually hardedged brushes. I'm a tool, sorry.

F87

Thanks, Visti.

Manonvon, I really enjoy the low sat, similar colors as well! And I really tried to balance the colors in it, but you are right about the hair on the decap'd head.

Any suggestions on how to change her into a real "Dunewalker" ?

Kendeathwalker

took a quick look at your website.

You are avoiding dealing with hands. either just leaving them blocky with little anatomy or just not really painting them.

ManonvonSuperock

When I hear dunewalker I think of desert. Dark skin, dark hair, lots of sun. The only problem is that as you change the hue and saturation of her skin and hair, it'll throw off the color balance everywhere else.

I'd assume that this is a dusk picture, and the "scarf" is really some type of cloak, something that would wrap around that bikini top and provide warmth and night and shield from the sun during the day.

F87

Thanks Manonvon.

Ken - You are right. Point taken.

F87

Still addressing issues, thought I would update this thread though.

I want to give her dark hair! But, am I too lazy? Hmm..
Colors need some love, and I aim to change her skin tone before I get into rendering. Changed the pose, gave her a sword, cropped the image.

I think it's improving, but still needs a lot of work.

Visti

You should probably angle that left foot, for starters. And don't just blur that hand - work it out. If you don't paint anything there, there's nothing to correct.

I know it's a WIP, but I'd also try blocking in the colours a bit more, as in not leaving holes everywhere, like on her pants.

ManonvonSuperock

man seeing this now on my desktop is really showing how far off my monitor's colors are. This is showing up as really damned red on this monitor. I'm going to have to find another one to use when I start coloring those booklets.

the cardboard tube she's holding looks a little out of place.

F87

Thanks guys.

I love you.

yogurt

I liked the first version better, the ?sack of guts? and the spear

Nova_C

yogurt wrote: »

I liked the first version better, the ?sack of guts? and the spear

It's a head. :P

yogurt

AH! I see it, should be guts, girls gotta eat

F87

Thanks guys, went back to the original idea.



Still a lot to fix / actually paint.

NightDragon

F87 wrote: »

This is a character concept I started yesterday, but you must keep in mind, that I have been struggling a lot lately. Doing these simple posed, cliche type characters is my comfort zone, and I'm really enjoying this one.

So no "liven/change her up a bit, man" comments? :P

You've got some good skills down, Franks, but your characters almost always seem kinda....dull, to put it bluntly. They don't seem to have much character. There's not much unique about them, physically, or about their outfits. I know you mentioned this in the OP, so you're aware of it...but it's be reeeeeally cool if you jumped out of that comfort zone and just went nuts.

I mean, I should take my own advice too, haha...and I'm struggling with "changing it up" myself. I'd suggest that maybe you look through a bunch of runway fashion (which is usually some level of ridiculous) for some out-of-the-box inspiration. Maybe also some photographers that do a lot of portraits, and try to pay attention to what makes these people/photographs unique and interesting, physically and aesthetically.

The runway models and street fashion galleries really help me think along a more creative path, I think...and help me think of ways to take a standard set of pants and turn them into something more involved.

ManonvonSuperock

try working in some geometric aspects in that background, some hard horizontals or make that swoosh in the sky circular, the girl is really separating from the rest of the piece in that last update.

F87

Manonvon - Will do, thanks.

ND -

I know. I know! It's so tough to leave my comfort zone though. This has to be one of the biggest things holding me back from getting work. I am taking your advice to heart. I will go nuts. LOOK OUT!

ManonvonSuperock

EDIT: shitty accidental double posting.

NightDragon

WOOO!

go go go

We should have a Crazy-off and see who can leave their comfort zone the most.

F87

I'm in! Let's seriously do that.

But, it's hard to leave the comfort zone on something you started whilst in it. 9_9

And, I don't think I know what makes a person or character interesting anymore. I feel lost. Does blue in the hair = interesting? I think not, but I do it anyways!

Visti

Pretty good progress! I would angle her right foot slightly further to the right and keep the left foot the same, because her thighs and hip placement suggests a openspread stance, yet her feet are parallel.

Also I'm having a bit of trouble reading the.. stick.. Is it a spear or a staff with some cloth/misc on the end. Funbag is good, I like that. I always like the stripe in the hair, but maybe experiment with other colors, I think the blue in the hair is close enough to the blue of the background to make it look like you just didn't paint that part. Perhaps a hot red or even a darker color? Lastly, I have no idea what you're doing with those ovals on the feet? I imagine they're construction lines of some sort, but it's quite a strange way to do that and you should probably tidy them up as soon as possible as they're just obscuring where the foot actually goes (which I imagine is sort of, at least subconsciously, the point of them).

It's coming along, though. Keep working on it.

NightDragon

That's a start...but I'd suggest that instead of adding things to the surface (adornments, color, bells and whistles) try to change the structure of the thing. (Radically different hairstyles, pants that are differently shaped/sewn together/constructed/etc...clothing that is not just "a pair of pants" or "a shirt" or "a belt".) You do a lot of "shirtless, with some kind of pants, add miscellaneous adornments" kind of designs. I think if you focused more on designing hairstyles/body shapes/clothing and outfits, and did stuff that pushed the boundary of the "traditional" and the "known", it'd benefit you more than just adding random things to the same basic character designs.

[Edit] I understand this may be too much for the current design, but maybe things to think about on your next one?

Scosglen

I think the real issue is presentation rather than design here. As an example, Wakkawa trades almost exclusively in nude females--about as spartan as you can get in terms of character design-- but his skill with composition and sense of gesture among other things is what makes his work striking.

I guess what I'm saying is that I believe even with the exact same design you have now, if you were to reinterpret her in a less static pose, or change the point of view to something more exciting, make the value composition and spatial composition of the scene more dramatic, it would go a long way to adding character and interest.

I'm also saying that adding or tweaking all the knicknacks, bits, bobs, tattoos and scars to this character isn't going to do much for the piece as a whole, so in that capacity I'm disagreeing with ND.

Visti

Scosglen wrote: »

I think the real issue is presentation rather than design here. As an example, Wakkawa trades almost exclusively in nude females--about as spartan as you can get in terms of character design-- but his skill with composition and sense of gesture among other things is what makes his work striking.

I guess what I'm saying is that I believe even with the exact same design you have now, if you were to reinterpret her in a less static pose, or change the point of view to something more exciting, make the value composition and composition of the scene more dramatic, it would go a long way to adding character and interest.

I'm also saying that adding or tweaking all the knicknacks, bits, bobs, tattoos and scars to this character isn't going to do much for the piece as a whole, so in that capacity I'm disagreeing with ND.

Wasn't that exactly what he said, though?

Scosglen

Maybe I wasn't clear.

I don't think changing the design of the character, regardless of extent, is what the piece needs.

NightDragon

Scosglen wrote: »

I think the real issue is presentation rather than design here. As an example, Wakkawa trades almost exclusively in nude females--about as spartan as you can get in terms of character design-- but his skill with composition and sense of gesture among other things is what makes his work striking.

I guess what I'm saying is that I believe even with the exact same design you have now, if you were to reinterpret her in a less static pose, or change the point of view to something more exciting, make the value composition and spatial composition of the scene more dramatic, it would go a long way to adding character and interest.

I'm also saying that adding or tweaking all the knicknacks, bits, bobs, tattoos and scars to this character isn't going to do much for the piece as a whole, so in that capacity I'm disagreeing with ND.

That's actually exactly what I'm trying not to say. :P I agree of course that the pose and camera angle and composition could all use a makeover to make it more interesting...but as far as the design of the character goes, I'm suggesting he try not to only edit the small things (knicknacks and scars) but try to design more in an "overall" sense. I think the tweaking of smaller things is not going to do much, either, and that seems to be what he does in his designs. Composition, pose and camera angle will all make for a more interesting piece, but it won't make the character design itself any better.

So I guess I'm...agreeing-agreeing? :P

However, I think the design is lacking...so I disagree with that? I guess that cancels out the double-agree and leaves me with only one agree.

F87

Do you guys think I should even finish this? You know, for my portfolio?

I kinda feel like I should scrap it, do some pose/design studies, rethink it, and try again..

What do you guys think?

NightDragon

I think you should reply to my PM, so I can start that thread. :P