Alex Smith: Intermediate Artist Debonair

AlexSmith · March 2014

Hey; my name's Alex Smith, I'm an illustrator from Australia and I'm going to post some of my stuff for critique. I only started learning how to use a tablet about a year ago, and I really want to meet other artists because I feel like otherwise I'm kind of throwing my art into the wind with no-one to see it. Anyways...

Here's some concepts for a personal project - kind of like a zelda-like game with elements of fantasy and post apocalyptic themes. We got a Fish Ranger (or Spook), a Mutant Road Warrior and a Warlord of some type.

Some (very-rough) fully body portraits of the main characters for a webcomic I'm planning, with size comparisons. From left to right we have: Buck, Henri, Barbara, Agatha and Crange.

Here's a weird creature I dreamt up...

And lastly, my depiction of R'lyeh, done with a mouse. I tried for a vector style, which I usually don't do, and I quite like it.

Thanks for having a look, I will try to post more as I do more

Iruka · March 2014

These look pretty good, but I think you need to spend some time on your coloring and lighting. If you tone down the saturation all over, you can make other things pop a lot more. Also, a more defined light source will help things look more cohesive

(Sorry, I didn't have a chalk brush on hand)

Your characters and shapes are pretty nice/cute, I think refined coloring would give you some really charming work.

AlexSmith · March 2014

Thanks

I've only really just started to digital paint, so I'll definitely look into it

Iruka · March 2014

Might want to try and do some shape studies digitally, to help you get a handle on the tools: http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/172670/feb-monthly-enrichment-simple-shapes-light-and-form

AlexSmith · March 2014

Just been mucking around with shadows, this one's very dramatic. I took a photo of it because I don't have a scanner and I am obviously a professional, so it looks like total shit. Also mucked around with it unconvincingly in photo-shop for five minutes.

EDIT Resized the image sorry, I uploaded in a rush.

MagicToaster · March 2014

You might want to scale down your images. They are huge and kinda hard to appreciate when they take up most of the screen.

AlexSmith · March 2014

Just a short update;

Working with harsh lighting just because. It's fairly rough and I didn't sink a lot of time into it but tell me what you think

Topknot · March 2014

I have to give you kudos, I've yet to jump into the drawing tablet world and I feel like that's the only way to go now

It's not fair but you gotta evolve. Also wigged out by the disconnect of not looking at what my pen is doing, though I've seen tablets that are a screen and let you essentially throw that fear out the door. Anyways I really appreciate all this, I like the character design a lot. If I had any critique it would be depth as well, some of your things are a little flat.

AlexSmith · March 2014

Yeah I've always had a problem with depth. But I wouldn't say that you had to make the jump - there are a lot of comics that use the traditional medium, you just gotta use it effectively.

earthwormadam · March 2014

i like your style, but i think Iruka nailed it down

less saturation more defined light source would go a long way

i think your stuff would make for great comics, lets see some comics!

AlexSmith · March 2014

I tried to follow both critiques with this one, but I'm very mediocre at colour palettes. Anyway, this one's a Halfling Druid/Ranger, and rather than go just green for trees I thought I'd make him a bit more autumn themed. I'm loving Manga Studio, it just makes the whole process that much easier.

@earthwormadam‌ I do do webcomics, here's a snippet from my Seinfeld parody comic. I did these almost two months ago so they're incredibly rough. I think this will be funnier without context, so here we go ( this is only one page because the website isn't up yet and I'm not posting the whole thing anywhere until then)

SMY · March 2014

I don't think you have a mediocre color palette. As Iruka has said, you should take lighting into consideration, which means you may want to dabble in the use of cool shadows for your warm palette (especially on your Ranger). When I look at your autumn ranger & squint my eyes, it turns into a warm-valued blob, with the only contrasting components being the blue tinges on the arrows. The area around his waist appears muddied to me, so I did a quick paint over via Manga Studio, and used the Screen & Darken effects over specific spots. Just little touches that can be easily done.

The changes are subtle, but it's just enough to be able to see the details of the Ranger a bit more. But I am digging your style overall. There is something playful about it that delights me.

As for your comic, I can't really say much here. Since comics are gauged by style, panel design & overall storytelling it's hard to give you much of anything here without any sort of direction as to what to critique. I will say that it's odd how close up these shots are. It would be nice to have different shots, like a medium, far-away and so forth. Otherwise I feel as if I'm too close to all the action while getting not that much out of it. But it's all by taste honestly.

earthwormadam · April 2014

Oh cool. You should make more comics.

On your last one, I think it's better but still suffering from the same problems. First of your background is distractingly saturated. That is never good. Also, I think just breaking your figures down into simple shapes when you're coloring will help figure out a solid light source will help. SMY did a good job making some edits, but if you apply these theories from the get go, you'll be able to bump up the contrast even more and make your figures really pop.

I like the design on the ranger!

AlexSmith · April 2014

I did a quick edit, but I don't think it's much better. This is a big hurdle for me and I gotta overcome it, so I guess I just gotta keep going with it.

Here's some panels from a comic I'm working on right now, a full two months after I did the previous one

AlexSmith · May 2014

*Inhales deeply as I rise from the depths, ocean spray blanketing my form as I crest from the ocean of homework*

Hey! I'm not dead! Just been drowning under homework!
But because I'm terrible at homework, have a look at all the art I did instead!

(Working on my new style)

(A collection of 20-minute doodles with the aim of designing characters quickly and working on form/shape/movement)

Critique please?

AlexSmith · May 2014

Bonus:

AlexSmith · May 2014

More art:

Topknot · May 2014

I really like your style dude. You take the less is more route very well and the thicker line work is always cool when pulled off well.

I feel like I am the complete opposite with EXTREME details and fine lines, like I can't find a pen small enough for my detail lust!

AlexSmith · May 2014

Thanks man; I think ultimately you just gotta be confident in what you are putting forward and doing and then that confidence will show. I've been feeling pretty good about where my art is going recently so I'm able to experiment more and do more stuff, it's been really fun

Topknot · May 2014

Sorry, I guess I gave the wrong impression.

I like what I do, and I'm refining it to be the best it can be (ergo I have my work mutilated on this site). I just wanted to comment that you do simplicity well, and that I've tried emulating that kind of work and it's like nails on chalkboard in my head screaming "WHERES THE INTENSE DETAIL!!!"

AlexSmith · May 2014

Developing characters for a web comic about the apocalypse and loneliness. My backgrounds aren't very good, but I guess the main focus of this piece is the character. Had an idea on the bus and came home and flesh it out

AlexSmith · May 2014

Image dump from recent pieces. Working on character portraits/different textures

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