HOME | DD

Neukhia [2016-12-18 23:03:44 +0000 UTC]

I am happy to be of assistance, sir. I, too, shall reply to your comments in turn.

Well, if the spine and skull are connected correctly, or at least close to it, then I would definitely suggest seeing what can be done with the cloak. As long as you're at it, perhaps adjust the draping on the lateral portion of the sleeve so it flows in the same direction as the rest of the cloak. That's entirely up to you, but I think it might give the picture a more consistent look. At the vest least, it's something you can experiment with and maybe get a little practice.

Aside from the scratches and the edges of each stone, are they all a single solid color? Few stones are entirely a single shade, after all, so it might be worth experimenting with adding various shades each stone's respective color, or even flakes of other colors, like granite. Maybe try adding some shading to imply a rougher texture.

Indeed, I suppose the candle holders are the same form. On the assumption they are metallic, you have quite a bit of freedom with how reflective they are, especially with the candles above them. On account of the flames being the primary (if not only) light source, consider using orange to indicate lit surfaces of the candle holders instead of white/light yellow.

Experimentation is a great way to get experience. For example, whenever I want to teach myself a new technique, such as perspective angles, I simply try my hand and it and see how it turns out. Simply doing that, I have seen substantial improvement between two consecutive pictures of the same style, even if one is done immediately after the other.

I shall endeavor to continue making comments such as these to help you improve, sir. Idle watchers are little good to an artist, after all.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Neukhia [2016-12-17 00:10:39 +0000 UTC]

A few comments, if I may.

First, I quite like the skeleton and its cloak. I think the anatomy is generally well-done and the cloak drapes and flows nicely. However, I do have a few ideas of how it might be improved. I might need to review human skeletons a little, but I think the spine connects a little farther back on the skull. As everything is drawn and positioned now, the spine looks like it connects near the jaw. Consider moving the skull up a little higher to better align with where the cloak dictates the spine is.

Second, the wall. Overall, I like it. I don't see any repeating pattern, which is very good since the wall is made of various sizes and shapes of stones. However, all the stones seem to be textured exactly the same way. It brings a certain degree of order and consistency to what is otherwise a very random background. Try experimenting with other texture styles or even just making some of the stones more scratched than others to prevent such a uniform appearance.

Third, the candles. I like that every candle is unique in terms of height and precise shape. You didn't take a lazy route of copying one or two candles and pasting them into all nine places; I appreciate such attention to detail. Their stands, however, should be uniform, given that they all seem to be the same design. For something like that, I'd suggest making one as well as you can, then copy it however many times you need for the picture, making adjustments as necessary.

Fourth, lighting and shading. I'll never deny that fire is a tricky thing to draw. I have tremendous difficulty with it myself, so I can't make any reasonable suggestions on how to improve the fire. However, I can suggest this: pay attention to light sources within your picture. The shadows behind the candle holders imply a single light source above and to the left of the picture. In their own right, the shadows are fairly well done. I'd suggest looking at various pictures of burning candles to see how they affect the shadows of objects around them.

I apologize if my comments seem harsh; I only intend to help you improve. I do like this picture, by the way, in case you thought otherwise.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1