Yet Another Painting

[myucka]

Had this pose in my head and needed to get it out.

Hope you like it. Still lots to do.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor2.jpg

[M_Cederstrom]

nice little starte, can't wait to see it finish. :D

[BenniKImmel]

If im getting the right idea from it, I like the direction its going.

[Kitana]

I can't say nothing right now - finish it. I want to give a point that in this pose the left arm might be little visible behind the back :)

[Avatar-3DT]

Is this a night scene or a day scene? I'm asking because the light placement allows for more dramatic lighting and shadows. I think the character should be place more towards the middle of the road and for that you might need to resize the image. The ponytail has a strange position and steals the eye, it might be better to make it less obviouse and hide it more behind the character. The posture doesn't justify its position right now (and there should be a really strong wind outside to make it move like that). I'll be waiting for the next upate. Goodluck!

[BenniKImmel]

I agree with Avatar, I didnt realize it until he said it but the guy is a bit off to the side on the road.

[myucka]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

As always Avatar, your suggestions are great and your critiques better. In this case, however, I think I will keep him situated where he is. I have tried a couple of placements and nothing seems to do it for me for some reason. This looks more natural to me.

I always like the swishing ponytail...maybe from all of my comic book days...lol. Anyway, I will work on how I want it, but you are right that it does distract a bit.

It is a daytime scene on a mountain trail. Basically this character has been followed and he just spun around to confront his assailant. Hence the ready stance and why he is not centered more...good excuse eh?

I am hoping to play more with shading and be a bit more daring with highlights and shadows. I seem to always hint at highlights, but never fully commit. The boot color needs to be straightened out I admit, I can't decide how I want it. I also need to get a better reference for the sword hand as this doesn't seem to be working out well on that hand.

Thanks again for looking!!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor4.jpg

[myucka]

Ok. I relent. I moved the character and started working on some proportion and perspective issues. I have a picnic to go to, so here is my update for today

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor5.jpg

[M_Cederstrom]

sweet update.

[Avatar-3DT]

You'll have to fix the sky (right now doesn't really look like a daylight sky) but the position is better now for the overall composition. I think the dagger hand should be lower (the blade too), almost towards the upper middle of the thigh. Keep up the good work and I'll keep an eye out for your next update.

[myucka]

Okay I messed around with the sky. I originally wanted an overcast sky, but I like this better. I also took it back a step as some people believed the painting was becoming too sterile. I want to try to have it refined, but not completely smooth. I want to have some brush strokes for texture, but I want to have a pretty detailed and refined character.

I want to thank everyone for their critiques.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor6.jpg

[Avatar-3DT]

Quick paintover for some pointer and ideas. I thought showing you might value more than another bunch of words.

[pitchus]

it never stops to amaze me, what you can do with all those (potentionally) good paintings...

[myucka]

Avatar: I hate you...hehe :wall: This is pretty much what I was going for, but I can never seem to get it out...aaarghhh.

I know I have to keep practicing, but man, I'm so far from where I want to be and I've been drawing for almost 20 years. Admittedly, I've only been painting seriously for the last few...

I'll keep digging though.

[Avatar-3DT]

I'm 33 and I draw since I was 3. I work in Photoshop just for about 5 years. Maybe even less. You have to be patient. Practice a lot. Spend time just watching the people and the things around you. Believe it or not, most of the time people look around them just superficially. Use references, don't be afraid of them. Some people have a natural talent on spoting the right colors, the other just have to train themselfs, use the color until they become instinctive. I'm sure you can do it. Keep it up!

[myucka]

Took a break from this picture for a bit. Now I'm hopefully going to work on it until it is finished.

Thanks Avatar for the inspiration, unfortunately it seems with my new changes this is turning into your painting instead of mine...haha.

Anyway, I liked the mood of your sky, so that required repainting it and adjusting the color on the character. Also, I liked what you did with the shadows on the side of the face. On a day like this, there would be a lot of diffuse light, so unless something is covered, there are not going to be extremely harsh shadows, so I have quite a bit more work to do.

[Avatar-3DT]

I think the armor and the belt look very good right now. But your character seems detached from the background, almost like floating there like something stuck with glue on another page. Diffuse lights create transparent shadows but the shadows will be there nontheless since the stronger light emanates from a single, lightsource.

[myucka]

Well, here is the finished piece. I tried to make this all seem like one picture and that everything belongs. I hope it looks that way. As usual, I learned a lot and I will take it to my next piece.

Thanks!!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor_Final01.jpg

[cid228]

Really nice, I like the armor details alot !
Waiting for the next one !

[mizino]

i think and i could be slightly off with this one that compared to the chest armor the pants and the boots look a bit washed out maybe some more defined blacks and highlights would help?

[myucka]

Thanks for the replies. Here is the newest update. Changed the rocks and added more detail and texture to the foreground. Moving down the characters body and adding detail and texture as I go to match the rest of him. Having a hard time with the boots...gotta work on those more. Probably take a day off to think on them.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor_Final03.jpg

[M_Cederstrom]

great finish Myucka. :D you pulled it off vey nicely. :) You can even give avatar a run for his money LOL J/K Avatar.

[myucka]

Yeah right...if it weren't for Avatar, this wouldn't look as good. It is still not finished, but it is getting there. The boots are killing me :D

Oh, and thanks a bunch for the kind words

[mizino]

hey it really pops now...but there is one thing...i don't understand it but there is a stray bit of red color just under his back boot...i'm not sure what it is maybe its my screen?

[M_Cederstrom]

:haha: go! go! go!

[myucka]

Well, this is it. The final piece. Thanks for all of the help!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor_Final04.jpg

[M_Cederstrom]

how many hour did you work on this master piece? absolutely great!!!:drool::lurve:

[myucka]

Thanks for the more than kind words.

I actually lost count of how many hours...I know it was more than 10. I kind of lose track when I get going. I also put it down for awhile after one of Avatar's overpaints. I had to think about it for a bit and get away from it.

Once I came back, it didn't take too long...probably about 8 hours from the time Avatar overpainted, to this version. I forgot to go back and detail up the hair a little.

Thanks again. I appreciate it.:wave:

[Antievo-3DT]

Wow, myucka! This is awesome! You really took Avatars advice and went with it- and it really shows! This thread shows a lot of progress. Love the fine detail and your color tones! Congrats on finishing the piece- waiting for the next one :D

[myucka]

Thank you for the comment!

Actually, I forgot the hair details, so I added them here.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/myucka/NewPaintings/DrakaColor_Final05.jpg

Now it is finished!!! haha

[mizino]

Wow nice pic it really is much better than the previous finished product lol

[M_Cederstrom]

Can't forget that hair. :D