[eBoy]

Hello...
This is a bookcover I'm doing... the girl's supposed to be around 12 years old, and a little shy/nervous.

This is sketching in Photoshop... I'll finish it in painter... just wanted to know if I could improve this pic (and how) before I take it to the final stage of rendering.

Thanks in advance

eBoy

[Dr. T.J. Eckleberg]

Don't touch it! It reminds me of the style of the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mystery books. I love that you can still see the sketch lines. It gives it character! Leave it alone!

It just LOOKS like a bookcover.

[saladbowl]

I agree, looks cool!
Just like a book cover!

[ValarianROOT]

I like it as well... but, Its difficult to see if that is a backpack on her back or not. The looseness of the pic really apealls to me and i think the real dilema about the backpack is that it is so amorphous that it looks more like something stuck up under her shirt. Maybe if you had an older looking backpack on her, as opposed to a new fashion hip one. It's just what I see. Sorry I'm not much help. Really, its great otherwise.
JN

[Kaete]

That's a really beautiful picture.

But 12 year olds do *not* have hips like that. It looks like a young woman, not a kid.

In girls, the pelvis (hips) usually don't develop until after puberty.

[Mharett]

i have a feeling that it is just me but the arms seems off, perhaps a bit long? i cant put my finger on it... other than that though its a charming pic, be sure and post the finished version

mhar

[The Green Man]

Nice work! I really like the softness and subtlty of the color. I like the awkwardness of her feet, it totaly creates the shy/nervous feel you're trying to achieve. Super cool stuff.

[Lunatique]

Can't wait to see it finished

[Daijoobu]

I love it!!
You've really managed to capture a nice, summer-like mood. It's beautiful.

[Dr. T.J. Eckleberg]

Kaete is right about the hips*, but I would take a little artistic license with this one. It was obvious to me that this was a girl, and I think the waist/hip ration plays into that. A boyish figure might make it more ambiguous. Also, the way she is standing (pidgeon toed) would cause her hips to be a little wider than usual.


When is the book set? Have you read the book?

���������������������
*Well almost. Girls are actually born with a pelvis. It's the muscle tone and fatty tissue, more than bone structure, that changes during puberty. The bones do change, but I don't believe that is the primary cause of the waist-to-hip ratio increase at puberty.

[Kaete]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dr. T.J. Eckleberg:

*Well almost. Girls are actually born with a pelvis. It's the muscle tone and fatty tissue, more than bone structure, that changes during puberty. The bones do change, but I don't believe that is the primary cause of the waist-to-hip ratio increase at puberty.

---

Well, heck, *everyone* has pelvis (pelvic?) bones. By develop, I meant "get bigger."

As in, all girls have breasts, but they only develop at puberty.

Also, it's not just the growing of the bones. A majority of the size difference, in fact, is from the nice layer of fat the body sticks there to shout "Hey, guys! I can have big healty babies! Whoo hoo!" {grin}

Regardless, I agree with the good doctor; I wouldn't change the pic. She's really beautiful just the was she is.

[eBoy]

Hi there... and thank you for all the kind words and helpful crits!
I've corrected the arms and the feet a little bit.
I've kept the background sort of sketchy, and made a thick outline on the girl... it was an expiriment, but I really like the outcome! -what do you think?
I've tried to make her backpack appear more as a backpack... in the colouring that is, I haven't changed the shape.
Regarding the hips/pelvis/fatty tissue/woman-girlie thingie ;-) I wanted to make it very visible that she's a young girl just about to become a woman (that's what the book's all about ;-)

well yadda yadda... hope you like it c&c's warmly welcome :-)

Cheers

eBoy

[ELLioT]

I prefered when there was nothing in the background, you've turned it from mysterious and sad to... common and optimistic.

[ValarianROOT]

I like what you've done. I can clearly see it's a backpack and the tightening up you've done is really fantastic. One question, just cause I'm a pest. Why did you leave one of the towers in the castle as a simple block shape? Is it part of the storie? If so, that would explain it. Like the details in the shore and leave of the tree the most.

JN

[Roh]

keep the new girl, I like the way she stands out from the background now, but unless it is needed I would remove or mute the castle in the background. It really removes that "what's out there" feel the first pic had.

just my 2 cents.

[Briareos]

I like the first one best. the lighting seems better, more fresh if you will.

although the tree is absolutly amazing in this 2nd one..

[ April 11, 2002: Message edited by: Briareos ]

[The Green Man]

I agree with the other posts...unless totally crucial nix the castle...the comp loses somthing with it in there. Keep up the good work... can't wait to see the piece completed!

[nova]

i think you should position the arms differently.. the elbows being closer to the body than the hands. that way it would create a nice opposing shape to the legs. right now it kind of looks like the arms are put on backwards. other than that, though.. i love the colors, the composition, the values, and the painting style a ton.

edit: way to write what's already been said

[ April 11, 2002: Message edited by: nova ]

[eBoy]

HI all... and thanks for the replys...
well... the "castle" is actually the copenhagen skyline... and due to the story of the book... it has to be there! :-/
(The big block, is the radisson SAS hotel)

green man > this IS the final piece ;-)

Nova... I think youre right about the arms... but I've already delievered it to the client... so NEXT time :-)

Briareos - yeah... but isn't that always the bitch? how to keep the fresness of the sketch to the final rendering?? is it the sketchy linework? - the loose colouring?
dunno.. anyhooch... I'm pretty happy with the pic and will move fast forward to the next one - hopefully learning in the process >>

Thanks u all

eBoy

[BooMSticK]

lovely!
I would probably add some detail to the city. Right now it has a 'castle' feeling and doesnt really resemble a city all that well. Add some detail to the sides of the city and dont end it so eruptly. Maybe touch up on the value on the city - see if you can blend it better with the background tone. I also prefer if it wasn't there, but I can understand why you have to put it in...
Also I would work alittle on the lighting on the girl's arms. Right now I think they are too even lighted which is alittle boring. I would make her(!) right arm more in shadow. Just to make the lighting more dynamic. Also your shadows seem to be to even. Not enough contrast in the shadows I think, especially under the backpack.
Lastly I think she looks abit too old. She has abit too much form around the hips for a 12 year old. Ofcause we can't see the face which makes painting children of a certain age even harder than it already is!
Great cover (again) Emil!
,Boom

[kad]

Nice colors. Love the feel of it.