[Gimbal8]

I need to learn how to cut my losses and move on. I try too hard to save something that was flawed from the beginning and I end up wasting too much time trying to fix it.

I sketched this as just a Seraphim with hand flamers, pretty much just like the miniature looks. Yeah, I know most people hate Warhammer 40k stuff but oh well. I really like the Sisters of Battle so what can I say...

Anyway, I got carried away with the sketch and tried coloring it. Then I combined the color with a cleaned up line art layer and then tried making everything look right from there.

Unfortunately (or should I say fortunately?) I learned an important lesson after doing all this: think about composition from the beginning. Now I already knew this, but I guess I didn't really put it into practice like I should have been doing.

I also learned a few other valuable lessons while doing this but I think the composition one is the biggie here.



I'd appreciate any feedback. I'd really like to hear from anyone who can tell me how I can get a more realistic look to an image like this. My values aren't quite right and it comes off looking more like an illustration than something tangable and solid. I don't know if I'm explaining that well.

Next time I'll have to have my wife wear some power armor and stand outside to use as a good reference for lighting.

[Mon]

Hey dude, don't be too hard on yourself. It's a nice picture, a carefully rendered drawing. If you have an ambition to put some color to it that's great, but don't be afraid to put it aside and do something else in the meantime. If you feel that it's still interesting when you look at it again after a week or two, then get right back on it.

When you do, I would advice you not to be too protective about the b/w drawing. As soon as you put color in the mix you usually find that the picture will need some changes. Don't be afraid to make those changes. Be ruthless.

I often find that it's a good idea to use color very early in a painting, just a tip for any future pictures you will make. Color is not to be treated as something you add at the last second because there ought to be some in a painting. Color IS painting.

/mon

[kaiowah]

i also think it is nice.
more sharpness and harder contrasts here and there could improve it.

[Gimbal8]

Mon: Thanks for the tips. I'm not good with colors, but I probably will try and color it some day when I have a firmer grasp of color usage. I'll be sure to take your advice and not be too protective of the drawing when I do.

kaiowah: Thanks. The image is rather grainy looking because of something I did very early on, but when I go back and try to color it I'll try to fix that and give things more definition. I'll try to do better with the contrast too.