[Anthony]

And I ought to say that in certain cases(like this one) I prefer the painted look. In my bazaar the photo look kicked ass. It all depends on what you're trying to achieve I guess.

[spooge demon]

Hey cool Gerbil, glad to here what people think. That is one of the reasons I hang around here, to see what does and does not interest people. We are entertainers, no?

I was aware that I was freely interpreting western stuff and the cape came out of nowhere. No, wait, that is not a cape, those are body bags.

It is ironic, and is always the case. I do something that I finally see some value in, some redeeming quality and not everyone likes it. hehe. That is the way with my commercial crap, too. What I like or am pleased with gets me fired everytime.

There is something in that pic that I like. It kinda has the quality that I find in Mickes stuff sometimes, a faint exaggeration that I really like.

I am also aware that it is a little different for me in the loss of shadow detail. Don't usually do that.

A little history here, though. I went to school with Merg's boss (is that right?) and gave a short presentation to their studio. Merg mailed me later and asked for a crit of this cowboy pic, and I told him I would do it publicly here.

Merg, is there anything else I can help you with? Is that what you expected? Like I said, I could help more if i saw your reference. Without seeing it, I would say that there is too much contrast in the shadow areas of the face. That ear is being backlit, it has blood in it, make it warmer.

The radius on the gun stock is not uniform. Taper your highlight ot show this. Need more diffrentiation of materials. Skin, metal, wood, leather, cloth. Play up differences between them in the light, but don't be afraid to loose edges in shadows (like the face comment) Where light moves to shadow on the cape (poncho!) is a form shadow. Use a softer edge to show the form turning.

[immi]

Damn, it so looks like "The Bad" from the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Hehe, thats cool though, that bad guy was so cool.

[Mergatroid]

Spooge,


Just by seeing your version of things definitely gives me the motivation to finish it up. So let me summarize, simplify the values in the shadow areas, watch the edges on the shadows and differentiate surface materials. I think I got it but if I missed something then just correct me here.

On those other matters, you were absolutely correct. You did go to school with my boss (at least thats his recolection of it too) and we all got alot out of your coming to the studio and showing your work. I'll scan in the reference later this week and e-mail it to you if I can tear myself away from Diablo 2.


Late,


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Mergatroid