[Scotty]

One off I did to familiarize myself with PS7's interface. really like how some things came out, like the sleeves and upper cloth banners.

C&C?

[dogfood]

Sorry about the double reply, but this project really got me thinking and I hope you don't mind, but I did a couple really quick sketches to illustrate my point about the figure in relation to the composition. I tried to put a lot of life into the cloth to create more interest.
If you want me to take them down, just say so.
I'm sorry I didn't do them in color, but I ran out of time.
(I really didn't know if you intended male or female, so...)

[dogfood]

It's too bad no one has replied, yet.

Overall, I can see you trying to tie color, composition, and feel into the figure. Using long, flowing hair and great, billowing strips of cloth can be very dramatic and also quite difficult. Unfortunately, I think there are too many elements here.

Color: Kudos by using complementaries (blue and orange). Unfortunately, they are both at similar intensities. Often, when trying to create contrast with colors, we miss by only tossing in complimentaries, without looking at the hues. Subduing one or balancing them (2 chunks of blue for every chunk of orange) will keep the eye from dancing around too much.
The purple looks haphazardly chosen and clashes with the two shades of blue you've chosen. Perhaps another shade of blue or a yellow-orange.

Composition: You've chosen a vertical form, which can have a lot of visual appeal, but just when the eye is tracking along fine, it's slapped to a jarring stop at the hair, blocking the path. In general it appears that the elements are out of balance, with cloth disappearing into the figure somehow.

Figure: If this is a female, the right arm is far too large. Regardless, the left one is much smaller than the right. The pose itself seems a little stiff and it looks like you're are hiding the hands and feet on purpose because you are afraid to draw them. The left arm doesn't look quite connected to the shoulder and the right thigh is almost twice as long as it should be. Also, we wouldn't be able to see the tip of the far ear.

I hate to point it out, but the "wind model" is terribly confusing. The hair indicates a strong left to right flow, but everything else says a light, random flow.

I'm sorry if this is overly long and seems harsh, but you have talent and I like to see talented artists grow (growth being often uncomfortable).

[Scotty]

Thanks for the critiques, DF. I'm definitely planning to revisit this piece a few times before I let go of it. (I have a concept of a wind-priestess order with different variations in it, possibly as a d&d prestige class.) While I did finally spot the arm, the hair breaking the flow of the painting had eluded me.

edit: image is the working block layer/line layer for the new painting. any future posts on this from me will go to in-progress.



Hopefully the figure reads more female now and the flow issues already look better to my eye.

[ August 12, 2002: Message edited by: Scotty ]

[ August 12, 2002: Message edited by: Scotty ]

[kat*]

i'm a noob so what i say doesn't mean much, but i love the second version! its so much more pleasing to the eye, i cant wait to see a coloured version! keep it up.
-katherine

[Scotty]

here's the final version of the second painting:



[ August 13, 2002: Message edited by: Scotty ]