Deep forest drama...

[ormestad]

Here are some more work in progress. The tree will get a more greyish tone like the branches and I will also add more epiphytes and stuff.


http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip5.jpghttp://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip-lineart.jpg

[ormestad]

The latest version...
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip6.jpg

[DArcy1]

Hi

I absolutely love your linework ! The question that does come to mind, however, is "what drama?". That is, what is she reacting to? I assume there will be something to fill in that big space on the left? Or maybe she's just mad because her toe is stuck... :scream:

D'Arcy

[ormestad]

Hi D'arcy! Thanks for your comment!
That is indeed a valid question... ;)
First thing - that corny title is just a working title... Me thinks... And the drama is right now consisting of that orange glow you see down in the lower left corner. I think I will keep it quite subtle though, just like a hint of what might be going on down there. I'm considering to put some more clues in the form of reflections in water drops on the branch that comes up in the foreground. But I'm not sure that I can make it look good though...
We'll see!

Meanwhile, here's the latest version!
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip7.jpg

[DArcy1]

I think if you want it subtle, she is looking too terrified/shocked/angry to fit. Also, she is looking straight to our left, not down at all - so whatever is going on down there, she hasn't noticed yet :-)

D'Arcy

[ormestad]

Well, I don't mean that the effect is subtle, just the visualization of what the danger is.

[TrenchcoatPixie]

Her anatomy is distracting me from the rest of the picture. I realize you want her to be dainty and elfin, but...her hips are way too low, her arm looks atrophied, and that far breast looks like somebody yanked it down and out like silly putty. It needs to move up. Her skull also must go so far back, for her hair to be doing that. Like, her head must be egg-shaped. And the thigh of her bent leg has these...rivulets...it sort of looks like how your skin folds if a muscle atrophies. I think you'd benefit from a reference photo.

I really like the delicacy of the line work, and the clarity of the colors. The overall effect is very attractive...I just can't tear my eyes away from the problems with the girl.

[EndoTouch]

I keep thinking Thundercats HO! every time I see this, the cartoons before my time but if there ever was a female lion o there she is. I wouldn't worry about the anatomy myself its late in the game and the image looks interesting enough. I think her the only glaring problem is the upper body got stretched some. Anyway your style is good enough to stand on its own.

[ormestad]

I have to agree with Trenchcoat Pixie's colorful evaluation... Fortunately I haven't started the detailing work on the girl yet, just some basic color and shading. I have modified the linework a little bit now, so please tell me what you think!
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/plastic_surgery.jpg

[TrenchcoatPixie]

Better. The hips especially. I think you could move that breast up a bit more, even, and then it'd be good. Her arm still looks thin and wasted, and her hand is too small--compare the hand to the size of her face to see what I mean. And...now that I'm looking, I think there's something wrong with her shoulder socket. Her arm looks dislocated like this; her shoulder isn't anchored to her torso. Her skull is still a really odd shape, too; think about where all that hair must be anchored to be that thick, so far back.

I hope this is helpful! Sorry if I got a bit too "colorful," I really do just want to help. XD

[EndoTouch]

If you want this to be much better than you have it, not saying its bad, I think you should do some development sketches of her in more natural stance. References, as always, and redrawing it from scratch with concept sketches along the way would boost her up to realistic. If you've already gone through the motions I guess just do some more reworking. Again though the whole thing is very stylish.

[ormestad]

Ok, I have done some more plastic surgery on my crippled, atrophied elf ;)
Her left arm is now a wee bit bigger, but it is supposed to be going a little bit backward behind her shoulder, so I think the proportions look ok. The shoulder is also modified a little bit now, I agree it looked a bit strange before.
I also made a quick sketch of a skeleton in a layer above her so it would be easier to check the proportions.
I don't really agree with the hair, so that stays as it is now... She's got thick hair... ;)
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/plastic_surgery2.jpg

[waffles]

Hi ormestad,

You've got some nice work here. The detailing on the tree is gorgeous. However, I cannot get over that figure. You say she's an elf, but besides the ears and possibly the tattoos, I don't see anything to really indicate that. Her anatomy is unnaturally skinny, but not pushed enough to say 'not human.' It also looks like you're going in a more anatomical direction. It's good that you're thinking about the skeleton, but it may be beneficial to go even a step further back and draw a gesture and line of action. Her pose is very stiff, and if she's going to be moving around on those gnarled branches, her movements should be more fluid and graceful. In balanced standing poses, the center line from the shoulders is directly over the weight bearing foot. Because her shoulders and feet are so far from aligned, her pose says more inbalance and stumbling. I hope you found some of this useful.

[ormestad]

But since she actually is running, and not in a standing pose, the point of gravity has to move right? The point of gravity is actually behind her, indicating that she is slowing down so she won't slip on that gnarly branch.
And I wouldn't describe her pose as stiff...

[CybrGfx]

She's running? No way!

I thought she was leaning back against the tree, with one foot stuck/lodged in a crook.
Upon looking closer, she's not leaning against the tree, which then makes her fixing to fall on her butt. Center of gravity + Law of Gravity = Painful landing...
She still looks like a thundercat.

~C

[ormestad]

Well, if she would be standing still then of course she would fall on her butt... And I also agree that if she was standing still that would be a really weird pose.
But if I'm the only one that can see she's running, I have obviously failed.
Here is the latest revision of the anatomy on the background:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip8.jpg

Here is a version where I added some arrows showing how I figure she's moving. She's moving forward indicated by arrow A, but by moving the center of gravity backward (B) she's decreasing her speed and slightly change the direction when she gets out in that branch.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/ormestad/wip8-arrows.jpg

[DArcy1]

It never occurred to me that she was running. I thought she was just standing there and something off to the left startled her so she jumped backwards. The image catches her just in the moment of jumping back. That's why I thought you needed something obvious off to the left that she would be reacting to, to explain her pose.

Of course , that wouldn't explain her hair, it's going in the wrong direction - if she's jumping back or decellerating it should be moving forward to cover her face, not back towards the trunk.

D'Arcy

[Salubri3i]

very gorgeous work.

you should use the hair to reinforce her motion though. that'll make things a whole lot more clearer.

my suggestion is to just drop the running part(:D) and have her tilt her head to the direction of your "ominous glow"(which might make her look away from us). i think that would make the message of your painting more stronger and the drama more obvious. she already looks like she's moving sidewards. you could reinforce that by trying to evoke fear of the "orange glow".

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