the soldier

[voltageme5]

is it human?

if so the head is a little disproportional.

Also, does he have a story?

[q12]

is it human?

if so the head is a little disproportional.

Also, does he have a story?

no, it is not human ...just have a humanoid form/stand/posture/ .. i dont start with a human anatomy in mind... sorry for that part too...about the story is just a ghost came from my imagination. just that. (its a sketch actualy, in this stage, i presume)...

[mosoul]

It would be great if he was waiting for the (futurist) metropolitan with the curvy railroad in the bgd. Just an idea.

[q12]

It would be great if he was waiting for the (futurist) metropolitan with the curvy railroad in the bgd. Just an idea.
this is rather a dramatic view for this model [who itself is a living drama :) ] but "my style" at this moment is inclined towords a triumphal/victorious/parade/ atmosphere_bgd who is a contrast to its mood/drama posture.... this is my opinion ... yours is welcome also,and i think about all . but sincerely i dont feel like to make any progress with this one because i am not found yet enough stimulation... thats why i posted here ...maybe i catch one.

[CybrGfx]

This is a good piece, Teodor!

I DID sense the "parade" atmosphere to it, I saw him standing on the side watching as the parade is passing. Just watching.

The background would not have to be detailed, just a "clear" rough of color and light, and movement...(sounds SO easy that way, doesn't it? :) )

No, I did not sense that he is human. You have a VERY nice, strong foundation to this character. It could pass for steampunk, but it honestly has its own flavor of style that is more sci-fi mercenary, almost like star wars, than steampunk (in my opinion).

The only part I do not like is the way his neckace is dangling off of his collar, rather than hanging around the neck on the outside of the collar...

Very nice. Look forward to the background!

~C

[q12]

i suppose im not that good at bkg. i choose this sloppy "atomic mushrom" like a cloud because it suit whell with the initial image and i mentain the contrast.
but you are right , he need a story and i am not good at stories i suppose.
i will try harder but im tired right now. i dont find any reasonable solution for his bkg.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h208/q1212/cintiq-wacom/cgsociety-concurscopy-1.jpg

[q12]

here is another variant but it damage the model rather than help in it.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h208/q1212/cintiq-wacom/cgsociety-concurscopy-2.jpg

[CybrGfx]

Yes, background, and back story are two of the hardest parts of image foundation, but they are as important as perspective, balance, and flow.

It is not something people think of when they want to create. It is only when you want your creation to be very good that you start thinking, and then obsessing over it. Welcome to another step forward in your journey to be an artist, and not just someone who draws or paints...

Unfortunately, it is also a somewhat solitary and lonely journey. While you can come to places like this, and get feedback, and suggestions, and hopefully encouragement, in the end, it must come from within you...

Try roughing out different background SHAPES. You yourself notice how the military guard parade ruins the subject. Try just gray shapes first. Place this shape in an environment of shapes that he fits. Do not worry about whether they are bunches of people. or tanks, or flying shrapnel at this moment. Just get the shape composition correct, as if you were squinting your eyes to look at the flow of the finished work...

You may also want to give the shapes varied values. This can help with perspective placement, but it's not mandatory.

ALSO! Start thinking out the back story. Why is he in a parade type situation with lots of people around him, their attention focused on a parade? Is HIS attention focused on the parade, or someone watching the parade, or is he just there, indifferent as lamp post? If so, why is he even there? Was he sent there? Why?

~C

[EndoTouch]

If you have a hard time with back story try reading from authors like Shakespeare. Some modern work is good however we are saturated in it and it is hard to pull things out of, the contrast with older literature and the way things used to be written lends itself very well to artwork. Drama was the source of writing historically meaning everything had visual and spatial elements very clearly written in, everything was meant to end up a visual experience, that also told of a great number of concepts. I don't think many people are willing to go that far for their art though which is a shame, what is a painting but a story captured in paint.

also I think what cybergfx's question are leading too is that the image is not a moment in time but independent elements on a page. try thinking you are your creature just before the moment of the painting, then when the moment of the painting is there freeze and you will have a natural moment to play with rather than a forced one. The better you role play the better your image will show depth.

[q12]

here is my newest BKG !!! behold... my idea is this: concerning all kind of bkg-s : I must make a compromise between the quality i want must and the rest of the image who is there to support (more or less) the "golden egg". :))
if i am not right then tell me WHY and i think of it.
and for the source for inspirations i have a lot (images,movies,books of all kind even Shakespeare ) BUT my practical concept about bkg-s is that i want (its hard to explain) a FORM of a general solution if i may say (i feel it exist somewhere and i cant explain exactly what i feel). Not technics,or easy solutions at the moment.... i think the right word is the method but is the most close word to explain what i have in mind and what i search.
hmm..in time with practice i will step over this tedious impediment..and be more familiar with my tablet.. i suppose.
i have pretentious toughts thats why i move soo slowly.
i hope this is more closer to a self-storry-bkg-s...t.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h208/q1212/cintiq-wacom/cgsociety-concurscopy-3.jpg

[EndoTouch]

It seems you want your background to be abstract, that is they are to be about composition and not be anything in themselves. Many people do this, backgrounds are just backgrounds in their images. While this will draw out a character it will do nothing for the image making the background a waste of space. I think a character in an arbitrary setting without relation to its surroundings is only acceptable as a character sheet, not a working painting. The image should be the focus not any distinct part of it such as a golden egg. Doesn't mean you can't have a character be the focus it means that if you want a painting the character and background need to be part of the same image. An abstract background, what you describe is filler, it adds no merit to an image. "backgrounds" should be painted with the rest of the subject not as an afterthought.

[q12]

["backgrounds" should be painted with the rest of the subject not as an afterthought.]
you are very right and i sustain what you are saying. its a logical and a normal point of view.
if sometimes i will clear my mind about this part i will came and explain what i am searcing now in more detail.
Though what you are saying is this: i must, in the First place, make a scene/composition/story in my mind and then work it on, but in my particular case i am "good" at making only the model (in general) and then fit it in some story depending of his posture/attitude/expresion/etc. this is the HARD part for me at this moment.
And if you will permit my indulgence to say that this is my only way of working/painting from all my time(including in the past). i agreed is a wrong road but i look at it to polish not to thow away or abandoned it - not that i was doing that in many ways, but now im back.
-back to our sheeps, tell me something about my background.
thx.

[CybrGfx]

Excellently stated, Endo Touch!

Teodor, by your own works, ...i have pretentious toughts thats why i move soo slowly.
You are now faced with a dilemma. To work at changing bad habits in order to improve your technical rendering skills, or to continue with your "pretentious thoughts," and the level of artistic success you are currently achieving with them...

The background you slapped behind the character does not fit the story you presented earlier, and is very boring and uninteresting. The focal point of a painted image is going to be those areas illuminated from the bright, dominant windows. This character is now essentially a potted plant sitting in that hallway, not the main focal point, except for size and placement. There is nothing to visually tie him to the background, not anything to make him seem more interesting to look at. It is like passing a billboard on the way to work. You look at it in passing, but feel no desire to stop and study it for awhile.

Your attitude also points up a subtle, yet important attitude of the WIP/Critique forum, which is that when fellow members take the time to look at, and more importantly, post comments on works, those actions are not meant to be wasted on "doodles," or images that start as doodles, and then become overworked doodles. Those are NOT art, although they can become art with enough effort put into them. Works should have at least some intent to be actual compositions, or character creations...

The way your story on this character has changed, and the boring "filler" background you have now stuck onto this, display too much "doodle," not enough "thought" to this piece. I wish you the best of success with it, but it is not worth any more of my time to help you with something that has no real intent behind it.

~C

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