WIP: Frodo and the Black Rider

This is another test for my wacom tablet.
I've sketched down the whole picture and I'm refining it little by little... I'd like to have some critics to improve it in the right way.
i'm using photoshop CS

Click on the picture for the hires version

Frodos eyes definately need to be looking up and to the left as if anticipating the rider, because if not there is no reason for the viewer to believe one of these things has to do with the other. Also, frodo's face is bit red.
The horse seems to know Frodo is there, and the horse looks like the intelligence not the rider, as if the horse is seeking and the rider is just there. Perhaps give the rider a bit more detail and make him scarier? Also, the covering to frodo looks like hay, and there is a horse. So in my mind, that horse is gonna start eating that hay and frodo's a done deal.

thank you, I'll think about that... expecially for the look of the rider.
I like the horse the way it is, so maybe I'll modify the pose of the Nazgul to make him look scarier. If the horse looks more intelligent than him, though, it's not a great problem

In the meanwhile I've painted something else:

click to enlarge



Here frodo is different from the first picture because it's a primitive sketch.... for the final version he will be more like the other one.

That is some awsome artwork, well done.

Once crit though, the horse's face looks really wide. Should it be so wide ?

I also agree with making frodo look up and to the side, kinda like he is waiting or anticipating.

I like the second picture a lot more. The edges of frodos cover feels dodge and burned, maybe change the colour of that shade?

I also like the second one much more as far as Frodo's face goes.
The first reminds me a bit too much of those whiny/pouty moments he goes through, and it looks a bit like he has a wee red beard.

I really like the overall feel. Keep 'em coming.

Lol. I like the way you think, Ognus.
I prefer Frodo the first but I mistook the red glow of his ring for a beard. Horse's head is a bit too big for its body and its nostrils look too big as well. Given the highlights on the horse, the Nazgul will need a few to match. Even if you keep him in shadow, you might want to liven his pose. Have his neck craning as he listens, looks and sniffs for the ring. I really like the way that you arranged the characters and I'm eager to see you work on this.

Another update, I think that for today I won't go further.
The head of the horse is smaller now, but I don't if I will leave it because the first looked a bit more freaky... and the horse is not a common one.
The rider is not different, it will be the last to bew modified, I think.
For frodo... I like the way he looks now

Thank you for the critics!!

click to enlarge

the horse looks much better like that. wayyyyy better. still looking at the hay though. maybe make the grase a bit greener or some other color? or add a fern or a rock or something to give it more of a ledge feel than a bale of hay feel.

i really really like the horses head smaller. its take the prominence way from the horse, and give the composition a bit more balance.

hope to see the finished product.

mmm I was thinking to put a big root over the hay to hide it a bit.
I will work on it as soon as i can...

Another update... I decided to solve the hay-problem using a root and I think it works very well.
The composition has more depth of field now... thank you for the suggestion.
I've changed the lighting of the bottom and now everything is in shadow, except for the rocks on the floor that are exposed to direct lighting.

Of course the root is just sketched

click to enlarge

wow really impressive,coming along well.

is photoshop c.s. much different from 7.0??

no.... tools are the same, nothing changes in a noticeable way.

Much better! way to subdue that hay.
Its coming along. Very fun to see it grow!

Another update... I've painted the rider and now it looks good enough, i think.
i don't know if the root with leaf in the bottom right should be dark or highlighted in some way. I've blurred it to simulate depth of field, but I'm not sure if it works.
Please tell me what do u think