Laura Diehl's WIP Thread

#261

I spent the day working on secretarial crap for Dragon*Con (ordering clear bags, checking frame fits, finalizing my calendar design, etc.), and now have a lovely headache. I plan to get back to this tomorrow.

Lilie: Yes, the scales still need work. Glad you like my rodent Darth.

Dianae: I’m liking the colors too. I’m thinking about using that sky blue color in the title text.

selden: Good! I’ll see what I can do to fake the scales :wink:

Golgi!: Like I said the above is a very raw thrown on texture that needs work. I though they were scarier without pupils (as they seemed to make the snake characters more dorky). But if anyone wants to prove me wrong with a paintover, you are welcome to. I’m sure it can be done and still be as freaky.

#262

Well, I think that some very thin, discreet slits helps to make their eyes focus, while not necessarily looking dorky… I’ve done a quick paintover as you suggested :slight_smile:

Mind you, I don’t think it looks bad without the pupils, not at all, I just think it’s more snake-ish with them.

#263

Hi Laura,

The scene with looks great, the creatures look great too but in this last version they are too “scaly”. Your version of 08052006 looks much better. If you insist on using scales u could limit them to the regions with highlight Maybe something like I did with the arms of my (now discarded) fantasy pet. (my 2 cnt…)

#264

I think the scales look a bit weird. They don’t follow the shapes of the bodies or perspective. It looks like you just added a scale texture. You should probably paint them by hand (at least in some areas, and just leave the others without texture, it won’t be very noticeable). Even with less detail, they’ll look much better if they follow the bodies.

#265

Arty2: Thanks for the good idea on limiting the scales.

eishiya: I probably will paint some of them that way -eventually. In the meantime I did erase a good bit away from the “texture” layer.

The image with the scribbles in it is my second attempt at the positioning of the figures (I know it is a mess decipherable only to me at the moment). I think the male figure, Jake, should be kind of pulling her up with one hand and burning away the chain attached to her manacle.

#266

This kind of foreshortening always messes with my head. Is there anything obviously wrong so-far? I know there are lots of little things askew at the moment…

#267

Nice work, the head of the girl looks too big though. I think that it would be great if the hands were even bigger to give more depth. The characters should look more frightened IMO. Lovely colours :slight_smile:

#268

Dianae: Thanks for the pointers, I’ll see what I can do as I work on it more today.

Here is another of my little paintings (8" x 6") … based on a certain well known screen capture from the Fellowship of the Ring movie. He he.

#269

Hi Laura, i really like your paintings here:thumbsup:.
I think there is too contrast and saturation between foregrnd and bground. Maybe adding the primary charachters you’ll need to lower a bit the values to help the composition and the dynamics.
Something like this (ok, it’s too much but you got the idea:)).

I will follow this one. Congrats.

laura_PO.gif433x600

#270

I got a lot done today on the main characters. Any crits for me on them?

Tomorrow I plan to add the chains and shackles on the lady’s arms -the guy will be shooting power that is melting the chain at a point near his pointing finger.

Giuliano: Thanks for stopping by my WIP thread =) Your paint over does make sense, though I wonder if I can implement something like that and not make the colors all unsaturated.

#271

Looking great, but I think the highpoints on the upper lip (I don’t know what they’re called in English) are too far apart. Also, her breasts seem a bit large and distracting. It might actually be the thinness of her body below them, it looks rather strange as well.

#272

I think that the way the woman’s left foot is turned, it would require her to twist her leg in a way not very healthy for the knee… I can’t really come up with a precise description of how I think it should look instead, but I’m pretty sure that the foot should be turned a different way.

I also agree with eishiya’s points, as well as Dianae’s suggestion about the characters looking more frightened…

I love the way you did the woman’s hair! :slight_smile:

#273

eishiya: Got ya on her lips, they should be better now. But as to her -erm- large chest size and unrealistically small waist, that is what the author wants…

Golgi!: The problem with changing her leg, is I have no idea what I’d change it too. This configuration seemed to work best, as it helped with the feeling of depth. I had tried her leg more down and out to her side and that didn’t seem to work at all. If someone can show me a better way, by all means do. I’m kind of scared to mess with her face -but maybe I’ll mess around on the layer above and see if I can give her more fear without changing too much that I really like.

The chains are still kind of rough and don’t look right in places. The guy and his “power” are still not perfect either. What do you all think?

#274

Hi Laura, excuse me about my english, its so poor and it’s more easy to me show you the advices than describe it.
Here some quick sketches to show how improve the legs.

laura_legs.jpg322x1025

and here you can see how the face muscles works. Its an amazing resource for learn how to design right expressions.
Stop me if i become nitpicker :). I told you, I really like how coming out your work.
bye

#275

I worked on this all day. I think I’m nearing the finished point, as I really should be moving onto the next painting.

Giuliano: Again thanks for the paint-overs, as you see I’ve tried to implement your correction. It still looks a wee bit wonky to me though. What do you think?

Any last critiques?

#276

Yup, that leg is still wonky. It’s almost a second knee. :slight_smile: It looks like you’ve curved it in too much on the edge (your right) so that it looks like the inside area of the foot rather than the outside edge. Take a look again at the paint-overs by Notpill and you can see how his example is much straighter than what you revised.

Also, the bend at the knee looks a bit odd I think because of the placement of the shadows and light on both the leg and the dress…it almost looks like the calf is going above the thigh.

You’ve also got some anatomy issue with the heel of the foot. Take a closer look at your reference (maybe your own foot?). Maybe if you indicate the achilles tendon it will help. Have you checked out the CGTalk anatomy section to see if there is a reference there that might help?

t

#277

Laura, it’s cool. Now, with lettering i have the complete vision and i like it so much.
I’m agree with tatiana on the legs and the feet (my nightmare too, its really hard to me paint believable feet without ref:)).
I tried to reduce the size (nice girl must have little feet:)).

Look also the fingers on the hand, the first it seem too long.

Brava, very good work.

#278

This was a rather painful modeling session -as I was hanging from my computer chair as the model. I’ll see what I can do to correct her legs tomorrow.

#279

wow, great! now you can improve your paint by yourself for sure. Booth the poses are quite right.

#280

I think the feet are as good as they are going to get. I also changed a few other things, like I enlarged the front monster and shifted the back monsters up.

Anything else? Or is this good to go?