Ok well here’s some progress on the concept, but I don’t want to go back to calling this a concept sketch so I classified this as coloring WIP still. I much prefer the baby now, as it kinda parodies madonna and child portraits. I also changed the woman’s hair and tweaked her face a bit (on separate canvas obviously), but I’ll post that update tomorrow. What do you think of this new idea?
Thanks individium, it’s been great to hear people giving words of support for the new concept 
If you have any ideas or suggestions or criticism, please let me know I’d love to hear it.
Ok this time I think I’m much happier with the face and hair, I think the “scales,” new skin tone, and the slightly skinnier face give it a more creepy look and not so…runway model as jeramoo said. Hopefully you’ll think this looks better
I was having so much trouble with the dress because I was trying to just paint it randomly, so I decided to work out the entire body basically and shade it, then work the dress over it. I hope nobody finds the nudity offensive, but I felt that this was a necessary step in the process of the image. If you have any anatomy/proportional remarks, please let me know because that is definitely a weakness for me.
Getting started working on the baby, which obviously still looks terrible. It’s getting there though, I’m hoping I’ll be able to somehow get some resemblance to the mother, but I am already struggling with baby features so I don’t know how well that’ll work out.
Hi Ramy, I like the new details to the woman’s face, very interesting. The baby is coming along too but it’s too soon for me to crit, a photo reference would probably help you with the facial features.
thanks samanthie, obviously the baby’s face is still in the preliminary stages so there’s still much work to be done, but it’s getting there Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow (the baby’s face I mean), then I can get started on the other elements of the picture.
Hi, the woman’s face is really nicely rendered. I think her arms should have a little more muscle in it especially since she is carrying a heavy baby. In your full painting layout, the hand in the foreground reaching out for the baby should be bigger. I wonder how the figure that you have finely painted look against the actual backdrop. I worry about the lighting here because there’s supposed to be some sort of sunset behind the woman and yet she is brightly lit in the front. Still its too early to tell.
Will be checking back after your next update!
Thanks so much jeromoo, you’ve been helpful throughout this process for me I am going to have multiple light sources, but the best I can tell you right now is that she is leaving a place that’s brightly lit basically and that’s what’s causing her to be lit from that angle. Still, I haven’t worked on the backlighting and I still plan to darken the shadows on the woman, so there’s still much work to be done
Just working out the structure of the bridge, decided to go for more of a twisting and turning kind of thing, and also to put her up on a little bit of an elevated level. It’ll all make more sense when I work out the rest of the structural elements of the piece
I wanted to try out the colors, see how I wanted things to work. Why the strange color border? Basically, I expanded the canvas and that’s what happened xD But no I wanted to leave it like that for now, because I wanted an opinion on whether I should go for the more contrasty colors on the outside or if I should go for the more muted colors (or maybe some sort of combination?) so give me your opinion on that if you can, I’d really appreciate it Maybe I’ll just blend it in nicely that way there’s some hint of bright color on the outside without taking too much focus from the characters. I also like the prospect of backlighting options, so we’ll see where this goes. Oh man I really hope I can finish in time ><
Hi Ramy, if you want to put the sunset at the very far right, put some other form of lighting to the left to balance it out. maybe some lantern posts? Be careful not to make the whole scene too dark. You can finish this in time if you have a very clear understanding of what you want to put in the picture. Then no time will be wasted on frequent experimentations.
Keep pushing. It would be good if you move on to the environment then come back again to the character. That way you can make the environment and character both work for each other.
Hi, Ramy - I really like this new concept you’re wokring on. The pose, the look, each new change you add just brings something better and better.
I love the environment and the classical greens and oranges you’re using. I completely agree with Jeromoo, you’ll need some other lights to be illuminating the character (or else repaint her all over again!) His notes about balancing background and character are good advice - don’t get so wrapped up in one aspect at a time.
But i love the face, the poses, it’s going great… just keep going!
Good luck.
-mike
Ramy I have to be truthful, I seriously don’t like this concept as much. The way you had it before with the bride and groom was much better in my opinion, it just made so much sense, especially at first sight. But in the end it’s really up to you, we can only suggest things. I hope you make the right choice, oh and btw, that woman’s face is rendered beautifuly. Goodluck : )
jeromoo: that’s definitely a good plan, that’s what I’ll be doing from now on. I just was so unsure in terms of the concept still so I felt like I wanted to work on what I knew was a constant in it. Thanks for the suggestions
walrus: thanks so much for the words of encouragement, I sure hope I won’t have to repaint the woman! But no, I think that I can balance it out without too many issues hopefully.
corey: I see what you are saying, and I don’t feel bad chucking the baby out the window because it’s not like the baby was coming along nicely anyway. I think I agree with you and am going to go back to the original concept, hopefully it’ll make more sense. I like the idea of having them be slightly elevated though, otherwise it is a random red carpet in the middle of water I guess, I feel like it needs some sort of “bridge” concept to tie it together. I sure hope it’ll work out!
Thanks so much for the comments, I couldn’t do this without you guys!
Well, based on corey’s comment, I decided to go back to the original concept I had with this image with the man, and I began work on his face and figure today. Hopefully this looks ok, let me know what you think.
whoooh.
i turn my back for a little while and you’ve totally gone crazy. this is great. i was starting to fear that you were a bit stuck on your other one. this new inspiration is just what the doctor ordered. and really really sinister!! :twisted:
:buttrock::applause:
have fun,
~B
PS - ussually with evil babies that eat fingers and souls it’s good to sew their mouth shut.
PPS - did i day that out loud?
ahaha thanks so much anzibon, I definitely was feeling stuck with the other concept and was glad to find some way to escape! (And in this case, I think maybe it’s best to keep the baby’s mouth open because pure evil finger-and-soul-eating babies are fun to watch from afar)
