Crows! Crows!
See, I trained one…he wants to be in your picture…it’s ok, sweetie, Simon will find a home for you soon…
EDIT: I think the fates will conspire more in your favour this time around.
The Journey Begins Challenge (2D) Entry: Simon Dominic Brewer
Stahlberg
#262
Long time since I checked in, this is fantastic! Amazing! Beautiful…
A few comments: the woman’s legs are too short, unless she’s standing in a hole. 
I don’t like her sleeves very much, not practical for living or even walking in such a forst, they kinda look out of place, too ‘poofy’, not sure how to put it… perhaps plainer sleeves will be more in keeping with the mood… love the rest of the dress though. Her hair is fantastic now, I really like how it echoes the color and material of the dress.
I think just one more crow or raven, gliding by in the distance close to the ground, would be enough to give that cold lonely feeling you get on a cloudy misty day when you hear them cawing.
Speaking about the distance, I think the mist should loose the warm brown, the further away it is. Not become bluish, that would be too much… but by going more gray it would look like it was getting bluer, colder, which would be more realistic, and also imho more creepy.
But let me repeat, it’s a wonderful image, notwithstanding my nitpicking.
BaronImpossible
#263
paperclip - I give in, multiple crows it is slouches off mumbling about crow-based emotional blackmail
Stahlberg - Thanks for the crit, very helpful. I did lengthen her skirt a bit but as you say, her legs are still too short. I’ll sort that out.
I’ll see what I can do about the fog colour, too. The mist itself is actually desaturated green (pretty much neutral grey) but the distant branches are still orangy and maybe that’s what I need to change. I’ll give it a go.
Yep, her excessively formal dress was intentional, although it probably doesn’t come across without telling the story I had in mind. Basically, the husband is going on a long, dangerous quest and his wife has dressed in her best outfit, walked with him through the mud and brambles to the edge of the forest, heedless of the rips and stains on her clothing, determined to give him a proper send-off; something to remember for the long journey. How I imagined anyone would guess that is another matter, but hopefully it explains the sleeves!
Thanks again for the input
breathing
#264
wow!so detailly!
love the cloth of the woman!
and the trees are monsterlike,it is horrible!hehe
Stahlberg
#265
but the distant branches are still orangy and maybe that’s what I need to change
Oh yes, that’s what I meant. The color of objects through the mist.
I see about the sleeves. Well, formal would be wonderful, no problem, it’s just I think the ‘flounciness’ ™ of them is what I’m dubious about… they can still be very formal and stiff and handsome, just cut a bit straighter?
Samanthie
#267
Beautiful work! I love the fine details on the dress you have added and of course the trees are just fantastic. Good luck!
ralphmanning
#268
Nearly done eh? Really nice, I love it! 
I much prefer her hair as it is now. Perhaps a few more crows in the distance would add something.
Only thing I could point out is the climbing vine, ivy or whatever it is on the left-hand foreground tree. It seems a bit flat in places, as in stuck, like a decal, tight to the tree. Maybe a slight shadow from it on the tree would make a difference. :hmm:
Alouette
#269
woow!
you got a real sens of details.
amazing job on trees!
as somebody said: masterpiece!
jeromoo
#272
Yo man, very nice! I like it alot! Very Hans Christian Andersen! Really like all your attention to details! Can you add some critters and birds into the painting? Extra details like those will really pay off well in the end!
All the best, Simon!
Pat-Piper
#274
Nice! It’s also good to see that you’ve added some leaves on the trees, as things are looking more alive now. However,I do have a minor crit, and that’s the stiff posing of the woman. I just don’t sense her emotion in the picture and she looks quite like a mannequin…maybe it’s her arm. Perhaps other than lenghtening her legs a bit, how about making her head smaller, her shoulders less broad and shortening her sleeves? Maybe that can help? O man, I really sound too much like a serious nitpicker now…so sorry. But overall, you got it man…
Mu11
#275
wow man, strong emotional environment with a lot of storytelling.
wonderful entry
subscribes
BaronImpossible
#276
Hello again, I haven’t forgotten about this (actually, I did, but never mind) and I’ll try and get it updated in the next couple of weeks.
tyin - Thanks
Stahlberg - Sure, I get you. I will give that a go, hopefully I’ll be able to get the effect you have in mind. And the sleeves… Yep, they’re shit aren’t they? I’ll try to sort them out too, although I really suck at fashion design. Thanks again for your input.
Jose-Pardo - You overrate it, but thanks for your support
Samanthie - Thanks and good luck to you too
Xeophex - Multiple crows are a-comin’, although I may need to move that branch to fit them in. Good point about the ivy - cheers.
Alouette - Thank you
InTerceptoV - And thank you…
maykrender - and thank you also
jeromoo - Yeah, I might add a rat. Glad you like it, cheers.
Squibbit - Ha, you too
Pat-Piper - Thanks for reminding me, I will lengthen her legs (or rather shrink her body, I’m all for the easy way)
Mu - Thanks, glad you like it
RALawrence
#277
Super impressive work, sir. Love the mood, love the details.
If I had one crit to add (and hopefully this isn’t a repeat… I didn’t read all the previous posts), it would be that some of the foreground limbs seem to have a dark outline that breaks the realism.
Keep up the great work!
Zephyri
#278
Aaah, been a while since I called in here… and it’s looking fab, simon! All that I can think of for critting has already been mentioned, so I shan’t repeat it! One suggestion, after having had a quick flick through my “costume throughout the age” book, one suggestion for the sleeves might be to have them fitted to about the elbow, then have open lace, long tapering cuff type things on them? Kinda like this… Example (please excuse the ooold artwork, it was the only thing I could find that even vaguely hinted at what I meant).
But those trees, my god I could spend hours looking at them, they’re like clouds! I can see a crooked wolf howling, an alligator peeking his head out of the water, a deraged seal, amoungst other things. Just mind blowing work, Simon. You’re truly to be appluaded! applauds obligingly