Apparently I'm not done....

#1

‘Not good enough’ for the CG talk general illustration thread…

Critique away.

#2

Ye, I don’t know up to where and how the art standards got raised in this site. I just got my latest artwork turned down for inclusion in the member showcase thread myself.

I think your image here looks pretty finished imo (without any bias that my own work got turned down of course).

#3

Was it your archer that was turned down?

#4

Yep. That’s it. “Boreal Archer”.

#5

The Archer is a good piece, technically your archer isat least as strong as several that have gone through to the Illustration forum in the last few days.
Thematically it’s no more or less than a couple of the recent character studies.

Perhaps things that look less CG and more traditional are missing out?

Perhaps things need to be more excitosplodalicious?

#6

Thanks. Glad you think my piece is up to par.

I don’t know what they saw wrong in our images. But I’m sure we’re at least equal to the quality to most of the stuff on that showcase thread like you said about my piece. I can actually point out (But of course, I won’t) a few pieces in there that aren’t as polished as our images.

I’m not the kind that likes to bitch about stuff and I’m used to not getting attention for my art. But I actually felt a bit… insulted when I didn’t at least get in that thread xD I think you felt it too.

#7

I have to admit feeling a bit snarky when I posted here. Especially after viewing some of those that got through the process.

If this is the way they’ll be dealing with the ‘normal’ level forum, making it more exclusive etc. Then it would be at least nice to get something other than an automated email giving very vague feedback.

Sure suggesting that you post to the WIP forum is fine, though not a lot of help when you consider the piece done and the differences between those accepted and those that aren’t are a bit murky.

#8

Yep. The automated email was what got to me as well. Perhaps an error in the system or something? Whatever it is, I’m not excited about posting my next image on this site anymore.

#9

While I can understand that y’all are frustrated with the system, I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. Posting here is an opportunity to learn and improve your skills. That should be your focus regardless of whether or not your image is accepted into the gallery.

Now, about your image. If you want to improve, I would suggest you start by studying some theory about composition and perspective. This could improve your work tremendously. The focal point of your image is the creature’s head and dead fish. The best focal point positions are found by dividing the image into thirds. You also have a lot of “dead space” in your image so cropping can go a long way. The perspective in your image is also not helping it any. I’d suggest dropping it lower. Here is just a quick and dirty example for you.

#10

Thanks for the constructive critique, I’m aware of the compositional theories you’ve mentioned but the purpose of the illustration was to demonstrate newly interpreted anatomy. Cropping half of that out would have been counterproductive, as would the lower perspective which I had also considered for a ‘sexier’ image but would have distorted the anatomy via foreshortening. In retrospect I could have widened the image to the left to pop the head directly on the old ‘rule of thirds’ line!
Let’s see…
Bit of shinnanegans in Photoshop with perspective etc.

I agree, I reckon this is an improvement, what do you think?

I’m always open to learn, but when there are some significantly weaker works than (if not mine then certainly ahbeejieh’s) in terms of composition, subject portrayal, colour etc. recently admitted to the gallery, you sort of wonder what it is that hasn’t met the standard.
I kind of wonder if this forum is only about spacelazorwarriorswithlargeboobedfriendsanddubiousantomicalaliens or people with paid accounts.

Thanks again for your constructive crit though, I do appreciate it.

#11

Good work. I won’t even begin in critiquing your work as I don’t see myself at a standard where I even can.

Seeing your situation, I have to say I’m probably in a contrasting situation. I’ve had my unfinished painting in here, the WIP section, for a week now without one comment or helpful hint. I might post it in the finished section and say “no one critiqued it” LOL! Jokes. Thought I’d lighten to mood a bit.

Keep up the good work, my friend.

#12

Personally, I’d have accepted this image into the Showcase Gallery, but I didn’t see it in the cue, which mean the other judges voted on it before I got to see it.

I’m guessing it was rejected because of the composition. Some judges are really picky about composition, and they don’t really care whether your image was created for a specific purpose (such as according to client’s needs) that precludes sound composition. They only care that the version you submitted meets their idea of what composition is.

My suggestion is that if you have a piece of work that’s quite good, except for the composition (due to the purpose the image was supposed to serve), you should make another version that has good composition, so that the presentation is better. Then, the judges would have no reason to reject your image.

#13

Thanks Lunatique.

Interesting insight into the process. A little strange considering the composition of some of the things allowed into the gallery but, as you said, this image had a specific purpose which required the composition to be as it is.
Interesting the moderator overlooked some of the subtler points. (non cliche depiction, non standard pose, story telling elements)
Heck, I’m no old master(despite being old), and I know it.

Ugh, I really don’t want to come across as sour grapes. I enjoy the community when I manage to get here.(I certainly don’t want to complain my way to acceptance!)

#14

Like I said, the different judges have different things they obsess about. For example, one judge is really picky about composition, and if your image has poor composition, it’ll get rejected by that judge no matter how great the rest of the image is. I’m a bit more lenient about composition, but I’m really picky about anatomy/figure. Another judge totally glosses over bad anatomy/figure and just looks at the overall feel of the image. You just happen to have your image in the cue while the composition-obsessed judges were logged on. If it had been me and another judge, you likely would’ve made it through. This also explains why some of the other images that’s made it through vary in quality in different ways.

#15

Whats that thing on it’s back?

#16

One of the biggest weaknesses of the image!

It’s a clambering pterosaur, which would be the thing I’m most likely to change as it’s a poor piece of work and clearly is hard to recognize!

It started out clearer but to make it anatomically correct I had to modify it. I’d be better off without it or doing something more obvious… just had a notion how the composition could be enhanced as well as communicating that there’s pterosaurs hanging around waiting for a fee.

@Lunatique, thanks again, as I said I certainly don’t want to be a sourpuss. Perhaps the moderators need to standardize the review process? I’m not the only one confused by the criteria.

#17

Okeedokee…

This should help both composition wise and for clarity.
Switched it so the single pterosaur is now two, with one on the side closest to the viewer.
I’ll also ensure the pterosaurs are a different colour, the original colour was way too close to the spino’s colour.

The ‘center of action’(the head) is now residing happily on the top left third’s border and in the golden mean…
The tail may need to extend off the bottom or curl in rather than skirting uncomfortably along the bottom of the image.

?

#18

Sorry if my only work featured in the Showcase Gallery enters that weaker criteria, I will happily accept your critiques, at least to improve future works.

Is there any tutorials/articles on this so I can understand it better?

Very helpful to know how the selection process works.

Thanks all.

#19

… and this is certainly why I didn’t mention specific works and why the selection criteria may be confusing.
Works can be weaker and stronger in multiple areas, Lunatique stated that whether a work gets in depends at least in part on the subjective preferences of the moderator.
This wasn’t clear before Lunatique’s posts, but explains how work of comparable quality levels in certain areas may be accepted one day but not the next.

Forgive my phraseology if it offended.(at all times I should have said ‘comparable work’ to be fair)

It should be evident from this thread that I’m happy to learn and receive critique, but it’s important to understand the basis of that critique.

#20

I find your phrase not offensive at all. It was a simple sincere way to say, if you have critiques or feedback on my works I’m happy to accept it :slight_smile:

Going back to your image, i find the version up here better. I guess you are already aware to the weaknesses and know how to improve it; and I certainly can’t critique on it as my level is below yours. As the “spotting things that is not quite right” goes, it is already done by previous posts.