UPDATED IMAGE
hi, this is a project i worked on for my portfolio for college, it was made using maya 5 unlimited student edition. the backround was just used to test the transpercy and will not be used in the final image. Although i am fairly happy with the modeling and texturing i just dont as if the images is as as strong as i can make it and that it doesnt rely convey any thing besides look its a fish. im open to any suggestions you guys have.
Your fish looked to me like a bit of a happy, dreamy, silly guy. I got this impression because of the big eyes and the way he’s smiling. But his design (his body looks like a standard goldfish) and pose are a bit expressionless.
There are lots of ways to improve him. You could think about what he’s doing, he might make a move in the water which indicates happiness for example. Or change the shape of his body a bit, make him really thin or thick or give him extra big fins or…
But most important: How do you want him to be? If you want him to convey a bit more, you have to think a bit on what that bit more should be and then people can help you much better by giving specific hints and tips.
I think it’s important to think a bit on his personality and then find a way to convey this personality in his pose, design etc.
Hope this helps 
hmm not sure what you are going for. RIght now he looks a little ordinary (not the modelling and texturing, looks great, I mean the expression). For me I would try to capture the “emotionless” state fish have. Fish don’t look happy or sad, they just have large eyes and open and close their mouth from time to time, this gives them the kind of creepy nature sometimes. But that’s me I don’t think that’s what you are after. He looks pretty neutral this way. Work on the eyelids to fix this, it’s the key to facial expressions.
You guys are right i really do need to decide what i am going for. I guess my original goal was to make a kinda happy go lucky fish with a minimal intellegnce leval. My computer is in the shop till tuesday so it gives me some time to think of ways to get this character some more emotion
I would agree that the character as it is portrayed at the moment is not terribly evocative, it needs to be more expressive, at the moment it is a very aesthetic characterised Goldfish that has lots of potential.
I think the environment needs some work too, I know it probably is a flat picture in the background, but at the moment it looks like one too I think the trick will be creating a convincing blend.
Very nice work on this I will look forward to an update.
thanks for the reply as for the enviroment like i said in my top post i wont acc be using that as a backround image. I was planning on doing a small scene to go along with the fish but do to time delays and deadlines im prob going to keep the backround to a very simple scene since i am trying to showcase the model and textures
i updated the image at the top… it took me a while to remake part of the fish when my computer crashed so sorry for the late update. I tried multiple variation of the fish’s mouth and eyes to see what effect i liked best. im still looking for c&c on how to improe him
Technicaly. Your image is great!, What it lacks is emotion or how should I say it Cuteness. Perhaps it is a lack of expression. Try angling the eyelids either up or down this would suggest either fear/suprise or agressiveness or determination. Lowering or raising the eyelids also suggest emotion. Pupil size in relation to the other adjustments play a big part. The way you treat the eyes plays a huge part in the feel of the character. Big eyes emote innocense, small eyes, devious. Add a big floppy tounge and you get goofy.
Unfortunately I do not have a image host so I can only give you verbal clues on how to liven up the character.
I’d suggest putting the fish into some humanish-type poses to help convey different expressions/emotions
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