[WIP] 32x68 Sword (novice)

[mattpk]

You can see my edits change very little, but i need critique! wahh

[Redshrike]

The sword doesn't look terrible as is, but it has a lot of potential which could yet be brought out.  Right now, its palette is kinda pulling it down.  It lacks contrast, and because of that details and shading get lost.  Its shaping and proportions are also a bit off; the outline isn't symmetrical, and a few things are off center.  The crosshilt seems to thick as it is, and the hilt and pommel could use a bit of slimming too, methinks.  Here's an edit to show you what I mean, it's kinda messy but it should get the general idea across.

[mattpk]

Thanks!

[Larwick]

I just quickly wanted to tell you mattpk that it's much easier to work on a neutral midtone canvas than a pure white one. Give it a go. 

[mattpk]

A different background? I've done it commonly, but this if for presenting so i used white, and i plan not to change it.

I added some contrast as well.

[ndchristie]

i've included exterior AA because I assumed, after this long, that the white bg was intentional.  of course, it's easy enough to remove.

things to look at, in this and others :

there's no such thing as a sword that does this whole banded gradient thing.  If anything, there is a single highlighted band, and this typically on curved or imperfect blades only.  It's not really style here, it's the physics of light and reflection.  One side bright, one side less is the best way to go.  and forget dithering - at this res it adds way too much texture.

integration of hilt, handle, and blade - you're still rendering them like 3 separate pieces.

[mattpk]

should i take the outlines in between away?



i don't think i should totally ditch dithering, without it looks too smooth, and this is a rough simple old blade, made in the olden days.

[ndchristie]

i don't think i should totally ditch dithering, without it looks too smooth, and this is a rough simple old blade, made in the olden days.

lol, there's never been such a thing as a rough sword, at least not one that was hammered out.  weather over hundreds of years gives us an ill-informed impression of what were, in antiquity, very clean weapons.  for the most part, it is easier to make a sword relatively smooth than it is to make it pitted the way dithering suggests.  Irregular sure, but not dithered.

[Larwick]

The way you've shaded the dark side of the blade makes it seem like it's on a completely different level to the other, rather than simply a slope angled the other way. Get rid of the lightray, since shadows don't simply darken all lightsources. Check out Adarias' sword, to make it seem sloped/angled like his you need to subtly lighten the areas that are closer to the middle of the blade, if that makes sense. This is because the light will 'pour' over the ridge slightly, to put it simply. Also, by neutral midtone i meant a colour like the background colour of Pixelation posts, something that is muted and won't get in the way of your work by it's intensity. Remember, it's a background colour.

[I Am Uh]

Your newest edit Is much better. Though it still seems too much like a dagger to me, a sword would have a much thinner blade in comparison to it's handle. If you notice Redshrike's, and Adarias's edits, they should be able to help a lot.

I made another edit to show you what I mean. I think I've displayed what Larwick was trying to say as well.

(I like Claymores...)
You can see here that it really doesn't take much if any dithering at all to make a nice looking sword.