Feature 08 - Gregory faces the dragon

[Cyangmou]

newest:



older:











rough sketch:

This is another try to create a pixelartwork, in fact it'll be my second artwork.
So far it's not more than a simple rough sketch (just did the base areas so far), but the thing I am thinking about at the moment is the composition and about the reading of the whole thing.

The next things I'll do is fixing the lighting and start with fixing/cleaning/outworking of everything.
The palette is also not final so far and i am sure I'll add some more colors.

If you have critiques, suggestions or anything else let me please know it =)

[Joe]

I have a few comments,



Firstly, the area in yellow.  Maybe in the background there's something that's casting a shadow on that building, but as far as readability it looks like that's a surface and the dragon's wing is casting a shadow on it.

The second thing I wanted to point out was that Gregory's torso and face are looking off to the left of the dragon, but his legs are facing it.  This looks akward.

I would suggest that the dragon's eye be less cartoony.  Reptilians have slit pupils and in general can't bring their pupils that far forward.  Also where his hand meets the fire in the force shield, those marks take away from the piece.  If you can figure out how to imply there being a shield there without that, it'd look much better.  And where is your light source coming from?  Because if the sun is in this picture, then it would be brighter than the flames, which would mean the shading on the dragon's back and the rightmost pillar/column is off.

But I think you're off to a good start.

[Cyangmou]

I have a few comments,

Firstly, the area in yellow.  Maybe in the background there's something that's casting a shadow on that building, but as far as readability it looks like that's a surface and the dragon's wing is casting a shadow on it.

The second thing I wanted to point out was that Gregory's torso and face are looking off to the left of the dragon, but his legs are facing it.  This looks akward.

I would suggest that the dragon's eye be less cartoony.  Reptilians have slit pupils and in general can't bring their pupils that far forward.  Also where his hand meets the fire in the force shield, those marks take away from the piece.  If you can figure out how to imply there being a shield there without that, it'd look much better.  And where is your light source coming from?  Because if the sun is in this picture, then it would be brighter than the flames, which would mean the shading on the dragon's back and the rightmost pillar/column is off.

But I think you're off to a good start.

At first thanks to your comments, they really helped me.

Let's see now.



Today I created out of the rough sketch a finer one. I also set the lightsource (dragon's fire) and added very rough shadows to it. I also changed the scenario - now it's night - and I refined the palette a little bit.
I also refined some parts a little bit, but don't worked out anything so far.

I reminded just that I've forgotten to do the shadows at the top of the broken bow and there is a mistake with the mermaid sculpture's shadow at the wall of the house behind it.
I also want to redo the background fire, add clouds in front of the moon and tweak it more. And I'll rework the dragons eye later - just did some little changes that it looks more reptilic.

The most important thing for me is at the moment if the arms of the dragon can be recognized as them and not as his feets (I think dragons have usually 6 limbs, so there shouldn't be a problem)
Feel free to tell me your opinion about the artwork.

[blumunkee]

Rendering is good so far, but there's a distinct lack of contrast. Lots of middle tones, but not enough brights and darks.

[Froli]

I wonder if the dragons mouth should be opened wider, specially it's breathing it's fire breath.

[Mush]

The biggest problem at the moment is a lack of focus.

-My eyes get lost in all the details and has nowhere to rest.
-Readability is an issue.
-There seems to be a lack of depth.

All theses problems can be solved when you establish a hierarchy of focus. Things in the distance  should have very low contrast, while things in the foreground should have high contrast. In effect you need to create contrast in the "big-picture" (foreground vs. background). There also are a lot of details that don't really add to the picture but add a lot of clutter (the flower pot, buildings underneath the dragon's left wing, and the Triton statue to name a few).

[Cyangmou]

I wonder if the dragons mouth should be opened wider, specially it's breathing it's fire breath.

Thought so too, changed it

The biggest problem at the moment is a lack of focus.

-My eyes get lost in all the details and has nowhere to rest.
-Readability is an issue.
-There seems to be a lack of depth.

All theses problems can be solved when you establish a hierarchy of focus. Things in the distance  should have very low contrast, while things in the foreground should have high contrast. In effect you need to create contrast in the "big-picture" (foreground vs. background). There also are a lot of details that don't really add to the picture but add a lot of clutter (the flower pot, buildings underneath the dragon's left wing, and the Triton statue to name a few).

Yeah I also worried about the details and most about the cluttering, it's good to hear it from somebody because it's really hard to guess how the artwork will look for other people if you have your own idea in the head.
Lack of depth is true, i am usual creating and refining the palette during the work, improve here a little bit and than change there something, but it helps if somebody reminds something as important as you did. Thanks.



-built the first rough palette
-set a focus
-killed the flower pot, changed the foreground buildings reworked the mermaid statue (now it fits better together with the buildings architecture, think it's better now)
-improved the dragons head, improved anatomy, added the second horn (very rough), opened the mouth
-did some little things at the background

thing's i'll change:
-add another skin tone between the dark and the light one
-change the colors at the buildings under the dragons wing (right side of the artwork)
-remove some lighting mistakes
-add more light at gregory

I think it's now ready to begin with the outworking of the whole thing, although some comments would rather help.

[Cyangmou]

Today i worked out the first part, foreground without Gregory. There could definitely be some minor failures in it, I don't overlooked it (at the last artwork i did it during the work and a completely fix at the end)
I also get tired about the bricks at the broken arch, could be that I'll do some changes there.

things I'll do:
-fixing mistakes/outworking of Gregory
-tweak the dragons head further
-add the new skin color at the wings
-remove mistakes/work on

[pistachio]

Foreground looks nice for a start, even if the lighting could use a bit of work. Background scenery, however, seems oddly pieced together, making for lack of depth that I think has been mentioned in this thread a few times. And I find it hard, once I've got my eye on them (after I've looked at the brightly colored eye-candy in the foreground), to take my eye off. I think I can't resist the subconscious urge to nitpick and ponder over all these little problems you have. Some sort of isometric perspective you've got, I think, but in isometric, distant buildings don't get smaller. Here, a little guide for you. It's probably not that technically sound, as even I'm not all that used to using perspective and it would ruin a lot of aspects of the drawing as they are now:





This hurts my head. (...How many times have I used that emoticon anyway?)

Other than that, "Gregory"'s pose is pretty odd and rigid. His face seems to look off to his left side, rather than face the dragon, so, you know, that's not very true to the title of this piece. His... left? Foot/boot is visible, but should probably be in shadow. Fire should be more yellow/bright towards the source, and give off some smoke farthest from the source. Here's a picture of a flamethrower in action that someone posted on another thread regarding some adventure game. Should help. Link here.

Dragon's limbs are a mess. Just found that out after focusing my attention off of its head. I really can't discern if those are forelegs or hind legs. If the dragon really could squeeze himself into such a position, it'd be rather uncomfortable, something along the lines of a yoga position for dragons, and he'd have to have a really big head.

EDIT: It might be better, actually, if the perspective lines spread out left to the image rather than from about the dragon's eye.

[Cyangmou]

Foreground looks nice for a start, even if the lighting could use a bit of work. Background scenery, however, seems oddly pieced together, making for lack of depth that I think has been mentioned in this thread a few times. And I find it hard, once I've got my eye on them (after I've looked at the brightly colored eye-candy in the foreground), to take my eye off. I think I can't resist the subconscious urge to nitpick and ponder over all these little problems you have. Some sort of isometric perspective you've got, I think, but in isometric, distant buildings don't get smaller. Here, a little guide for you. It's probably not that technically sound, as even I'm not all that used to using perspective and it would ruin a lot of aspects of the drawing as they are now:

Other than that, "Gregory"'s pose is pretty odd and rigid. His face seems to look off to his left side, rather than face the dragon, so, you know, that's not very true to the title of this piece. His... left? Foot/boot is visible, but should probably be in shadow. Fire should be more yellow/bright towards the source, and give off some smoke farthest from the source. Here's a picture of a flamethrower in action that someone posted on another thread regarding some adventure game. Should help. Link here.

Dragon's limbs are a mess. Just found that out after focusing my attention off of its head. I really can't discern if those are forelegs or hind legs. If the dragon really could squeeze himself into such a position, it'd be rather uncomfortable, something along the lines of a yoga position for dragons, and he'd have to have a really big head.

EDIT: It might be better, actually, if the perspective lines spread out left to the image rather than from about the dragon's eye.

I don't really constructed anything, just took some colors and put them at the canvas , although you are right, your feeling can play tricks on you. All things you pointed out helped me much.
And the point about the limbs, I wasn't sure if it's clear to everybody, i wrote it, but you comment showed me that i also had to change this.
Oh and it's OK if you are nitpicking and saying all those little things, I really appreciate that - if i wouldn't like critique I weren't here, so thanks that you took the time to wirte such a helpful critique.




Now I overworked the whole piece, I changed nearly all things, don't worked out more, just improved here and there a lot. the only thing I haven't changed much is the bg. I know there are tons of lighting mistakes now, I'll remove all i recognize till the end

some important points i have changed:
-construction of everything (except bg building(s))
-completely overworked dragon anatomy (maybe will change the serratus anterior, although I'll look how it'll come out with scales)
-completely overworked fire
-removed the forceshield, I am not sure at the momen, maybe I'll play around with that if all the other things are done
-completely overworked Gregory, more active pose, not sure about the morning star holding arm
-corrected the tiles in the foreground, not finished

What I'll do next:
-change the spikes at the neck (make them bigger (don't fit together with the tail spikes)
-add light from the little fires
wait for helpful critique and work on.