Tree of Knowledge

[Indigo]

decided to resurrect a VERY old piece of mine from like 2005 or thereabouts.  The piece started out as an aimless sketch and quickly grew into something more until it became too ambitious to keep my interest.  Since I've been using a new method of index painting in photoshop which allows me to push pixels at a much more accelerated rate, I've decided it'd be fun to revisit and finish it.  Here's where i'm at

Current, and Progress GIF:


Progress Steps:
Spoiler

[Mathias]

Very interesting.

What is it?
Is it all symbolic elements?
Will he actually have hands?
His eyes really bug me. They need to either be closed or wide open as glowing voids, no pupil.

Really hope you finish it.

[Indigo]

There is some symbolism for sure, probably stuff that just makes sense to me in context to my current life but I'm sure others can draw their own meaning once it's finished.  I'm wanting to have the three "fruit" heads be mini versions of the big guy but each with distinct personalities.  Yes, there will be hands.... I'm just procrastinating on those and feet

interesting thought on the eyes.  What bugs you about them?

[Cyangmou]

What bugs me personally is the dither usage (well I know that it's from the index painting process), but to me it neither seems like skin nor like bark.
It just adds an overall level of grainyness without any further or intented purpose.
In some spots clear cut edges and a tad more control would help.


I also think that the contrasting of upper and lower lip is to strong and that the lower lip misses the cast shadow which should be there, especially considering the shadow below the jaw.
Also in the area of the glabella/upper part of the nose/ eye square it seems like the head is overall like 5 pixels or so to tall, there are forms in it.
THe area between uppe rlip and bottom of the nose is also very long.

[jams0988]

[qutoe]It just adds an overall level of grainyness without any further or intented purpose. [/quote]
Looks like a smooth sandstone to me. It's a texture, for sure. Whether or not it's the one he was going for, we don't know.

[Mathias]

interesting thought on the eyes.  What bugs you about them?

Well . . . I feel that they contribute to making the figure mundane. Not in appearance/aesthetics overall - obviously this is an interesting pic ya got here. I mean the identity of the dude himself.
He has normal eyes. Like a normal guy. I would rather interpret him as a deity, demi-god, or some ethereal figure.
Yes, he has a tree growing from his head so he's obviously not a typical human, but I can interpret him as belonging to some odd humanoid race right now.
Just preference but I'd rather read him as a unique, mysterious kinda . . . guy.

Also, his eyes are rather close together. He looks confounded, even frustrated or something. He's meditating in the lotus position? Shouldn't he be more relaxed/at peace/in the zone?

No belly button?

What if you did a low contrast jungle kind of scene behind him? Just some modest silhouetted plants vignette faded to a solid color on all sides. Just enough to communicate some lush plant-life behind/around him. Kind of like your website header with the birds (which I love!).

#DERPFACE

[Daimoth]

Alternatively, his eyes indicate he is a human, grounding the piece in metaphor rather than fantasy or myth.

[9_6]

Well . . . I feel that they contribute to making the figure mundane. Not in appearance/aesthetics overall - obviously this is an interesting pic ya got here. I mean the identity of the dude himself.
He has normal eyes. Like a normal guy. I would rather interpret him as a deity, demi-god, or some ethereal figure.

White glowy eyes don't make me go "oh that's shiva/jesus/zeus-esque", they make me think of dr manhattan, storm, world of warcraft elves and overused character design tropes.

[Manupix]

Just one nitpick: his abdomen looks a bit weird, can't tell if the anatomy is correct or not but I think in this light it should look more hollow, like in the gif last frame with raised arms.