Reading Goatman

[Magides]

Looking for some helpful tips for my reading goat-dude.


Had problems specifically with the fur and shading.
Any and all help would be appreciated on the entire thing.

[Rosier]

There's a lot of diagonal and straight lines.  It doesn't look super natural for all of the arms and legs to be at 45 degree angles.  Round them out a bit and maybe look at different positions.

The arm shades could use a bit more differentiation.  They're a bit too similar.

[wzl]

Fur on a resolution like that is not very easy to get, like you probably noticed it can introduce a lot of noise and unintentional dithering, which distracts the eye and doesnt really convey the intended texture. since you dont have a lot of space to work with its more effective to only hint at a furry structure but its still easy to poke holes into the surface to make it look wrong.

All in all your colors were all very close hue-wise which makes it seem pretty bland.

Rosiers remark is pretty accurate too. i didnt even realize this on the first look but you really use a lot of diagonals and straight lines which makes it seem pretty stiff.



I attempted to address all the issues mentioned in the edit. (although i cant manage to fix his left arm )

[RedSuinit]

Fur on a resolution like that is not very easy to get, like you probably noticed it can introduce a lot of noise and unintentional dithering, which distracts the eye and doesnt really convey the intended texture. since you dont have a lot of space to work with its more effective to only hint at a furry structure but its still easy to poke holes into the surface to make it look wrong.

All in all your colors were all very close hue-wise which makes it seem pretty bland.

Rosiers remark is pretty accurate too. i didnt even realize this on the first look but you really use a lot of diagonals and straight lines which makes it seem pretty stiff.



I attempted to address all the issues mentioned in the edit. (although i cant manage to fix his left arm )

I think the left arm looks off because you have the coat opening up so far. It's as if the arm is sticking out from the inside of the jacket, but somehow still in the sleeve.

[wzl]

oh yeah you're so right! also it seemed to be really oddly attached. for completeness sake a quick fix

[Joe]

It looks like you're thinking linearly rather than volumetrically. You have many anatomical features outlined but no shadow.
As far as fur, texture—that's secondary. You must subordinate details to form. After everything's defined, a few pixels of dither is all it takes to suggets texture.
Also I noticed you're working on a white background. Stop.

If we can't see the chest extending past his right leg then it is a short chest, and he would be sitting on its left edge not the middle. Since his body does not follow the same perspective he is then sitting diagonally on it.
Not a very comfortable position, he doesn't look committed to his seat as you would if you were pondering what you were reading.
A key flaw in the pose is the left arm, he is either practicing soliloquy or resting his chin which it seems more likely you were going for.
Rest your chin on your hand, with your elbow in mid air. Naturally the elbow wants support, which leads to him looking like he is posing.
He should be absorbed in his action, so that we can believe it.

[wzl]

or resting his chin

I thought he's stroking his goatee 

[Magides]

Thank you all for the valuable feedback and for the work you did to show me some fine examples.

I tried following all the tips you guys gave me, and hopefully? implemented them into this version.



I tried reusing a few colors, and focused heavily on shading some volume into his body. I don't know if I'm doing it right,
but I tried to make it seem the shadows were following the contours of his body.

Also changed workspace background color to dark green. (How'd you know?)

[Magides]

Changed the colors here and there.
Have yet to get on the shading on legs, it's gonna take some time.


Edit:

Did some edits.  Not sure though