[WIP] Sarah Connor (Terminator 2)

[SeDiceBisonte]

I'm working on a picture of Sarah Connor as she appears in Terminator 2 but I'm struggling to capture actress Linda Hamilton's likeness.


I'm only worried about the face at the moment because I'll work on the hair and body once I've got a better likeness. I've tried sketching directly from some of the images below and I can get them to look like her, but this three-quarter view is infuriating because her jaw is quite wide, but the front of her face is quite narrow.

If anyone has any comments about the palette then they would also be appreciated because this is my first time coming up with one. Hopefully it's clear what I was going for – a pinkish light behind her and off to the side with a general blue light that's more diffuse and distant on the other side.

I'm not specifically basing it on any one reference but, the longer I've struggled, the more I've leaned on the top left image in this collage of reference images I've put together:

[Chonky Pixel]

Just a quick 2c. I'm not a portrait guy really, but a couple of things I noticed:

 - You've given her small nostrils. In the photos her nostrils are a lot more exaggerated. Larger and wider.
 - A common feature of the references is the large lips with the down-turn at the corners. I think you need to make the top lip fuller and curl the bottom lip up into the top lip earlier, to make the bottom lip a bit more narrow and curvy.
 - The lips are one of her defining features, so where you go into the shaded part of the face you could carry on the shape rather than losing definition to the shadow. This could either be by using another shade or by suggesting an outline for a few pixels, to give the viewer something to grasp hold of.

In general terms, she's beautiful but she's been made hard by the horrors of her life. Tighten up the musculature so she looks toned. Change the expression from "worry" to "business-like"

Finally, the hair gives me the impression of being something like dreads, which isn't the right look. Her hair is pretty wispy...

This is all pretty general but I don't have loads of time. Good luck, I believe you're on the right track.

[SeDiceBisonte]

That's really helpful - thanks!



The hair and body are literally just sketches at the moment. I wanted to post this image earlier in the process than with my Ripley one because I reached a point with that where I felt I'd learn more from starting fresh than continuing to tinker given the nature of the issues with it. Ideally I want to get the face right on this and then I'll move on to the body and the nightmare that the hair is certain to be (although your advice has convinced me to add in an extra shade to work with).

I tried a few different things with the nostrils but this seemed to be as large as I could get them before it looked odd. I know it's not a dramatic change.

I've hopefully incorporated everything you said about the mouth. I'm not quite sure I'm there yet but I'll continue to work on it. I think one thing I like that's emerged from the changes is a more determined and slightly aggressive expression. I've probably gone a bit beyond business-like in that respect!

I've also fiddled with the palette based on critique from Limes at Pixel Joint:

At this point the reflected light is much too extreme on 1 side, choose the side you want to be the main light and the side that is reflected light!

I took that to mean that it looked too much like she was sitting between two coloured lights and that the blue didn't seem enough like ambient light, so hopefully the lower contrast helps.

[Boraka]

Hi! Looking nice, and I love the character, I'm eager to see how this develops.

I did a quick and crapy edit with the things I think I would change



- I tried to do the lips a little bit fuller and wider
- I did also the brows fuller and bushiert, she has nice and natural wild brows
- Also I tried to change the angle of the eyes slightly, since I have the feeling that the current angle was giving her a sad expression, and she is rather fierceless fierceless
- I did the nose a little bit pointier

I don't think that is more look-a-like now, but hopefully will give you some ideas?

[SeDiceBisonte]

Thanks so much for the kind words and the edit! 

Here's what I've got before I finish tonight:



Hopefully the eyebrows are looking a bit bushier now. I think I was being a bit too conservative with them before because, in light of your comment, I'd actually say they're a defining feature. Your edit has really helped with the nose too (the eyes too but I think I need to work more on them).

I've probably not gone far enough with the lips but I have tried to fill them out a bit more. I can feel myself resisting going further because I'm used to referring to the top left reference image most, but Linda Hamilton's lips are clearly quite full in most photos. I don't want you to think I've disregarded that part of your edit because I'll be working more on it tomorrow. I definitely need to go a pixel or two wider on the blue side.

[Limes]

"At this point the reflected light is much too extreme on 1 side, choose the side you want to be the main light and the side that is reflected light!"

I meant it more like this...


Not a real edit just trying to get what I'm saying onto "paper"

Do not be afraid to let these colors collide... It's like she's cut in half.
I am getting a feel of dissonance from them being like that.
I would also recommend playing with the pallet some mid tones would help I think, the gap from the blue to the purple is too extreme, although this comes secondary to form so. Just something to note.
the portrait in and of itself looks difficult though. Keep going I want to see more!

ALSO remember the eyes BRING the portrait to LIFE, try to avoid letting them be diluted like that.

[fskn]

Played around with her facial features a little bit. Made her mouth wider, moved the eyes slightly...




Before/After:



A little bit of a snarl, perhaps?



---
I really like Limes' edit above, though. Could use some of that dark pink on the right, medium blue on the left... Hmm...

---

Eh, went ahead and did some of the body too. Maybe too toned? Too bulky/masculine?

https://i.imgur.com/Wbz97zm.png

Last edit for now:

[Limes]

Here is me messing around with the colors...

the pallet is difficult.

I was just drawing a face not necessarily Sarah Conner, I just wanted to show you some possibilities with the colors.
The pink section that says dither are color combinations that can be subtly dithered together. and I made my rendition of the pallet in dark to light.(its the same pallet just organized in my eyes)

Please note, this is not an anatomy lesson, My nose is majorly overdone, the expression has become worried and she now looks like a cartoon character. This is a critique of the use of colors! What I did was overkill, but hopefully can help. I couldn't help myself from messing around at the end out of boredom but hopefully you enjoy it at least.

[SeDiceBisonte]

Latest version:


I'm still working on the predominantly blue side but I'm finding it more of a puzzle. It's intentionally darker but it's also taking up more of the image so I feel I shouldn't leave it quite so devoid of detail. I'm thinking an extra blue shade might be the answer when I start again tomorrow.

The biggest change is based on Limes' critique. Thanks! I get what you mean now and your edit made it pop.

I've shifted the darkest of the pink tones a bit more towards blue and I think that's helping a bit. As far as the palette goes generally, it doesn't need to be difficult – I'm just bad at coming up with them (although this is also my first attempt so that's probably to be expected). I think my palette looks "immature" but I'm not sure how best to improve it. Since the palette choice isn't being forced on me, I'm happier adding extra shades before dithering, especially since I only have nine colours at the moment. Am I correct in thinking that my blues are too saturated but that the pinks/purples are more reasonable?

I feel your pain with faces, especially since Connor isn't a traditionally feminine character.

I've hopefully taken fskn's anatomical edits onboard. I've stuck with the current expression but I love the snarl. I've stuck with the larger line below and to our right of the mouth in reference to this picture: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103064/mediaviewer/rm876769280 (I couldn't fit all my references into the collage and this one didn't make the cut). I think it adds character but I'm open to alternative opinions. I'll refer back to your edit of the body once I get onto that section. I think you've gone a little bulky since, although she's muscular, she's also very slim, but I think it's very useful to see the musculature exaggerated a bit. I notice in most images that the muscles going from her neck to her shoulders (trapezius?) seem to be particularly bulky.

Thanks again for the great crits!

[Limes]

I was unsatisfied with my Edit so I got this for you, I would recommend using only the deep purple for the cheek there. I played with it myself and it was hard to get to sit right, The pallet is very difficult. A difficult pallet isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just takes more time to get right.

I've shifted the darkest of the pink tones a bit more towards blue and I think that's helping a bit. As far as the palette goes generally, it doesn't need to be difficult – I'm just bad at coming up with them (although this is also my first attempt so that's probably to be expected). I think my palette looks "immature" but I'm not sure how best to improve it. Since the palette choice isn't being forced on me, I'm happier adding extra shades before dithering, especially since I only have nine colours at the moment. Am I correct in thinking that my blues are too saturated but that the pinks/purples are more reasonable?

a purple such as this w/o even changing any other colors would work.



Great progress so far.