Plotting Revenge

[Helm]

Oh and I realise I have to answer to a lot of this points so here's hugereply:

Turbo: this is as far I am going to go with tweaking the anatomy I think. This isn't an anatomy study, body language is paramount and therefore I enjoy the slightly Klimtian distended limbs. However that arm rotation was indeed wrong and I tried to address this without two drastic jumps towards superhero-arm-definitions. How do you think it worked?

gamingjustin: I don't see any problem with the jaw really?

Salvage, what do you mean lens distortion? A traditional count of limb sizes here (one of which I am capable of) is a bit amiss given what I am going for. I however tried to normalize the hand lengths. Are they alright now?

Dusty: if anything I will finalize the scabbard angle when I work at it proper. I think the guard is good as it is now. I don't have an issue with the priority between knives and sword though. I do understand it can be done in more obvious ways but then again, why go with the obvious? I have to trust my initial intuition for things such as this otherwise the piece starts to become bland. Viewer-friendliness isn't a big concern as is emotional resonance.

saimo: yeah this is like the amiga res but let's look at what really inspired this piece! It is a more unlikely source!

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/menzoberranzan/screenshots/gameShotId,193462/
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/menzoberranzan/screenshots/gameShotId,193464/
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/menzoberranzan/screenshots/gameShotId,193467/

These are all vga colors, but widepixels for a fake high-res done without an svga card! I really REALLY like the art in this game and therefore wanted to try nonsquare pixels without any other color restrictions (well I always want a sensible color count, but I didn't want a pool or initial restricted colors). So I was thinking of this, and then I thought about Lazur's crazy amiga mode pieces and I settled with high-res tallpixels. I really like it thus far because at 1x zoom there are actual details and stuff but at 3x zoom or about there everything just gets lost, it becomes a mosaic of strange tesselated shapes and I find it appealing to not be able to tell what something is microscopically but holistically to be immediately able to recognize.

The arms: yeah, I don't think he needs any more definition. These are definitely not skinny. Again, sorry, but... beefcake.

This is skinny but servicable muscle :



This is athletic build.



And this is beefcake



I am trying to hit something between first and second. Malnutritioned, but still serviceable muscle built out of repeatedly hacking people to death, not calisthenics.


About the red on the shirt: debating in my head. I'd love to hear more opinions. I think it's good to break out of the samecoloredness of the greens everywhere. I could actually cut a lot of colors away from the palette if I killed it but I think it would REALLY miss out.

[Dusty]

Dusty: if anything I will finalize the scabbard angle when I work at it proper. I think the guard is good as it is now. I don't have an issue with the priority between knives and sword though. I do understand it can be done in more obvious ways but then again, why go with the obvious? I have to trust my initial intuition for things such as this otherwise the piece starts to become bland. Viewer-friendliness isn't a big concern as is emotional resonance.

Well I don't have a problem with priority at all, just the fact that the sword and scabbard are both being drawn at completely different angles. While the scabbard seems to be facing more towards the viewer, the sword/guard is facing more towards the left/right. I think that is more important, just my suggestion of the guard(not the scabbard) being drawn in front of the dagger would help match the perspective between the sword and the scabbard. Though that wouldn't be a fix in itself.

[Salvage]

hands are fine, i thought you might still be resolving the gesture, but they work in this posture.
with the large lower half, i reckoned maybe you were presenting a forced perspective of the kind that is seen with 28mm lens distortion:

in which case the head would taper off more as perspective forced it smaller.
never mind though if that is not your goal.
i think his build is just fine.
if he gets any more athletic, perhaps consider a tankard of powerade instead of beer.
everyone's favorite peoplehacker should endorse with the best of them.

[Helm]

Oh no there's no harsh third point perspective here! I hope it works without it if you can force your brain to see it now without it

[Salvage]

tryyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiiiiing. i see how it works, i guess he is just pedally well endowed.

[Helm]

I might make the soles of the feet a bit smaller next update. Thanks!

[Willows]

Crit fighter!

Haha, I kid. I'd like to jump on the "arms too thin!" boat, though. Specifically above his right elbow. It gets almost as thin as his wrist, there, annnnnnnnd that's not accurate, I don't think. In the event that you disagree, would you mind myself striking this pose as best I can and gettin' some mug to take a picture of me as more direct reference, or would that distort your artistic image too much? I may very well be wrong, a direct reference would be a good comparison. I just don't want to... iunno. Upset your inner chi. Or something.

Also, have you ever experimented with ridiculous exaggeration of ideas, just to see how far you can push them before they break? The idea here can be found easily enough, but it's not unmistakably clear.

His pants look awesome, as does his face... as does most of this piece. I look forward to seeing the final piece

[Helm]

Not much time today but I did start on the background

[Kren]

Not much time today but I did start on the background

hmm since the start I have seen this really dark :/.

[Ryumaru]

My opinion is don't get rid of the red. I like the bg so far aswell : D