[WIP] Another pixeled portrait

[EvilEye]

I don't much care for the dark-green look. I like parts of the face edit but in some ways it makes him look to rugged.

The pixel blotches you refer to is probably the parts where I haven't finished it yet. At least I hope that's what it is

I really like that. That's the direction I was trying to go, strong highlights on the face. Didn't seem to get there for some reason, maybe I told myself I could just lighten the colors later and then got stuck.

Meh, well here's some progress:



And maybe a crown / tiara? Better / worse?



Here's a feeble attempt to edit the colors a bit:

[ptoing]

The valuejump issue both Helm and Ben mentioned is even worse in these last ones than before.
If you don't see what they mean you should consider calibrating your monitor.

[Helm]

I don't much care for the dark-green look. I like parts of the face edit but in some ways it makes him look to rugged.

I didn't spend time on an edit because I wanted you to tell me what you like or don't like about it. The issues with it remain, and in the latest color edit they're exacerbated, even. If you want this piece to strain the eyes and not have too much depth, that's fine, just let us know so I don't keep trying to illustrate a point that's useless to you. If you also see it as an issue and want to amend it, I'm sure you can do it without a dark-green tint and/or the ruggedness.

[CrazyMLC]

It looks very nice, but the haircut looks very feminine, not really suitable for a royal/god-like/tough-guy figure IMO.

[Opacus]

It looks very nice, but the haircut looks very feminine, not really suitable for a royal/god-like/tough-guy figure IMO.

I do not agree!


But seriously, there's nothing wrong with long here. I like it really. Adds something mystical.

[EvilEye]

I don't much care for the dark-green look. I like parts of the face edit but in some ways it makes him look to rugged.

I didn't spend time on an edit because I wanted you to tell me what you like or don't like about it. The issues with it remain, and in the latest color edit they're exacerbated, even. If you want this piece to strain the eyes and not have too much depth, that's fine, just let us know so I don't keep trying to illustrate a point that's useless to you. If you also see it as an issue and want to amend it, I'm sure you can do it without a dark-green tint and/or the ruggedness.

Ok then, as far as just the face goes, is this better?



*Update*



*Update*



I think I'm getting close to done here. Any comments?

[politopo]

I don't want to be offensive in any means, but let me say that you moved from the "angry mage-warrior king" to the "gay prince" look...
If this is the look you are going for, i'ts fine, but with refining you lost all of the harshness and depth the original design seemed to have.

[Ben2theEdge]

The issues with contrast, volume and negative space are still just as present now as they were originally. Because hue and volume are virtually nonexistant and the contrast and saturation are very high it makes the image very difficult to look at. Your outline is the only distinction between the different forms and because the contrast is so high it overexcites the viewer's eyes and the picture becomes jarring and unpleasant. But without those dark outlines it would be too faint and indecipherable. I don't understand why you're so intent on doing this. Is it a "style" thing, or is the picture supposed to look like an overexposed photograph? In any case the issue of balance and readability is becoming steadily worse which should be causing a lot of concern.

Hopefully this illustrates the point. the first is obviously your image. the 2nd is the actual abstract 2D forms that the eye sees. the 3rd is a version of those forms with more balanced values to differentiate them. This is not the only solution or even a particularly good solution, but hopefully it illustrates the point. In my last edit this is basically what I did (although I think I made the form of the hair lighter than the form of his face)

[EvilEye]

I don't want to be offensive in any means, but let me say that you moved from the "angry mage-warrior king" to the "gay prince" look...
If this is the look you are going for, i'ts fine, but with refining you lost all of the harshness and depth the original design seemed to have.

Hmm, hopefully the crown helped masculinize him a bit.

The issues with contrast, volume and negative space are still just as present now as they were originally. Because hue and volume are virtually nonexistant and the contrast and saturation are very high it makes the image very difficult to look at. Your outline is the only distinction between the different forms and because the contrast is so high it overexcites the viewer's eyes and the picture becomes jarring and unpleasant. But without those dark outlines it would be too faint and indecipherable. I don't understand why you're so intent on doing this. Is it a "style" thing, or is the picture supposed to look like an overexposed photograph? In any case the issue of balance and readability is becoming steadily worse which should be causing a lot of concern.

Hopefully this illustrates the point. the first is obviously your image. the 2nd is the actual abstract 2D forms that the eye sees. the 3rd is a version of those forms with more balanced values to differentiate them. This is not the only solution or even a particularly good solution, but hopefully it illustrates the point. In my last edit this is basically what I did (although I think I made the form of the hair lighter than the form of his face)

You guys just don't like my colors here do ya?

This particular picture is in a super-lighted atmosphere, so it's supposed to be a bit surreal.

Tell me what you think of these:



Less saturated version:



Minor color edit:




Now that I look at it, the problem may be the neck, which could be too dark.

[Dex]

I don't know, I still feel that the hair is causing most of the contrast issues.

It doesn't seem to get darker except under the crown and it doesn't really have a hair feeling.  Personally I would say to push the tones on the hair further and make it a bit darker, especially towards the left edges where the shadows would theoretically be. With such dark tones on the face, the hair is left looking light and flat. Giving the hair a tad bit more depth might help fix this.

Either way, it's looking pretty good! Keep at it.