Curse

Operative 14 · Oct 05, 2010, 07:55 AM // 07:55

Here's a little tiny WIP update; DA Link

Not much changed, though as per what Charlie said, I re-did the ribs (though I'm not sure they are ribs now looking at my reference.. hmm.. look more like fat rolls

), but I redid the ribs, and added the shoulder. Didn't have enough time to do anything major though I wanted to get back into it and do something.

Absolutely outstanding work thus far everyone!

Tommy's · Oct 05, 2010, 08:16 AM // 08:16

Ok Operative, I don't think a human being has ribs there. At least I don't. At that hight, you have a few very small ones, but those are more to the side/back and your muscles are covering them completely. So I think you could flatten it a bit more

But if you look at the Mad King closely, he has almost no waist. So I don't think he should have ribs

I'll be posting some more progress later today. Think I'm gonna go with a ghost out of a box. Just a very own version though

KiyaKoreena · Oct 05, 2010, 10:37 AM // 10:37

@ Oh_Frustration. Its the "Hammered Metal" paint over craft foam sheets.

@ Operatative. His chest piece looks kind of flat and wide and his hips too narrow. I think it should be wider across the belt line.

@ Tommy. Mad King has ribs. You are right that there is no waist but there are ribs visible just under the chest piece.

Death By An Arrow · Oct 05, 2010, 11:37 PM // 23:37

@Operative I agree with the others about the waist. The ribs look fine to me. I think the problem with the waist isn't necessarily the waist at all; but the shoulders. (you can honestly see it either way though :P) What i mean is, the comparison of the shoulder width to the waist width in you drawing is roughly 1.5Shoulders:1waist, where if you look at the Image KiyaKoreena links to, the mad king has a similar pose (torso-wise)to what you drew and his ratio is more akin to JustOver1:1.

You could change this either by making the waist wider, or making the shoulders smaller. Maybe try the shoulders first since you dont have as much work done on the arms as you do the lower torso, and if that doesnt work try the waist.

hope that helps ^^

Ravenhawk · Oct 06, 2010, 12:56 AM // 00:56

Thanks so much for all the critiques. Here's the updated version:

http://roguemina.deviantart.com/art/...sies-181474776

Changes:
-Removed the candlewax thingy as suggested by Thistle
-A friend from DA (grb76) suggested to brighten the blue lighting on her torso and reverse the curve on the armbands. Kind of subtle so it may not be noticeable
-Added more orange tint on the skull as suggested by scarypet from DA
-AAND..the Cat (so many people pointed this out, it HAD to be done lol) . Maybe I need more lighting on the front but I am thinking the leg of that table may actually block it a little..? I kind of want to retain the mysterious lighting on the cat to give that eerie feel.
-Blurred the moon so it won't compete with the subject of the picture (personal critique)

I decided to retain the current lighting instead of darkening it with the assumption of a third lighting at the front of the pic.

Again thanks everyone. Now maybe I can focus on critiques for others

I can still try fixing stuff when I can so feel free to send in your critiques still.

Xivhal Shadowthought · Oct 06, 2010, 01:44 AM // 01:44

Hey guys, i'm totally new here but into art and GW... especially looking forward to GW2. I'm trying to learn digital graphics and photo manipulation and am currently using GIMP. I also like to write fantasy and explore many different kinds of art.

Name:Xivhal Shadowthought
Art Form:graphics and literature
Idea:tons of em
Progress Gallery: ill post em in this thread regularly
Real Life Prizes: check
Official Contest: once i get a solid idea done i'll submit it
Workshop Awards:check

Question: Are we supposed to post our final art here or is this thread just for development/constructive criticism?

Anyways here's some signatures that i've made so far:
not as cool as i would like it to be, i'm really new to GIMP

One of my favorite so far, it's really just two images from Guild wars 2 blended together, i was going for a death and destruction VS birth and creation kinda theme:
Next a ranger themed signature, just a series of images blended together in layers:
Im also working on a story thats gonna be fantasy, i'll post mroe on that later.
Shadow hide you friends

KiyaKoreena · Oct 06, 2010, 02:29 AM // 02:29

A little bit of progress today:

The shoulder parts had a better curve earlier but after heat treating before painting and then hot gluing the tattered part on they pretty much went straight again.

I'm hoping when I stiffen the tattered parts it will draw attention away from the lack of curvy-ness. It's bugging me so much I am going to have to do something to it, probably try cutting and taping from behind and if that doesn't work I'll rip them off and try again. *looks at calendar*

And to further my frustrations with the black cheesecloth when I opened the second package it was dark blue. Looked black enough when all bundled up, open it and its like dark navy blue. Obviously not the same dye lot as the first package. >.<

Also, the shininess of the armor will be toned down greatly once I do the weathering.

actionjack · Oct 06, 2010, 02:46 AM // 02:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by KiyaKoreena

A little bit of progress today:

The shoulder parts had a better curve earlier but after heat treating before painting and then hot gluing the tattered part on they pretty much went straight again.

I'm hoping when I stiffen the tattered parts it will draw attention away from the lack of curvy-ness. It's bugging me so much I am going to have to do something to it, probably try cutting and taping from behind and if that doesn't work I'll rip them off and try again. *looks at calendar*

And to further my frustrations with the black cheesecloth when I opened the second package it was dark blue. Looked black enough when all bundled up, open it and its like dark navy blue. Obviously not the same dye lot as the first package. >.<

Also, the shininess of the armor will be toned down greatly once I do the weathering.

Wowie~ Impressive.

Can you put a light sorce in the head too? Would be cool if it can glow.

shady tradesman · Oct 06, 2010, 04:43 AM // 04:43

Name: Shady Tradesman
Art Form: Traditional Sculpture
Idea: Charr Effigy
Progress Gallery: None for now. Later, though.
Real Life Prizes: [X]
Official Contest: [X]
Workshop Awards: [X]

Two weeks left? Good thing I've got lots of time

Charlie Dayman · Oct 06, 2010, 05:16 AM // 05:16

OH GOD, THEY'RE IN MY DREAMS. OH GOD.

Hey folks, really sorry I haven't been keeping up with the critiques and people's work. Mid terms and portfolio reviews. Only have enough free time to sit down and work on this piece - didn't realize it was so close to the deadline. About 45-50% done. I still need to:

-Fix/finish both Gwens (legs are a tad long, and the hair isn't perfect)
-Add the dynamic lighting
-Add multiple color layers
-Add MKT wallpaper and decorative architecture

We'll see if I'll be able to get some sort of animation on this one. I'm going to be swamped with my anatomy class these next few weeks.

Thistle Xandra · Oct 06, 2010, 05:18 AM // 05:18

@ Raven, I didn't think the outline of the cat would work with that lighting, but BOY did you make it work! It looks beautiful! Bravo

@ Kiya, loving those updates

It looks so cool!

I haven't had time to work on my story, but it's in my mind, just need to get it out

I'm going to definitely shorten it so it's about a quarter of what I was planning on doing. Anyway, I didn't write anything, but I did do some quick sketches of the twin characters while waiting at the airport today. I'm not planning on putting pics in the story, so these are mostly just for me so I can see what they would look like on paper:

OK, now I just need to find time to sit and get this story out of my head. Why oh why does real life have to get in the way of my Guild Wars time

actionjack · Oct 06, 2010, 05:42 AM // 05:42

Wow, Charlie Dayman, Wow. Cann't wait to see it in first place.

@Thistle Xandra: Looking good so far.

Minami · Oct 06, 2010, 06:32 AM // 06:32

OMG, only 2 weeks left?! O_O

*scrambles*

Still so much to do! All the jewelries... more lighting... adjustments... waaaah!!!

I'll post some C&C a bit later, after I made some more progress myself. ^_^

Operative 14 · Oct 06, 2010, 07:09 AM // 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by KiyaKoreena

@ Operatative. His chest piece looks kind of flat and wide and his hips too narrow. I think it should be wider across the belt line.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death By An Arrow

@Operative I agree with the others about the waist. The ribs look fine to me. I think the problem with the waist isn't necessarily the waist at all; but the shoulders. (you can honestly see it either way though :P) What i mean is, the comparison of the shoulder width to the waist width in you drawing is roughly 1.5Shoulders:1waist, where if you look at the Image KiyaKoreena links to, the mad king has a similar pose (torso-wise)to what you drew and his ratio is more akin to JustOver1:1.

You could change this either by making the waist wider, or making the shoulders smaller. Maybe try the shoulders first since you dont have as much work done on the arms as you do the lower torso, and if that doesnt work try the waist.

hope that helps ^^

Thanks guys, This is really the first full-on view of a character I've ever done. It's really helpful to have you guys look at it from another perspective and see where I'm going wrong. Thanks for the helpful comments!

@ Charlie: I'm just about going to bed so I'm not going to lo.. darn it.. >_<

@KiyaKoreena: Excellent work!

Especially the head, it looks so natural looking it's kind of spooky.

Charlie Dayman · Oct 06, 2010, 10:14 AM // 10:14

Staying up late to work since I don't know when I'll be able to go at this again. MKT Wallpaper added.

Still playing around with what color I want the wall pattern to be. I'm really tired right now, and also noticed I messed up the perspective on the right wall to the back. I'll tweak the design next time I'm free/not so exhausted.

Xivhal Shadowthought · Oct 06, 2010, 10:31 AM // 10:31

Here's the beginning of my haloweenish themed GW2 story Sylvan Nightmares:
As Javezt Shaowthought crept silently up the side of a small mountain vale, the silent shroud of the night served well to hide him from the watchful eyes and keen ears of any hostiles in this desolate landscape.
Javezt was a Sylvari, only seven moons had that since he could consciously remember, before then life had been but a dynamic unifying dream dream. He had much knowledge, for all Slyvari shared common knowledge learned from the dream, but his experiences since then were what defined him most, and they had been rivetingly magnificent. Every aspect of life was new, every moment a clear learning experience, from the primal Sylvari’s perspective the meaning of life was to grow. From each now revelation or trial, Javezt gained experience and understanding that helped both his mental, emotional, physical, and magical abilities.
Today would be one of those trials, and today would hold many new revelations, Javezt’s innately inquisitive nature assured that, and he would have it no other way. In fact, Javezt had spent only a short time in the grove, and while he returned there often to meditate, train and explore, he had spent the majority of his first seven months of live traveling the vast reaches of tyria.
Is there ever an end to what one can experience? Thought Javezt, his mind always puzzling and philosophizing about the things he experienced. Mortality is obviously one possible way to control what beings experience, but if one were to live forever would they stay interested
Javezt was brought from his thoughts by a shift in the dream. Is there danger? Javezt questioned. He felt a different aura than he had earlier, and it wasn’t simply the change from daylight he noticed, but a complete shift in perspective. Suddenly, he saw the world before him from a baseline of shadow, and all permeating shroud that was the lack of reflected light in the world around him. This isn’t happening to your world Javezt, this is happening to your perception of it!! He suddenly realized. He rapidly started to re-process everything he saw, the types of light reflected by something’s outer pigment and the abundance of them would dictate how visible it is. The objects contrast to the world around it is what matters most. Javezt kept pondering, all the while keeping a keen eye out for any threats or opportunities as he moved stealthily along the narrowing Cliffside of the rocky vale.
Then again, that holds true for a lot of other things than light and vision. I have to understand that there might be other ways for beings to detect me, my smell, sound that my interaction with my environment produces; there could be a lot more factors I don’t know about. Magical ones even.
Javezt nimbly scaled a large area of rockslide debris all the while methodically listing some mental rules of camouflage, as they made sense to him: The only reason I would be detectable right now would be because someone or something acquires a certain level of awareness through one of their senses. That could be sight, sound, shape, smell, shine, silhouette, texture, and movement that is alerting them, or a magical sense.
As Javezt descended from the rockslide debris he spotted a small nondescript cave, and inquisitive as always, proceeded carefully. Probably nothing friendly inside, this is a long way up in the mountains.
As he left the world under the stars Javezt astonished at how well his night vision was getting. I think this new perspective has done more than effect my mental perception of the world, can thinking of the world in a different and creative enough way really give birth to the evolution and growth of new abilities? Well think about what your asking here… Is it possible to affect the world differently, or have it affect you differently for that matter, because of a difference in your perspective towards it?
Javezt somehow sensed this was a deeply intriguing and possibly far more complicated notion than he might think.
But he knew one thing for sure: The more perspective I have, the more potential I have to live life to it’s fullest. The quicker and better I can make decisions based on my perceptions, the more efficient all of my abilities are going to become, innate, or learned, magical or physical. Growing as a being means balancing the growth of all these aspects to your own liking and needs.
Javezt was then acutely aware of the danger even before he consciously registered it. A sense of alertness precluded his physical sighting of the titanic behemoth rounding a nearby corner. Javezt had been to Rata Sum the city of the Asura, he had absorbed vast quantities of knowledge during his weeks spent amongst the diminutive race possessed of immense mental capacity. And he had certainly seen his fair share of golems, which wasn’t something most 7 month olds in Tyria could say. And so it wasn’t so hard for Javezt to deduct the approximate nature of the monolith before him.
A magma golem, and a massive one at that. That means there has to be an Asura nearby, or that the Asura are involved here somehow.
Of course Javezt, having been contemplating the very issue of stealth only minutes before, hadn’t been noticed by the magma golem. He was already hugging the wall, now it was just a matter of moving slowly through the shadows created by the uneven outcroppings in the tunnel wall and ceiling, avoiding areas saturated with large amounts of light from the glowing magma golem. That thing is so tall, it’s probably always looking down at the world, I wonder how much attention it pays to what’s above it, especially while underground.
As Javezt watched the golem, his vision once again began to adapt rapidly to his increasing perspective of how it perceived the world. He envisioned a conical field of the creatures sensory input, and simply tried to stay out of it. Climbing up the wall he pressed himself tight to the wall, but the golem wasn’t even looking as it lumbered by.
Now to find out why an Asuran magma golem is here in these tunnel, Javezt thought, guarding something perhaps?

Until the next installment, shadow hide you friends

Minami · Oct 06, 2010, 10:46 AM // 10:46

All righty! ^_^

Kiya: Like I said before, I know nothing about prop making so I can't come up with suggestions, but I don't think there's anything to suggest anyways. It looks fabulous!

Charlie: I love the way the 2 Gwens turned out, waaay too spooky!
My only feeling is that I think the wallpaper looks too busy with all those MKT heads on it. Maybe try and make them bigger, or more faded into the base wallpaper color so they're not so disturbing. They take the eyes away from the twins.

Raven: I'm loving the kitty outline! So much better now! ^_^
Your pic overall turned out totally awesome. Very very halloween-y!

That's all I can think of at 5:43 AM.

Here is my pic...
I added/finished the jewelries, finished the head dress, merged my layers, added some subtle layer effects, added ambient colors, made the mouth corner go up a bit more like Tommy suggested, finished blending the colors on the hands and arms, shaded the skin so the jewelries and armor looks more on her, and changed the background a bit.

I think it's pretty close to done.

Please give me some C&C on what to improve if there's anything left. ^_^

Kittycricri · Oct 06, 2010, 12:25 PM // 12:25

Hello everyone! ^^ i'm new here, and since Tzu told me about this contest on deviantart, I thought it would be a fun idea to join you. ^^ I have already seen so much wonderful things on here.. woaw!! I would love to draw as good as most of you can! *o*

ok I just read there were only 2 weeks left.. >_< Even if my costume if almost finished I still need to make a lot of details and I don't even have a staff yet, ieeeeeeh >_< I posted my progress gallery here below, if any of you can give me some critique about details i'm missing, things I did wrong or could make better I would love to listen to them!! ^^ i'm looking forward to the final works of everyone!!

Name: Kittycricri
Art Form: Costume
Idea: Ritualist (necromancer) Costume
Progress Gallery: http://s572.photobucket.com/albums/s...ars%20cosplay/
Real Life Prizes: [x]
Official Contest: [x]
Workshop Awards: [x]

jensyea · Oct 06, 2010, 12:50 PM // 12:50

Looking awsome everyone!
Minami the headpiece doesn't look very realistic, more like its drawn with a grey pencil, which wouldn't be bad if your image was pencil drawn but it looks a bit off now

.
Also the armband on her right arm (left for us) has some sort of stripe on the skin above it which also looks a bit off. As last, the scar (I assume it's a scar) on her head shouldn't go under her eyebrow but the part of the eyebrow where the scar is shouldnt be there. Ignore this if it isn't a scar but in real life if you get a scar on your eyebrow the hair doesn't grow back

. Looking great overall tho!

Minami · Oct 06, 2010, 12:53 PM // 12:53

Thanks jensyea.

I got some very nice CC from a friend a little while ago, working on that at the moment.
That includes the head dress...
I did forget to adjust several things on it anyways before I posted my WIP here, so I know it's off.

Thanks for the observations, I'll take another look on the areas mentioned.