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We Make Webcomics > Making Webcomics > Art > Critique > Critique Request
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purenightshade
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« on: April 29, 2009, 07:15:51 AM »

Looking for some critique in general on my comic. I'm told the art looks stiff in places and I'm not really sure how to fix that. The art has improved since the first few pages (page 1 for example).

Any help is appreciated.
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majic13
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« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2009, 07:59:49 AM »

Your grasp of anatomy looks pretty good - it looks like you're using photo references for poses and such, and I'm a big fan of references. Try not to be too reliant on them, though - as an exercise, try taking a photo reference of a pose, and then draw the same pose from a quarter-circle to the left or right, or a slightly higher or lower point of view. It helps to understand how things exist in three dimensions, which will ultimately reduce your need for references.

Pumping up the contrast between highlights and shadows would help make things look a bit less flat - especially where you're using textures for stuff like hair and tree bark. Digital texturing can save a lot of time when it comes to rendering background elements, but at the moment the combination of fairly stylised solid black linework and intricate digital textures seems rather jarring to me - especially when the background is a Photoshop filter that doesn't really seem to bear any relationship to what's going on.

I'd recommend trying to vary the line-width a bit more as you draw - a thicker line for the silhouette outlines of objects to make them pop from the background, and a slightly thinner line for details inside that outline.

I'd also recommend dropping or at least toning back the Photoshop texture filters, as at the moment it seems that they're being used as a stand-in for drawing backgrounds. It's a time-saver, but it can become a crutch.

To help with shading, try experimenting with a cel-shading kind of approach - rather than a blurry soft-edged brush, try dividing up an object into crisp-edged highlights, midtones and shadows to get a feel for how the light falls.

Hope that helps - there's definite enthusiasm and promise in what you're doing, but it's my opinion that at the moment you're relying on your tools more than you're relying on yourself. Smiley
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purenightshade
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« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2009, 08:08:54 AM »

The initial style I'd used to shade was more of a cell style. I found that it looked terrible.

Toning back on the textures is a good suggestion. I'll keep that one in mind in future pages.

The drawing is a good idea as well (with the line width and 3d stuff). Sounds like it'd be a fun thing to play with.

And yes, I use a lot of reference images, largely from a friend's stock account. There is some stuff in there that is entirely my own doing (and am very proud of those pieces). I've been meaning to dial back the referencing for a while now. I feel confident enough in the comic to do that now.


Thank you so much for your critique! It will be really helpful!
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DarkFish
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« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2009, 06:09:29 PM »

Well let's see here...

Mostly I think Maj has you on the right track.

Also, here's another set of characters I'd like to see more facial expressions from, you might try doing character sheets for them each with a complete set of facial expressions.
happy, sad, laughing, scared, annoyed, and so on.
Get used to how they look in different moods.

I'd find a new way of representing fire if I were you.
The fire you're making just isn't bright enough compared to the background elements.

I do like the little campfire highlights you use on the characters though.

The website could use some toning down in order to show off your color strip.
I'd say pick 2 or 3 colors for a theme and stick to them for the banners and buttons,
Also the outlines on the sward and scabbard are too thick and run together.
Simplify and de-colorize wherever possible, stick to the theme colors.
change the background wallpaper map to a 2-tone so it doesn't look like
a rainbow threw up on it. fewer colors will lend antiquity to your map-graphic and also make the color on your comic page pop out.
The fact that you're brave enough to use color gives you an edge, so make
the most of it and don't turn it into a weakness by piling on color where it doesn't help tell your story.

On the writing:
Maybe I didn't read enough (14 pages or so) but I didn't detect much humor,
life, movement and depth to the characters.
In a fantasy tale, they need to dream and dance write and laugh and have hobbies like wood carving and playing instruments and drinking ale.
Things that are worth living for make you worry for the characters when they're in danger, because you can see where their strength comes from and you want them to get back to their "happy place" so to speak.
I need to know what makes them happy and what they live for

Good work, hope this helps.
 
 
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AdamC
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« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2010, 08:03:56 PM »

The main thing I notice about the art, really the colors, is that you use the dodge and burn tools.  They don't make natural shading or highlights.

Try finding your own color palettes.

Here's some links on color and shading I've collected:

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm
http://toerning.deviantart.com/art/A-Note-on-Light-and-Colour-93113938

Hmm I thought I had more. One thing I also learned from oddly enough was Pixel art palettes.  Especially hue shifts. When you can only use a few colors to get your point across you learn how to create them easier.


Oh my this post is old... I guess if you check here it could still be useful since I was looking at your newest works which are still current.
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