DJ's f-art area (Updated 10-3-09)

[Deaths Jester]

This is a piece I'm doing for a very close friend of mine who means a lot to me...so please no funny stuff but do criteque becuase something about it annoys me and the fact that I possess zero training in this type of stuff.



-DJ

[JKCarrier]

Looks very cool. The only problem I see is that the edge of her hair is forming a really harsh vertical line that splits the picture in two. If it's possible to add a bit of "wave" to it, maybe have a couple of loose strands overlapping the background, that would make it look more natural.

[Mr. Hamrick]

i agree with JK and will add that the pic looks too much like two separate pics right now which i don't think was your intent.  Is there a way to maybe feather the edges of her hair to remove the hard line and to blend her more with the background image to make it look like she is actually part of it?

[AfghanAnt]

The thing I think it hurting this pic is that the lighting it off. Not being 100% sure where the source was coming from I did a really quick and rough explaination of where the light would fall and what colors it would make. Also follow where the highlight on the face are and intensify them as you darken the flat areas to give it more depth.

I also added the hair suggestion just so you'd get a better idea of how little changes can really bring a piece together.



If you need any tips or advice (and you are using PS CS), feel free to pm me. 

[Deaths Jester]

Thanks a lot fellows, I'll get back to work on this pic.

[UnkoMan]

Well, I guess I really have nothing to say now. I'll just sit around and wait to see how this comes out.

[Deaths Jester]

Here's how it came out.



I cannae thank AA enough for his example and for the rest of ye guys input.  It really helped alot!

[AfghanAnt]

Not to come off a little dicky because you did thanked me and I appreciate your appreciation but I was really hoping my light tutorial was going to help you artistically. That was the whole point of me doing that pic. I even offered to give you pointers on how to achieve the same effect but your own way.



If you want the original tut pic which does looks so grainy, I can send it your way but I'd really like to see what you can do.

[Cyber Burn]

   I am not an artist in any way, shape, or form. I just know what I like. That being said, I think what bugs me about the original picture, is 1) It does look a little bit grainy, maybe it's just the way that the picture looks on my pc, 2) I think that the feathered hair in Ant's picture really helps the two images blend, but maybe feather the hair on both sides of her head, not symmetrical, just enough to add depth, and 3) By changing the lighting, you lost the buttons on her sleeve in the final product, just a minor detail, but one that seemed to take aaway some of the character from your friend.

[Deaths Jester]

Not to come off a little dicky because you did thanked me and I appreciate your appreciation but I was really hoping my light tutorial was going to help you artistically. That was the whole point of me doing that pic. I even offered to give you pointers on how to achieve the same effect but your own way.



If you want the original tut pic which does looks so grainy, I can send it your way but I'd really like to see what you can do.

Actually the "final" pic is my own work, I studied ye example very closely and tried my best to recreate it perfectly but if ye want me to, I'll go back and start again and see what happens on my own.  And the grainy look on the "fianl" pic is actually a texture overlay on it.  But it looks like back to the drawingboard again.   

[AfghanAnt]

Actually the "final" pic is my own work, I studied ye example very closely and tried my best to recreate it perfectly but if ye want me to, I'll go back and start again and see what happens on my own.  And the grainy look on the "fianl" pic is actually a texture overlay on it.  But it looks like back to the drawingboard again.   

I'm not trying to call you a liar but I have a hard time believing you didn't use the same exact face I painted and overlayed or cut around the background image.  You made my same mistakes, same directional stroke angles, and you just happened to draw black lines where my arrows were (your gamma may be off if you can't see the black lines in the left side of the hair where the arrows were in the tut pic are still visible)?

If you really did recreate what I did, I commend your skill. But you still missed the whole point of the tut. It was to help you, not have you recreate what I did.

[Deaths Jester]

Actually the "final" pic is my own work, I studied ye example very closely and tried my best to recreate it perfectly but if ye want me to, I'll go back and start again and see what happens on my own.  And the grainy look on the "fianl" pic is actually a texture overlay on it.  But it looks like back to the drawingboard again.   

I'm not trying to call you a liar but I have a hard time believing you didn't use the same exact face I painted and overlayed or cut around the background image.  You made my same mistakes, same directional stroke angles, and you just happened to draw black lines where my arrows were (your gamma may be off if you can't see the black lines in the left side of the hair where the arrows were in the tut pic are still visible)?

If you really did recreate what I did, I commend your skill. But you still missed the whole point of the tut. It was to help you, not have you recreate what I did.

Alrighty...I'll go back and do a new one.  Hopefully, thie new one, which I'll post ina  day or so, will look just as good or better.  I will say I did use your exact face as a template for what I did, thus the look that it was recreated.  But I will go back and do it again, thus making everyone hapyy and seeing if I can create something more original.  Hopefully that will make everyone happier.  Not that anyone is unhappy...are we?

[Deaths Jester]

Alrighyt, here's the new finish piece, and what will be the last posting of my "art" here for some time.  I think I'll return to the skinning section, where even though I'm nothing more than a second-rate, two-bit skin monkey the comments I recieve are at least helpful and less volatile.  This has nothing to do with what ye've said AA.  Though the accusation does sting, I can understand your stance seeing as ye didn't see me do it...so no hard feelings there.  Instead, it's some other folks who have taken this topic into PM and really angered me with their less than pleasant responses. Maybe someday I'll return to showcase some other works but for now I'll be posting my work on Meshmatters and IFX's forums where I hope things will be a bit more helpful and a bit less volatile.  FOr those that did post helpful comments, especially AA, thank ye for the help.



-DJ

[Panther_Gunn]

I may not be much of an artist myself, but I *am* full of opinions on things.  With that in mind, I *really* like the final product, much better than the previous version.  I thought that the earlier version ended up looking a bit more cartoony than I'd prefer, but not knowing what your vision was, I don't know if that's what you were aiming for.

Having said all that, do *not* let things other people have said push you away from showing things here, whether you're asking for assistance or just looking for feedback.  Other people are just that -- other people. In the end, it's all about whether you're happy with the final product, and if you learned anything to improve your skills.  In this medium, sometimes it can be just as difficult to give a critique as it can be to receive it.  Inflections shade a *lot* of our communications, and that can very easily and very quickly get lost in just text.  If you're being put off by people that aren't being helpful to the process (and not because of a lack of effective communication), *I'll* be the first one to tell them what exit they need to take and how expiditiously they need to take it.  Stifling creativity is just as bad as foisting something completely offensive on people under the auspices of "art" can be.

[AfghanAnt]

I think this is a tremendous improvement though there is something sort of off about the hair. I don't know if you can see it but the highlights do not look nearly as soft.

As for PG's comments, I believe if you ask for critique you should deal with what that really entails. I stand by all the comments I made because I knew my comments were being helpful and the consequence for that is a much better product and now DJ has a better understanding of digital painting. I did read anywhere on this thread anything negative that did not stem from critical observation.

[Previsionary]

As for PG's comments, I believe if you ask for critique you should deal with what that really entails. I stand by all the comments I made because I knew my comments were being helpful and the consequence for that is a much better product and now DJ has a better understanding of digital painting. I did read anywhere on this thread anything negative that did not stem from critical observation.

Indeed, but DJ pointed out he got negative attention via PM from people OUTSIDE of the situation which is both odd and a bit worrying. But anyway, I think the second pic is an improvement. It's not as dark and gloomy. It actually "pops" a bit more, imo. I do agree with AA about the hair though. It does have an odd feel to it.

Regardless, i hope you continue to show off your art. If not here, then at least link to it or something. You shouldn't let other people dissuade you from showing something off unless you see no benefit in it. And if that's the case, sorry to hear it.

[AfghanAnt]

Indeed, but DJ pointed out he got negative attention via PM from people OUTSIDE of the situation which is both odd and a bit worrying.

I totally missed that . Negative pms are shady and really blah IMO. I think if you have the e-jimmies to say it privately just say is publicly.


What I can't type b-a-l-l-s anymore?

[Deaths Jester]

A few new things I did before my comp crashed and burned are posted at the following links.

http://meshmatters.awardspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=181.new#new

http://meshmatters.awardspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=195.new#new

-DJ

[Glitch Girl]

An Error Has Occurred!
The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you. 

Sorry DJ, can't see your stuff. 

[Deaths Jester]

An Error Has Occurred!
The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you. 

Sorry DJ, can't see your stuff. 

Crap....alright...I'll post 'em 'ere then..

Poser work:


2d (very, very early piece)

[Glitch Girl]

Now I can see.

2D piece
Looks good so far.  Obviously there's not much to judge, but what I see of the face looks pretty nice.  Is it lost for good?  (you mentioned the computer "crashing and burning", does this mean total data loss, or delay until files can be transfered)

Poser Piece:
Very nice start.  I like the angle you used, looking down the arm from the gun to the character.  Is that Koji?  I haven't worked with him yet.  He looks pretty good though.  Expression is a bit exaggerated around the mouth, but I think it reads well, especially if you planned on a more stylized image rather than aiming for hyperrealizm.  Lighting I feel could use a touch more contrast (increase the intensity of the light on the right) and the image screams for some kind of dark background (then again I know it wasn't finished). 

Here's hoping you can get your comp up and running artisticly soon. 

[Deaths Jester]

Now I can see.

2D piece
Looks good so far.  Obviously there's not much to judge, but what I see of the face looks pretty nice.  Is it lost for good?  (you mentioned the computer "crashing and burning", does this mean total data loss, or delay until files can be transfered)

I was able to save that pic on a portable drive, so I'm in luck with that one but I lost quite a few others I was working on...which is sad.

Poser Piece:
Very nice start.  I like the angle you used, looking down the arm from the gun to the character.  Is that Koji?  I haven't worked with him yet.  He looks pretty good though.  Expression is a bit exaggerated around the mouth, but I think it reads well, especially if you planned on a more stylized image rather than aiming for hyperrealizm.  Lighting I feel could use a touch more contrast (increase the intensity of the light on the right) and the image screams for some kind of dark background (then again I know it wasn't finished). 

Here's hoping you can get your comp up and running artisticly soon. 

That's actually Simon from Poser 7.  Unhappily I lost this one but was able to hold onto two other scenes which I'll post in the next few days.

[Deaths Jester]

More stuff I was able to save from Poser before the bottom fell out of the comp.  The last two I'm hoping to turn into some more major digital art once things get back to normal.







-DJ

[Gremlin]

Oh, that's cool. I like the lighting on the red woman, and the smug pose of the bottom guy.

[Glitch Girl]

Again, some good starts here, though I'd like to see these with backgrounds to better judge.  Overall I'd say the third is the strongest of the three from a posing and compositional aspect. 

[Deaths Jester]

Again, some good starts here, though I'd like to see these with backgrounds to better judge.  Overall I'd say the third is the strongest of the three from a posing and compositional aspect. 

Yeah...I would've loved to post the backgrounds with them as well but with a combo of overworking/multiple 2d pic requests/skin request I've been unable to get some time to do them.  But I'll post them when I get the chance.

[Deaths Jester]

I know I said I'd never post art here again but still, some of you blokes like seeing it, I think.  This is a wip I'm working on and it still has a long way to go before being finished.  The woman might seem familiar to some becuase she's the same I made another piece for.  All comments are welcome, I guess.

[Gremlin]

Interesting...are you going to put lips on her, or is she going to be mouthless?

[Deaths Jester]

Interesting...are you going to put lips on her, or is she going to be mouthless?

That's part of the work that still needs to be done...lips as well as hair, tears, ear work, a bit of clothing, a background...like I said I'm only about half-way there.

[primus]

I am very interested in seeing how this project turns out.  Just out of curiosity do you take requests?  Hint would love to see my avatar in such 3dness