[ButterflyChaser]

Yes I wrote the story. it's based off Apache's Aurion wolf story.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=663040&p=15809271#p15809271

The Aurion wolf story with the two tribes reminds me of one of my own stories I am trying to work on, only with my story they are ants, not wolves, and neither of the two sides are particularly evil or good. Neither side in my story is particularly banished from another. They both believe they are doing the right thing and believe the same deity.

Entering Apache's contest I feel kind of at home with the plot. A few days after coloring, I left the entry just saved and not posted. I see stories like movies in my head. (it happens when I read stories too.) He introduced himself and the movie played in my mind as I was at work. When I got the chance I completed the entry with the story. Then I also attempted to copy the image in my head that went with the story.

[Lock]

Thanks, but you know, it won't be featured. I highly doubt it. It doesn't look as good as half of the stuff I see posted here, much less the ones in the intermediate gallery, even after all the time I wasted on it. Story was a fail as well. Oh well. Whatever.

Anyways. Updated. Light source attempted. Now he really does look iridescent. The mask appears to be emitting a strange mist. The drawing still fails. I still can't draw wrinkles. Or backgrounds. Or much of anything else at that. It is embarrassing I even tried to post this. May it rest in peace as it crashes off the first page.

Okayokayokay. Fist thing's first. Don't critisize yourself so harshly! If you need a confidence boost, compare yourself to artists you feel you're better than, not worse than. Tell me what you like about your art rather than what you dislike.

Also, posting work you're not quite happy with will help you improve, I promise. It gets you motivated to fix your mistakes. One wall of my bedroom is covered in art of mine that I don't really like anymore. That way every time I walk into my room I'm so unhappy with what I've drawn previously that I feel motivated to spend a few hours looking up photos and practicing anatomy and such.

So on to the actual critique. XD
For help with paws, this tutorial on DeviantART is pretty accurate. I think the shoulder and elbow are tucked a little far into the body. You might want to slope the back a little more. Other than that, realism-wise, work on the shape of the eyes. If you reference from pictures of wolf eyes, you can rarely see the whites. Also, I'd sharpen the colors up a little more. They look a little hazy... If you're going for a foggy look it's okay, but instead, perhaps make the background foggy and the forground sharper to pull it out, maybe with distinct wisps of fog in from of the wolf and mask, which should be the main focus. Maybe sharpen the colors and edges of the mask and put in sharp, shiny-looking highlights.

Overall, it's an awesome painting and I probably couldn't doo any better myself. Hopefully this was at least a little helpful... Though I feel like my method of explaining was unintelligable. XD

As for the story, it sounds great to me. Other than one or two gramatical things, it's wonderful. Lots of emotion, and we get to experience the character's confusion with his conflicting emotions. It might help, if you're dissatisfied, to read it out loud to yourself and see where you can make improvements. "There is no great writing, only great re-writing."

Sorry for the crazy long post. O_O

[ButterflyChaser]

Updated, but I think I made it worse?

[ButterflyChaser]

I'm having trouble with the program glitching on me. Oh well time to give up.

[LeSmexyFish]

I think that everything is perfect, even perfectly set. its awsome. i love it

[ButterflyChaser]

(deleted my double post.) I edited a few things. Still not happy with the cheek area and the arm, but I've spent about 13 hours on it already.

Just curious. I can't seem to find anywhere to post my question. Just wondering what it takes to have something featured? Are they chosen at random or from most popular? Or does a drawing have to meet specific requirements? Is there a certain time span? Just wondering, because I was hoping if I worked hard enough on something I could get it featured. I feel a little disappointed.

[emowolfgirl20]

cool!

[Smoogiepie]

I saw your post on the artist rant thread I could redline the paws for you, if you'd like ^^