by Susiron » Sat May 12, 2012 6:00 pm
Oddly,
Looking very nice so far, and the story behind it is very cool. I love fantasy and crazy new worlds and things above all, but it's always nice to see stories that are centered in a much more tangible world too. :3
Hrmm, for critique-- I think the main things I see so far are that her limbs seem a bit small compared to her body. A bit too thin, and for the arms, a little too short. Maybe flesh those out a bit more-- especially in the hips and thighs?
Also, the shading on the face under her cheeks looks a bit too focused and sharp. It makes her cheeks protrude a bit too much, and gives the jaw a really hollow feeling. Perhaps smooth it out a bit more?
Hope you finish it through completely! C: -- Shading on the coat is looking awesome, btw.
Muggafinn,
Ohh, rainy scenes-- I always love rainy scenes~ CB
I really like the tones used, and the lightning in the background is a really nice touch. I love your brush choice for the clouds, as well.
Hrmm, I think to really bring out your backgrounds some more, you could maybe add some more detail to the foreground. Draw some more grass before your characters' bodies to really show that they're placed in the setting. Some other forms of plants, and tall grass in the very front can also make it pop. Perhaps some bushes, ferns-- don't be afraid to really fill your landscape with some more life.
Another good thing to do is make objects look less generic and repeated. Vary the shapes of the raindrops more; make the notches in the trees more like a puzzle piece, rather than a grate, so it's all over the place,rather than in straight lines. Nature can be pretty messy, so giving imperfections to things makes it more believable.
The last thing I think I'd say for the background is more regarding composition. With characters so close in the foreground, it really helps to show how close they are by making the horizon line in the far back somewhere below them. If that line is below them-- be it below their heads, their shoulders, or any other part of their body-- it gives the viewer more of a sense of depth, that they are looking onto a bigger scene. If you really want to make slopes above their heads though, then making those lighter, and desaturated will also give the same sense that it's farther away. Just imagine looking at some mountains far off, where the fog and light distort it into looking paler and less visible.
Backgrounds can be a pain, but they're definitely worth it in the end. Keep practicing with them, and try out all sorts of things to get different effects and results. :3