wizzardz: completed.

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jimmy
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by jimmy »

:shock:
oh no! it's this guy from the mirror universe! i knew there was something wrong while beaming...
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Jetrel
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Re: wizzardz: White Mage

Post by Jetrel »

kitty wrote:but i've a new one: the male dark adept. (it's somehow strange to show him since my boyfriend posed for him and it turned out like a pretty realistic portrait of his dark side :twisted: )
Advice to the peanut gallery: especially when you're newer to art, it does you a ton of good to be "drawing from life". I suspect that kitty's been using a human model to double-check a lot of her work, and that even for her as a very good artist, it still really helps.


I like the dark adept. :D

I think the issue with him is not so much a matter of not looking "withered/emaciated", as that he's not exuding a strong sense of "brooding, dark power". I suspect, actually, that this can be done by nothing more than giving him a slightly more piercing stare.

kitty wrote:for the comments on the white mage are too contradictory and confusing i will leave her as she is for now (that is until jetryl shows up). it's not that i don't appreciate your comments or that they aren't useful, but since my last post i count 5 "fine as she is", 3 "appears too broad", 1 "problem with her hand" and 1 "problem with her expression"............ :?
It's certainly "good enough to commit", but I do agree that there are a few 'minor issues'. The core of the face is good, but the task of drawing a face with a touch of age on it is very difficult, because it's such delicate work - nothing more than a few stray pixels can turn 30 years into 45. :? I suspect the nasolabial line on our right might be a bit too strong compared to the one on our left. I'm not sure.

There's -something- very subtle up with the body, but besides a possibility listed below, I really don't have any idea what it might be. I'd have to toss stuff around in photochop to get insight - which I'd like to try, later tonight.


I think we can definitely commit it for now, but it might be worth revisiting after the "familiarity bias" wears off in a few days.
kitty wrote:@ thespaceinvader: thanks for the critique! i see what you mean about the sleeve getting confused with the body. actually there is a little gap between them. perhaps it isn't big enough. :hmm:

@ jw: :lol2: you're the only one who answered this question! you're right about her back in the sketch, the red line is too far back and the outwards curve is missing because i didn't continue further down. but (i don't want to sound defensive :P ) she isn't nude. there is a thick cloth tucked under her belt, following the laws of gravity.
:hmm: Hmm. I think that the interface between the arm on our left, and the back, might be the source of people's issues with the body. AFAIK, the body's not technically wrong in any way, but I think that the composition, and how the line showing the edge of the back is obscured by the arm, might be what's making her torso look "off" to people.
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Sgt. Groovy
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Sgt. Groovy »

Advice to the peanut gallery: especially when you're newer to art, it does you a ton of good to be "drawing from life". I suspect that kitty's been using a human model to double-check a lot of her work, and that even for her as a very good artist, it still really helps.
And for that matter, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio et al. all used live models. Nobody ever gets so good that they can forsake real life reference completely (if their style of rendering is anything near realistic, that is).
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kitty
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by kitty »

here is a new version of the dark adept... a lot less healthy and friendly looking (i hope). i think the problem is that i know my "model" very well - in comparison to his real appearance the first version was already very nasty. i have real problems looking at him without bias.

so please speak up if this still isn't evil enough!




@ anyakub: thank you! and i didn't even knew the name of that thing... :wink:

@ boucman, garen: thanks! :D

@ jimmy: Image

@ jetryl: thank you for the detailed answer! if you want to try to play around with the white mage - do you want to have the layered file? i really hope you can find what's going on with her... i can't see it - i've stared at her for too long.

@ groovy: yep!
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darkadept02.png
darkadept02.png (85.3 KiB) Viewed 5622 times
Boucman
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Boucman »

one word : perfect

full of youth, full of power, already burnt by it.

I had issues with the costuming in the previous one, but your changes somehow fixed them

really great
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mameluke
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by mameluke »

I think the dark adept could use some talisman an his neck or arm or so.
He looks like a beggar with his old cloth, but he is a quite powerful magician!
I think about some black glaring pearls or something... can also be subtle.

How you think about that?

EDIT: or a black evil magic symbol on his forehead?
EDIT2: or some tattoo coming out under the cloth, like on his arm and neck?
I don't see any problems with an elf-woman hitting somebody with a mace...
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thespaceinvader
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by thespaceinvader »

I disagree - the dark adept is forced ot the fringes of society by their choice of power, and isn't all that powerful YET. I don't think that talismans or ornaments would enhance the appearance. I do think some tattoos might look cool, though.

I'm with boucman - this is brill.
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Sgt. Groovy
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Sgt. Groovy »

Ha, much better! :D

My only remaining nitpick would be that there is too much light inside the hood (the only light source seems to be very directional and would not reach there).
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tsr
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by tsr »

As always, feel free to disregard my comments :)

I have one major problem with the DA, it's too real. I think you have used much more detail in the shading and line-work around his eyes and forehead which makes it look like a photo with a painting-filter.

I also have a minor 'this-bugs-me-but-in-game-I-wont-notice'-thing: his left index-finger is a bit too much bent. I think taking away 10% of the bending in the last two joints would fix it.

And ofc I can only see these things because the overall image is the awesome.

/tsr
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Iris
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Iris »

I commited the miss Red Mage's portrait to trunk; now it is enabled as generic portrait too. Let me get some sleep nowozzz...
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Sapient
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Sapient »

Sgt. Groovy wrote:Ha, much better! :D

My only remaining nitpick would be that there is too much light inside the hood (the only light source seems to be very directional and would not reach there).
well, his magic hand is also a light source...

this looks very, very nice!
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Sangel »

I love the subtle touches on this one. The slightly tattered sleeves and collar; the subtle "felt" texture to the surcoat; the long, spindly hand. I particularly love the way that he's "turning into the shadow" in this image - it's a wonderful visual allusion to his turning to the dark arts.
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Sgt. Groovy
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Sgt. Groovy »

well, his magic hand is also a light source...
No, it really isn't -- the inside of the hand is all dark, thus the swirls aren't emitting any light (though the fingers don't cast a shadow on them either).
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Qes
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by Qes »

My cents are worth nothing, not even the two I give. But I wanted to share how I felt when I saw your wonderful artistic depictions of the mages:

Red-Mage (final):
She looks bemused by recent events, and at first i thought the spatter on her robe was blood. As though some foolish entities had just dared to confront a Red-Mage. But those moments are past her now, and she looks off into the distance, knowing what battles are to come, and enjoying the momentary peace.

White Mage (initial+):
Firstly I always thought she looked feminine. She has the look of a forlorn Norse (norsk) woman to her. A benevolent woman who's seen too much death, too much woe for five lifetimes. Her "doll-faced" look is perfect, it's as if she's seen 'the last wound.' Or as if the last of her friends has finally died - and in front of her. She is not destroyed by these events, only residually accepting of them. Her sleave looks to be flapping upwards because she just dropped her hand, which means it was previously outstretched, or aloft - indicating just-prior meaning, hope, endurance... but that moment has passed, and she stares at the 'reality' of 'it all' lost in her own mind. It's her eyes - wonderful work.

Dark Adept (most recent):
Angry, bitter, broken. Wonderful. I see not the sinister nature of planned evil, but the corruptive nature of despondency. This man tried to be good. This man tried things the 'right' way, and failed, repeatedly. Vengence lurks in his right eye, and his left is lost almost wholly to darkness. His raised, what can only be rightly described as a human claw is arched back upon his body, writhing with power - as if to backhand the miscreant or insolent fool who dared remind him of his failings, either directly or by comparison. Good is this man's enemy - for it never served him, but served all those who hated him. He shall have his vengence.



To say that your illustrations give off raw emotion is I think obvious. However, I wanted to share just how MUCH depth I see in what you draw.

Thank you for contributing to Wesnoth - it is certainly richer for having your talents invested.
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kitty
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Re: wizzardz: Male Dark Adept

Post by kitty »

attached the small version of the dark adept...



@ boucman, spaceinvader, sangel: thank you! :)

@ mameluke: i am with spaceinvader in this question - anyone practising the dark arts in the civilized world is subject to a death sentence, thus they live secluded, hidden and poor. when they have reached the status of a sorcerer (aka level 2) and are no longer only adepts of the dark arts bling may be appropriate. thus no - i made him "poor" on purpose, this guy has chosen to follow a demanding way. sorry.

@ groovy: thanks. you're right about the light of course. i just like the extreme contrast in this case. (possible (but bad) explanation could be the difference between materials: reflective, shiny skin and rugged dull cloth :P )

@ tsr: mmh. you're right - he is a bit more detailed than most of the elves. but i would call it *better*. and most of my human portraits (e.g. for wesmere) are shaded in a similar fashion. but in future i will be carefull not to differ too much!
concerning the finger - i don't know, but i'm able to bend it that way...

@ shadow master: :D thank you! *little happydance*

@ sapient: thank you for trying to defend me! but groovy is right...

@ qes: :shock: thank you for this beautiful long detailed answer! it's nice to know that those little pics evoke some emotions!
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