Goblin Spearman portrait

[Girgistian]

Ye sketch.

[jdsampayo]

wow, very impressive!

But for me, he has more attitude to be the impaler or the rouser, he haves too much determination, like a experienced one. Anyways, just my thoughts.

EDIT: I must say that the spear looks really awesome, those cut out branches in it make the spear to look like a very cheap weapon, surely that fits a lot with the goblins.

[Girgistian]

Thank you. As for the face I agree about the determination, but if I'm going to draw an impaler as well I'll let him have a less cautious stance and more metal in his armor. This guy's mostly got ragged leather on him. Thanks anyway though, I'll see if the face bothers other people as well and then change it if necessary.

I actually got the idea for the remains of the branches from inability to draw the spear straight enough. It kept getting strange disforms, so they're present mostly just to cover up my lack of skill

[zookeeper]

It's a bit questionable whether the spearman, impaler and rouser even need especially different portraits, so maybe it'd be best to do one generic one that fits all first, and then work on unique ones.

As for the picture itself...the one thing that bugs me about it (and your previous wolf rider portrait as well) is the fact that the goblin's face mostly looks like the face of an old man. I'd imagine goblins to be more...youthful. Not like children and not pretty, but rather dim-witted and hyperactive poor things you'll mostly feel pity towards. Mischievous instead of brutal, fighting not due to bravery but stupidity, easily excited about things, having a high-pitched voice, and so on.

[Sangel]

It's true that Girgistian's goblins look pretty tough and capable - more tough and capable than I usually picture goblins as. On the other hand, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. Why go with the clichéd "weak and stupid" goblins when we can have nasty, brutal goblins that just happen to be smaller than men and orcs?

[zookeeper]

Why go with the clichéd "weak and stupid" goblins when we can have nasty, brutal goblins that just happen to be smaller than men and orcs?

No reason. The latter, a change in the concept, is the one that'd need justification.

[thespaceinvader]

I don't see that it would be a change - the lore currently only says that the goblins are small, and weaker than the orcs by comparison - it doesn't say that they're weaker than humans, just than bigger orcs - given that their damage is higher than equivalent level 0 units (the HUman peasant would be a good comparison IMO) it's reasonable to assume they're tough and hard-bitten, just not strong enough to push the bigger orcs back IYSWIM.

[jdsampayo]

I don't see that it would be a change - the lore currently only says that the goblins are small, and weaker than the orcs by comparison - it doesn't say that they're weaker than humans, just than bigger orcs - given that their damage is higher than equivalent level 0 units (the HUman peasant would be a good comparison IMO) it's reasonable to assume they're tough and hard-bitten, just not strong enough to push the bigger orcs back IYSWIM.

I surely see your point, and I completely agree now, and with this I also withdraw my comment about the "determination face"
and like zookeeper said, I agree that this portrait could easy take the entire branch of goblin spearmans
BTW I don't see any problems about the "old look", but that is only personal taste doesn't?

[Girgistian]

Okay... For the sake of democracy, I'll colour this one first and see what I come into. After that I could try to modify his face and make another version that way, and then we could see which one's better. Thanks for all the comments.

EDIT: personally I'd go for the more aggressive look with the wolf rider, but the regular goblin might look more the way zookeeper described it. And idiot couldn't handle a wolf without getting killed, but the regular spearmen have no real background reason to not to be sort of stupid. They also already have the high-pitched voice. Then again the relative effectiveness of it compared to other 0 level units gives it some reason to look a bit fierce. The goblins' cultural and racial background is the same with the orcs so I'm not sure if they should appear that weak though. But I'll try to draw them both and we'll see.

[kitty]

i like him! and i like that you don't immitate the standard goblin but offer your own point of view!

to me he looks a tad too dwarvish because of the viking helmet design, though... and i assume you'll put further work in his left arm, it's not very anatomical right now.


(and because it is tangent day, i want to point out that the right horn is too near to the spear and builds up a strange new form... watch out for those!)

[irrevenant]

to me he looks a tad too dwarvish because of the viking helmet design, though.

The beard contributes to this, IMO.

[Neoskel]

to me he looks a tad too dwarvish because of the viking helmet design, though.

The beard contributes to this, IMO.

Maybe switch out the horns for revealed pointy ears?

[Cuyo Quiz]

I'd loose the stubble and keep the goatee. Full beards bring dwarvish thoughts.

[Sgt. Groovy]

to me he looks a tad too dwarvish because of the viking helmet design

Actually, that helmet is not particulary Viking. Contrary to what popular culture would proclaim, they didn't wear horns on their helmets (usually a spangenhelm cap with a noseguard or "goggles", possibly with cheekflaps or mail curtain).

Also, the popular association of dwarves with Vikings has always confused me. Vikings were tall seafarers, while dwarves are short landgrubs.

[Sangel]

Also, the popular association of dwarves with Vikings has always confused me. Vikings were tall seafarers, while dwarves are short landgrubs.

Dwarves figure prominently in the Norse mythology. Vikings believed the Norse mythology. Reductionist, certainly, but there is a link there.