New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
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New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Hi! I recently started to help Battle for Wesnoth and I made, with the help of Zookeeper, a first art piece for the Orcish Incursion campaign.
Zookeeper and I agreed on a picture with a calm forest environment where you can see the reflection of an orc in an elvish blade laying against a tree.
The picture still have flaws and any critiques from other artists are more than welcomed.
I already know a few flaws that should (and will) be fixed (including the critiques made up to the 03/10). They are the following:
- The moss on the left and middle of the foreground tree should be more like dense moss (like on the right) and less like a paint spray
- The skulls on the shoulder spike of the orc in the blade reflection are too small and not really readable with the blurring (but up-sizing them would just make the whole reflection less readable I think, so I'm probably going to erase them)
- The angle between the guard and the blade of the sword feels off and probably is due to the width of the cutting edge and the wrong geometry of the guard (you can see a quick explanation of the wrong geometry here)
- The projected shadow of the sword should be at an angle
- There is an area on the tree that is not textured as the rest near the sword handle. This is due to the sword being downsized at some point.
- A reflection on steel surface wouldn't be entirely colorless
- A forest area would have more shadow on the ground and trees
- A sword hilt doesn't usually have bolts/nails, or at least not that much
- The cutting edge should have extra shine or evidence of wear & tear
- The reflection doesn't look orcish enough
- The mushroom doesn't blend in well
Here is a simple mockup to show how it would look in game. I've also tried to test it in a 4:3 environment, but it ended in a lot of stretching. I suppose this can be fixed with some parameters in the cfg campaing file. If not, I could also make a 4:3 cropped version.
Zookeeper and I agreed on a picture with a calm forest environment where you can see the reflection of an orc in an elvish blade laying against a tree.
The picture still have flaws and any critiques from other artists are more than welcomed.
I already know a few flaws that should (and will) be fixed (including the critiques made up to the 03/10). They are the following:
- The moss on the left and middle of the foreground tree should be more like dense moss (like on the right) and less like a paint spray
- The skulls on the shoulder spike of the orc in the blade reflection are too small and not really readable with the blurring (but up-sizing them would just make the whole reflection less readable I think, so I'm probably going to erase them)
- The angle between the guard and the blade of the sword feels off and probably is due to the width of the cutting edge and the wrong geometry of the guard (you can see a quick explanation of the wrong geometry here)
- The projected shadow of the sword should be at an angle
- There is an area on the tree that is not textured as the rest near the sword handle. This is due to the sword being downsized at some point.
- A reflection on steel surface wouldn't be entirely colorless
- A forest area would have more shadow on the ground and trees
- A sword hilt doesn't usually have bolts/nails, or at least not that much
- The cutting edge should have extra shine or evidence of wear & tear
- The reflection doesn't look orcish enough
- The mushroom doesn't blend in well
Here is a simple mockup to show how it would look in game. I've also tried to test it in a 4:3 environment, but it ended in a lot of stretching. I suppose this can be fixed with some parameters in the cfg campaing file. If not, I could also make a 4:3 cropped version.
Last edited by Bhoren on October 3rd, 2017, 6:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
It's beautiful and I'm very excited to see new story illustrations. I am not really an artist but I think I have a valid critique which doesn't require much experience. If this is a forested area, I would expect that the shadows of some other trees would be falling somewhere across those two trees in the background.
http://www.wesnoth.org/wiki/User:Sapient... "Looks like your skills saved us again. Uh, well at least, they saved Soarin's apple pie."
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Looks like the sword has been driven into ground infront of the tree, rather than leaning on the tree. Still, can be used as is.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
The sword looks amazing, not sure if it should have a nail(???) there (above the hilt) though, consider removing this because I don't think actual swords have anything there (just plain observer opinion, I know nothing about art).
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Hi Bhoren,
The sword looks great, I like the specular off the hilt. Two things I'd want to address:
1. The cutting edge doesn't have any extra shine or evidence of wear & tear, which would make it seem more like a weapon and less like a prop or CGI toy.
2. I couldn't have guessed the reflected silhouette was an orc, maybe you could bulk up the shoulders and lower the head?
Not sure if it is just a placeholder, but the mushroom doesn't blend in well, maybe needs more shadow on the gills and stem?
The sword looks great, I like the specular off the hilt. Two things I'd want to address:
1. The cutting edge doesn't have any extra shine or evidence of wear & tear, which would make it seem more like a weapon and less like a prop or CGI toy.
2. I couldn't have guessed the reflected silhouette was an orc, maybe you could bulk up the shoulders and lower the head?
Not sure if it is just a placeholder, but the mushroom doesn't blend in well, maybe needs more shadow on the gills and stem?
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GitHub link for these projects
| Abandoned: Tales of the Setting Sun
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Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Thanks you all for your feedback!
I'll try fix that with better contrast and some highlights.
Again, thanks for the feedback, I'll start correcting this in a few days.
Yes, after looking at more picture of forests, it should be more contrasted and "shadowy". I'll give it a trySapient wrote:I would expect that the shadows of some other trees would be falling somewhere across those two trees in the background.
That is possibly due to the wrong projected shadow. It may look better after I fix it.Eagle_11 wrote:Looks like the sword has been driven into ground in front of the tree, rather than leaning on the tree.
I going to give one or two picture of hilt design that include nail/bolt, but I can't even find them back. So yes, it's neither usual nor realistic. I may remove half of them or even all of them and replace the empty space with marking on the leather.Poison wrote:not sure if it should have a nail(???) there (above the hilt) though, consider removing this because I don't think actual swords have anything there (just plain observer opinion, I know nothing about art).
Yes, exactly. After looking back at it, it feels like a dull and cheap plastic, especially next to the highly contrasted guard :/doofus-01 wrote:The cutting edge doesn't have any extra shine or evidence of wear & tear, which would make it seem more like a weapon and less like a prop or CGI
I'll try fix that with better contrast and some highlights.
That can be done.doofus-01 wrote:I couldn't have guessed the reflected silhouette was an orc, maybe you could bulk up the shoulders and lower the head?
It's not, but I do agree it does not blend. As you are saying, more shadow could do the trick, especially with this kind of light angle.doofus-01 wrote:Not sure if it is just a placeholder, but the mushroom doesn't blend in well, maybe needs more shadow on the gills and stem?
Again, thanks for the feedback, I'll start correcting this in a few days.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Hello, as people have pointed out there are things that a few things that can be improved, but I personally think it already looks awesome and I look forward to seeing more story art for an orcish incursion! (also don't feel pressure to make this picture look perfect it is already as good as much of the art which is in mainline currently)
Creator of: The Reign of The Lords Era,The Gnats Franken Dungeon.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Really like the picture.
http://twerchhau.de/wp-content/gallery/ ... bieter.png
To me the guard looks very massive, almost crude for an elvish sword. Wouldn't a thinner curved guard look better?
Riveted hilt was a normal attachment method for something called "Langes Messer".I going to give one or two picture of hilt design that include nail/bolt, but I can't even find them back. So yes, it's neither usual nor realistic. I may remove half of them or even all of them and replace the empty space with marking on the leather.
http://twerchhau.de/wp-content/gallery/ ... bieter.png
To me the guard looks very massive, almost crude for an elvish sword. Wouldn't a thinner curved guard look better?
Spoiler:
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Just to clarify, I was referring to the thing on the blade, the one with the tree shaped design, not the tiny hilt balls or whatever they are called.
Posting image for clarificaton:
Personally, I find the hilt amazing.
Posting image for clarificaton:
Personally, I find the hilt amazing.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
It's a maker's mark, not a nail.Poison wrote:Just to clarify, I was referring to the thing on the blade, the one with the tree shaped design, not the tiny hilt balls or whatever they are called.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Since I keep trying to find some time to fix a few last issues I know but keep failing; I'm just gonna post what I have now and finish it when I can.
It addresses most of the problems you all told me about.
The blade need a few modification to make edges sharper, there is still not enough shadows for a forest area too.
What else should be modified?
It addresses most of the problems you all told me about.
The blade need a few modification to make edges sharper, there is still not enough shadows for a forest area too.
What else should be modified?
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Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
As far as I'm concerned, the sword looks fine, but you're right about the forest. All I think you need to do though is just make the dark colors darker (with GIMP's "curves" tool for example). If you look at the histogram, you will find that you rarely used really dark colors, so that wouldn't reduce the shading much. I did a (very) quick edit to show what I mean.Bhoren wrote:there is still not enough shadows for a forest area too.
Even without any more improvements, this is a good story image, and I look forward to seeing whatever you come up with next!
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and WML Guide
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
I also agree with beetlenaut, the image looks great!beetlenaut wrote:As far as I'm concerned, the sword looks fine, but you're right about the forest. All I think you need to do though is just make the dark colors darker (with GIMP's "curves" tool for example). If you look at the histogram, you will find that you rarely used really dark colors, so that wouldn't reduce the shading much. I did a (very) quick edit to show what I mean.
Even without any more improvements, this is a good story image, and I look forward to seeing whatever you come up with next!
Creator of: The Reign of The Lords Era,The Gnats Franken Dungeon.
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
I haven't much experience with color correction (especially curves), is this better?beetlenaut wrote:As far as I'm concerned, the sword looks fine, but you're right about the forest. All I think you need to do though is just make the dark colors darker (with GIMP's "curves" tool for example). If you look at the histogram, you will find that you rarely used really dark colors, so that wouldn't reduce the shading much. I did a (very) quick edit to show what I mean.Bhoren wrote:there is still not enough shadows for a forest area too.
Even without any more improvements, this is a good story image, and I look forward to seeing whatever you come up with next!
Re: New "An Orcish Incursion" story illustrations
Maybe a bit more?Bhoren wrote: I haven't much experience with color correction (especially curves), is this better?