Undead Portraits

[jdsampayo]

... Because I'm the one actually doing the work, ... you haven't done anything for our art ...

checkmate...

[Raemon]

Hm. I may be missing something here, but if we can see any of the back of the skull (archer) then why are there two big black circles where we could expect bone? Arrows through the eyes?

[torangan]

Because it looks much better this way and a skeleton archer isn't realistic anyway?

[AI]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't expect a whole lot of light to make it all the way to the back and then back out again.

If you look at this image, you'll see that a lot of light is reflected by the thin layer of bone behind the eyes, but almost none through the holes in it.

Looking at the skeleton archer, I'd just say most of that layer got knocked out some way.

[Raemon]

Well, as long as it doesn't have to be realistic. Well, I suppose that's what they call artistic license. It does look spookier than if we could see all the way to the back, I agree. Globes of darkness in the eyes always puts people off.

[BigGoon]

Hi All,

The forums were down so I couldn't say that I'd be gone in Mexico for a week+ . I'm back now, and it looks like there was a nice discussion going on about how much picture to show of the image. I'll read the full posts when I settle down.

My two cents: If you'd like to (re)learn how to draw in general, take the suggestions given. They help all artists in the long run. It is a little more work, but the suggestions help. It would also be nice to have a larger portion of the image available for the developpers if they need to change the picture size later in development.

Anyways, keep on drawing.

[BigGoon]

i just wanted to say, that i like you portraits! you manage to give personality to a skeleton! (and of course it's great to see that there is another faction taken care for (i assume you'll stay until the undead are finished ))

but on to the archer:

- i'm impressed by your anatomical knowledge! did you refernece him or do you know all your bones???

I think I drew a skeleton during biology class one day. Otherwise, this is probably my most realistic skeleton drawing ever. I made a lot of searches for "bones", "skulls", "skeletons", etc, on google images and deviantart for reference... if you notice my skeletons get a lot more accurate as time goes on. However, This particular pose has no reference... and thus I'm rather worried that it might have a major anatomical flaw somewhere.

- his pose is a bit too smmetrical - his arm positions are nearly identical... i know it would be a lot work to change that, but still...

Will think about that. This pose conveniently fit into my drawing square. It's simple and most of the body is visible, which is what I was aiming to accomplish. I'll play around with the sketch and see if something else works better.

- you could give him a lot more accessories! look at the sprite (it doesn't have to match it completly but it's a good guide):

he wears armour and has a really big shoulderpice. you could use that to make him more interesting....

I'm having trouble putting armor on my skeletons. It looks bulky as hell... and so I haven't used any yet. I've been experimenting however, and am trying to put some on the skeleton warrior.

- the arrows are a bit boring, they could be a bit messy instead of being perfectly parallel

I completely agree. I cheated on the arrows, and am planning on cleaning them up.

- i like the yellowish grey you gave him. remember that all colours around will reflect on the bone - you can play with blue and purple shadows and so on!

I have a lot of shadowing to play with. I've been using green more an more, and really like the "sick to the stomach" feeling it adds. http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/posting.ph ... 9&p=285433#

- i don't know if you consider the light on his face/skull finished. but if it is coming from the right, at least part of the left inside of his left eye would be illuminated, too (all directions from our pov)

Some of the the left inside is already included... I'll work on making it clearer for the next update.

- the leftover of his hair really creep me out!

Can't remember where that came from. I sometimes work too late at night.