The hair actually doesn't have much contrast, the colors are just very very bright and saturated. I'd further darken and desaturate the darker colors.

Also, it looks very flat and it's pretty messy. Think about giving it some form and structure. It might help to think of it as a bunch of distinct spikes rather than a messy mat of hair; seems like you can get away with that with anime hair.

(The body and face are pretty weird too, but lets just take things one at a time )

Edited by Hatch - 16 November 2007 at 10:42pm

Definitely better! A big problem, though, is that your light source is inconsistent. It seems to mostly be coming from our right, but then you've got all those strong speculars on the left side, especially on his cheek. Remember that speculars are reflections of your light source. Link.

EDIT: It just occurred to me that the light on the left cheek could be a secondary light source, but still, you've got a lot of speculars on that side in the hair.

Edited by Hatch - 17 November 2007 at 12:01pm

The thing is, each of the spikes should be originating from his scalp. The way you have it now it's almost like he has some oddly-shaped... thing draped across his head. You may also consider using your dark outline color for shading. It will give it more depth.

Keep it up. If any of this is unclear I'd be happy to do an edit.

Edited by Hatch - 17 November 2007 at 2:16pm

Here you go:


(I edited your older one because I preferred the face)

Anyhow, note the use of dark colors to increase depth and how each spike has its origin at the scalp (for the most part anyway; I fudged a few)

Looking way better! You have a serious preoblem with the proportions of the face, though:



The brow should roughly mark the midline of the face as indicated by the horizontal line. The upper cranium outline is where it should be (more or less), the lower is where I invision yours.

Nice! You're character's gone from using Johnson's Baby Oil to Vidal Sassoon! (you've added volume, is what I'm trying to get at ). Just a note on your original image, the hair reminds me of ice or a glacier. I think it looks cool (no pun intended). If you don't use that palette for hair, some icy background would look nice with that palette when you've completed your character.

Edit: Oh, hey, you just posted again. Nice start on the shirt!


Edited by herbert_west - 18 November 2007 at 7:47pm