Illustration WIP
Printed From: Pixel Joint
Category: Pixel Art
Forum Name: WIP (Work In Progress)
Forum Discription: Get crits and comments on your pixel WIPs and other art too!
URL: https://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9509
Printed Date: 15 June 2026 at 4:27pm
Topic: Illustration WIP
Posted By: Mortar
Subject: Illustration WIP
Date Posted: 05 December 2009 at 12:53pm
I started working on an illustration of a book i read for my Art Class, this is just the frame. anyways, any tips/critique is much appreciated! |
Replies:
Posted By: Mortar
Date Posted: 12 December 2009 at 1:06am
Sorry for the bump, but i didnt get any response, and i have an update! (i think) i'm almost done, i just need to put a little box/border thing around the text on the bottom rope (reads: Teke 'li 'li. a referance to the scene i'm illustrating) other thatn that it's pretty much just refining, refining, and more refining! |
Posted By: Manupix
Date Posted: 12 December 2009 at 10:16am
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I think you could still improve it, about lines and shading. Lines: the snakes look jaggy, and the rope has no detail at all. Find ref pictures: http://images.google.fr/images?hl=fr&source=hp&q=rope&btnG=Recherche+dimages&gbv=1 - some ropes , a http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/14027.htm - pixel snake (use the PJ search engine to find more). Shading: there is none on the rope, and the snakes are pillowshaded (meaning, without consideration of an actual light source). Choose a main light direction (from above?) and stick to it, imagine where shadows and highlights would actually be. I don't really understand what's in the mirror, but it looks nice so far. Keep going! |
Posted By: Mortar
Date Posted: 15 December 2009 at 11:08am
I would have responded earlier, but i thought it would be better to actually have someything to show too. so:
 i tried doing what you suggested, i added a light in the uper-left corner, i also put a light source in the scene in the frame as well. i also tried a different style of shading instead of little highlights here and there.
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Posted By: Manupix
Date Posted: 15 December 2009 at 3:36pm
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You didn't really check those refs, did you? Ah well. :S No one can really draw a convincing rope or snake out of their heads ya know, unless they've practiced it lots. Messy doodly edit:  Your idea of a light source is a common mistake: that nearer = lighter. This is true indeed for close light sources, but here it doesn't have to be close; and light and shadows mostly depend on the direction surfaces point to, much more strongly than distance. A surface points directly towards the light source: your lightest tones go there. Another faces away: insert your darkest shades here (unless there is some reflected light from somewhere, hehe). A rope has countless little hills and valleys: each of them has to be shaded, only that will give the volume of a rope. I tried to give the snake better lines, fluidity, strength and weight, but I didn't check a ref so it's not so good. Please do that! Then you might try some scaly texture on it. That won't be the easiest part though. Colors: you have far, far too many (> 60). There are so many blues as to be indistinguishable, meaning you lost control of your palette. Also, think unified palette: instead of a yellow rope, green snake and blue water, try to shift hues and find some common tones here and there, mostly in shadows and highlights. Have fun! |
Posted By: Mortar
Date Posted: 15 December 2009 at 5:15pm
| looks like i have some work cut out for me during the winter break! thanks for all the suggestions/tips, they're a great help! |
Posted By: Mortar
Date Posted: 08 January 2010 at 3:03pm
k, got to work on this during art class again, here's my finished product, i.ve re-done the rope, it's more of a ribbon now, and made the snakes slightly yellow-ish to tie in with the ribbon.
 well, i'd say that's about 12-14 hours well spent! thanks for the tips manupix, they were very helpful! though I decided I liked my snakes and they didnt have to be completely realistic. with the ribbon there's a little less colors i guess, i may see if i can recycle some shades of blue when i get home tonight, but other than that im happy with the result and i consider myself done.
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