Please critique my latest mini, Hannah Blackruby

[AllTerrainMonkey]

After getting panned on my backdrop on my last mini, I thought I\'d succumb to the urge to put in a gradient background. The CMON image is a smooshup of four different shots, so they don\'t all quite line up gradientially (I know it\'s not a word, but it should be).

My painting mentors tell me it\'s the best thing I\'ve done. I told them they were crazy, but everyone already knew that, so it was kinda moot. In any case, I like her a lot, whether or not I\'m justified . Please, if you have time, give me critiques and criticisms on what you all like and don\'t like about her, as I want to keep getting better in my painting.

If the smooshed up image really bugs ya, you can see the separate ones up on my site. Oh yeah; the pic isn\'t approved as of typing this, but here\'s a votey link if you are so inclined: Clicky

 

[Aliengod3]

I dig your style. If I had to guess who your mentors were I would say Mrika and Haley but I am probably wrong. Although your style is similar to theirs.

Anyways, I think the blending is good and I really think the color scheme is very successful. Great job!

 

[olliekickflip]

This is a very nice piece. I would agree that it is one of your better pieces if not your best so far. As for critique, here are my thoughts...

The black line between the fur and skin is a little rough. Of course I am not a fan of blacklining so my opinion is a bit biased there. The blending in the fur is also not as smooth as the rest of the model but attention to those types of details will move you one more step up I think. Also the skintone could use some more depth (or contrast in color)...so maybe some more median colors around the area of her armpit and boob action and lower jawline to help draw the eye to her face. Those are both really minor things however but again something that I think will add some mojo to your next works. As for your color pallet...it is fantastic. That wine/burgundy color is really really really good :drool: The nnm is clean and not too over the top to take away from the rest of the model. The green dress is a really cool shade and blended very well. You even got a little blue in there without it looking wonky (is that even a word?) The only strangeness is on the light green strips at the top of her forarms...there is not enought light and or shadow on this area. It needs a little bit of kick to make it have more volume and look rounder if that makes sense.
I also really like the hair...it is a great shade of blond. My only comment on that would be to add some more streaks of your darkest color down towards the bottoms of the ponytails...the hair is nice and streaky up top but as it goes down it looks like you didn\'t continue it as much...which tends to make it look flat and not as finished. Oh and the eyes are just beautiful. Anyways, those are my thoughts...they are very picky points but ones that will hopefully help you move forward! Up, up and away!!!! If not you can just egg me next time I come by Reaper!!!

 

[AllTerrainMonkey]

Thanks for the vote of non-suckage, Aliengod3, and thank you Mr. Kickflip for the advice. It\'s actually not a blackline on her, I only use brown liner, but it is pretty darned thick in there. Fur\'s one of those things I haven\'t painted a whole lot of so it\'s definitely something I need to work on, as well as working on my skin more. The streaks on the hair was something I had meant to do after my first round of photos but forgot about completely, as I was too intensely focused on fixing an errant eyebrow brush stroke.

 

[boristfrog]

Lovely colour scheme - and I really like her tights - they\'ve come out really well - but subtle.

 

[Aliengod3]

wonky(is that even a word?)

I hear it used all the time by british people. Whether it is an actual word, I have no idea, but is used as a slang word defined as messed up.

I do agree that with a little more work on the fur this mini would be alot better. I have not seen your other work but I will say that you have great potential and I will definately look forward to what you paint next

 

[cybersquig]

this is georgeous, with a colourscheme to die for! If I had to offer one developmental point which hasn\'t been mentioned yet I\'d say get a little more mid tone around the bottom of the knee to blend the shading in a little more, but how picky can you get?!

Nice!

Cybersquig

 

[Starks333]

the main problem for me is the highlighting is all too even across the board...there is no change or levels

you need to develop levels to really add depth to a piece

this means you need brighter highlights to increase the range of value you have to work with...or use more colour contrast

also remember not to forget your environment, you have rich warm colours in a snow scene(hair) and the skin is also quite warm considering

and overall the colours while they are nice colour choices seem more flat so adding more colour to each colour will help bring it more interest and so forth

so instead of for example:

teal, highlight colour...shadow colour

you can use

teal, flesh tone, beigey white....redish tone(or magenta), purpleish blue

the colour variation will allow you to play with the value more as well