Originally posted by Moogie
Hmm, okay, this time I need some opinions about the background.
As you know, this is gonna be a t-shirt print. I want to keep the focus on Seperot, so I don\'t want to go into any/much detail with the surroundings. However, I\'m not happy with the current sudden floor/fire split, and I don\'t know how to make it look better.
Well, I am positively impressed by the quality of the new details. But I will jump right into those little things that render me a bit uneasy.
The front leg still seems to me to be slightly longer than the other. I suggest trying to reproduce the pose in front of a mirror: Grab a chair or something to lean on, and tilt your body to the angle Seperot has in his running stance (Careful! I almost chip a tooth in this one!). Then bend your front leg at a bit less than 90? degrees, and see where your foot ends. I personally found it is more distanced from the ground, and located more to the left of the picture. However, the author is the one to decide, since the new trend in cartoons and modern animation is NOT to respect proportions so strictly, sacrificing accuracy in exchange for visual effect (Take Samurai Jack, for example).
I tried drawing two lines using Illustrator, to measure the height of Seperot in comparison to the length of the tail. I found that the character\'s full height (A bit more than seven heads, which means it is very balanced), was almost the same as the tail at full extension (The tail was a bit less than seven heads long). I, personally, would shorten the tail somewhat. And in addition, I believe the bones clasping the tail would make it a tad heavier, I think. Although that one is a much more subjective opinion than measuring proportions, and I could easily accept its position as it is.
A ground-level cloud of smoke could be useful to your ground/fire separation. Rule of thumb says that if the division is too brusque, fading the borderline is a viable option. Another is the aforementioned piles of rubble, that would indicate more explicitly that a structure is actually burning.
The hair seems to be a single united mass in movement. Taking a quick peek at some anime pictures (Japanese artists have an enormous talent at drawing hair in motion) could perhaps give you some ideas. Then again, it is once more my personal taste.
A few yellowish highlights on the armour, reflecting the blazes, could make the composition look more thorough. If considered, it should be a final touch, a coup de grace if you want, and then I would ponder if the effect is actually positive or detrimental to the composition.
Other than that, the blade and armour look great, and the detail is quite fascinating. I like the new position of the back foot, and the dynamic sensation portrayed by the artwork.
I am often quite critical of 100% CG images, because I feel the \"hand\" of the artist is quite usually lost (Which is why I ink my drawings and scan them for colouring. Or I would, if the darn scanner worked). But I find that Moogie\'s result is pleasing, harmonious, and easy to the eye.
- Golby, the picky one prone to over-analysing everything
