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[bloodreaper]

All'right! You talked me into it. It's time to get my practice back up.

Here's a little starter I tossed together, when I should have been sleeping. Sick people should not drink caffeine.



I learned a lot of neat tricks for lightning on this one, but more importantly, I learned that chains are a very bad idea, in a character design you're going to have to draw a lot. The chains, in 3 layers, took more time than the whole rest of the drawing.

What's worse is, if he ever swings that thing, those things are going to be a nightmare to draw every single panel. Thankfully, I already know how I'm going to mitigate this problem.

Before anyone points it out, I know the lightning should cast different shadows on him. There is a reason I decided to go this way instead.    

[Dragyn]

There are tricks to drawing chains, though they wouldn't look nearly as impressive.  You'll note that when I draw chains, they're remarkably simplified.

Considering your work, you might be best to find something you like, though, that you can draw fast.

Er...why do his shoulders stick up like that?  

[Fox]

I'm going to go out on a limb here & say that it has more to do with style. (a style I'm actually particularly fond of, if that is indeed the case)

For some reason..his face reminds me a little bit of those guys from Spyro....

[bloodreaper]

Actually, as a semi-formless wraith, he can look however he wants, and he knows that pointy shoulders make you look bigger.

All wraiths want to look big and scary.

[Faith]

I have to add in on the chains. That is neat. Though still very difficult-looking...

The background's really interesting...  

Though... may I ask about the blade?... is it a one-sided weapon?

Sorry to be a critic on your first bit up... trying to help.

[bloodreaper]

The sword is chained inside of it's sheath by seven locks. You can only really see five of them here.

[Faith]

Ah... that makes sense.

How many are there?

[bloodreaper]

Um... seven?    

Anyway! I got to keep churning them out.

This one is an experiment. Warning: Contains blood!














Behold, Akimbo Bayonet Pistols!









There are no shading layers. The shading techniques I use take forever, so I'm thinking about only using them on the big, splash style panels, and just using highlights to show shape in the smaller images, where you can't see them anyway.

To try it out, I made a splash panel with only highlights and a very close light source -- a muzzle flash.

There's a mini-diagram/sketch of the Bayonet Pistols in the upper left. I didn't follow it very closely. In fact I drew it after the ones he's holding, but it does give an idea of what they're supposed to be.

I thought about adding a diagonal gradient in the background to spice it up, but I couldn't decide on a color, so I left it out.

Would it be appropriate to use purple again, or would a bright green be better?

EditFixed a typo, and removed a comma.

Also, the blood on the left hand bayonet is way too thick to still be that transparent. Has he been fighting a possessed Jell-O?

[Dragyn]

Uh...the bayonet pistol sketch is actually in the top right[.], not the top left...

Just thought I'd point that out.

Possessed Jello?  I suppose that would make things...interesting.

The highlights work, at least for this image.  It rounds him out without (I assume) taking as long.    

Just out of curiosity, here...do I recognize this character?

[bloodreaper]

Possibly. He bears a strong resemblance to another character, so I couldn't actually say for sure.

[Faith]

Heh.    

Hm... can you eat possessed jello?... XD
Well, it seems like a better method than stabbing it...  

What is that on his left arm?

Heh... I don't think I could go without leaving shading in a picture... part of why everything I draw takes so long... XD

[bloodreaper]

I could never draw anything by hand without shading it, but this digital art is different. I have no intention of giving it up, just scaling it back a bit, on the smaller panels. Tragically, the wicked action shots, which take the longest to shade, are also the things that have to be drawn in giant splash panels.  You shouldn't waste perfectly good awesome.

You should never, ever eat anything that is possessed by a malevolent, spiritual being. It's just not a good idea.

The mark on his arm is a tattoo of sorts. It's origin and meaning are somewhat complex, but mostly it's the number 6, made from lightning bolts. It is mostly unrelated to the other lightning bolt, tattooed on his face, which is a much more common marking.

[Faith]

Heh!  

Hm... what if it's not possessed by a malevolent, spritual being. Maybe it's a bunny. ^_^
(Just no, right?    )

Now I am thinking about one of Dragyn's characters... bunnies and blood somehow manage to come up surprisingly often, in the same conversation, and every time, it reminds me... ... ... XD

Would you like a suggestion or two, Blood?

[bloodreaper]

That is part of the idea of an art section in a forum.

Shoot.

Constructive criticism is extra welcome. I am keen to know which of my many flaws are actually notice by other people.

To prevent this thread becoming a train wreck, the latest itteration will get a new thread.

[Fox]

As soon as you said that....I had a strange picture in my mind of possessed Jell-O and the Dark Lord of Chocolate in a mighty duel.

My mind is an odd place.

As far as critique goes..I really don't have any. (well..other than the blood, but you pointed that out, already)