Adventure Game Studio

Creative Production => Critics' Lounge => Topic started by: Saberteeth on Tue 23/05/2006 19:29:04

Title: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Saberteeth on Tue 23/05/2006 19:29:04
Ok, I'm this close to making my first game and I just have a few bgs left. Now, I need crits for this 1person perspective. I'm not satisfied with his thumbs but every time I try to improve them, I just make them worse. Any critics?

Image:
(http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/9770/mapimg2yw.th.png) (http://img390.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mapimg2yw.png)
(Click to see)

Any critics and paintovers are, as always, appreciated.

EDIT: Upload to fileshack:
(http://www.filelodge.com/files/room12/292081/MapImg.png)
(http://www.filelodge.com/files/room12/292081/MapImg.png)

-SaberT-
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Krysis on Tue 23/05/2006 19:32:25
Bah, trace someone's hands or something...  ;D
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Saberteeth on Tue 23/05/2006 19:33:33
Yes, I tried to trace my own,...and failed.  :(
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Maltjik on Tue 23/05/2006 20:01:27
I think it's the angle of the thumb-tips that does it. Try to bend them the other direction or perhaps just make them straight.
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Kweepa on Tue 23/05/2006 20:15:38
(http://www.duo-creative.com/katie-letter.png)
(Found by google searching "hand holding letter" :=)
Aside from the thumbs, the palm part of the hand (between where the thumb separates and the fingers start) seems too long.
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens on Tue 23/05/2006 20:16:55
It looks pretty good, but you have to take two things into account:

1.  Thumbs are at least as wide as your index finger, usually wider.
2.  The thumb in your image is closer and should be even larger for perspective.

Make the thumb larger and it should be ok
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Kweepa on Tue 23/05/2006 20:45:35
Quick paintover:
(http://www.kweepa.com/step/ags/critics/thumb.png)
Narrowed finger and defined knuckle
Thickened thumb and straightened out top of thumb
Adjusted the junction of thumb and hand
Widened wrist and added hair
Darkened outlines (not the best colour)
Obviously it needs finishing and relighting - & the finger creases aren't well positioned.
[EDIT] Resized image properly :=
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Krysis on Tue 23/05/2006 20:54:34
"Smashing Fingers..."

SteveMcCrea got it right exept that giant flat thumb.
::)
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Afflict on Tue 23/05/2006 21:14:54
(http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4303/letter12ed.png)

This is the one I did for Jonathan Crest

Maybe it helps you.
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Saberteeth on Wed 24/05/2006 14:23:53
Thanks, guys, for the help and advice. And Steve, I appreciate the paintover, I really do. :)
Well, here's the updated version, mixed with my style and Steves:

(http://www.filelodge.com/files/room12/292081/MapImg2.png)
(http://www.filelodge.com/files/room12/292081/MapImg2.png)
Comment away... :)

--SaberT--
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Sektor 13 on Wed 24/05/2006 15:21:59
I think thumb should't be in 90 degrees. It is very hard to hold paper in that pose, at least for me :)

This is how i managed to draw hand by looking myself, holding a paper.
As you can see hand see coming from the edge towards the paper.

(http://freeweb.siol.net/zagar413/KZ/cmap.png)

hope it helps a bit.
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Afflict on Wed 24/05/2006 16:46:19
Sektor nice one.

Saberteeth, the paper also looks wierd.

Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Saberteeth on Wed 24/05/2006 19:11:41
Quote from: Afflict on Wed 24/05/2006 16:46:19
Saberteeth, the paper also looks wierd.
Critic the THUMBS, not the paper. :) ::)
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: seaduck on Thu 25/05/2006 09:46:27
Well, it's not bad, but since you want to make it better:

About the nail:

1. Most people (unless they have some nail problems) don't cut their nails so short: a normal short-cut nail on the thumb ends almost at the end of the thumb! There are a few people who cut their nails this short but that's just gross!

2. Nails tend to appear brighter than the rest of the skin, except for people with very bright complexion. (That's exactly what you've drawn - a very bright/pink skin and darker, pink nail background). So unless this is specifically a trait of the person holding the letter, you might want to add some tan to the skin, and to make the nails brighter.

Also:
3. The thumbs seem to be bent in the wrong direction in the joint closest to the tip. (As if it were pushing on the paper with an extreme force).

4. It is oversaturated, especially the outlines. Also, the outline doen't look good over the paper, since it's too contrasting. I'd either get rid of it altogether, or make it more subtle, and remove it over the paper.

5. Use your hands as a reference. (The anatomy and shading still need some work)

6. Do you need pohotorealism? Why not make it more simple? Drop the details and simplify the shading. You can leave out nails altogether - many cartoons do that and it works great.
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: Afflict on Sun 02/07/2006 10:47:40
Ever finish this saberteeth?
Title: Re: Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs
Post by: raddicks on Sun 02/07/2006 15:42:38
I would have to agree with the angle of the hand. It looks like the character is rolling up a cigerette