Discworld character C&C - New sketch

Bartimaeus · Fri 13/01/2006 11:06:30

Hey, it's been a while since I posted something of my own in the critics lounge so...
I've been trying to sharpen up my drawing and coloring skills since I got Photoshop a short while ago and I recently sketched out a copy of a Discworld character from a book of my brothers. I scanned it into my PC and had a go at coloring it.

Heres the sketch:

And the colored version:

It's meant to look like concept art, offhand yet somehow professional looking. I know I havent achieved this yet but... Im trying to get there

Crits and ideas and... anything would be appreciated.

Babar · Fri 13/01/2006 11:16:10

one side of his face seems squashed in comparison to the other.

DonB · Fri 13/01/2006 15:53:18

I think you do reached the professional level! Looks very good!

-He looks like hes a lonesome man who has experienced way too much bad things in his life, so that explains the somewhat dark colors.. tho.. a bit boring perhaps, well hey.. that's the character?

-The hair.. maybe you shouldn't make it like one big black thing, in the sketch he got a real model going on there..

Huw Dawson · Fri 13/01/2006 19:37:51

Seeing as I'm the only discworld "expert" here (All three games and some of the books) I'll give my best critism.

This is Vetenari right?

1) Mustache/Goatee is wonky. The two sides don't match.
2) In the original, and especially the coloured, he looks like a horse.
3) Again, his face just doesn't match up with each side.

As a rule, don't colour sketches. You pulled it off in the clothing, but his face looks like it's been scribbled in with shoddy crayons. The hair also lacks detail - It looks like a giant bit of brown fluff.

- Huw

big brother · Fri 13/01/2006 20:26:22

Quote from: Huw "Dave" Dawson on Fri 13/01/2006 19:37:51
As a rule, don't colour sketches.

Just because he didn't do a great job of coloring the sketch doesn't mean he should never try. In my experience, lots of sketches can look very nice when you color them (a foundational stage for digital painting).

As for the piece itself, I'd say the proportions of the face need closer attention. Eyes set roughly halfway between the chin and the crown, etc.
Right now, the side of his face not towards us seems to bulge out more than the other side. For now, keep sketching, and draw from real life. Worry about coloring later.

Mugs · Fri 13/01/2006 20:32:00

The color ain't that bad. The only thing that bugs me are the lips. They seem to pointing in the other direction (his face is pointing a little bit to the right of the screen, and his lips are pointing to the left).

Bartimaeus · Sun 15/01/2006 13:39:42

Okay thanks for comments everyone.
Huw it is Vetenari although I only know this from the book I used so i can't really identify with the character very much.
I realise there were quite a few things wonky about the sketch so thanks for poiting them out so cleary.
I think I am gonna take a break from coloring for a bit and rather concentrate on the sketch part first.
Here's a new sketch I did, out of the same book. I think it came out better than the last one; better proportions, etc. Tell me what you think.

The reason im doing these sketches is because I like the style of the original artist so my next step from here will be to make some of my own characters using these as a reference - but not copying them.

~Bart

El Drey · Sun 15/01/2006 13:54:59

Good one!
I can only tell you to pay more attention to your lines, but this looks good!

Keep going!

AlbinoPanther · Sun 15/01/2006 14:07:33

Hey HUW you are not the only one we read allmost all boks (exactly 23).

But we preffer the Josh Kirby's ( he died ) art insted of Paul Kidby ( who now draw covers for Terry ) so we realy don't have any C&C

this is how Josh Kirby's Discworld look like

LD[/b]

Bartimaeus · Sun 15/01/2006 14:33:07

Hehe I see.
I myself am very much a fan of Paul Kidby's art.

El_Drey thanks for the compliment. What do you mean by paying attention to the lines?

ladymeba · Sun 15/01/2006 22:32:41

Now a subject I can talk about

Bartimaeus I like your sketches (although I love Josh Kirby's art Kidby does have a good grasp of the characters Pratchett creates) The second one seems much more polished than the first - now let me guess.... he's from the watch and too young to be Vimes so it has to be Carrot?

Having said that I would like to see where you can go with the sketch of Vetinari... to give you an idea of his character he is cold and calculating always one step ahead of the game - he runs the city with an iron fist. One arch of an eyebrow would be enough to strike terror into the heart of any citizen who'd forgotten to put the bins out...

JWar · Mon 16/01/2006 07:04:32

I always imagine Vetinari as being somewhat like Machiavelli. Here's a reference picture of Machiavelli's statue in Florence.

ildu · Mon 16/01/2006 10:27:53

Quote from: JWar on Mon 16/01/2006 07:04:32I always imagine Vetinari as being somewhat like Machiavelli.

Me too.