"Poster" help.

Lasca · Sat 25/05/2013 11:43:04

Hello everybody!
I was getting sick of pushing pixels and animating flying shoes, so I took a break by starting to work on something without real practical use for my game. a promotional poster (for this game: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=47100.msg632973#msg632973)!
I do however need some help!
I'm going for a comic combined with 70's poster style (eventhough the 70's part isn't really showing yet) but I have some decisions to make, and I'd really like your help making them!
First of all, should I go for a more subtle lighting like this:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ppbQvPL.png?1[/imgzoom]

Or a more dramatical one like this (not so well done, but whatever):
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/11VC334.png?1[/imgzoom]

These are both sketches. I've yet to work on any detail like the briefs, the hair, the beard etc. The man has no nipples for god sake!
I'd also like some tips and tricks for working with light and shading in practice. I know the theory (choosing a light source and direction, putting shades and highlights accordingly), but if theres any neat tricks for how to implement this better then I'm doing at the moment, I'd be thankfull!
Keep in mind though, that in this image, I'm trying to keep down the number of colours, to maintain a comic book feeling.

Also, I could use some help with the anatomy. Specially the arms and hands look a bit... off, i think, and I could really use some pointers on how to make them look better. And if those pointers would help me the next time I wanted to draw hands- even better!
So anyways, all opinions and criticism and pointers are most welcome, but keep it constructive please! And remember that it's work in progress. Thanks!

Anian · Sat 25/05/2013 15:09:40

About the shadows, instead of making shadows darker, just made them bigger in surface if you want to add drama.

About anatomy, my quick redraw suggestion - shorter torso, both hands are moved around a bit, hair around the eye, shoulder, placement of nipple and pectoral muscle is moved:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/ZBDAICN.png[/imgzoom]
Hope that helps.

Lasca · Sat 25/05/2013 16:19:03

Thanks Anian!
You done some great improvement on it. Especially the definement och the muscles look much better, and I like what you did to the face. The hands to! However, i think I'll have to make them a tad bigger. Both of them. and I think I'm going to shorten the neck. Looks a bit strange.
Thanks again for your input, I'll post again when I've done som improvements!

Chicky · Sun 26/05/2013 21:24:22

He looks like a young Nigel Thornberry! I like it, the shadows are too dark in the dramatic one, causing the contrast to go a bit off. Anian makes some good suggestions.

Lasca · Mon 27/05/2013 08:59:50

Thanks Chicky! and yeah, that's definitly Nigels nose!

Lasca · Tue 28/05/2013 20:13:30

Allright, could really use some more input if anyone's up for it!

Still a wip, and haven't done any work on the beard, the pipe in his hand etc. etc.
But how's the shoe? looks strange? Is it stupid to have it in front of the title? How's the font? Frame round the title or not? The "clouds" behind the guy. Strange or really, really cool? Anything else?

Lasca · Tue 28/05/2013 20:14:23

And oh, excuse the four letter word. was supposed to scratch out the u and the c, but slipped my mind!

edit: and i just noticed he's belly button looks really weird. Please ignore.

selmiak · Tue 28/05/2013 20:51:37

sex sells, don't 'censor' his package

Lasca · Tue 28/05/2013 21:41:19

Quote from: selmiak on Tue 28/05/2013 20:51:37
sex sells, don't 'censor' his package

Excellent point!

selmiak · Tue 28/05/2013 22:30:10

you could also give him an anime face and make the private region unbelievable bigger

Armageddon · Tue 28/05/2013 22:39:21

Quote from: selmiak on Tue 28/05/2013 22:30:10
you could also give him an anime face and make the private region unbelievable bigger

This here. And chest hair.

Tramponline · Wed 29/05/2013 10:07:14

It looks great, but I'd suggest moving that "Happened" title further down.
On the one hand his blue & yellow underpants looks too stylish 70s as not to be seen, but primarly to only have the shoe dangling
in front of the title and not his hand/arm.

The way it's now, it changes the depth perception of the character in some unfavourable way.

I'd also loose those clouds, as they don't quite seem to match the quality of the rest and add a few more colours to the title, like in this wall paper for example:

Spoiler

[close]

Putting a frame into that poster with round corners in the colour of that wall paper might work as well (somewhat 'indented', leaving a gap
towards the actual borders of your poster?)

Lasca · Wed 29/05/2013 12:04:39

Thanks Tramponline for your good advice!
I'll definitly lower the title, your right about the depth perception!
I'll also probably loose the clouds... Reluctantly, cause in a way I like em. But I think I'm going to try to add something under them, and we'll see what that does to the composition. If it the sucks, it's all gone.

Thats some nice wall paper! I'll definitly try out some more colours and the frame, but I'm also reluctant to make it too 70's. so we'll see how it fits. Thanks a bunch again!

Tramponline · Wed 29/05/2013 13:43:17

Quote from: Lasca on Wed 29/05/2013 12:04:39
I'll also probably loose the clouds... Reluctantly, cause in a way I like em. But I think I'm going to try to add something under them, and we'll see what that does to the composition. If it the sucks, it's all gone.

Sorry about that. That's due to my 'lazy ass' writing style - I think the clouds could look nice in there, I think it's rather an issue of very, very low opacity in this case. It just doesn't harmonise that well with your bold comic style (which is great!) of the other elements. Personally, I'd stick with it and use no transparency at all. I should've been more specific really...

Lasca · Wed 29/05/2013 16:21:20

Quote from: Tramponline on Wed 29/05/2013 13:43:17
Sorry about that. That's due to my 'lazy ass' writing style - I think the clouds could look nice in there, I think it's rather an issue of very, very low opacity in this case. It just doesn't harmonise that well with your bold comic style (which is great!) of the other elements. Personally, I'd stick with it and use no transparency at all. I should've been more specific really...

Great idea! Didn't even think of that. I'll just have to touch them up quite a bit. We'll see how it works.
And thanks for the compliment!

Lasca · Sun 18/08/2013 12:53:32

So, after a long summer vacation i resumed work on this and completed two versions. Would much appreciate any input. Particulary regarding the fonts and colours. But really on anything. Whats good and whats not. and which do you prefer of the two. Etc. Thanks in advance for your help!

So this one:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/rWLN1BB.jpg?1[/imgzoom]

or this one:
[imgzoom]http://i.imgur.com/GqM48n2.png?1[/imgzoom]

Or something completly different?

Edit:
Just realised some of the shade dissepeared on the second version. Just imagine the shoe from the first in the second one. You know.
Cheers!

tzachs · Mon 19/08/2013 15:09:23

Looks great!

I think I prefer the bottom version, the frame adds more readability (for me).

One critic I have to offer, is his facial expression.
For a cartoony game called "wtf happened", I'd expect a more confused/enraged look.
For example:

dactylopus · Mon 19/08/2013 15:20:44

My only complaint is the shoe blocking the text. I'm guessing it says Pebbles?

Problem · Tue 20/08/2013 10:11:35

It works better with the black frame. His legs are fading out in the first one, which looks strange, so I'd prefer the second poster.
The poster looks great overall, and it really captures the feeling of the game. I have to disagree with tzachs here - I love his determined expression. I think that's a wonderful contrast that even emphasizes the weirdness of this scene.

Lasca · Tue 20/08/2013 14:40:28

Thanks everyone for your kind words!
I think I'm leaning towards the black boarder one. I agree with dactylopus regarding the shoe, it's a bit annoying that you can't read it, but in another way I kind of like it. So I'm not really sure if I'll keep it or not.
Regarding the look I'm with Problem. I tried doing the confused look, but it's just not right. Thanks again everyone! Now i can finally resume work on the game itself