Guy holding a letter, weird thumbs

[Saberteeth]

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:

(Click to see)

Any critics and paintovers are, as always, appreciated.

EDIT: Upload to fileshack:



-SaberT-

[Krysis]

Bah, trace someone's hands or something... 

[Saberteeth]

Yes, I tried to trace my own,...and failed. 

[Maltjik]

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.

[Kweepa]

(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.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

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

[Kweepa]

Quick paintover:

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

[Krysis]

"Smashing Fingers..."

SteveMcCrea got it right exept that giant flat thumb.
:

[Afflict]

This is the one I did for Jonathan Crest

Maybe it helps you.

[Saberteeth]

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:



Comment away...

--SaberT--

[Sektor 13]

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.



hope it helps a bit.

[Afflict]

Sektor nice one.

Saberteeth, the paper also looks wierd.

[Saberteeth]

Saberteeth, the paper also looks wierd.

Critic the THUMBS, not the paper. :

[seaduck]

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.

[Afflict]

Ever finish this saberteeth?

[raddicks]

I would have to agree with the angle of the hand. It looks like the character is rolling up a cigerette