So, I've spent all day drawing this for a contest to win a steam game but I've gotten to the point where I'm just kinda doing it for myself because I really like it. It's supposed to be a necromancer.

Click for a larger version


At the moment this is my only competition.

Looks really good so far. Out of interest what are you meant to be drawing?

K-97 said
Looks really good so far. Out of interest what are you meant to be drawing?

Here's the exact post:

Contest Time!

I need a character sketch for a DnD game. The character is a human necromancer.

Distinguishing characteristics
- Unusually tall and gaunt
- Has many stitched up old wounds on him (stitches still in)
- Very high charisma, but of the intimidating kind not the pretty boy diplomat kind
- Wields a Glaive (bonus points if you can put a taxidermied weasel or ferret type thing on the glaive's staff section)
- Wears a cloak over padded leather armor (not too concerned about what the clothing is under the cloak though)
- Is a taxidermist, so if you want to incorporate that in some way go for it.

I would prefer a full body sketch of him standing, but that is not a requirement. The sketch will be used by me in a DnD campaign I am playing with my brother, and as such will not be used for any commercial purposes whatsoever.

Prize is all the keys from the Sid Meier Humble Bundle, or any steam game up to $20 in value. Winner's choice. If there are two or more compelling entries I will consider an equal prize for second place.

Contest ends one week from today: Thursday Feb 13th, at 12pm EST time

Not too shabby, Blue. I'd make a small suggestion that will help bump the piece forward a bit, though. You currently have several different light sources. (One from above, one from the upper back left, one from a slightly lower angle on the left, and the glowing skull/hand.) Unify your light sources -- pick a definitive one or two, then make sure all your subsequent rendering follows them. By having several different light sources, it's causing you to do what's called 'pillow shading' in some spots (along edges is mostly shadow, then the center of each object has the main highlight -- called so because it creates a sort of soft/pillowy lighting feel, which makes shapes harder to read).

Now, since this piece is about a necromancer, I'd push the main light source to be the magic that's emanating from the skull/hand areas. It'll help to reinforce the subject matter of the piece, as well as add some interest/drama.

I did a quick paint over to show you:



See how the magic becomes a major focus and it helps to make the figure feel more solidly defined? By deciding that's your main light source, it lets you add in more descriptive shadows to help round out the figure a bit more. See how things start to pop out/feel more 3D? If you try to push your light source a bit more in this piece, I think it you could get some really cool results! (Or you can file the info away to experiment with on future pieces. Or you can ignore me altogether, which is fine, too. XD)

Sherlock Holmes said -snip-

I'm not a visual art person, but the version on the right also defines the ground on which he's standing a little more. The one on the left looks a bit like he's a sticker on the gray background. The right blends him and the background a little more.

Card said
I'm not a visual art person, but the version on the right also defines the ground on which he's standing a little more. The one on the left looks a bit like he's a sticker on the gray background. The right blends him and the background a little more.

It feels like it's more integrated with the background because of the way I stacked the values. (Values = light vs. dark) By choosing the single light source, it allows you to highlight the important areas where you want the eye to pay the most attention. By darkening the background and making the values on the shadowed areas of the figure more pronounced, the eye wants to jump right to the brighter areas, then kind of ignore the rest. (So, by putting a highlight on the closet edge of the cloak and a little bit of light hitting the ground, the rest of the picture will sort of fade out into the background as the light naturally dissipates, making everything feel like it's all part of the same space.)

Sherlock Holmes said
-snip-

I realized my light source was turning into light sources as I was drawing it. But it was like 2 am and I had been drawing all day XD But damn that's pretty cool what you did. I probably will do that now. Just to make it look awesome. Also I had considered doing something like what you did to the background but I was really tired by the time I was done with the man XD

Anywho I definitely like what you did and will try and emulate it if you don't mind. Also what program do you use to draw?

BlueRose said
Anywho I definitely like what you did and will try and emulate it if you don't mind. Also what program do you use to draw?

I don't mind at all -- knock yourself out. XD

I use Corel Painter X3. (About 98% of all my work is done entirely in that program, but I'll occasionally use Photoshop for small tweaks towards the end of a piece.)

Here's my version.

BlueRose said
Here's my version.

Definitely looking better!

Sherlock Holmes said
Definitely looking better!

I agree :) thanks for the help!

Note to self: Ask spam to draw character concepts for DnD campaigns.

If only I had money for commissions. :(

BlueRose said
I agree :) thanks for the help!

My pleasure. ^_^

Sloth said
If only I had money for commissions. :(

They definitely can get pricy.

Sloth said
Note to self: Ask spam to draw character concepts for DnD campaigns.If only I had money for commissions. :(

If I had money I would have my changeling bard drawn.

If I win this, which I think I will, I get either all the games in the Sid Meier's Humble Bundle or a steam game up to $20 in value.