Nova Astralis
Nova Astralis
Germany
Writer, illustrator
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Nova Astralis
Hello everyone! I love to design characters, and I think I'm some kind of intermediate artist now. Fundamentals are still lacking, especially regarding human anatomy - but what I'd like to know is: What exactly looks wonky about my artworks? Are they interesting or rather boring, and why? How high/low is their quality? Is my art style generic and how would you describe it? What does it feel like? I know what I struggle to draw & to envision, I know many of my limitations very well, but these questions are just impossible for me to answer (well meaning friends & family can't either). If anyone would be willing to help me here, I'd be so happy. Thank you in advance!
Nova Astralis
From my favourite books, "Frankenstein" was the easiest to choose for this challenge. There's a scene in which Victor lays in a boat just floating on lake, ruminating about his misdeeds, his creature and the misery he brought upon his family. This scene always striked me as heavy, terrifying in its quietness and foreboding (the next day the creature seeks Victor out to speak to him and to blackmail him). Lakes and mountains are important motives in the story, being part of nature, contrasting Victor's "unnatural" endeavours. He finds solace in them, and at the same time is a stranger in them. In creating life himself he turns nature upside down, so I liked to show the mountains upside down in the water's reflection. I chose blue for his clothes, since that's "the" romantic colour, and as the complimentary colour yellow for the reflection of the sun and the title. Since the tagline of "Frankenstein" is "The Modern Prometheus", the yellow sun/light can also be interpreted as the fire Prometheus steals from the gods.
Charlene
3yr
I really like what you did with the Frankenstein font and the way Frankenstein's monster is lurking in the water. The line art and water flow swirls here are really cool.
draw ki
It looks good to me, maybe the shadow are a bit too blue compared to the zone in light but at the same time it helps show that the scene is outside, idk. I really like the forms, the shapes are well defined and it feels 3d.
Nova Astralis
Thanks a lot! I exaggerated the colours of the reference photo (which I now put in this comment section). Perhaps I did it a bit too much :)
mynamesforme
Wow that looks really good! Take my advice as a grain of salt because I am no professional but I think maybe the outline of the head is too much of the jagged line where it hits the light. It could maybe benefit from smoothing it out to be more curved.
Nova Astralis
Thank you for your comment! Yes, you're right about that part looking jagged. I wanted to make it look a little stylised, so the hard edge was on purpose, but I see how it's a bit extreme there.
Christopher Beaven
I think it's a wonderful study and a great piece that goes beyond just to study. The colors and the light look very natural and nothing looks strange or wrong to me. Although, it would be nice to compare it to the original. The more I look the more that the background is a bit less natural because it's such a blank space. The bird is casting a shadow yet it feels as if the bird and the shadows are floating. The color of the background seems a lot like sand but it's missing the texture that is found with sand and maybe a soft gradient to imply distance. The feeling I get from this piece is calm and silence. It is a very quiet painting, very contemplative. Regardless of these specific details overall it is quite wonderful!
Nova Astralis
Thank you! Since it was only planned as a colour study, I didn't bother painting a background. You're right, it's just blank & not appealing, although it looked even weirder without the cast shadow. I now put the reference photo in the comments!
Ryan Turner
It's spot on. Feelings are hard, it may need a story/scene to help evoke. Its professional standard. How to make it better is subjective and based on the style you're looking to achieve.
Nova Astralis
Thank you. It's been a while since I posted my work, but your comment made my day then. "Professional standard" is great to hear.
Jan D.
Looks great!:) feels like a summer day at the beach :D maybe just even a loosely painted scene? Looks great tho!:)
Nova Astralis
Thank you so much!
Nova Astralis
I was going for slightly stylised realism, but mainly it's a colour / lighting study. Is something looking off? What feelings does it evoke? What could I do to make it look more "professional"?
Nova Astralis
Dead: Albrecht Dürer. Living: Karl Kopinski.
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