Need suggestions on image construction and clarity - input welcome!
3yr
@stinkbean
Hey everyone!
I'm trying to develop a more interesting piece from this drawing and develop some composition and design skills. I am looking for some feedback on a few sketches.
The idea is of a swordsman being compelled by a female demon who whispers conspiratorially into his ear.
The style I am interested in is what you would see in linoleum or wood block prints - well established shapes and planes with clear edges.
I've been watching this fella on YT - Emil Salmins, as he carves big ass drawings onto linoleum and cuts each line out with tiny chisels and gouges. The carving process puts a certain constraint on the rendering style of this kind of work, clear shapes and bold lines.
1 - original drawing I am trying to elaborate upon
Last two are pieces by Emil Salmins - https://www.emilssalmins.com/about
I guess this is about as far as Ill take this one. I wasn't happy with my cross hatching in black lines so opted for adding soft shadow shapes of slightly darker values. On to the next attempt.
Comments and critiques welcome
Thanks
Hi @stinkbean, I like how you are working on the theme. Just comparing this drawing with the other version of the same theme I like the other approach better. In this final approach the snake-lady is very stiff and the snaketail has tangent lines and is not clearly visible. In you other aproach there is much more dynamic in the lady and she is nearer to the warrier. And the snaketail is much clearer to see.
Well here is a WIP update. There is still plenty of scrubbing to do on the overall linework and I intend to add some kind of cross hatching to bring up some dark values and give more shape to the clothing.
I'm a bit distraught to see that the last concept picture I made in the original post looks closer to a completed piece than this one. To my eye at least.
Part of the difficulty is in re-learning to draw on a tablet, but another holdup was my stubbornly not using enough reference. I continued to experiment with drawing slight variations of poses and eventually became so invested making adjustments to anatomy (not to say there aren't flaws) that I got too far away from the original pose.
I intend on taking another go at this concept after finishing what I have so far. There are a few elements that I know I could improve on. And after looking at traditional Japanese wood block print art something is immediately apparent - anatomical incorrectness does not detract from these fantastic scenes. I am going to relax a bit on trying to "draw it the Marvel way" on my next attempt and be more considerate of the arrangement of the shapes and design of costumes.
I think the last sketch has a more interesting combination of forms, but is very imbalanced.
Rather than drawing a background with objects in perspective, I would like to focus on the two characters faces and emphasize the swinging of the sword.
What can I do to emphasize the swinging of the sword? I don't know what the word for them is, but "whoosh lines". The action of the sword strike should take place out of frame, as I want to focus the in-between realms of demons and mortals, but that leaves a sword just hanging in space.
Or are these a bit too underdeveloped to comment on?
Yep, whoosh lines would give it some visual motion. But check out http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/ I can't find a single whoosh line. Not sure if that is helpful.
