Concept Art; need [helpful!] criticisms!

[Exception]

Sorry 'bout the low quality; ain't got a scanner, so the iPad's camera had to do for now. 


Used a 2B pencil, 0.5mm calligraphy pen, 10mm calligraphy pen, and ~140gsm (can't remember.) cartridge paper. The time taken was roughly an hour and a bit?

It's probably a bit too dark, but it's basically meant to just be an armoured person walking along a dark room with a lantern…I won't diverge what it's for, yet, but I was hoping to get some comments and criticisms before I compile it all first.

A little bit about the process, if you care to know... (it's a bit pic heavy)

>! So, I started with the outline in a 2B pencil.
>! 
>! I then drew in all the details of the armour, chain mail, sash, and terri-bad hair.
>! 
>! Then came erasing it all until I had the faint lines, and inked the prominent lines.
>! 
>! I then made a start on the tone, based on the light source that's slightly behind the person.
>! 
>! Did the brick background…
>! 
>! And from there the shadows on the walls were added, and all the other details, played around with some contrast and brightness options in Photoshop to pretty it up a bit, and you know the rest. :>

[tslusny]

It is looking like he is coming directly "from" that wall, idk if you meant it to be like that (i think no).

[SawQuart]

Shading is too dark and the hands are demented and disproportionate. It was _decent_ till you added the shading (line art still needs a lot of work).

[Jeff]

There is too much noise, especially in the face. Try to use fewer crosshatching lines. Usually if something is just a concept, you don't need to get the shades/color perfect. Are you using these as a jumping off point for other images, or are these finished concepts? Will the user see these? If you add color, it would be a lot easier to distinguish different forms. Even shading smoothly with a pencil and less crosshatching would make it easier to distinguish everything.

My main concern is the face, but the arms also have too much noise. Great lantern though.

[Dark Crusade]

I could barely tell what it is until I read the description. The first and foremost problems are disproportions and incorrect anatomy. Second it's so noisy and messy.

[Kusy]


Dey see me trollan, dey heytan…

[Exception]

> -snip-

My main problem was trying to make the left hand look as if it were behind the person, which I've obviously not done a good job of in terms of perspective. When I do make another attempt of it, I'll try my best to at least make it look like it's behind them, not smaller than the other!

> -snip-

I'm drawing a small series of concepts in the same cross-hatch style (except the others are nowhere near as dark, so they're at least coherent from a photo of it. :]), that'll go with the presentation of a project. It's not that I don't want to use colour, but I decided to stick to full monochrome. Was that lantern comment sarcatic? :P

At the noise, the actual drawing is far less noisy, so perhaps I'll reupload it and just show that, not a rushed Photoshop to try and make the black lines more prominent.

> -snip-

Hm, next time I try a dark scene, I'll try to be less dependant on cross-hatching. :]

> -snip-

That's neither necessary or helpful.

[DMF]

oks its flat. and dark.. but shape is ok. details are barly existin on the face. o.O try to draw it with less lines. just out lines and features no shadin try that to see where you can improve. rember every line has its place.. wrong placed lines make it look like crap. try to redraw it more clearer(less shade lines..)

@kusy stop posting you dont help EVER. >.>

[Kusy]

It was helpful. You just ignored it.

1\. MY BACK HURTS SO DUCKING MUCH aka learn basic anatomy, what a human body can and can not do. Because it can't bend like that unless it's a dead body.

2\. AND THIS DUCKING PICKLES WON'T OPEN aka man, look at that… lantern? Don't even wrestle with human anatomy before learning how to draw a cube in perspective. Really.

3\. ALSO MY HAND IS RETARDED... aka go back to point one and two. What you attempted is called a perspective shortcut... and since you can't properly draw a cube in perspective, attempting to do so with a human hand might prove problematic.

Since he's holding a lantern it would make sense for it to be the source of light, in the meantime your light comes somewhere from the right. Draw more, draw more basic stuff, learn perspective, try drawing a human body from a model, and if you can't get a model use a picture (not drawing on a picture - from a picture).

Another thing - if you're drawing an armored guy, do that. Draw an armored guy, not a member of the ducking putty patrol. Adding details later is the worst thing you can do, you should have the idea of what you are doing from the very start, I'm not saying that you should start from drawing every plate, but even your basic outline should suggest what you're doing.

Hope you find THIS helpful, because nothing on the internet is necessary.

@DMF stop posting you're a fag. Also my eyes bleed every time you try to write in English. I saw half-blind people mash keyboards with higher accuracy rate than you. c===3

[JeffSventora]

I think the biggest thing is that, concept art is purely for concept. If you want me to judge it based on it's concept, all I would say is that as long as your team understands what it portrays than it completes it's job as concept art, if not, make more concepts.

[Jeff]

> Was that lantern comment sarcatic? 

Actually no. I like the lantern. It isn't really perfect perspective wise, but the crosshatching on it is really nice. It's quieter and more visible.