[Dolmen 2.0]

Based on how helpful everyone is I thought I'd
Try pre-empt problems by posting my preliminary
sketch for This competition.

Here we go:
 Forkrul_Assail__sketch_by_Shadaan.jpg (75.76K)
Number of downloads: 23
Am I on the right track?

[alt146]

That looks really good! About the only thing I can think are that the feet are maybe slightly too big, they stand out a little. You could maybe change the angle and foot placing of the left leg to show the double jointedness off a little more effectively and make his sternum a little pointier. Neither of those are really neccessary though, it looks pretty damn good as is.

[cerveza_fiesta]

Looks good overall. I really like:

• The fingers on the foreground FA are freaking great. Super multi-jointey and creepy.
• legs look totally sweet.
• The crook the arm of the background FA looks awesome. Conveys the idea of multi-jointeyness very well.
• Windswept looking trees add a bit of action to the background and make the environment look way more harsh.
• I like the look of the river a lot. When you colour it you should try glacial-river-blue. I dunno if you've seen that in real life, but it would be more realistic in the mountainous setting. That as opposed to the standard black-blue-looking lowland river.

Again, to nitpick

• both the FA's have the same pose more or less. I'd take the background guy and do something totally different with him. You don't have to go in as much detail with him so you might be able to do something more wild with him.
• Definition of the river banks are lost a bit under the crotch of the foreground FA. Especially the bent leg (right of pic)...it kind of lies along the same line as the riverbank and completely blocks it. Not sure what you could change exactly...maybe narrow the river or change the location of the foreground FA slightly. It might cease to be an issue when you add colour anyway.
• THe face shape is up to you entirely, but you could go a bit more alien with it in the proportions. Right now its relatively human. Changing eye and nose relative proportions would go a long way to making it look weird.

This post has been edited by cerveza_fiesta: 19 February 2010 - 12:59 PM

[Hetan]

Don't forget the hinged sternum - they bend in all the wrong places (according to human eyes that is).

Not a bad first sketch and looking forward to seeing more

[Abyss]

Neat pic in the . I like your version of the harness and the poses.

But as i read the description of Calm in HoCworks: less boob, longer torso.

The hinged-back legs work but i wonder whether it could use another joint above the knee, or a more articulated hip.

Another thought, again ref'ing HoC, Calm had long hair but i suspect that was just because she was stuck under the rock for so long. it works for the foreground femal but if the one in the background is male, maybe try a smooth scalp.

- Abyss. wouldn't want to be their hair stylist...

[Grimjust Bearegular]

I think you should give them elephant ears and T-Rex arms...I believe I read that somewhere

[Jorram]

I believe their eyes are described as bigger than usual, flat and pitch black

[Dolmen 2.0]

alt146, on 19 February 2010 - 11:39 AM, said:

That looks really good! About the only thing I can think are that the feet are maybe slightly too big, they stand out a little. You could maybe change the angle and foot placing of the left leg to show the double jointedness off a little more effectively and make his sternum a little pointier. Neither of those are really neccessary though, it looks pretty damn good as is.

Thanks for the advice,

• I think the feet I can reduce a lil but I will try keep the positions similar
  seeing that after trying to edit them a lil I found it impossible to keep the
  stance of the FA from looking balanced on her feet.
  
• I'll try introduce the pointier sternum though, I think thats a good idea.

cerveza_fiesta, on 19 February 2010 - 12:57 PM, said:

Looks good overall. I really like:

• The fingers on the foreground FA are freaking great. Super multi-jointey and creepy.
• legs look totally sweet.
• The crook the arm of the background FA looks awesome. Conveys the idea of multi-jointeyness very well.
• Windswept looking trees add a bit of action to the background and make the environment look way more harsh.
• I like the look of the river a lot. When you colour it you should try glacial-river-blue. I dunno if you've seen that in real life, but it would be more realistic in the mountainous setting. That as opposed to the standard black-blue-looking lowland river.

Again, to nitpick

• both the FA's have the same pose more or less. I'd take the background guy and do something totally different with him. You don't have to go in as much detail with him so you might be able to do something more wild with him.
• Definition of the river banks are lost a bit under the crotch of the foreground FA. Especially the bent leg (right of pic)...it kind of lies along the same line as the riverbank and completely blocks it. Not sure what you could change exactly...maybe narrow the river or change the location of the foreground FA slightly. It might cease to be an issue when you add colour anyway.
• THe face shape is up to you entirely, but you could go a bit more alien with it in the proportions. Right now its relatively human. Changing eye and nose relative proportions would go a long way to making it look weird.

Thanks for listing the pros and cons buddy, always value your input.

• I'll try something new with him but also want to introduce a third character to the right. that way I can play
  with contrasting positions
  
• I agree with the river being a lil off somehow, I have a few new Ideas I'll try in the coloured version. I'll post
  em up latest next week
  
• I feel the eye face ratios are worth exploring further, also how do you guys feel about giving it an awkward tilt
  aswell as glossier more alien eyes? would that be weird enough

Hetan, on 19 February 2010 - 05:39 PM, said:

Don't forget the hinged sternum - they bend in all the wrong places (according to human eyes that is).Not a bad first sketch and looking forward to seeing more

I'm not too clear at understanding how the sternum hinge works. My guess is a ribcage that folds in on itself?
*shudder*

Abyss, on 19 February 2010 - 07:42 PM, said:

Neat pic in the . I like your version of the harness and the poses. But as i read the description of Calm in HoCworks: less boob, longer torso.The hinged-back legs work but i wonder whether it could use another joint above the knee, or a more articulated hip.Another thought, again ref'ing HoC, Calm had long hair but i suspect that was just because she was stuck under the rock for so long. it works for the foreground femal but if the one in the background is male, maybe try a smooth scalp.- Abyss. wouldn't want to be their hair stylist...

aByss would make a terrible hairstylist, what with being a cat and having no opposable thumbs...but I digress

• The joint above the knee I have explored and it looks awkward in this stance but I have succeeded
  in employing it both with the FA in the background and the FA I plan to introduce to the right.
  You will probably enjoy that. can we assume they hinge at different places per individual?
  if not I'll give the hip articulation more attention and post that up instead
  
• I will give them all a chique hairstyle. primarily the background FA gets a bald cut as per request
  am I correct to assume pallid hair means blonde?

Grimhilde, on 19 February 2010 - 08:28 PM, said:

I think you should give them elephant ears and T-Rex arms...I believe I read that somewhere

Thats just silly

Jorram, on 21 February 2010 - 04:32 AM, said:

I believe their eyes are described as bigger than usual, flat and pitch black

noted

I'll give them a glossier bigger Eye, perhaps on some forego eyes entirely and show huge pits
where they should be?

LASTLY: What skintone would work here? I've explored pale light brown but have enjoyed
pale purple and a mottled freckled medley of the two

[Sinisdar Toste]

i think a pale pink would almost be best. like really pale, almost white, but with a tinge of pink

[cerveza_fiesta]

I like the purplish mottled idea. Almost a cadaver colour, but with something here and there to denote bloodflow of some kind.

I also like Jorram's idea of flat and pitch black. Not sure how to achieve the "flat" look exactly, but it could probably be done by not making the eyes too shiny or glossy looking. Putting them in deeper pits as you describe would help keep them looking like your average grayface alien too.

You could also play with the shape, rather than the heavily tilted elipse typical of Xfiles, go with something different.

I always imagine the eyes-in-his-hands monster from the Pan's Labyrinth movie. But where he just has skin over the eyes, replace that with big flat black disc shaped eyes.

I dunno...that's how my brain pictures it anyway. Spend some serious time on its face, the whole picture is cool, but if you have a really well done face on that foreground FA it's going to sell the pic that much more.

[maro]

Awesome picture!

[Dolmen 2.0]

 Picture 006.jpg (53.61K)
Number of downloads: 6

Just a lil side question...I sketched this up the other day and I feel it really expresses the assail better than my last image.
Should I focus on this or should I stick with the previous?

[Corporal Nobbs]

I say focus on the latest one.

[Sinisdar Toste]

agreed

[Uli]

Wow! Can I third that opinion

[Dolmen 2.0]

Thanks guys, Your input is always valuable

I'll start work on this right away, since
people have already started submitted I'm thinking
I don't have much time :s

[Grimjust Bearegular]

Dolmen, on 23 March 2010 - 06:10 AM, said:

Thanks guys, Your input is always valuable

I'll start work on this right away, since
people have already started submitted I'm thinking
I don't have much time :s

I say the last one as well that pose is so FA:P



And as with all things Malazan: the dead(time)line is not important!

[cerveza_fiesta]

yep. Rock the new pose. Looks awesome.

I'd still go more alien on the face tho.

[Smiles]

Hi Dolmen, these are buggers to work on but so much fun. Really like the last post too.

This post has been edited by Smiles: 10 April 2010 - 04:19 PM

[Dolmen 2.0]

Smiles, on 10 April 2010 - 04:18 PM, said:

Hi Dolmen, these are buggers to work on but so much fun. Really like the last post too.

Yep, They really are a challenge. Just started reading through dust of dreams myself
I'm amazed with everything I've read about them. Can't help but sketch
them all day

@everone else: I'm gonna have to thank you all for convincing me to do the second version, working
on it is making me a very happy malazite