I've posted in the Oblivion forums with one of my quick sketches because I didn't realize this part of the forums existed. So, here is something I have just finished:

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j326/xGenkaku/sssaaa.png

It took maybe an hour or so..? I'm better with traditional art but I just got a tablet so I need practice!

And here is the quick sketch:

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j326/xGenkaku/salaem7336.png



I might try my hand at writing some short stories based on Sala'em's adventures and possibly even short comics from time to time. Also, with my other character that I only used until I left the sewers, I saved so the picture on the screen looked like something I'd like to draw so I might do that as well. It's an NPC standing in front of water and it just reminded me of a watercolor painting.


So if anyone has any ideas that could help me improve, I'd appreciate it!

Nice job! What program is that? I really need to get into digital art. Luckily I might be getting a program soon! Might actually do something in color like you!

Only thing I can say is that the art is a little rough and needs a little more polish. More attention to proportions and maybe more blending inbetween the shadows and lighting. Seems to severe a transition. However maybe that is the intent? You have a different artstyle than I do. keep it up though. Looks good!

Thank you so much! I used Corel Painter 11 but for the second one I used MS Paint. Also, if you don't have a tablet, I know where you can get one pretty cheap. Wacom's are $100 for the cheapest but the brand I got was only $30 and works great. I'd love to see something of yours in color!

I understand exactly what you mean. I'm just not good at proportion, but I did find a website that can help with that so I'll be sure to study more. As for the lighting, I don't know how to blend it in Corel without choosing 'gel' for the type of layer, so if the lighter color is on top it disappears into the darker color beneath. If I do it without gelling the layers, all of the non colored part would blend into white and cover what's beneath. It was semi-intentional I guess you could say because the reference picture had sort of a similar harsh transition. Maybe I just need to use a lighter base color for his skin?

Thanks for the feedback; I really appreciate it and will do my best to practice fixing my problems!

Tbh it sounds like it is more the medium than the artist that would be the cause of the issues. The program limits you from blending properly? Well that svcks.

As for proportions? I had a big problem with that myself for awhile. I still do sometimes. Requires some extra effort to make it look right for me.

Yeah. But there is a way to do it properly I think. And starting with lighter base colors might work out. I'll check it out and see. It's not that it makes you unable to per say, it's just that it makes it more complicated. :/ But Photoshop overwhelms me; I just see a thousand buttons, so I'm glad I found a program I can understand pretty well. I've never looked at tutorials for it so maybe I can find out more about it and work something out.

I think maybe lots of artists have trouble with proportion, but I don't really know too many people interested in drawing other than people on dA.

I'm wondering something... How long did it take you to complete this? http://albinodunmer.deviantart.com/gallery/32447818#/d4d9z4x I think that may be one of my favorites that you've drawn. I'd like to do a portrait of my Skyrim character as well. Dunmers are my favorite race in The Elder Scrolls.

This one is really good! Maybe he looks thinner than in your avatar pic, but it′s nicely drawn

Thanks very much!

I drew this and just finished it. I was practicing shading on his face. It may need a warning for blood; not sure.

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j326/xGenkaku/newsaallaa.png

For some reason I think his position is a bit funny looking, and he kind of looks like a generic vampire more than anything, IMO. Maybe because I didn't use a reference? :/
I know it could be cleaned up a bit more but it was just practice. I'm pretty happy with it.

It′s not bad, but he may need something that distinguishes him from generic vampires. I′m thinking thicker neck and wider chin perhaps?

Right, I think I see what you mean. Thanks for the feedback!

No prob Your avatar pic was in mind when I wrote that. There his neck and chin are thicker and wider.

Must be a poorly thought out program. But if you haven't looked at tutorials it may be your own fault. I would recommend checking them out. It is up to the artist to get the best out of their medium and to know it and it's functions well. Or so I would think lol.

Blending should be something easy to use or so I would think. When I sketch with pencil my finger is my blender and I use it liberally and often. I would think that would be something of a priority for a drawing program...

It's hard to say how long I spent on that. I would estimate 3-4 hours but about 90% of it was done in 2 hours and the rest was me coming back to it later and adding or tweaking something till I liked it. I still do not like the neck area because the corroded arteries are not round as I drew this with no references and forgot that I guess. I drew this before Skyrims release though. I really dislike the neck and Chin tattoos though. They just feel sloppy and inorganic to me. I like the rest of it though.

I really like these drawings you have done. But isn't his name a bit......Argonian sounding?

I would say to be careful of perspective. The first thing that jumped out to me was that, in the first picture, the side of the elf that was closer to us was smaller than the side that would be foreshortened. Also, use the full surface of the face to your advantage. You don't have to go hyper-realistic on it, but shading on these surfaces, etc, will really help add to the uniqueness of your character.

Anyhow, that's my two cents.



This might be as a result of my years of using MS paint and never blending even in traditional media like charcoal and pastel (I refuse to do so even now), but I've never thought of blending as a priority in a program at all. Never had a problem transitioning between values smoothly, though whether I want to do so depends on the piece.

I doubt I could even use a blending tool properly. O-O.

@mirocu;

Right! I'll be sure to use a reference next time!



@Albinodunmer;

Haha, yeah, it probably is my fault. =P I'll do that before I try another one with blending, but I think my next try at drawing him will just be in black and white with no shading, just to try to get the perspective correct. When I sketch in pencil I'm usually pretty good with blending, or so I think. I prefer using my finger to blend but I've also used those paper blending sticks. They just seem to produce too hard of an edge for my taste. I'd think it would be a priority as well, but Corel Painter is more for doing paintings which don't require too much blending. I think... But 12 is out now so they may have fixed that.

About your drawing, I think it would look better without the chin and neck tattoos, or maybe if the chin tattoo started more towards the bottom of his chin, but the rest of it is really good so I think that balances it out.



@Kalamari;

Thanks! Yeah, I suppose it is... ; I was going to name him Salem, because I have a RP character with that nickname and usually use it by habit. But I didn't want to so I just made it Sala'em. I'm not good with picking out names... Honestly I didn't know a thing about The Elder Scrolls before playing Oblivion, so I wouldn't have realized that beforehand.


@Amatuer Explorer;

Thanks for the feedback! I really have a problem with perspective. It's hard because I kind of need someone to remind me while I'm drawing but I have nobody around. From now on, I'm definitely going to try to distance myself a little while drawing so I don't get too svcked in. I need to take breaks and study it, being more objective and observant.