Too dark, can't see squat.
It makes them look more like aliens then usual.
Yes, they look very mysterious and so forth, and yes, I'm sure
you were going for that look, etc.
Original:
Let's level that sucker out, let's see under the hood.
Pretty paint jobs hide the ugly!
OK.
Let's split this by talking 'bout the basic drawing, then the
concept.
1.Heads. The shape is proportional and pretty much on the mark,
the placement of the eyes and pupil size is a bit fucked up.
Note the eyes are located in the middle of the head, length wise.
Yes, anime, yes, cartoon, right and so forth. But even in the
most stylized toons, the eyes are placed, bulging like a humongous
insect as they are, at or at least BENEATH the mid way point.
Except able? Yes. Ugly? Also yes.
Misalignment of the eyes to the nose to the mouth and the neck'll
likely be cleared up in the future as you draw more.
2. Wrist. Bent at an angle unsuitable to holding a heavy piece
of metal, unless the swords are made of foam or have anti-gravity
boosters within them.
Simple case of the mental image not meeting real world physics.
Take a heavy rod and hold it up. Look at yourself in the mirror.
Failing that go look at people actually holding up swords.
3. What is up with the dude's sword? By the blood stain, he's
holding the thing reversed.
Why? Is that a futuristic "Sakabato" meets Buster sword?
By the clever and original JAPANESE names you gave these charming
10 year olds, I assume she's holding a Japanese sword. The drawing
indicates you are capable of intricate detail, I suggest you look
up the GAZILLION sites on the web devoted to all types of swords,
real and imagined, and how they are used.
Seriously, this isn't 1987 when I had to imagine how Michangelo
of the Ninja Turtles would hold up his nunchucks. You have the
time and resources to register you own domain name and call your
single splash image a "creative portfolio," then you
can look up what type of swords your characters'll be posing with
and how they are used.
4. Ok, when it takes longer to comprehend what the text reads
then to download your incredibly uncompressed PNG image (Why?
Are you too good for Jpg? You think you're better then JPEGS!?
Huh? Huh? You think black pixels look sharper in 312KB PNG? Are
you F'ing nuts? If you ever use PNG other then 8-bit export for
web menus, I'll KILL you, KILL YOU! And your Mother!), then it's
time to change your font.
Assuming you actually want it to be read, who knows maybe you
thought it was "rad," and didn't think ahead. Wouldn't
be the first.
Takuro and Kyoko... you might think I might make fun of that,
but no. 20 years ago they would've been named "Daxxon &
Sherra," or some other nonsense. Just know, that they are
your characters, they can be anything in the world. And understand
that I and every other person on the net will make fun of you
for "Takuro & Kyoko." Now it may be that you're
not just another kid who watched too much "Japanimation"
off the web, it may be that you have a deep, cultural connection
to our little island friends that extends beyond cartoons and
video games, I don't know.
What ever the fact may be, if you know this much Photoshop and
basic draftsmanship, it's time to move on. If not to actual fine
arts or something more meaningful to you personally, then at least
to something slightly less embarrassing.. might I suggest Harry
Potter? It is in English, and lots and lots of fangirls just DIG
HP fan art!
5. Nice threads. Futuristic "wife beater," v-neck one
piece, and a generic electro-doohikie on the shoulder. Very nice,
but the question arise, "what's up with the swords, like,
isn't, like the future or something? I mean, like, don't they
have ray-guns, phasers and shit?" Something to ponder on
your next piece.
6. Ooh, directional speed blur! Yes, we all love filters. Use
'em up quick, 'cause most of them are one time deals. Most of
them are very precise and particular tools, rarely applicable
to cartoonists.. the type effects people swear by them though.
But seriously, try all them tools, see how they work. And try
some pieces for the particular effects... and ultimately let the
work, the idea, the concept dictate what tools you want, not vice-a-versa.
And finally, because I learn to draw a decade before PCs were
powerful or cheap enough, it's always draw, draw, draw, then scan.
But most of you grow up side by side with Photoshop and all the
latest progs, you're learning analog drawing and digital painting
all at once. You'll be that much tighter then geezers of my generation,
but a solid foundation is a must.
A well done line drawing will always be beautiful, but you can
never cover up a weak drawing no matter how much PS magic you
use.
P.S. If I come off harsh, it's because I'm a dick.
We all have thousands of bad drawings to get out of the way, no
use cuddling #234, note the errors, god know I keep making 'em,
then just move on to the next.
And the next.
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