November 2018 - HAIR! - WIPs

Looking lovely, Charlotte.
The subtle touch of colour in the eyes really enhances the whole image.
The only thing that stands out to me at the moment is the ear. I always find it a little tricky extrapolating normal anatomy to pointy-eared elf things but I "think" that inner part may need a little tweak, especially where it should reconnect with the lobe.

Oh, and nice quilted texture on that shoulder!

Charlotte beautiful line work the hair and the quilting is superb. I agree with Valence with the ear to me the inner part of the is looking flat i preferred it in the original posting.
A quick update from me I have got bogged down with trying to make details that I but am back on track now I think.

That background looks amazing, oaktree!
I can almost feel the heat coming off it.

And with such a satisfying backlight it might now be a good idea to tweak the values in the eyes. I think I've said before that one of the things that constantly surprises me is how dark the whites of the eyes are in reality. Just knocking them back a little with a slightly darker blue/grey can always enhance the realism of a picture.

Also I like the change to the faceted gem. The way you have the light glinting off some off the faces does a fine job of describing some very complex geometry. Well done.

I agree with Valence, that background looks great and the fuzziness of it just enhances the feeling of heat radiating from the forge back there.

Valence and Charlotte thank you both for the comments. Valence I have dimmed his eyes back a couple of times but I do see that it needs a lot more yet you know I struggle with getting the values set up correctly. I am pleased that you both like the background I had tried several different ones lighting from one side, detailed not detailed and think the one I have looks best being out of focus and hot.
I had a break from it and tried my hand with the other one for a little while.

update made some adjustments to face

Hey Oak, the detail is looking almost finished, I just kept seeing this lighting on it just to give you an example and I had to get it out of my head, hope you don't mind. Just a rough idea using brightness adjustment and darkening to bring out the glow more.

Charlotte I really like watching your workflow, the shading looks amazing, almost like it has a nice silk like look. Keep it going!

Micro thanks very much for taking the time to show how it could be lit I had made a note of your suggestion in the earlier post and had intended to go along that way. I had tried with an earlier version but had not got it to work so well as you have managed but I have a few days yet.
I have also noted that you have removed the lower distractions from his hair the turquoise and the faceted gem that is probable the way I will go as well, I had spotted that the lower turquoise was far to bright and distracting and needed work which I had started doing and the lower faceted gem I had intended to darken right down but then have some of the light from the bright gem striking as highlights but also passing through it like a prism to give a little light deep in the shadows I hope that makes sense. Anyway thanks again Micro your efforts to help me out are very much appreciated. Now if you can just tell me exactly how you did it..........

Hey Oak, I think that's a cool idea with the lower turqoise gem could be dark with maybe one of those star light coming off it, it will still get your idea across even if it's not overly detailed. I found that a hurtle to get over trying to overly detail everything, but less is more definitely.

I just saw the main light source was coming from behind to the left, so I just imagined what parts the light would hit and how bright and bounced light, then used the lasso tool and brightness/contrast in photoshop, but mostly I used the dodge and burn tool to change the saturation, but I overused it, you can do a great job with it, just have to get to that next level you're on the verge on. Also the gandolph sketch looks great, you should widen him though, he looks stretched vertically right now.
You should play around with the perspective transform tool, I use it to make sure everything lines up.

Thanks Micor for the heads up on how you did the makeover job on the image you have some great skills. As for the dodge and burn tools I have always avoided them since I tried to use them like a fine gold smith using a sledge hammer to make a small link chain. I had better give myself a quick crash course in how to use them and see if I can get something near as good as what you did. Thanks for the insight on Gandalf also I agree he does seem some what on the stretched side.