Dave's Digitals

Had a play with color tonight.

Edit: Actually realized I left two of the color layers off when I posted this. Here's where it should have been.

I pretty much love anything fantasy themed with horns so...nice job man;)

Thanks, Evil. It's been fun sketching up some stuff again, after not doing anything for a bit.

Was still in the mood for sketching the past evening, and I ended up sketching out a ladies face. (above image) Thought it might be nice to work on it to practice some close up portrait work. ... But then my imagination apparently took over & now there are cats involved! (lower image) - The wife's first words were 'I'm surprised you went with cats?' told her I know, but they just seemed to materialize out of the scratches. (I have also never sketched cats before, so I'm still not sure whether they look ok) Plus, knowing how I usually work, they will probably end up something similar to cats, but not.

But I don't know if I should keep the cats, or just stick to the portrait piece? Hope to have some free time this weekend.

Maybe it's the Zodiac Challenge (Leo) sinking it's claws into you?
I have to say they all look a little hysterical. The cats I mean, the lady wasn't included in the "all". I think it's the huge eyes together with pronounced lower eyelids... (Of course cats DO look crazy sometimes. Some cats ARE crazy. Ask Banj.)

I think this gets into the discussions I have seen on using references. Maybe not for the actual picture but for a general look of what you are wanting to draw. From the initial look they seem to have the domestic hairless cat look. These to me are probably the oddest looking of the domestics but they have the wrinkle look you have in the face.



But by the size compared to the woman and the ears they look more like a Karakal.



Then again this is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy site so who says they have to look like a real breed of cat at all but how you envision it.
Just look at you last piece haven't seen anything like him wandering around, but I like him anyway. SO have fun.

Thanks Charlotte, and yep, I know they can be completely nuts at times. My mother had both cats & dogs when we were growing up & she had her fair share of the crazy ones! The one I named Trouble, surely lived up to his name.

Thanks Kodabble, cool refs you posted. The Karakal looks real neat. I was thinking of a Lynx when I did the ears, (they also have tufts of hair on their tips)

Like Charlotte said I enlarged the eyes to see how that would change their look. Along with a shorter muzzle & larger jaw. But I guess my wording wasn't all that correct either. I was asking if their positioning in relation to her looked ok, or cat-like is the word I was looking for. ... For instance, I think the back two look like cats in their actions/movements, but I'm not too crazy about the front two. They just don't seem to have that cat feeling to me, and I'm not sure if they are even needed, or maybe it's too much? - I actually thought about taking them out altogether and putting in two larger (different breed) cats, or maybe just one real large one? (but it was late when I stopped working on it, so didn't try it yet) Would something like that give the layout a better feel to the overall design?

But you're correct, I don't usually use refs and think that actually helps my imagination stay active. But I have no problems looking some up to help me get a position correct or If I just can't seem to make something look right. I will definitely be looking at the refs you provided when I re-draw the front guys, or create the larger kits. Thanks again.

I'm sorry if this is an unhelpful comment, but I gotta say that those cats are just about the most hideous things I have ever seen!

Good grief!

Dave... please.... choose a different animal!!!!

Hey Dom, haha... do you mean the cats I sketched in, or the hairless ones Kodabble posted? Just wondering.

Kod's kitties mate, Kod's kitties!!!

I think your sketch is great! The linework is cool and the concept; intriguing. I like watching portraits come to life like this. Plus, it reminds me of one of my favourite workshops in IFX. Good start!