CGAN May 2015 - The Sorcerer's Apprentice - WIPs

So here is my initial sketch. Going for a rather traditional idea of the sorcerer and his apprentice.
WIP 1


Comments definitely welcome

Kodabble: Haven't seen you round here for a bit, welcome back! And you're back with a bang with that picture. It's an excellent composition that has good interaction of characters and clearly explains what's going on. The one minor issue is the sorcerer's leg, it doesn't quite pop out towards the viewer and as such ends up looking a little short. Play about with the length and the shading there to get that foreshortened look and then it'll be just fine.

Edit: and PS, thank you for the comments. I think I've been trying to get a sort of Arya Stark tomboy style appearance to my character but I may just work all the options and decide at the end.

Don't fiddle to much.

That's a very good advice - thanks Val!
And a double-thanks to kodabble ^^ you're the only one who understood the little hint with the ghosts
I'll check the proportions next week and maybe just add some more lights - but I won't fiddle to much anymore.

Anyway great sketch kodabble! Like Valence said just check the proportion of the leg waiting for the progress!

And Val I love what you've done with the background and all of these tiny things. I liked the 3. Version of his or her hair the most. ^^

Wow, amazing progress on the rest of the entries. Hopefully all manage an entry in the finals.

I didn´t have time to do much updates, mostly just played around with the levels as suggested by Valence (Thanks!! - the distribution of the values was a disaster! completely missing any value lighter than grey - I knew something was wrong but the levels chart is an eye-opener)

My next steps till the final entry are going to be mostly focused on further detailing.
I`m still not sure about the colouring. Don´t wish a final in B&W, but I might end up with a relatively desaturated version.

Great contest and feedback so far!!

Kodablle,
I tell you a sob story, don't not feel sorry for me, understand at least.
I was with ImagineFx forums four 4 years(2004-2008). then in Oct. my father died, that led me to have a stroke. I almost died but the lov of my family(here and ImagineFx)brought me through. I stopped drawing, well almost, but the things that were coming out of me could be considered a child drew them. I draw my backgrounds because they are straight lines and such. But I use 3d for the figure almost exclusively. My hands work and my mind does, but they cant work together. I don't know if the circuit is bad.
Well that's all.

EbArt: It's good to know your thinking about values as you go. I think the picture will really pop out of the screen when you get the details in the face of the apprentice as this will add a real focus point for the eye.

Dragon: Strokes are terribly depressing, so cruel in the way they take things away from you and make every little thing so frustrating. Art and computer work are both great ways to rewire those circuits and find new ways of expressing yourself.
And 3d figure work is just as valid as painting and is a medium that's been prevalent on many forums and websites so don't feel the need to qualify it, my first steps in digital art were of the 3d variety before I discovered Marta Dahlig's paintings and then tried to have a go at that.

And back to your picture: The recombination of the figure's form along with the magic glow looks much better now. As I said previously if you still want that extra bright punch you could always add it post-render in Photoshop. Keep working and layering right to the end.

Kodablle; Nice start
ebArt; wow
Valence; I been drawing my whole life (since I was , just for fun of it. I had no dreams of fame and fortune. I had military for 13 of the years, boeing for 4 and truck driving. I had an incident in 2001(truck driving), where I ruptured three of my discs(in my back). Then I draw full time. I love drawing. I don't qualify it, I just want people to understand. I love drawing and I will do until day that I die, (wether it any good or not)

When I mentioned qualifying I was referring more to the 2d/3d divide that seems to crop up these days. A few years ago the ImagineFX magazine happily covered both and I remember learning lots and being inspired by tutorials by Soa Lee and Loic Zimmerman but nowadays the focus seems to be more on 2d painting with 3d work reserved for concept art or movie effects. I guess that's the way fashions go. Like I said I used to do 3d a lot but found I was improving more with 2d painting and so I stuck more to that side of things, so it's actually nice to see someone using 3d alongside other people doing paintings all in the same challenge. Seeing the variety in ideas and technique is always refreshing.

I agree!

Hey guys thanks for the pos feedback on mine, really trying to work up the details more.
Thanks Kaz, just trying to have a sort of right tilt to give it a more dynamic perspective, it got a bit out of hand but I think it working now, I added guide lines to help, trying to make it more haunty, but I can definitely identify with what your saying!
Thanks a lot Cherry, i'm glad it's up to your approval now Really like all the characters you have in yours and the color choices are always well chosen, has a nice warm feel to it, you can feel the sense of the united family.
Kod I did put a rim highlight around the top of the mage to make him stand out more, I detailed him more and added more trinkets, I really like the idea of making them provide a second light source, just wary about taking too much attention away from the spider and moon lighting if it competes too much with it but maybe suttle glow effect.

I was all set to really finish it up today, but I was organizing some wires for my computer and tidying up and now it won't turn on!
I guess if I can't fix it in time, can just use the pic I uploaded, I didn't save a jpg of my updated pic.

Dragon, sorry to hear about the stroke, I know it's even hard to talk after, let alone do anything artistic, so really admire you sticking with it, I like your philosophy about loving to draw and always going to continue, I watched this video about how an artist can improve and get better and the one main thing they said was to love art, then you'll keep doing it and in no time will get better.

Kod great to see you back man, that's an awesome sketch, so much detail in there ! like your ideas, they always have a lot of character and story telling. Don't worry about the late start just finish up as much as you can and submit, it's always great to have more people in the challenges!

Valence, coming along great, I really like all the attention you put into all the details, like the candle, wax dripping, casting a shadow, and all the background stuff thats usually the hardest to come up with, all the small details make it more engaging and realistic, I think the hair is perfect as it is, are you going to add a face to the sorcerer?

Eb, looking awesome, really like the lighting and details, the light effect on the floor is really cool, has a great mood, the lighting really adds a realistic effect.