Christmas Helmet And Hound

Rob Smith

@shinjifujioka I think the trees and the snow looks good but I'm going to agree with @Bobby-Aquitania. Helmet seems lost in the image.

shinjifujioka

Cool, thanks for the feedback! I can't make him adjusting the star since it's just hanging from the sky, but I do like the step-ladder idea. I'm going to try it out with him placing an ornament higher up. I think it should make him stand out a little more. Thanks!

Leontine

Love the comp. and the blobbytrees! You'll manage to make something really beautiful out of this, I am sure!

JajaJulie

This is very nice! I think the birds would be a nice touch, their gaze/direction is forcing us to look at helmet and hound. Can't wait to see it finished!

Naroth Kean

love your painting and style, very soft and emotional. I think what lost in the mage are the relationship between the two main character and yes the helmet value also. I did a quick draw over in hope that i might help and you don't mind :X.

shinjifujioka

I decided to not finish this piece. I think it's one of those pieces that I just need to walk away from.

Anyway, here it is as it stands.

Merry Christmas WIP 3 1000.jpg

bharris

It's good you know when to say no, but I still like it. If you ever decide to come back to it, I would slightly unblur the edges on the foreground tree on our left.

Bobby Aquitania

@shinjifujioka I think you've taken it 98% of the way it needs to go. You don't even need the other stars indicated in the sky. I see Helmet's figure much more clearly now. The only thing I would change is the color of the brown glow on the trees, it's reading like mud and his hand is getting lost in the middle tree in the background.

I would also lighten up Hound a touch, because if the fallen Xmas balls aren't as dark as him because light is passing through them, then the box they're in would also be as dark as Hound, well the side facing us. Other than that, you have an amazing painting style bro... if you taught a course, I'd take it in a NY minute!

Timbdsf

Don't walk away! You've created such an intimate feeling, great perspective, wonderful colors. Even if you do nothing else, you should submit it.It's beautiful! I think sometimes we hear so many suggestions that it makes us forget what we enjoyed about it in the first place and we grow discouraged. Believe that what you've made is outstanding!

Dulcie

I agree it's lovely, no need to walk away from this one on artistic grounds...you've improved it so much. Loved the idea of having a bird or two to help frame the picture.

shinjifujioka

Thanks for the comments everyone Perhaps I will revisit it. But if I do, it probably won't be till later next year. This piece, for some reason, was kicking my trash and I need to reserve some creative fuel to work on another piece before that one runs away from me.

I'm hoping that if and when I do revisit this piece, I'll have a little more knowledge and understanding to do it justice.

mattramsey

@shinjifujioka I feel like this is another great image but I see (3) things that I would change. Perhaps one or all of these is what is throwing you.

Personally, I feel like the main, smaller tree could be simplified/unified (in terms of the branches/snow forms).
I think that the bottom of that tree would not be receiving as much light as it currently is. It kinda looks uniformly lit from that start directly above it.
The foreground trees need some work. Unfortunately I don't have my finger on what exactly isn't working for me. I think someone mentioned this but maybe they are too muddy? too blurry? It's frustrating that I don't have a good idea for you here.

Don't abandon this one. The boy and the dog are looking great. I can tell they are only a few stages short of your usual polish but that makes sense if you are putting the image on pause for now.

MOO

That last one really brought the characters into view! I like it.