smrrfette's Odyssey

[brianjohnson]

I am liking much of what I see.

Your sketches are just that: sketches. Use them for idea generation, learning exercises, etc. If you are identifying the positives, AND the negatives within the work, that is a great thing. One of the challenges that I come across as I work to improve, slowly mind you, is that when I do begin spotting the issues, I have to battle against muscle memory. When you are so used to putting down some of your marks incorrectly, it becomes a challenge to retrain your hands to place the lines, paints, etc. where you want them, and not fall into your old ways.

The faery piece is a bit early to give crits, but I am liking the thumbs more than the current iteration of the work. I think it has to do with the energy level in the thumbs...they look great, full of energy, and the WIP for your painting is looking a bit less energetic. Have you considered blowing up the thumbnail? If you blow it up and lower the opacity, you can draw over the top while maintaining the energy level you've captured in the thumbnail.

Looking forward to seeing how this image progresses. And remember to have fun with it.