199 replies to this topic

[Enkida]

On bodhi : I just copied her Bioware artwork. I took some liberties because in her original art her eyes are very badly crossed. XD. But yes, she has that horrible overbite with the fangs and the blood in the original portrait. I appreciate the critique, as always.

One thing I am not sure I appreciate is people taking the stuff I just posted and tweaking it before I have even my full day of sleep in. I have about 4 hours a day max to do any kind of portraits and certain of you send me constant PMs asking for tutorials or advice on top of that, cutting that time down even more. On the other hand, William's edits are the first I have seen that make me feel like I have less work to do now, rather than more. ;-). I will say this: you guys can keep on tweaking my stuff if you ask first, I don't mind, ultimately. But if you wonder why there are no good original portrait artists in the modding community who stick around permanently, that is probably it. I don't feel passionately about photomanipulation as I do about traditional art, but a lot of people do.

I will take some of these edits as portrait pack finals, thank you. :-). I won't be crediting you guys, though, Cheers!

Edit: I changed my position slightly. In short, you can tweak. But please, ask first?

Edited by Enkida, 18 January 2012 - 03:08 PM.

[Enkida]

Also, I am trying to finish up a tutorial on Baldurdizing portraits that several people have requested. It's not done yet, but when it is, if anyone wants to try Baldurdizing NPCs that didn't make it to my list this time around, if they turn out well I might include them in the expansion. With credit, of course! Try to limit to NPCs that have not been covered yet, though, I would say. And if you don't need a tutorial but want to contribute anyway, post it here.

Again, please only original photomanips. Don't take Plasmocat or Amaurea's stuff and tweak it!

[Sanctifer]

Bodhi gave me more trouble than she was worth, that stupid vampire. >__< fixed some stuff

I think it's waaaay better than the original bioware one
I don't mind the fangs that much, you can't really see them when it's 38*60 anyway

What looks a little odd, I think, is that the portrait seems really "blurry" (except for her eyes)
And the proportions of the elements on her face seem wrong to me, but I'm not really sure what it is about...
Like her eyes aren't big enough, I think they should move a little to the sides of her face (the shady on at least)
Her mouth is "too on the left" maybe, or maybe it's not "long" enough, but i'm not sure...
It should go down a little too, further from her nose, closer to her chin

Edited by Sanctifer, 18 January 2012 - 05:21 AM.

[Enkida]

Bodhi's default portrait looks good when it's small, but looks like dookie if you actually close up in it and lighten it so you can see the details. Her eyes are crossed, her fangs are sticking out, her eyes are too far apart, it's really freaky. I didn't want to do a photo manip at first, so I tried to just paint over the original image to sharpen it. All the anatomy fail in the original drawing just kept piling up until I scrapped it and started fresh. The original version was actually lighter and clearer than this one, but in the end, I felt it looked too different from the original Bodhi, even if it was "prettier." So I blurred her up, put the shadows back in and gave her fangs. I think I'm willing to compromise on losing the fangs, but prettifying her face too much is going a bit far from the original Bioware artwork. Let's face is, canon Bodhi is terrifying AND ugly, and I think that's how they wanted her to be. She has a sexpot body but maybe that's why she wears such skimpy clothes. So you won't look at her face. LOL!

[William Imm]

Well, as a matter of fact, I happen to have a photography hobby, so I am quite good at editing and tweaking photographs to look better and such. It is that passion for photography that gives me great photo-editing skills, even through I'm not much of a drawer. I can provide models to start baldurizing, and do tweaking as well. I would at least like a little mention in your readme for tweaking portraits.

(I wonder if iStockPhoto allows using it's stock photographs for community stuff like this...)

[Enkida]

I've said this to other people, so I'll say it again: if you use stock photography, please make sure you get the permission of the artist who made the stock. Most stock photographers are quite happy to see their works used creatively, but most of them also want to be credited, and usually by their real names, not some online handle. Just make sure you have the proper permissions before going to work on some stock. If you buy stock from a stock provider, such as Corbis, then of course you have the right to do what you want to the photo, too. I would suspect the most of us don't spend money on stock for stuff like this, though, so be sure to ask first.

If you do major editing or make a completely new portrait, and I decide to use it in the portrait pack, of course I'll give you credit. If you just do a minor edit like darken the eyes or remove the fangs or tweak the saturation without asking me first, if I like them I'll use it, but it's not a major enough edit to justify expanding my already expansive credit listings - particularly if some of the edits are simple things I hadn't gotten around to myself in the first place. I actually studied photography and photo manipulation in college, too, on the side of my fine arts major in digital and intaglio printmaking, so yes, I know a tiny little bit about it too. I do appreciate these tweaks, though, so thank you!

[Enkida]

This one may not be done yet, but I need to take a break from it. It figures I would try to make a tutorial on one of the harder to manipulate collages I've done so far. -__- Anyway, I outlined my WIP stages as best as I could remember them as I was doing this image, so it is another "sort of" tutorial, in addition to the one I already posted in the original thread. I hope this helps some of you out who have been asking me for steps. The only thing I can really say is every photo is different, so it is hard to say there is "one filter" or "five sets of steps" that will get you a surefire good portrait. There really isn't, sadly. But still I hope this helps!

Ellesime, with a face by Michelle Pfeiffer.



Oh yes, the tutorial, wouldn't it be great to remember to post that too. Click the image:




Also, re: Illasera portrait's eyes: I think I will stick with my original after all. I talked with another artist about it, and we came to the same conclusion: her face paint shouldn't cause shadows to fall into her eyes. That purple stuff on her face is not shadows from her bangs, it's paint. Even with that aside, she's a Bhaalspawn. Compared to Sarevok, her eyes are rather tame. Anyway, thank you for the edit, but I'll be keeping bright-eyed Illasera as the final for the pack. Cheers!

Edited by Enkida, 18 January 2012 - 11:31 AM.

[Dakk]

I like the Bodhi portrait - maybe more without the fangs than with - but it's a wash. What I'd really like to see though is a "bloodless" version. Because I can't picture her walzing around with blood smeared on her face all the time. I looks a bit silly after a while. Imagine if Edwin would walk around with breadcrumbs and a bit of beef jerky in his beard (for a couple of weeks) - you'd be screaming "can't someone tell him to wipe his face!"

[William Imm]

I like the Bodhi portrait - maybe more without the fangs than with - but it's a wash. What I'd really like to see though is a "bloodless" version. Because I can't picture her walzing around with blood smeared on her face all the time. I looks a bit silly after a while. Imagine if Edwin would walk around with breadcrumbs and a bit of beef jerky in his beard (for a couple of weeks) - you'd be screaming "can't someone tell him to wipe his face!"

No problem. I can attack the portrait with the Healing Brush and see how it turns out (maybe leave a little in for asthetic purpourses)

[Galsic]

Also, re: Illasera portrait's eyes: I think I will stick with my original after all. I talked with another artist about it, and we came to the same conclusion: her face paint shouldn't cause shadows to fall into her eyes. That purple stuff on her face is not shadows from her bangs, it's paint. Even with that aside, she's a Bhaalspawn. Compared to Sarevok, her eyes are rather tame. Anyway, thank you for the edit, but I'll be keeping bright-eyed Illasera as the final for the pack. Cheers!

I think you're making a mistake here. First of all, I was well aware that was meant to be paint when I made my crit. With that said, I'll be honest: I couldn't use the portrait as you intend it. How shaded the eyes might be really depends on the light source; how bright it is, how it's hitting her face, how it's interacting with her brow and bangs, etc. It would take a really bright light, hitting straight on, to make her eyes "glow" like that, and I don't see anything in the rest of the image (such as bright highlights) to suggest such.

More importantly, to me at least, the eyes just don't fit aesthetically with what's otherwise a relatively muted image; they just stick out the wrong way : / . Imagine those same eyes on Bodhi. The Illasera image might not be as dark, but it's ultimately the same thing.

Your Ellesime's lookin' good! And the leaf tiara is genius, I says.

Edited by Galsic, 18 January 2012 - 03:26 PM.

[Dakk]

I like the Bodhi portrait - maybe more without the fangs than with - but it's a wash. What I'd really like to see though is a "bloodless" version. Because I can't picture her walzing around with blood smeared on her face all the time. I looks a bit silly after a while. Imagine if Edwin would walk around with breadcrumbs and a bit of beef jerky in his beard (for a couple of weeks) - you'd be screaming "can't someone tell him to wipe his face!"

No problem. I can attack the portrait with the Healing Brush and see how it turns out (maybe leave a little in for asthetic purpourses)

That's kind of you! I'd like to hear Enkida's take first however, as it's his her artwork.

Edited by Dakk, 18 January 2012 - 03:31 PM.

[Kaeloree]

Yes, guys, enough editing of Enkida's work without her permission. She's being very nice about it, but it's never a nice thing to have your work altered without your permission.

[Enkida]

Hmm. I'm okay with tweaking, but on thinking about it, I really prefer if you ask me first. Some things I do want to do on my own. Other things, I don't. For example, it's open season on the Bodhi portrait, I don't want to spend any more time on her. Please leave Illasera alone. If you have suggestions of critique for Ellesime, please give them verbally but don't tweak her. Yet. Feel free to offer to do a tweak if you think you can. But please don't actually do that tweak until I say, "sure thing, please do!" And please understand, I may not actually end up using your tweak in my final pack assembly, if I decide I don't want to. Why don't we see how that goes?

[Dakk]

I think you're being very (too?) reasonable Enkida. And I think you're doing fantastic work.

[William Imm]

Well, ok, no more unasked tweaking without permission from the master, eh?

[Dakk]

Oh, and as permission has been given - if you wouldn't mind giving Bodhi a whirl with the ol' healing brush I'd like to see what you can come up with

[William Imm]

Here's my attempt with removing a lot of the dried blood from Bodhi's face:

[Sanctifer]

"Open season on Bodhi" means that we can give it a try is that right ?
Well I gave it a try, to show what I meant about eyes and mouth not being in the right place



But you were right, she's maybe too much of a hot babe now
Also, you cannot really tell the difference when it's 38*60
-


Anyway, your Ellesime is amazing !
And Michelle Pfeiffer is a really clever choice !
I don't know if it's done or wip, but I'd just say that she looks a little too mean (but the original looks dumb so it's an improvement ) and that her face seems to look dow compared to the rest of her head : I mean, it looks like the picture of her face was taken from above, but not the rest of her head. You think you can do something about that ?

On Illasera, I don't really see the glowing eyes or not, actually what I really wonder is :
Why does she have pointy ears ? Isn't Illasera human ?

Edited by Sanctifer, 19 January 2012 - 01:46 AM.

[Enkida]

On illasera the quick: forgotten realms wiki says she's an elf mage. I know, I was surprised too!

On ellesme: I think you get this impression brcause her crown is not at exactly the right perspective. I will see what I can do but no promises; perspective changes on non square objects is somrthing I still struggle with. . feel free to change her leaf crown perspective yourself if you want to try, but I think it will be rather difficult without the original working layers, to be honest.

also you can work bodhi as much as you like. I thnk for me part of the problem is the hilite on her chin being too strong, so it makes her face look thick, and then her eyes look small. on the other hand as you said, you see none of this on tiny portraits. I think the turnabout mod has a bodhi epilogue slide and the tortured souls mod has a large bodhi portrait, so it may be worth fixing anyway. We will see. I don't like the bodhi portrait so much so of course I don't want to work on it anymore. but that may be the main resson to spend more time on it *sigh*. this is why I dislike boss battles. LOL

[Sanctifer]

On illasera the quick: forgotten realms wiki says she's an elf mage. I know, I was surprised too!

Unbelievable !
In-game, it seems like she's an elf indeed, but she just looks like a human !
Is there a way to change her avatar to female elf then, to match her portrait ?

On ellesme: I think you get this impression brcause her crown is not at exactly the right perspective. I will see what I can do but no promises; perspective changes on non square objects is somrthing I still struggle with. . feel free to change her leaf crown perspective yourself if you want to try, but I think it will be rather difficult without the original working layers, to be honest.

I'll let you struggle with perspective problems first
Then I'll come with an edit and be the hero

(Seriously, you're right, it comes from the crown, not from her face... I'll try and see if I can get it right )

also you can work bodhi as much as you like. I thnk for me part of the problem is the hilite on her chin being too strong, so it makes her face look thick, and then her eyes look small. on the other hand as you said, you see none of this on tiny portraits. I think the turnabout mod has a bodhi epilogue slide and the tortured souls mod has a large bodhi portrait, so it may be worth fixing anyway. We will see. I don't like the bodhi portrait so much so of course I don't want to work on it anymore. but that may be the main resson to spend more time on it *sigh*. this is why I dislike boss battles. LOL

I tried again, changing the angle of her jaw and chin and stuff, I think she looks better

-

But I think you should do it !

Comme back on Bodhi in a few days, you'll have a fresh point of view

Edited by Sanctifer, 19 January 2012 - 04:21 AM.