Manga Character Re-Make [Opinions?]

[SapphireDragon13]

Kitsune Re-Make
By Jenelle

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/FirestarOfDarkness13/KitsuneAkairo3.jpg

Well, a while back I was trying to make characters for a manga series, but none of them really looked "traditional" enough, in my opinion... So this is a re-make of my character, Kitsune. Anyways, I've also included the original version of the character [below], and wanted to know which one you all though looked better between the two, and any criticism of either picture you may have. Thanks!

~Jenelle

Drawn with:
-Pencil
-Faber-Castell Inking Pens
-Copic Ciao Markers

Edited with:
-Corel Photo-Paint X3

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/FirestarOfDarkness13/KitsuneAkairo.jpg

[HillBillyWilly]

i think the second one looks better

[SapphireDragon13]

i think the second one looks better

The second picture, meaning the picture at the bottom or the one that was drawn second [the one at the top]? Lol, sorry for the confusion. :P

~Jenelle

[starbrite5]

While your remake looks more traditional, I personally like the original drawing more. But the new weapon looks wicked awesome.

[SapphireDragon13]

While your remake looks more traditional, I personally like the original drawing more. But the new weapon looks wicked awesome.

Lol, thanks! [I'm not exactly sure why, but I do have an unusual obsession with scythes of that sort :P] Anyways, thanks for your opinion. :)

[Hollywood]

That is great. You are very talented with a pencil. Good work!

[SapphireDragon13]

That is great. You are very talented with a pencil. Good work!

Thank you! By the way, I only drew the original lines in pencil, the character [both pictures] was outlined in ink and colored with markers. However, in the picture at the top, I added a background from the internet--Most of my pictures seem a lot more boring because there's no background, just a blank area of white lol. *Holds head in shame* Next time I'll make my own background :P Lol.

~Jenelle

[Origami]

[Order: Top to bottom I will submit as 1 and 2, respectively for namesake.]

Number one, I feel, is a much cleaner composition. Shading, lighting, etc. are all much smoother than in the original copy. The scythe however, I feel is a bit overdone. I much more prefer the original weapon opposed to the newer one. In terms to a small female character, the weapon just looks a bit too large and rather irritant to handle as such. Again, as I said in one of your previous threads, the eyes are a bit underdone. Eyes can really make a manga piece pop and I feel you should really consider putting a bit more effort forth into adding some life to the eyes of your character. I also feel that your proportions are accurately and well done in aspect to what many "artists," myself included, would do. Nevertheless, you should still work on her grip as such. The scythe looks almost of if it's dangling in her hands and would soon fall over, not to mention that her thumb, by how far down the scythe goes, is marked a bit too low. Alas, the background is far too "flashy" in comparison to the rest of the piece.
Overall; I feel this is a very well put together piece. It's always a pleasure seeing your art from time to time.

[SapphireDragon13]

[Order: Top to bottom I will submit as 1 and 2, respectively for namesake.]

Number one, I feel, is a much cleaner composition. Shading, lighting, etc. are all much smoother than in the original copy. The scythe however, I feel is a bit overdone. I much more prefer the original weapon opposed to the newer one. In terms to a small female character, the weapon just looks a bit too large and rather irritant to handle as such. Again, as I said in one of your previous threads, the eyes are a bit underdone. Eyes can really make a manga piece pop and I feel you should really consider putting a bit more effort forth into adding some life to the eyes of your character. I also feel that your proportions are accurately and well done in aspect to what many "artists," myself included, would do. Nevertheless, you should still work on her grip as such. The scythe looks almost of if it's dangling in her hands and would soon fall over, not to mention that her thumb, by how far down the scythe goes, is marked a bit too low. Alas, the background is far too "flashy" in comparison to the rest of the piece.
Overall; I feel this is a very well put together piece. It's always a pleasure seeing your art from time to time.

I'm really glad someone finally decided to critique this in detail. :) True, I could add quite a bit more detail to the eyes... I'm always doubting myself though, cuz I don't want to mess up. As for the scythe, it was intentionally large, and more comparable in size and shape to the original drawing of the scythe in the original picture of my character. [I'll upload a picture of it--I ended up not drawing the second scythe blade with the character because I didn't feel like it at the time... Lol.] And the grip... Yeah, I need to work on that, but if it helps explain anything on the perspective, I was kind of trying to make it like a position similar to how flag twirlers [sp?] twirl their flags. Lol, yes, if she were just holding it, it'd prolly fall right out of her hands, but she's supposed to be preparing to swing it in a circular motion, like a split second before that. Also, I agree with you about the background, I was just tired of posting my usual pictures with the blank, boring white background. :P

~Jenelle

EDIT: P.S. This is the original design of the scythe.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/FirestarOfDarkness13/Sample%20Drawings/ScythePictureColoured.jpg

[Origami]

I'm really glad someone finally decided to critique this in detail. :)
Not many people on VT care much for art. Moreorless they're after that extra post from saying "good job."
True, I could add quite a bit more detail to the eyes... I'm always doubting myself though, cuz I don't want to mess up.
Doubting eyes? I honestly find eyes to be the easiest part. (: Practice it a bit, and after a while it will come almost naturally.
[]As for the scythe, it was intentionally large, and more comparable in size and shape to the original drawing of the scythe in the original picture of my character. [I'll upload a picture of it--I ended up not drawing the second scythe blade with the character because I didn't feel like it at the time... Lol.]
This confused me a bit.
And the grip... Yeah, I need to work on that, but if it helps explain anything on the perspective, I was kind of trying to make it like a position similar to how flag twirlers [sp?] twirl their flags. Lol, yes, if she were just holding it, it'd prolly fall right out of her hands, but she's supposed to be preparing to swing it in a circular motion, like a split second before that.
Simple solution: Add action lines. Action lines can indicate anything from emotion to movement and overall add to the composition whereas some feel it would decrease the value. In fact, it help portray what the artist wants in the character.
Also, I agree with you about the background, I was just tired of posting my usual pictures with the blank, boring white background. :P
True true. :)

------------------------------EDIT------------------------------
I find the original scythe to be very beautiful actually. :) A very unique and thought-out design.

------------------------------EDIT2------------------------------
Enclosed are a few links you may find helpful in developing your eyes.
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=manga+eyes+tutorial#/d1f6559
http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=Manga eyes tutorial&order=9&offset=24#/d1ixbcc

[SapphireDragon13]

Not many people on VT care much for art. Moreorless they're after that extra post from saying "good job."

Doubting eyes? I honestly find eyes to be the easiest part. (: Practice it a bit, and after a while it will come almost naturally.
[
This confused me a bit.

Simple solution: Add action lines. Action lines can indicate anything from emotion to movement and overall add to the composition whereas some feel it would decrease the value. In fact, it help portray what the artist wants in the character.

True true. :)

------------------------------EDIT------------------------------
I find the original scythe to be very beautiful actually. :) A very unique and thought-out design.

------------------------------EDIT2------------------------------
Enclosed are a few links you may find helpful in developing your eyes.
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=manga+eyes+tutorial#/d1f6559
http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=Manga eyes tutorial&order=9&offset=24#/d1ixbcc

Thanks for your opinion about the original scythe. :) Also, it's not really that I can't draw the eyes, I'm just worried about consistancy and the fact that that's really important when drawing a character, especially when you need to draw them more than once... So I chose to make the eyes really simple. Yes, by the way, I agree that drawing eyes is the easiest part, I'm just a pessimist and doubt myself.

This is a random sketch I made just now for this occaision:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/FirestarOfDarkness13/Sample%20Drawings/15-MinuteEyeSketch.jpg

It's kinda sloppy, in my opinion, but this is an example of what I can draw in fifteen minutes [in pencil only].

~Jenelle

[Origami]

Consistancy is a nasty word, but moreorless I get your point.
And the sketch looks more of a "play" style anime than anything else. D:

[SapphireDragon13]

Consistancy is a nasty word, but moreorless I get your point.
And the sketch looks more of a "play" style anime than anything else. D:

Hmm, what do you mean by a "play" style of anime? Lol. I was mostly just trying to add random details that I normally wouldn't--the eyelashes, for instance, I see very little use in including.

~Jenelle

[akonpittbull]

Not only second one but all the pictures are great. Specially the first one because lot of small art described in one picture and that is very great thing for an artist.

[SapphireDragon13]

Not only second one but all the pictures are great. Specially the first one because lot of small art described in one picture and that is very great thing for an artist.

Thank you very much! :)

~Jenelle