BTNQuietStepsV12

[Moderator]

17:17, 26th Sep 2014
Sin'dorei300: The color of the foot is kinda unnatural and it glows like plastic.
Nice effect btw.

13:13, 28th Sep 2014
Sin'dorei300: Good-looking icon!

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Welcome to icon crafting

First of all, I'd like to point out of the awesome concept you've got there. The Hive really does need more stealth walk icons.
You've stricken a bulls-eye with replicating Blizzard style, two pastel colors yet they are from opposite sides of a color circle, and by applying cartoon-ish feel to the icon.
But, even thought you got it right in some aspects, you missed to represent shadows and light sources.

Every icon should have at least one light source, and a set of shadows to follow it. It gives it the realistic feeling of making it 3D, rather than using only base color to represent an object, or in this case, foot. You'll find some tutorials on basics of shading at the end of my post, to get you started and introduced

Also, personally, I'd like to see a little bit more of distance in here - by making more of the foot visible by shrinking it a little. I feel it would give a better projection and impression of stealth.

One thing again, I'd also love to see a slight glow around feet with color a little lighter that the background, as it would help the contrast come clearer, and your foot a lot more eye catching.

Hope I haven't killed you with the wall of text
Looking forward to updates!

Some tutorials you might find useful:
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/2d-art-tutorials-281/basic-icon-guide-166366/
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/2d-art-tutorials-281/general-icon-process-tutorial-243593/
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/2d-art-tutorials-281/icons-crazyrussian-93857/

 

[Metalwolf22]

You have right, but there is a problem that i have not good photoshop to add shadows and lights. And its not drew by photoshop but by my own hand. Only color is added by photoshop. The original picture have some shadows but there is a problem that in this size they are not so visible like in original size.

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

There is GIMP, which is a free variation of Photoshop. With it, you can do just about anything we do with photoshop

Shadows need to be sharper and darker, and they should overwhelm the icon to make it get that Warcraftish feeling. Please take a look at some human body shading tutorials on the internet, you'll get it quickly, I'm sure

So, all in one, more shadows and at least one source of light to cast them

 

[Metalwolf22]

Many Thanks! I will try this program

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Very, very nice, you improved a LOT in just one update! People take weeks to learn to do this, you've done it in days!

The overall shading is much much better now, and thanks to not using black as a shading color, you avoided the look of foot looking plastic. Very realistic colors and great shape.

However, you seemed to have neglected background in the process. Now, this is where you want to use black, to tone everything down and make the foot pop up more. The natural environment can work, but don't be afraid to experiment a little

Please take a look around some of the icons around the Hive to see what a good background can do to the object on the icon, and again, experiment on shading the background as you did the amazing job on the foot!

 

[Metalwolf22]

Thx! Your praise means so much for me Now I will work hard on the better background!

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

You're most welcome

After all this is a community site, people with more experience help people in learning process

 

[Apheraz Lucent]

Commented by request.

The pace at which you learn to do completely new things out of scratch simply amazes me over and over again! Great, great job really!
Now, the last thing you can do to make this even better is to very carefully apply some dark brown color to enhance the shadows on the foot. Take a look in here to see some examples of dramatic shading on the skin surfaces, and once again, be careful to not overdo it. Adjust your shadow color carefully as well, and make it gradient.

I am amazed, which happens rarely

 

[Metalwolf22]

Many thanks and Many Thanks for your great teaching of the art of making Icons! In next days I will do these last parts of the job and than send you a message again.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Much better!
It's a bit oversaturated, so decrease slightly the saturation.