Orc Lancer

[Rui]

Hi.
I've been experimenting iconing with Paint.NET and I need your suggestions on this icon I've been trying to make (I'm not happy with the results), please tell me what I should improve, and fellow icon makers, give technical advice and feedback, please (I don't understand Tiki's tutorial or Paint.NET doesn't have Eye Dropper, or I just don't know what it is).
This is the second part of Tiki's tutorial just so you know... tell me what I'm doing wrong.

EDIT: No comments <.< easy people, I won't neg rep you for hard comments.

 

[brad.dude03]

I do like it so far, but as I said, a narrow face (less round baby-face) and some background colours (the whiteness is searing my eyeballs ) and it will be well on the way

Definetly a good start

 

[HeretoDLstuff]

Well... right now its just straight colors... Is it done?

 

[Rui]

Of course not! As I said, it's the second 'stage' of Tiki's tutorials, but:

• I don't know if I'm doing it right.
• I don't know how to proceed to the next step (the Eyedropper issue)
• The second stage itself is not completed.

 

[HeretoDLstuff]

Looks good for second stage, I would add transeparent lines showing some things in the face such as cheekbones or somthing...

 

[General Frank]

I looks good so far for a 2nd-stage WIP. I don't get affected by it's crudity, because it's a WIP. I see very good potential for a Warcraft icon: It show the head of it and some other features.
I really would like to see the next stage of it.

 

[Kimbo]

Well, its anatomically incorrect, and oddly shaped and perspective wrong, thus even shaded it may give off a flat feel.

I highly suggest you dont do line art first, rather a basic sketch first or shapes THEN line art over that as you dont have your overall shape really thought out (tiki is advanced and thus doesn't require such things to base his line arts from..although iv seen him trace a work without telling people =_=)
As for colouring, it is rather 1 based and I suspect you are going to use black and white shades, for greens I use:
Lighttoneale-Yellow
Midtone:Green
Darktoneark-Blue

If red is included with green, there is more life and harmony as they blend are pleasing (I dont know the word, i didnt really listen to my art teacher even though she told me many times)

As for shading, make sure you have your light source planned out, i usually have it on one side with another light on the other, which means for highlights you can add white on one and then light blue or such on the other which will add more depth, life and feel.

Anyway, icons are much like textures/skins to me, you are still drawing (unless you are making media graphics icons and buttons) thus means you would need to gain some artistic understanding and techniques, although wc3 has its own style, I "try" to blend my style with wc3's style as best as I can.

 

[Rui]

Damn, that's a lot of English wulfy ._.' but thanks for the comments anyway! Also, how exactly do you use something not-1-based? I'm really a newbie with these kind of programs, you know.

No one mentioned Eye Dropper yet.

Another question: I work with 192x192 image and zoom in. Should I just work out the image on higher size and then resize it when I'm done?

 

[Kimbo]

well, first off dont use paint.net or whatever. use photoshop or paintshop pro.

and yeah, my typing skills are weird if u mean that.

and you should work on 512x512, as halving dimensions by multiples of 2 make compression less blurry.

And by one based, i mean..er..monotone? i dont know the word, i suck at it.but i mean, dont have it all just 1 colour, and orcs skin has yellows and greens and blues.

 

[Rui]

I meant all the weird words (I'm not that good at English).

As for Photoshop, I might have to ask my cousin, and Paint Shop Pro is not free either, right?

 

[Kimbo]

psp comes in trials that last 30-60 days, 8-9's trial times are known to bug and not expire.
the OLLDDD BAD versions from what iv read have no trial.
http://oldapps.com/Paint_Shop_Pro.php

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29330

versions 8,9 and 10 (also renamed to photoshop pro) are the best versions as they are all similar versions with same layout and userfriendly.

 

[Rui]

I also have GIMP. I think I'll use it until I talk to my cousin. If that works, of course.