asubtledagger's characters

[asubtledagger28]

As always, any feedback is welcome. This is my first attempt at “zyping.” For me, this is going to take a lot of practice and patience.

DEADLY EYE

[JR19759]

Ok first thing I would suggest for when zypping is lower the Alpha setting on the highlights a bit, to maybe around 60- 75% (sometimes lower depending on the colour), because unless you’re going for a latex look, no fabrics shine like that. Secondly, watch your lines when highlighting. If a shine crosses over the top of a line, especially an border between colour changes, item changes or the body’s natural boundaries, it doesn’t look right. There are a number of ways you can avoid this. Firstly masking the highlight to the object, which is quick and simple, but can build up the layers if you want to mask multiple highlights to the same object, as you’ll need multiples of the same object. Second, if you want to have a large section of highlight over an item with a lot of detailing lines, is make the one highlight large enough to cover the whole area, then add another multiple of the object you are covering over it and make the Alpha settings on the first and second colours of that object 0%, leaving just the black outline. Or thirdly, make your highlights small enough to fit around the lines.

In some places, especially the neck and shoulders, your highlighting seems a bit random, I’d maybe go back and change a few bits. The highlight on the neck needs to be wider and shorter, the two symmetrical highlights on the shoulder piece need to be longer so they cover more area, and you need to get rid of the diagonal highlight on the right shoulder, because it just doesn’t look right and isn’t repeated on the left shoulder.

Also, you should consider adding shadows to your character if you’ve added highlights, it really makes the character pop. It’s the same principle as highlighting, but you just use a darker colour (usually a lowered alpha setting black) instead of a lighter colour. Always look to shade where there would be a shadow cast on the body by natural light, so under the chin, under the arms and between the legs are the basic places, then where ever your costume would cast shadows, so there would be shadows from the body/ legs on the cape for example.

Hope this helps.

[asubtledagger28]

Thanks so much JR19759, I will get back in to hm and practice zyping some more. I really appreciate you taking the time to outline the process as I would like to learn more about using this technique.

This is a great community, thanks for the help! It is much appreciated and when I get a chance I will try again.

Thanks for taking the time to share.

All the best.

[asubtledagger28]

Here is my first attempt at a pose that is not straight on. I had been working on it before the advice on shading from JR19759 but forgot to save the .txt file for it or else I would rework the shading. I’ll post it here for critique and go back in to create something new which will allow me to apply the tips from JR.

DEAD LEE NIGHTSHADE

[JR19759]

Ok, two things leap out at me straight away. Firstly, shorten the cape, it’s way to long. Secondly, his right foot is all types of twisted, try using the foot that points down, that you’d otherwise use for floating characters. Other than that, well I don’t like the colour scheme (I hate that green), but it’s your character so you do you. I’m not really sure about the main body’s colour, is it meant to be either white or green? If it’s meant to be white then the green shouldn’t be there (or if you’re trying to go for a white with a green tint then the alpha setting on the green should be turned down to under 50% maybe less). If it’s meant to be green, maybe go into the custom colours tab and see if you can find a green in there that will work with that other green as a secondary colour.

But as for the shading/ highlighting, looks good. I like the right arm a lot, that really looks good. What I’d do to improve is go and add a bit of shade under the upper part of the left arm around the armpit down to the elbow, a little on the inner thigh (a bit more on the left than the right and make it slightly further back on the left, so it looks like the right leg is casting a shadow). And lastly, it might be an idea (though you might not want to do this) to add some sort of yellow reflection from the energy aura around the areas it covers, so arms and upper legs. You don’t have to do a huge amount, but it just shows the fact that they are giving off something and aren’t just in a vacuum, completely disconnected from the rest of the picture.

[Viper]

If you just started using Heromachine, then you catch on really quick haha. I like Deadly Eye he looks like a bad dude.

[asubtledagger28]

Thanks for the feedback JR19759. I really appreciate how much time you take to share very straightforward information and suggestions. I wasn’t happy myself with the right foot, so looking forward to trying your suggestion. Also thanks for suggesting where some shadows would make sense and help enhance the image. I’m gonna try working with some shadows and also add the glow as you suggested. Again, many thanks.

[asubtledagger28]

Viper wrote:

If you just started using Heromachine, then you catch on really quick haha. I like Deadly Eye he looks like a bad dude.

Thanks Viper. This thing is pretty addictive; I’ve been on every night for the past few weeks.

[Viper]

Oh believe me, I’m right there with you all the way. Just never stop!

[asubtledagger28]

I have tried to incorporate some of the suggestions form JR19759 and added a few shadows, changed the colour of the main costume to white and tried to add some glow from the energy, but still need to work on that element. Oh yeah and tried to straighten out the right foot. Thanks again JR I think this looks a little better. I’m going to come back to it and work on it some more but wanted to post this just to give an update. I can see that adding the dark shadows really aids in making characters more 3 dimensional.

..and shortened the cape.

[asubtledagger28]

Here is another attempt at adding the highlights on just a straightforward pose. I need some more practice with posing, so stuck with straight on for this one. I did it a while ago somewhere in between the 2 guys above. No shadows, but will go back in and try now that i have looked at some other people’s works and think I am beginning to see where they would make sense.

Had time tonight, so I went back and added some shadows; still need lots of practice (and patience).

ASH

[Mad Jack]

You’re making fast progress. Maybe you wanna take another shot at your Creators Club entry with the new learned skills?! 😉

[asubtledagger28]

Thanks Mad Jack, you read my mind.

[asubtledagger28]

Going to post this just ’cause I spent some time on it. I’m not happy with it but it was good practice. It was my entry to the random names contest, which was the first contest I tried to enter and I labelled my entry incorrectly. Anyways I have been spending the last few nights looking through people’s galleries and not machining much. There is so much creativity here, it is very absorbing and inspiring. Anyways…

Dazzle Shadow

You were an archaeologist, investigating ancient Egyptian ruins, when you angered the Sun God, Ra! Now, you bear the weight of his power, until you find a way of appeasing the mighty deity!
Your powers mean you can manipulate and control light, using it to create illusions or blind your opponents! and… You can manipulate and control shadows, using them to hid yourself or even as a mode of transportation (traveling from one shadow to another)!

[Trussos]

Really nice character, but that hand is bothering me… in real life it doesn’t turn that way and it would be equally nice if it was with the other arm (the one that is turned around) and with the hand upside down.

 

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