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EzJedi β The Dark Crystal
Published: 2013-12-16 11:43:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 1795; Favourites: 42; Downloads: 0
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Finally I got round to finishing my Dark Crystal fan art piece, after a busy week where I haven't been arting half as much as I should, or would like! I know a few of my fellow deviants were keen to see this coloured, so I hope you like it. Personally, I'm still not satisfied with my colouring work. I really feel it lets down my lines a lot of the time. Although to be fair there are several improvements I'd make to the lines as well if I were to start this over. Ah well, onto the next piece and hopefully some margin of improvement!
Lines in Sketchbook Pro, colours in PS CS4. Art by me, The Dark Crystal belongs to Jim Henson Productions.Β
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Comments: 54
This movie was awesome! And this does it justice!
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Thanks, that's mighty fine of you to say
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Amazing! I'm a big Dark Crystal fan myself and you've really captured the feel of the Movie! I WS lucky enough to visit Jim Henson creature shop about 15 years ago and they had the real Chamberlain in the Foyer!!
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Haha, thanks. That's awesome, I would've loved to have seen that!
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What were the crab things called or did they not get a name?
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Yeah they were called the Garthim, if my memory serves me correctly. There's actually a wealth of lore behind the movie production, including some in comic form I believe. Worth checking out if you're interested
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I am ^^ Can you link me to some?
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Because I'm feeling super nice today : this is a good starting point.
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Wonderful job . . . not easy to draw those characters
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Thanks, there's quite a lot of things I would've done differently on reflection, but it's very kind of you to say
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great job man!Β
I can see you really put a lot of work in this piece! well done
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Nice work, I think you could've risked goin darker in some places
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Interesting, my overall feeling was that the piece as a whole was too dark, but your comment makes me realise that it's perhaps that a wider range of values-dark and light-that are needed. I've toyed with more solid blacks at the inking stage, but it's quite unnatural for me. As has been mentioned elsewhere, a trip back to the basics of value and colour will hopefully remedy some of these flaws.Β
Thanks for your comment, it's great to get some meaningful exchanges going over this piece. It really helps me understand what I need to work on to improve, so I'm very grateful Β
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No worries 
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Are you referring to the dreaded cross hatching (I have nightmares about cross hatching
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If you look at each character they seem to have a different style of their own - and are good in their own right. Β But I think you picked a really hard lighting angle - from the center and many characters - also tough! Β My fave of the characters colored is the mystic. Β He's a great balance between the light and dark. Β (I'm starting to read up on coloring and starting to make my way through Drawn to Life (<-thanks much for the recommendation on it!!!). Β As you know, I still have a noob's perspective on it all - so take my opinion with a grain of salt.)
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I think it's safe to say that I'm firmly in the noob camp with you when it comes to colouring my stuff. Yeah maybe I over reached myself on this one with so much to think about, but I've always tried to push myself harder than most. I'm a firm believer in setting high goals, you just have to have thick skin to deal with the inevitable failures to begin with, but once it clicks, it clicks on a higher level. This has worked for me so far in life, but I'm drawing blanks with these damn colours. Maybe time to lick my artistic wounds and mentally regroup and start from the basics again!
Glad you're enjoying Drawn to Life, I think I'll be revisiting it myself as some of my characters have become quite rigid lately (see front center and right!). It's full of great advice, not just about art but life in general too
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I think I have to revise my statement about different styles for each character. Β It's the lighting that makes them look different - and that's ok. Β (I'm still learning to "see", so I hope I'm not being confusing!) Β But I woke up thinking about this image. Β It was the Skeksis that has the least contrast - he affects the piece over all. Β He's the one that's different. Β Jen also has less contrast - but not quite to the same extent as the skeksis. Β If you keep working on this piece, and I hope you do - start with the Skeksis. Β
I hope I'm not out of line for contradicting you here. Β But I don't think you over reached yourself - you just haven't perfected the piece yet. Β When I was pushing myself with photography - there were always harder shots than others. Β But when I'd get it (and there was one smoke shot that took several hundreds of photos to get) - it's worth it!
High goals are good. Β And I admire you for it. Β Keep pushing yourself!Β
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Thanks for your thoughts, it seems this piece has stirred a lot of conflicting opinions on what works and what doesn't. Honestly I'm probably not going to go back to it, but it's definitely left me feeling like I need to go back and revisit the basics a bit to iron out some of the flaws in my work.
Cheers for your further thoughts, I'm not sure if the fact you woke up thinking about it is a good or bad thing!
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Waking up thinking about it meant I had an epiphany and learned something. Β It's good. Β 
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I wish I'd had an epiphany about it, I just woke up feeling 'meh' about my art today. Ah well
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well, know that I love your art and look up to you.
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Thanks, I really appreciate the kind words. I guess we're all entitled to an off day here and there. My mentality is normally to pick myself up and fight/try/work even harder to overcome the obstacles that I perceive to be in the way of my progress, so I'm sure by tomorrow I'll be back fighting fit and ready to study some more and do something better.
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Really great composition! If you want some critique, I might turn the image black and white and look at where you values & shading choices are doing you favors (or disservice!)
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Thanks Renee, yeah I'm really in the mire with my colours and shading lately. I think part of the problem is that I'm so constantly trying to find a technique and style that works for me that I'm overlooking some foundation issues with the lighting. I'm starting to think maybe I should be one of those artists who only does line art, as I find the whole colouring process an utterly stressful chore at the moment. If I didn't know better I could throw my toys outta the pram every time I finish a piece!
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Sometimes you just gotta move on - it's ok for every piece not to be a knockout. Even though I try to do the same x[
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Yeah I know, it's just frustrating to see my awesome lines become mediocre illustrations sometimes, losing the potential of my original vision. I'll get there, I'm nothing if not determined. Just faltering a little recently
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Don't worry about it!!
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I really love that movie! It was awesome...
The characters are perfect. The composition of going from one front face character in the foreground, and building towards more profil characters in the back is very pleasing to the eye.
I think you got the essence of it. It is really a light against dark movie.
Maybe to much dark overall, not enough light.
Maybe split the canvas, one side light, the other dark?
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Yeah that was actually my first idea for the layout, but I felt it was a little unbalanced with a lack of evil characters who are worth a mention. I agree though, overall it is a bit too dark. Something to work on for next time I think. Alas, colours are not my strong suit! Cheers for your comment anyway!
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My pleasure!
Thought so. The composition had the feel of going that way... The balance between evil and good.
But you came out on top, with a different twist, and that is always good!
Maybe a background done it shade going from a point of light in the middle background, behind the characters, to darkest in the foreground... That would explain the line of light around the composition. A backlighting...
Just babbling, here!
He, he, it's always easier to comment than to actually do the work.
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Hehe, no problem, it's always good to get thoughts and feedback. I think in general a bit more time spent detailing the background would've been beneficial. Still, you live and learn right?
Thanks so much for the feedback
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I've heard about this movie and how, umm derpy it isΒ
and this shows me just how derpy it is
nice work though
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If by derpy you mean THEBESTFANTASYMOVIEOFAGENERATION(!!!!!!
Cheers
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I have one last thing to say.
this looks a bit like The Never Ending Story is there some kind of connection.Β
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Hehe, yes. The connection is that both are awesome fantasy movies that feature puppets (or monster props that are so bad they LOOK like puppets)! Same era though. MY ERA
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You're but a whippersnapper to me. I'm old enough to have been traumatised by the fashion of the 80's. I believe the phrase is 'the wrong side of 30'. Ugh, how depressing
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