Ahkihoun's art Reviews on Newgrounds

[Big McLargeHuge]

Your shading is quite great, and your lighting is really cool looking. I love the composition and how you've created a circular line of action.

My only sadness about this art honestly, out of all the critque you gave yourself is the glow on that weapon. It really really distracts, and causes a lot of lost detail. Maybe you could have gotten away with that kind of brightness, if the weapon wasn't right smack in the middle of everything, and if he was holding it off to the side; but because of its placement, its a blinding white spot.

If you were looking for more "power" to the piece, maybe you could have incorporated some lightning down the guy's arm, and perhaps around his feet. Personally, I think the war screaming expression does this just fine; and you DO have a good understanding of how light falls on a three dimensional object.

Textures and technique come with time. You've done a fabulous job! Don't be too hard on yourself, and keep up the good work!

[Bird]

Ah now, see this one is much nicer! I love those feet! Don't forget to ground your subjects, so they're not floating in mid air!

[Foxes]

What does the fox say?!

Haha, but no, this is great. Watercolors are difficult to use, but I love the colors you have here. When I paint with them I tend to put down a light wash on the paper with the color of the atmosphere that I'm looking for. This helps to bleed your environment and your subject together. But there are many different ways of using watercolor. Have you used this medium before? It seems like you were messing around with wet and dry methods.

Keep up the nice work though! You'll get the hang of it!

[Wind]

Your style is very unique! Is this painted traditionally? I saw a couple of other pieces in your gallery that looked like they were. keep up the great work! I'd love to see what you could do if you carried a storyline with your art.

[Dr. Horrible]

I've looked through your gallery several times and I must say, I really enjoy your work. There's a bit of a lighting dissonance, but I really love the style in which you've laid your colors down. A hard brush with a higher opacity on the face could really help make that expression be the center of attention. The first place people generally look on a figure is the eyes; make it more intense!

I see you havn't been scouted yet, which is a shame. I hope that once you enter the art portal, you continue to improve on your work. Keep up the great job. I can't wait to see what you will display next.

[The tree]

What a perspective! Good for you, for attempting a difficult angle. I would argue however, that is a little too tilted. Actually. When I turn my head to the side, and force myself to look at the canvas sideways, I'd say the perspective looks much better! Its easier to tell that its a tree, and the depth actually improves!

Things farther away will have less detail, so the base of that trunk should be a little less detailed, while the foliage on the tree would be your focal point. This will help to push your depth.

As far as color goes though, this is the first piece I've seen from you that really has a good concept with color and atmosphere.

Something that would help to ground this a little better, would be a horizon line. ( Defining line that would help to separate the ground from the sky.) There's a faint one in the background, I can see it! But I would push it a little bit more.

Nice work though! I can see the amount of time you've put into this. Certainly more defined and complete than the first works I've seen. Keep up the good work!

DrApfelwurst responds:

So many things to make wrong ;_;
It's good I have someone who calls attention to my mistakes!
Thaaank you! :D

[Platypus]

WOW!!! You've really improved, and really quickly!! Good for you friend! The creature design is reallly really cool, I love this concept. Unfortunately it looks better when its smaller than when I view it full size, as the linework seems a little sloppy. That's alright though, cause I can't stop looking at that bad ass bill!

Don't be afraid to add the color of your atmosphere to your subject. Even if the platypus is glowing, two things would happen;

1. The farther away something is, the more muted and the more its going to blend into your background. You could really push the illusion of depth by shading in some of that back tail with the beautiful blue you've chosen.

2. Light reflects, specially in water! I would check out some underwater glowy creatures to get a better idea here;

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/images/promos/mazel_condylactis.jpg
http://www.danintranet.org/media/adimg/4437.jpg

Keep it up bro! You're almost there!

DrApfelwurst responds:

Did I improve? :D
Cool to here from a pro! :)
And thanks for the tips, yours are so helpful!!
Aaaand another thank you for reviewing my art in general. There are'nt many doing it :)

[Sauna]

I just got finished blowing through your entire gallery, and I must say I really love your style and the way you're able to bring life to the humans you illustrate. The colors are always so cool and calming. Do you have any anatomical tips/ online guides that you would suggest for someone who's not so great at the mathematical end of illustration?

Keep up the great work. I really look forward to what you display next!

Cairos responds:

The best advice I can give is to build up a visual library.
Collect images of whatever you find appealing and just look and study them. Reflect on what visually stimulated you the most and try to break it down of "why". Was it the distinct shape of their eyes? The colors? The way it's rendered? The figure in relation to the background? Why am I looking at this?

Ultimately the answers can only be decided by you, memorize them and those answers are what you draw.

[Zombie Fizz]

Beautiful! So much to imagine with this piece. Really love the style you've displayed. Keep up teh great work!