It's an ebonguard nightwraith...

http://img22.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nightwraith.tif

Not sure what it's missing but it's not quite there yet. Perhaps I need to add some weapons and gear...

Comments, critiques, ideas?

Thanks

Which program did you do this in?

Right now I would put something in the background, or make the background black/dark. The front and back shoulders look different. The one towards the front is squared, and the back one is rounded. The image looks a little pixelated (if it's a shrunken image it's no big deal) so you may want to address that now before you work on it more. Make them both look the same. Also play with building up the texture and shadows. Shadows will make his chest plate look more imposing. I think you are playing it a little too easy on yourself with the texture you have now, it almost looks like the green was stamped on. You can do better than that! You have a really good start, so keep plugging away at it and show us what you come up with.

I got told not to put stuff up that would associate a to be submitted bardic or artisanal with a particular player, because that might introduce bias into the judging process. Policy change?

EDIT: I saw Isune reading this thread!

Considering that a picture of Nys was accepted (albeit disqualified later on other grounds), I think you'll be fine.

Mine was accepted, too. I posted it on the forums first as well. I shall continue to post here when I feel like it, until an official announcement is made about posting artwork on the forums. (It really doesn't make any sense, because what's the point of this area if we can't share and comment on each other's artwork? Seriously!

After some more work....

(Oh and Fania, I'm using GIMP)

A brighter version, apparently some people don't play FPSs and run their brightness at full all the time >.>

You need to put a little more contrast in your drawing. First make sure you know where the light source is (some areas seem to have a little too much light compared to others). Make some of the light on him a little brighter than the rest of the lighting. Add some shadows to his arms. After that you can go into more detail. This tutorial might be good for creating more of a metal feel to your drawing. Be sure to use your layers so you don't get to a point of no return. Shadows should generally be on a separate layer. Hope that helps.

I still can't use layers. I'm no techical miracle.

I don't know how hard it is to use layers in gimp. I'll have a look at it and get back to you laters.

It's not hard at all in GIMP, it's just like photoshop.

That's how I did this picture, and thanks for the advice, I'll try to make the highlights a little more dynamic.

It's alright, I figured it out on my own when I looked through the menus just now. Cool! I can make things transparent, in theory. But how exactly, I have yet to find out.

EDIT: never used PS, and I just got GIMP. I am loving it so far though!

And I liked the first image more, Ciaran. It's more shadowy and smoky! But indeed, highlights!

Anyone else notice how recently, there has been lots of people thinking "until I am told not to by someone who can stop me, I won't stop doing it" with regards to forum rules?

What rules?

I'm sure you are referring to me. I have not seen any rules put up by the Admins about placing your Artwork on the forums that you intend to enter in the art contests. If there are rules like that I would assume they would be placed in forum news. I've heard people say they don't agree that we should be able to place our Bardic/Art entries here before entering them in the contest. What's the point of the Creative Arts area (which yes this post should be in the Creative Arts Section) if we can't share our work before hand? After the fact people can just go look at the entries on the website.

So basically, if a rule either doesn't exist or isn't made known by the Admins how are we to follow it?

Rules here are a mixture of common sense and a little bit of precedent. We did discuss putting up a set of rules, but we haven't because we don't particularly want forums lawyering and frankly common sense should be enough. We're certainly not going to ban you for putting your toe over an invisible line.

Teehee.

This forum-lawyering should be in a poll, really.

And I Liked the darker purple background, personally. It gave an aura of darkness to your shadowlord. I don't see the current purple as very shadowy, but that might just be me.