Elf Fighter Portrait

[Beholder]

If a single person like my art, I'd prefer it be 100% mine instead of copy of someone else style.

One thing you have to understand is that Wesnoth is not an art gallery, it's a collaborative project for something that the art is only one component of. Like in the coding part of it, people can't submit pieces of code in just any programming language and coding style they happen to like and expect their code to be taken in, neither can't they expect that their code is not modified after it's submitted. Even though it's reasonable to expect to be credited for your effort, after you submit art, you have to accept that it's not really "your" anymore.

While I know I won't have any "rights" about my art, I'd like to be recognized as it's author.

I don't know how to put it... guess it's a artist thing. We are a complicated bunch.

[Zhukov]

I don't know how to put it... guess it's a artist thing. We are a complicated bunch.

I lack the time to give a comprehesive speech, so the nice blunt version:

Artist or not, try not to be too... precious or possessive about your work or preferred style. It doesn't help anyone and, on this particular forum, people will eventually lose patience.

No offence intended.

[zookeeper]

I don't know how to put it... guess it's a artist thing. We are a complicated bunch.

Artists are often funny that way. I don't know how to actually go about internalizing the following mindset, but that's what IMHO this is about: pretend you were just a player. Then think about what sort of (art) improvement would make the gaming experience more enjoyable to you. Most likely, that'd be something that wouldn't differ much from the current style used but would complement it. As a player, you're not interested in individual pieces of great artwork, you're interested in how the game looks as a whole. I'd very much consider the game as a whole to be the piece of art that we're making. Individual images within the game are just parts of the work, and thus the primary artwork which is the game as a whole suffers if some individual parts don't fit. Thus, we're all more or less forced to work on a collaborative piece of art if we're to work on it at all. Making a good game (and/or making a good game better) is pretty much what I see as the whole point of contributing to Wesnoth, or at least the only worthy goal.

[Jetrel]

Zookeeper: very well put, also, sorry about omitting you from that list; you've done a metric [censored]-ton of work.


All that said:
If you'd like to do something for wesnoth where you have complete artistic freedom, try this guy's request on for size:

http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic. ... 880#233880

He needs a picture of "an elvisch man, perhaps carrying a bow as that will be his preferred weapon of choice in the campaign. "; you're probably free to do as you please.

[Sgt. Groovy]

While I know I won't have any "rights" about my art, I'd like to be recognized as it's author.

Please remember that this only applies to your rights to the work in game. You can still do whatever you want witht your original version in other venues.

Also, you can always put your name in the metadata of the image file, so that it always follows it. In GIMP you set the metadata comment in the new file dialog "Advanced options." When you save the file as PNG, the text you entered there will be saved with the file if the "save comment" box is checked. This is the digital equivalent of putting your signature on the backside of the painting.

[Woodwizzle]

Also, you can always put your name in the metadata of the image file, so that it always follows it. In GIMP you set the metadata comment in the new file dialog "Advanced options." When you save the file as PNG, the text you entered there will be saved with the file if the "save comment" box is checked. This is the digital equivalent of putting your signature on the backside of the painting.

That's true. Never thought of that. It is a very good idea.

[Mathijs]

Another try to the elusive elf. Hopefully it will receive a better reception so I can add some whistles and bells and call it a day.

Enjoy.

I've taken a shot, because I'm looking for portrait of an elf, and this one might do, although he should get some scars or frostbite or ...
I've only changed the way the ear looks, and rounded the chin (as Sgt Groovy did), as that were things that bothered me too, no offence Beholder, it really looked great, just tweaking it
anyhow what do you guys think?

[West]

I dunno... the ear is still weird somehow. The part of the ear that attaches to the head needs to be, uh, thicker. He's not a horse, you know. I don't know how to explain it in words really, but the vertical space between the earlobe and the upper edge of the ear should be wider (taller?). Bah.

I also don't like his chin anymore, it's too rounded, as is the jawline. All in all I think our proud elf is starting to look like the guy in Mask.

[Simons Mith]

I think the ear is about 20-25 pixels too low. Say 22. The top of the part where the ear joins the head should be in line with the top of the eyes. Imagine if the guy was wearing glasses. They'd have a very funny tilt at present.

I also second West's comments about his chin. New chin bad. Old chin better.

[Mathijs]

So to sum it up: he should look more proud (by increasing his chin 'sharpness' and jawline) and the ear should be placed higher and have a broader 'attaching surface' or whatever it's called

righty, I'll try it out
mat

[Beholder]

I'd ask people to not modify my pics. I will work on a new one for the guy on the other thread, but I'd prefer my works to not be modified.

[Mathijs]

I respect that.

(is it me in the other thread? Because I would really appreciate it!)

Mat