Elf Fighter Portrait

[vonHalenbach]

Ok. She has hidden her left ear behind her head. Quite clever this girl.

[Eleazar]

Beholder:
It's very nice line work. Better than some of what's in mainline

It is true that we have a range of styles among the portraits, but we are trying to minimize that effect. IMHO the fundamental issue against inclusion is that you're style and proportions make the elf look like a 12 year-old. If you want to work on that, it's great.

If however that's an aspect of your style you don't wish to change, there are probably many designers of user-made campaigns that would love some portraits in that style.

Also it's a good idea to show the unit's primary weapon to distinguish it from other members of it's race.

Which female EF would that be exactly?

Isn't there? I could've sworn...

There is not, nor never was. We do have a female elvish archer, however.

[Beholder]

Instead of doing all the work of painting and finalizating a portrait which may not be accepted, I decided to work on the sketch more

Here is some of the many attempts I did. All of then have minor flaws or major flaws, but it's somehow amusing to see how it is changing.

[zookeeper]

I'd seriously suggest getting rid of the antenna ears, they look mostly silly being that long. Otherwise, I think the style is still too anime'ish, but then again, a different style is fine in a campaign where all the portraits are in the same style - just look at TRoW or UtBS. If you'd be willing to make a complete set of these for some campaign, then that'd be great (however, I have no idea of what that campaign could be).

[Sgt. Groovy]

Even though your style is not very realistic, you need to pay more attention to the placement of the ear. Now it's clearly sticking right out of the jawbone.

[Changeling]

Doesn't anyone notice the arm sticking out from the shoulder plate?
I also think the neck is too long. The armor also has some thickness, you know.

I like your armor lining, though. But it shouldn't blend with the armor. It jumps at you in some places, but in others, they almost look flat. Hope this helps. Also, you should add some shading in your sketches.

[Jetrel]

New one looks even more female. Are they breasts?
On that note: Which female EF would that be exactly?

Isn't there? I could've sworn...

You're thinking of the archer.

[irrevenant]

[SNIP stuff re: female elvish fighter]

You're thinking of the archer.

Ah, probably.

So are all the Elvish Fighters male for a reason? Could we have a female fighter? I've always envisioned Elves as more egalitarian than humans.

[Sangel]

So are all the Elvish Fighters male for a reason? Could we have a female fighter? I've always envisioned Elves as more egalitarian than humans.

OFWRA!

Here is some of the many attempts I did. All of then have minor flaws or major flaws, but it's somehow amusing to see how it is changing.

While I'll leave the art critiques to the experts, I do like what you're doing with "2" and "3" from your latest batch of sketches. They're looking much more mature, if a little displeased with life.

[Noyga]

[SNIP stuff re: female elvish fighter]

You're thinking of the archer.

Ah, probably.

So are all the Elvish Fighters male for a reason? Could we have a female fighter? I've always envisioned Elves as more egalitarian than humans.

AFAIK some campaign project used female elvish fighter (Oreb's elvish RPG), but was never finished...

[Jetrel]

So are all the Elvish Fighters male for a reason? Could we have a female fighter? I've always envisioned Elves as more egalitarian than humans.

No. Not chiefly because of any game setting/story reasons, but for the simple reason that I do not want to make the graphics, nor do I want to have to make additional animations for the graphics if they are made by someone else. (Not to mention that if someone else made them, I'd probably have to revise them). Even if someone else draws them, the answer is no - our first priority for that line is getting additional animations for the male unit, those being directional facings, directional attacks, and walking. If someone wants to contribute, those make for a wide variety of stuff to work on.

Personally, I think having one "typically male" line be gender-agnostic, is a good balance between demonstrating their egalitarian nature, and not saddling us with absurd content-creation requirements.



The edict: The only way I'd welcome those in is if the male versions had all the desired animations made for them, first. Furthermore, the female ones would not go in until all of their animations were done to match the male (which actually wouldn't be that hard, after the male ones were done).

[Beholder]

I didn't quit... yet.

While I don't agree with the vision people here have of elves, I like to think it as a challenge. Not always the artist vision matches its public.

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.

[West]

Now that's an elf!

I like it, I really do. The hairdo and the headband give me Guns n' Roses vibes, but maybe that's just me. The heroic chin adds a lot of character and the coloring is nicely done. Two remarks though:

- The ear (still) looks weird. It's too long and the shape is reminiscent of an insect wing. IMO it should reach higher up on the head and resemble a human ear more, i.e. it should taper off upwards instead of backwards. See my attachment (though it should be noted that I suck at freehand drawing with the mouse, so my edit is very crude; don't take it literally).

- Jetryl has brought this up on several occasions: blond hair isn't yellow. To make the hair more realistic, it should be desaturated quite a bit.

Other than that, very nice work. The change in style is impressive and I like this elf a lot more than the old anime-ish ones.

[Sgt. Groovy]

Apart from the rabbit-ear and the turtleneck, this is pretty nice, mostly anatomically realistic, yet cartoonish.

On the technical side, the linework should look inked (solid, crisp lines) and the shading should be done in cell-shading style, solid areas of colour instead of brushwork.

The final portrait should also show a bit more than just a face, pererably something that tells about his occupation (an armour).

[Sgt. Groovy]

On the second thought, the head seems a bit too tall, even for a high'n'mighty elf. I made a quick edit, stretched the image horizontally, adjusted the left eye back, and rounded the chin.