Minsc, Sarevok, Mellisan

[O_Bruce]

After taking down the latter's combat protections
Reference to my first successful Ascension playthrough

 

[m7600]

Nice! What software did you use? A vector illustration program?

 

[O_Bruce]

Nice! What software did you use? A vector illustration program?

Thanks. I use Krita. It is very comfortable to use for digital painting/illustration

 

[OrlonKronsteen]

Great work! Will you do more of these?

 

[O_Bruce]

Honestly, I don't know. Maybe in between the usual stuff to have some fun

 

[Nimran]

This is great!

 

[m7600]

@O_Bruce Do you have a website or online portfolio?

 

[O_Bruce]

I don't have any professional portfolio, just some social media. Thing is, the majority of my uploads are nsfw commissions, so sharing link on this forum is a no-no.

 

[m7600]

Have social media replaced digital portfolios, generally speaking? It's been decades since I left that world, so I'm completely out of the loop. But I'm thinking of getting back to illustration, as a part time gig, just to make a bit of extra income.

 

[O_Bruce]

I am not a professional, so take what I say with a grain of salt. The way I see it, relying on more professional portfolio sites (and some like associated with professional art careers, like Artstation) seems fitting for people with professional-level skills. On the other hand, for someone who still is working on art fundamentals, like myself, just social media seems a better choice. I wouldn't fit in platforms for professionals, after all.

 

[m7600]

I totally get what you're saying, since I don't consider myself a pro either. That being said, there's a video by Trent Kaniuga (or at least I think it was him, I should check) where he says that if you're selling your artwork, you're a professional. It doesn't matter if you're not on the same level as your heroes. I mean, realistically, how many people are at the level of, say, Frank Frazetta? Not many. But that doesn't mean that you can't be a pro. Many years ago I took an illustration course, and I remember that my instructor once said "Frank Miller is a genius, he made a career as an artist and he can't even draw very good." I'm not sure that I fully agree, but I understand his point. A more extreme (but controversial, even immoral) example would be Rob Liefeld. That guy doesn't have good fundamentals at all, that's for sure. He can't even draw feet, which is why his characters always have their feet covered by something, like a little hill or whatever. But he made a career as a professional artist nonetheless.

I'm not sure what what I'm trying to say. Maybe have more confidence? I don't know.

 

[O_Bruce]

Well, that's something I've heard before, that I am professional as long as I am making money from art. But I don't have to agree with it. What kind of professional can one be, if one cannot sustain themselves with the thing they're professional at? In my case, I live in Poland and earn from commissions in USD. This should work in my favour, but I am far from making it sustainable. That is pathetic.

Besides, I can't hope to ever be as good as my, for lack of better word, heroes. They surprass me in work ethic, opportunities, they have better feedback loop and significantly more raw talent. By comparison, I am a slow learner, meaning I'll never be able to catch up to anyone I look up, much less someone I admire the most.

There is also funny thing regarding your last sentences. Have more confidence? That's something easy to say and hard to successfuly implement, given that people have to live with themselves 24/7, being aware of their own weknesses or defects.

 

[m7600]

I don't know, I mean, if I have to judge your skills just based on the illustration from this post, I'd say you're quite good. You have a good sense of composition, storytelling, and you know how to exaggerate features in a cartoonist way, like Minsc's jaw. His nose is really well done as well, it shows that you have a good sense of structure, independently of the cartoonish style. As for a critique, the only thing that I find odd in this image is that vertical background light. It seems too strong, and it competes with the characters for the viewer's attention. Minsc's face is the first thing I see, and then my eyes just go to that background light. Maybe if you toned it down, the viewer's eyes would go instead towards the other characters.

But I think that anyone can see that you have some really solid skills, just based on this image.

 

[O_Bruce]

I realized that I have forgotten to disclose that in this thread, but it is based on an already existing meme, so I can't take credit for some thing you mentioned. Here's original screencap:

I just thought the expression on the left would be perfect for Minsc, and the implication that is in the original meme sells what I wanted to convey. So, I just made a memetic mutation.

Notice, that your praise refers to the element existing in the original meme, and critique to elements I have implemented. Though to be honest, with the background thing, I wanted to indicate where the characters are, and since the final battle of BG2:ToB is in the Mana Forge, I needed something to indicate that, and that's what I decided to do.

To counterbalance, I'll post my best original work, from 2018. In my estimation I haven't done anything better since

Spoiler

 

[m7600]

It looks pretty good, it's a very dynamic (and challenging) pose.

I can't find the video that I was talking about, the one that says that if you're getting paid, then you're a pro. It's been years since I last saw it and now I can't find it : (

 

[shmity72]

Well, that's something I've heard before, that I am professional as long as I am making money from art. But I don't have to agree with it. What kind of professional can one be, if one cannot sustain themselves with the thing they're professional at? In my case, I live in Poland and earn from commissions in USD. This should work in my favour, but I am far from making it sustainable. That is pathetic.

Besides, I can't hope to ever be as good as my, for lack of better word, heroes. They surprass me in work ethic, opportunities, they have better feedback loop and significantly more raw talent. By comparison, I am a slow learner, meaning I'll never be able to catch up to anyone I look up, much less someone I admire the most.

There is also funny thing regarding your last sentences. Have more confidence? That's something easy to say and hard to successfuly implement, given that people have to live with themselves 24/7, being aware of their own weknesses or defects.

I went to video production school and watched influential people that were able to devote 10 hour days to their craft get jobs paying on productions. I did not, I 'could' have ground out a gaffer position but I realized as perhaps you have stated that I didn't have genius talent and I was not independently wealthy. I had to make ends meet before signing on to a singular project. That being said: hold out hope please for us. We like your work that is a consensus attitude. As you have talent and some ethic, who knows? like me when the internet came I no longer needed actors/barn lights/stages and XLR cables. Keep your passion alive is my advice. You'll find yourself where you belong. Where you strive for. The journey will be 1/2 the destination. In a phrase of encouragement: You got this bud!