Dragons! My sketch practice

[torstan]

Well it's not going to be a cover illustration. This is for a screenshot in my series about the Breaking of Forstor Nagar project I'm involved in. The screenshot will be up on Monday (but for those who want a sneak peak it's here: screenshot) Note that not all of the art there is mine. The tokens are Devin Nights and the portrait of the warrior is by Tyler Bartley.

However if I were to truly want to polish this - do you have suggestions?

As for the photoshop issue - not only is it all PS, it's all done with a hard round brush. Probably what I use 99% of the time these days. The shades are all done with layers set to soft light and built up over a textured background.

[mearrin69]

However if I were to truly want to polish this - do you have suggestions?

Well, a real artist might have more suggestions but here's mine. It's still pretty sketchy. You've got all of the right shapes and colors in there so I think it's just a matter of continuing to refine it until you get it to the level you want to reach. I've been practising painting lately but have generally done it on just one layer (or one for skin, one for hair, etc). For me it just means progressively smaller brushes, gentler color variation, and usually lower opacity. I'm not fully understanding how you're using layers but I imagine it's mostly the same.

I, for one, very much like sketchy. Most of my favorite art (fine and fantasy) isn't photo-realistic...in fact I generally dislike photo-realistic stuff. That's why I said I think it's done. I'd put it into *my* bestiary next to the white dragon entry...yeah, if I had a bestiary.
M