Kinsei's art Reviews on Newgrounds

[Chan the Man]

And we come full circle.

By now, I have seen all you have up and left little tidbits floating about on every one of those pieces. So to be honest this one won't have a call for much of a review, you'll just have to look over all your works and compile what I have given you.

The first thing I want to address is something I have neglected during my other reviews; Line Quality.
One down side of using a mouse is a lack of line weight. And good line weight and character can take a piece from being "Good"to "Holy Fuck Thats Some Great Shit!!!"
Check into your brush settings and see try adjust the end taper of the brush. This should give your strokes a more natural feel.

Moving on from having you mess with your Photoshop settings. I can tell you took a bit more time and care from this one than you did with most of your others. Taking that bit of extra care really pays off in the end, doesn't it?

The highlights are looking pretty good, but you should go ahead and try to push some out a little farther. You should also start to put a couple of highlights on the hair to give it a slight shine as well. But at the same time I think you should increase your shading in the dark areas a little as well.

Your color work is looking a lot better in this one as well. The background has more than one color, you are getting some more character to the different shades of the shirt as well. I would still like to see more wrinkles in the shirt though.

The facial expression I found quite amusing. I bet it was just as fun to paint.
I would like to see some more funny expressions if you can get them up. They don't all have to be painted.

In the future I would like to see you get some pencil and paper together and see what you come up with when you don't have the bulkiness of a mouse in the way. So yeah get some sketches and roughs up for us to critique.

5/5
9/10

[Tom Portrait]

Impressionism?

It looks like the start of it. The way you are starting to add colors to the piece to get the tone of skin. I mentioned in a earlier review that you should study some color theory, but after seeing this, I am beginning to think that you may already have a grasp on the concepts. Either that, or one hell of a fluke for the good.

Over all I do like this piece, And I really cannot think of much to say about it.

The over all appeal makes me think of abstract and Impressionism pieces. I think if that is the route you are going to go you need to push it a little more over the top. I think you could get a great response with a little more practice and testing those boundaries.

One thing I would like to mention is the teeth. Over this entire thing you have lights and darks, tones of colors dancing across the canvas, but the teeth are just blank. Considering where you have gone with the rest of this piece, I think you could have added much more character to the teeth. I think you could add a bash of a minor green or yellow to truly get the appeal to match the rest of the composition. I really do think you should go back and tune that much up.

4/5
9/10

Toast-Tony responds:

I will do exactly that Kinsei, and i will let you know when i have worked on the teeth and edited this submission. I did have a play around with using different tones of different colours mixed together to bring out the colour in flesh after reading your review, it helped a lot, i really dig this sort of style of colouring, thanks a lot for the reviews! you are helping me along my way :) I ordered a tablet and should have it for this upcoming week, so will get some anatomy studies sketched out to show you as i have kept myself away from something of such due to drawing with a mouse.

['Cha Lookin' At!?]

Some Lip Iron!

I'm digging on this more than the last one I tackled.

Looking over this I feel that you are starting to get a real grasp on Photoshop and how the brushes flow and can really be used to achieve a certain look.

As for shading it looks like that you actually went ahead and used actual color for shading rather than simply smudging. since you are getting better in one direction I would like to see you flesh out a little more and go a little more in to highlights. It looks like you started to in some areas like on the cheeks and on the top of the lip, and on the piercings.

Due to the style and what I perceived that was your desired effect I don't think I have to say anything about anatomy.

Over all I think that the picture is a success with the appeal and design. I think you have executed it well and it shows that you are progressing as an artist but also in your ability to manipulate photoshop.

3/5
6/10

[P-P-P-Power]

I'm Back On The Horse Baby!

My inital reaction to this is pretty simple; This is nowhere as good as your first.
So I'm trying to consider what separates this from that much better piece.
I want to believe that you spent much more time on the last one than this one, and I'm pretty sure you had some reference for the last one as well. Which is good, but it shows that you need to practice all the more so you can land drawings without reference more often.

You mentioned in response to the last piece that you don't use the dodge and burn tools, but instead use the smudge tool. To be honest, that isn't much better. Take some time and practice some lighting and color theory these will both help you when it comes to making your next pieces.

Anatomy in this one is pretty shot. Although I do feel that you were going for a certain "look" I don't think you quite got it down yet. Some say that you have to know the rules before you can break them, I would like to see some anatomy studies in the future. Even if they are exaggerated and a bit distorted, I think some basic exercises would help you progress.

2/5
5/10

[super meat boy died]

Wow!!!

Something you didn't steal. so I at least give you a 1
Congratulations

[Ash Portrait]

Ok, You Want It, You Get It!

Actually, I'm liking this.
Since you say this is your first finished piece, I'm going to assume that you have practiced already quite a bit.
I also wish to address the mouse bit. I think you should really consider moving up to a decent quality tablet. I think with a little time you could easily grind this in to the mud.

Ok on to actually critiquing the piece..... just a sec.... had to get a drink of my soda..... and good....
....
.....
holy shit.. I'm actually doing this right, I'm actually making a proper list of things to discuss........
this might take a moment....

ok.. Although I may have a lot more that I don't like on this than I do, don't take it as a bad thing.

Don't like
To be honest I find that I don't like the size of the eyes. they bother me a bit. If you could take them down a bit I think that would add a little more appeal to this over all.

For some reason I think she is dirty. Not in some sort of racial or sexist way, but as in it looks like she has dirt on her. Did you use the Burn tool to make her shadows? If so, ouch.... you should try it another way or smooth it out quite a bit.

Moving on, I find the background pretty bad. although I can understand that is was just a background I find the color a little strong and could be desaturated a bit. Also I think that the color should be altered a bit since it seems to be in the same ball park as the clothing color, perhaps some compliment color of either the hair or the clothing to help pop the out a little.
Speaking of the shirt I think a little more time would have helped. To keep from getting ahead of my self I'm going to discuss it better in a moment.

The lighting is something I want to really touch on because in some areas I'm ok with it, and in others I think needs some improvement. The Shirt is where I will start. I think some more harsh shadows and some darker areas would have helped. I can see where you started to push it, but it seems you got a little scared of ruining the whole thing and then backed off. I say to hell with the fear, and drive that hammer home like John Henry working for some Fried Chicken and some water melon! (Bad Joke I know.... :P I lol'd....)
The next lighting bit relates to the last one a tad since I am going to suggest that you push out your highlights on the hair and earring a bit more to the strong side. This should give a bit more of a glossy look to the hair and earring. Similar Highlights should go on the button of the blouse. Just to give it that high sheen that plastic things seem to have. Higher highlights will also help the shadows seem more deeper. And lets not forget, even if you screw up, there is always the undo button.

As for some likes. I do enjoy the earrings. I think they are good, but they are also pretty small. It's sad that you do not have a larger version of this so that I could see them in better detail.
I would like to mention that you work in a larger, print ready, size. I know this will mean that they take up a little more space, but when you upload them we'll get a good look at all the minor details when we get that high resolution brought up.

The gloss on the lips is kind of nice as well.

One thing I am on the fence with is the facial structure. It seems a little exaggerated with the cheek bones and the chin. Although they are still with in acceptable parameters. Again I think a lot of it comes down to the lighting.
Google some subtle lighting tutorials.

4/5 (if you were in the portal.)
7/10

Toast-Tony responds:

Wow, that was one hell of an awesome review, thank you. Starting at the top, i am soon buying a wacom bamboo pen tablet :3 this was my first time, EVER using photoshop, i draw with pen and pencil etc. but mouse, not very much, nothing i had taken seriously. I read tutorials as i drew this, applied what i learnt as i went.

The eyes i also had a problem with, but i fell into the arms of other critiques of this drawing i.e my girlfriend who i drew, and 2 of my friends who felt it was fine, i went with that. She does have rather large (and may i add beautiful) eyes though.

Background sucks, i didn't ever use the burn tool, it's a horrible little tool, i did whore the smudge tool though. I hate the clothing myself, i am still yet to look more into working with folds of clothing and texture, it is a must though. Hair i am also working on, i find it really difficult to get right. The highlights do come with my useless work with colour / shadow / lighting at times.

I've always worked around the 800X600 resolution since i finished this, do you reccomend larger? I was very scared with colour, i always have been when it comes to shadow, also a priority to improve.

Thanks a lot for the review Kinsei! I look forward to any other's from you.

[In case of zombie Apokolypse]

Effort

and a lack of it.
I find the chainsaw to be a different level from the rest of the weapons. Which hints that it is traced.

over all this has very little effort and seems to be rushed to get out a bad joke.

The lighting on this is a bit better than some of your other stuff, but you still need to get better.

You need to practice some backgrounds. and study what you are drawing.

pplaskota responds:

So why did you give a worse piece a one.

[2 bears]

good start

It really is.

Problems:
The number one thing I have to ask is; Is it suppose to be on it's side like that?
If it is then I think it would look better in portrait layout.
The secoint thing I need to address has little to do with the art its self and more about your presentation... again.... The lighting seems dark go to the Art101 account and read this; http://art101.newgrounds.com/news/post/314936 it will help you with taking better photographs of your paintings.
Continuing with the critique is the bears could use a little more definition. The two of them tend to blend a bit.

Good:
The lack of a full background in this seems to work this time. The background has a simple but abstract appeal to the painting.
the composition has a good feel to it.

over all, a couple of changes to the presentation would do some wonders.
Keep practicing. As I told you earlier, drop by the Art Forum for some more critique and exposure.
5/10

[CosmicDeath]

Damn Orn...

How many Pieces do you have FP'd now? Either way Nice man, per usual.
Over all the subtle shadows work pretty well and the compisition is nice.

In all honesty I can't think of anything much to critique.

ornery responds:

3 to my knowledge.

[French Maid Dewi]

Some Issues

At 9/28/10 02:19 AM, joe9320 wrote: And here is my other one, also the most recent

Style and such aside one of your biggest flaws is anatomy. It was mentioned right off the bat so I'm just here reinforcing that idea. You need to start studying the human figure. Get in to a life drawing class with a damn good teacher. If that isn't possible then get a few books and study.
With this most "recent" piece

Anyway, with this picture the hand it the first thing I notice. The hand kind of looks like the back of the hand which would mean the thumb is on backwards, but I don't think that was whats going on. If it is truly the palm facing the viewer then you need to get a few lines to show the cup of the palm.
Be careful of the breast since they are different sizes and you might want to put a little more work in to the curve of the figure. The shoulders are wider than the hips which doesn't work well with female characters. Again studying anatomy and looking at reference when working will help you.
The costume isn't really working either. Taking another swing at that dead horse, but again study and reference. Clothing seems to be a more advanced subject so you might want to practice it a little more.
The eyes are decent. Continuing with the style and anime aside bit, but the eyes are one of the most solid pieces of this entire work. Down side is with the misshapen head not so good mouth and simple arrow nose makes me thing that either you took more time on the eyes than on the rest of the piece, their heavily referenced, or you snagged them from some where. My best guess was the first two.

What I would like to see, and I'm sure that some others would as well, is sketches. I would like to see some rough sketches and underlying structure sketches. Also I would like to see some still life drawings, anatomy studies and general practice as well as some exercise on the basics of art. Even some little fun sketches would be good.

try to get something more current than something from 2009 up as well. I'm sure you haven't been setting around for almost 10 months doing nothing, but if you have, I'm not sure how much we can actually help you.