[F�anor]

First post, have mercy.

I've become something of a tolkien fan the past few years, but have seen little serious artwork on the subject. So I thought I'd try my hand. This was done without photo reference- though I hiked more than once to study scenery and flora. It's entirely hand painted in photoshop.

This isn't exactly what you'd call a speed painting. I just applied occasional touches to it over many weeks whenever time allowed, as is my hobby, and declared it finished when things looked good enough.

Thoughts are appreciated, though not necessarily acted upon. I'm moving on to something else less fictionally generic- probably involving Fingolfin and Melkor.



------------------
John Stocker
[email protected]

[Svanur]

I think you nailed the textures right down. The landscape is really good. The only thing that is bothering me is the guys right leg, seems strange.

[Freddio]

Wow...

Welcome aboard

Very tight indeed, you have created a great atmosphere in this one... Keep up the great work.

[egerie]

! I rarely check posts with less than 8 replies but boyohboy am I glad to open your thread just before heading to bed ! </infoclut>

This is really awesome.. It reminds me a LOT of my homeland and places I visited and liked. Which is a good thing *nostalgic sigh* !

Somehow I can't avoid but think this guy is being a little careless and is standing in a situation of danger. I mean, I wouldn't stand where he is since there seems to be a cliff right at his feet !! (I've done that once and vertigo isn't at all like being afraid of hights)

Now on to color. The background moutain is really well done but I think it could be more interesting if there was more variation in your blue. Also, is that snow blowing from the top ? It reminds me when you look up a snowcaped mountain on a windy day as the sun is about to set. Which conflicts a bit with the lighting of the rest of the image.
That mini branch tree spout on top of the dead tree has a really contrasty green..
Have you used some photo reference for this ?
Again, I like it a lot..

P.S.: I haven't seen much of your work before here altho your member number seems to tell you've been here for a while now. Eerie ?

[Highfive]

That's a beautiful painting, Feanor. It has some incredibly fine-painted detail. The moss on those hand-painted rocks (not texture overlayed)... Phoar! You must be very proud of this, as well as relieved to finish it!

I agree the leg does look a little wrong at that angle, but only if you can.. somehow.. ugh.. pull your eyes from everything else... hhmmpphh!... in the scene.
Perhaps if you turned this knee more this his left?

[DiXter]

agrees.. with all ^
very nice indeed!!

do you have a larger version of it?
If you do please post it,

[F�anor]

Thanks for the kind words It's indeed a relief to have finished.

Svanur- you have a good eye. You immediately singled out the part of the image I had the most difficulty with. Doesn't look like I'm quite there yet. I'll rework the leg some more.

Highfive - To be completely honest, there was one texture filter applied in this image. I added some noise overlay to the rocks to make them look less like clay and more like granite.

egerie - I've lurked for a while but haven't posted anything out of intimidation. There's some VERY fine work posted in this forum. And I really don't create much work, this is just a hobby of mine.

DiXter - Generally I've been burned by posting high res versions of images, I keep a low profile thus it's easy for my work to be stolen and sold by people of ill repute. Besides, this image would be 500k if posted in its full size. However, lest I be suspect, here's a closeup of the raven.



The moss is nothing more than a lot of chaotic pencil spazzing in 3 shades of green.

[Gothic Gerbil]

Awesome piece, I really like it, being an avid Tolkien fan myself. I'm actually doing my next Illustrator piece from LotR. My only quibbles with it are the moon up there on top of the mountains. It junctures in a fashion that makes it read more like it is sitting on top of the mountain than being up in the sky. I'd either move it down a bit or move it up a bit. I'd also "squish" it together a bit more, I think there's a bit too much of the background mountain showing, it would look a lot better if the ledge was moved up. Right now it is flattening out instead of giving a feeling of distance, but you get that feeling down at the bottom because of the fogged middle mountain part, which is also a bit disconcerting on the matter of depth since the top feels flat while the bottom has a great amount of depth to it. Interesting effect though, even if you didn't intend it! Ah, I think it is because of the way it looks divided into thirds straight across. Albeit uneven thirds. I'd love to see it at fullsize like the detail of the bird down there! Have fun, can't wait to see your next piece!

p.s. egerie, you probably didn't notice but he has a total of two posts right now, and I count two posts in this one thread, so that could explain why you haven't seen his work before.

[Twacle]

Very cool

I realy like the foreground.

[egerie]

A HOBBY ?!! *faints*