TSI gets back into it: Drake Enforcer & Warden

[StDrake]

I'd say the old (blue) halberd position would do better for a hulking look - a 'ready to smash' position
overally that design is a little slim for that kind of unit
and i would suggest some kind of strap that would hold the lower jaw protector attached to the jaw and stop it from angling down

[thespaceinvader]

The blue is the new one

The lower jaw bit is attached - it has gaps for breathing

I wonder whether I ought to push the bottom and tail back a little, so he's leaning forward a bit more rather than squatting.

[Reepurr]

I personally think the older halberd looks better and more functional. Halberds can be used in a "lunge forward, pull backward" motion, which I think could be more effective with the old halberd design, and it would be even more powerful thanks to drakes' natural size. The hook on the old halberd might have some use in being brought up an enemy's arm and tugging it so hard it gets dislocated, as well.

Could you add that functional hook on the new version too perhaps?

[thespaceinvader]

I'll probably use the old one, unless I can elaborate the design a little more. The shape of the new one is more of a guide to its location.

EDIT: New lines.

[StDrake]

there's a few stray lines going where they shouldnt - look on the kneepads and the coat lines are going over the gauntlet
designwise - I'd say try to make the blade look a little bigger and move the lower spike away from the fist a little so it's more comfortable for him to make the pulls, and the part of the shaft that goes above the blade is either totally unnecessary or needs a rework - it looks somewhat blunt and renders the upper blade spike unusable
if that's the lev3 then showing more muscle on the arm that's more visible to the viewer would be nice

[thespaceinvader]

He's in full plate armour. No muscles are really showing at all. And yeah, the stray lines will be sorted.

[Girgistian]

Nice, it looks like you've gotten a lot better at sketching during my absence.
Just a quick glance at it for some on-the-run critique, you've done a good job with the perspective, especially that of the axe, though design-wise those double-spikes could stand to be a little more in flow with the rest of the pic, as the symmetrical look quite pops out at the moment. Nice work with the cloth-folds as well, I'm impressed by that cloak-ish thing laying on the wings. Anatomically, he could stand to be a little more to the direction of an animal, and a little less to that of a movie monster, but I think that's not that big of a thing that it should be redrawn, it's still pretty cool as it is. His left leg, however (the one on our right) is in a very tight angle on the knee. He'd look much more natural if it didn't bend all that much. Overall though, good job dude.

[Lord-Knightmare]

The Drake Warden's looking awesome.

[Reepurr]

His left leg, however (the one on our right) is in a very tight angle on the knee. He'd look much more natural if it didn't bend all that much. Overall though, good job dude.

From what I understand, the anatomy of their 'knees' is much the same as the knees of a frog, it's just that they have a lower leg underneath that bit. So drakes have two knees, and one of them is always bent quite far.

[AI]

So drakes have two knees, and one of them is always bent quite far.

Also known as an ankle. Cats usually do have their legs fully extended, being digitigrade walkers that are less optimized for jumping. Mostly bent does seem to fit drakes better though, if only because a drake standing with his legs fully extended would be ridiculously tall. (and, you know, precedent from other portraits)

[Girgistian]

I'm somewhat aware of the anatomy, since I made quite a few drake sketches a bit more than a year ago for thespaceinvader to colour up, and I still think the knee is a bit glinched as it is now.

[Djehuty]

Hi all.

There are somethings hitching me about this image.

By order:

enforcer.png (979.19 KiB) Viewed 3584 times

1- Shouldn't we see a part of another "plate" there? And following the rotation of the tail I think the 3rd "plate" (inside circle no.2) should be more rotated, or there should be an extra "plate" (by counting the lather strips, the "plate" I say is missing is to distant from the 3rd "plate", so maybe another "plate" in between?)

2- The "plates" seem too strait in comparison with the end of the tail "plates", almost 2D / "bad cartoon"

3- these are examples of the outline / inking work. maybe the line is too thin or just the wrong colour but they seem to me too flat and "bad cartoon" style

4- those lines seem connected as if there is no depth between the leg and the cloth. Maybe the cloth should do more the "curve of the leg"

5- have to also mention the strait knee. I vote it to be more round.

For the rest I love the new horns, this and every portrait is wonderful, just love them all (almost ) and I wish I could contribute more for this project (this is me counting this post as a contribution ). Love Wesnoth.

P.S. - Sorry for my English, and if you want to, please correct me.

[Reepurr]

<snip snip>

It's already been said that the enforcer's shading is a bit cartoony, and that his knee looks a bit flat.

About the knees, sorry, it seems I was mistaken. I was referring to a frog's femur, tibia and fibula, which "have been fused into a single, strong bone" - Wikipedia and image sources - and provide what looks like an extra 'knee', but can't really move. I didn't realise drakes could actually unfold their knees (and also that they have really long feet). It's kind of freaky.
Does that mean that drakes have feet instead of shins?

[thespaceinvader]

Djehuty: thanks for the feedback - I'm going to wait and see if Kitty and Bob have anything to say before I go any further with the Enforcer (please comment, guys).

Drake feet are like dog legs (or, more accurately, dinosaur legs), they have a knee, which you can see, shin sitting roughly parallel to the ground, then an ankle which sits way above the ground, instep perpendicular to the ground, and their toes and the balls of their feet on the floor. They essentially crouch on their tiptoes, for a human analogy.

[LordBob]

Aye, comment has been due (and delayed) for some time already. Here goes.

- Points 1, 2, and 4 of the above we can live with
- The "flat" knee is not so much a problem of shape as one of shade : that pure black spot has to go. High contrast is a very good thing, but you're cheating there : we should still be able to make out shapes and volumes of the dark patch.
- Some parts of his plate display good shading but others do feel rushed, especially the riveted strips that reinforce each armour part. Reference, reference, reference ! (and a quick dirty paintover)
- You really, really, really have to introduce lineweight variations in your lineart. It helps a ton
- Something that has already been pointed to you by Kitty and Jet, you have a tendency to abuse the low transparency airbrush. Convincing painting, especially metal, also requires high contrast laid in strong brush strokes