Revamp

[Echowing]

This is a revamp for the Ocean Lights, link to old thread here -> http://www.secundi.net/forum.php?topic=1801.0

I really did like the idea of it but I realized I wasn't really happy with the art and that is the most important part. I'd wanted to keep most of the story line for it but it just wasn't working out. I don't know how I would incorporate the lanterns and their specific meanings into the new art (which I like A LOT better). This is just the beginning of the revamp though and it may take a long time to get it up and running. The only reason I'm calling it a revamp is because it is basically the same animal but I'm changing almost everything. Even the name has to be changed. Here is the base outline of what is going on:


The "basic" look of the animal is like a dragon/fish (as opposed to four-legged since they are aquatic). The only one I've drawn so far is one where the fish part resembles a shark. I was thinking, that as I have the time I could try and add variety by making new lines where the fish part has the looks of different species.

This makes for a basic aquatic type pet but no space for adding lanterns. When I tried to think of ways to add it in it just didn't seem to fit so I just scratched the idea. This unfortunately negates the entire ship-following powers that the lanterns bring.

Since they have regressed in many ways, I think I may remove restrictions as to color. It would be fun to do fish mimics with these anyway.

Here is the shark type:



Sorry for changing pretty much everything. Let me know what you think of the new art please. And even though it'll probably take horrendous amounts of time before I do anything about it you can throw out a few nice fish species that you might like in the future. Also feel free to make name suggestions.

[SeaCrest]

I love the shark Have you tried having them hold the lantern? His right (our right, his left) paw could be holding a lantern, if you choose to incorporate that. I still love them

I'd love to see a betta fish and a catfish

I think I'll have to wait and see a bit more before doing any name suggestions.

All in all, I still love them

[Echowing]

Thanks, I really hated letting go of that storyline but yeah, it was just to awkward to try and fit it in and I couldn't see trying to make it work for every single type. If I can I'll figure something out in the future.  x< 

I'll have to get do work on the betta and catfish planning ^^ I seriously love you for saying catfish though, they're one of my favorite types of fishies hehe

As for more of them, I have a basic thought for the fangtooth fish type:

http://i27.tinypic.com/5yyxdz.jpg

The design is still subject to change but they are a scarier fishy so I thought it'd be good for variety.

Thanks for the reply ^^

[SeaCrest]

Oh, yeah...that looks promising I love catfish too ^_^

[Echowing]

Templated the fangtooth type:



Please ignore the fast coloring, I just wanted to put up a quick example.

[Nako]

Do you do lineart templates for each type? Also, is the shading templated?

I think these are very cute, but would look great with a different shading style.

[Echowing]

Yes, I'm planning on line templates for each type. Do you mean as opposed to free-drawn each time? I hadn't thought of that but if I did it I'm fairly sure the art would be in a stranger style (more sketchy and less put-together) than people are accustomed to here therefore making it hardly marketable (and I would most likely burn myself out very quickly).

The shading is templated as well.  I do everything myself and I don't know as many techniques or ways to do things as the more experienced artists here. I am doing the best to my ability at this point in time but if I learn ways to improve on things I definitely will. Do you have any shading suggestions? If you did it'd be extremely helpful!

Thanks for the feedback! Every little bit is appreciated!

[TheLeet]

I don't know that much about shading either but I have found a way to give it a bit more depth that works for me. I don't know what program you use but I'll just tell you what I do in photoshop.
Once I've finished the shadows layer, I copy it a couple of times so I end up with three times the shadows. I then go onto the copied layers and erase the bits of shading that should be lighter but leave the parts that I like being dark.
For me, it's the most effective way to get very dark as well as very light shadows without constantly having to change the opacity of the brush <3

[Echowing]

I use gimp but I can definitely try that! Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can do it =D