Too cluttered, too boring, or improving

[LCT_m_a_d]

Sorry for asking for another critique on clarity but I'm at a crossroad on a picture and could use a second opinion about my process.

I think I've found a way to make more lined-based drawings (was frequently recommended) while keeping some detail rendering and create an expression I'm happy with. But admittedly the images are feeling incomplete and I want to build on theme without losing the clarity.

The top image is a work in progress which I'm enjoying developing it, but I worry that I'm headed towards less clear no matter how much I double check it. The bottom one felt okay at the time but I guess it was too bare.

Is it less clear, or too boring? Again, sorry to ask. I know I should just figure this out for myself but I keep screwing this up even when I try using tricks to double check it. I greatly appreciate any feedback

Prematurely done

[NickRowler]

It's hard to make out what it is. Are you planning to add color or tones? That would probably help define the figure.

[Kelheor]

Okay, now I am not sure, but I believe the problem could be in the lack of contrast. There's a lot of black on the hand (and since you're using a high angle, it's bit hard to understand what's going on with the hand, maybe more white line art on the hand would help), but there's barely any on the other body. I don't know many artists with kinda the same style to put more reference, but maybe you need to take a look at Mignola's art.

Now you can see there's quite a lot of black on figures, these bold black shadows, so the contrast is higher and one can see details better. I don't know if that's what you're trying to go for, but I believe that using more bold black overall could help

[LCT_m_a_d]

I figured I would eventually, but if it needs color It seems like the rendering is poor to begin with.

[LJ2]

I can't exactly tell what it is.. The drawing is phenomenal though. If you could tell me what it is I could offer some better advice.

[LCT_m_a_d]

Thanks for the reference and point out. I wanted to add some balance to the image in a bit of creative way but now that I see casting the hand in heavy shadows was a bad choice

[Luminosophy]

If I may be curt, I think your issue has nothing to do with line-art or contrast, you're actually fairly solid with it. It's that you're trying to be decisive on something you were were indecisive about in the first place. When you gain confidence and clarity with your subjects, the line-art will simply be icing on the cake. The sort of gestural approach you're taking with more detailed and intricate subjects like hands, fingers and facial planes is great - if you're studying gestural forms for dynamic lines and movement. But it leaves a lot to be desired and defined for viewers of what's meant as a proper illustration.

I get the impression that a lot of detail is being left out of fear, actually. But I think if you revisit anatomical studies everything will honestly come together easily. You always push perspective a lot and it looks like you have fun with trying to be as dynamic as possible. You're just lacking the glue that holds it all together - structure!

[LCT_m_a_d]

Well if it's phenomenal but hard to decipher it's not much good

The character is sitting in the chair holding a dripping paintbrush from an ambitious angle. There are some atmospheric assets around that I was developing in the top to balance things out (foliage windows etc...)

[Kelheor]

I think that one more big problem is that it's hard to visually separate his head from the hand that's under the chin. Now that I look at it I think that I simply guessed that it's a hand, not saw it. So (maybe) more shading in the chin area and in the chain area (just to "highlight" it) can make the difference
I think this style is actually pretty hard, but you will make it with a bit more practice and creative approach

[LCT_m_a_d]

I really appreciate the candidness. I'll need to reflect on this.

[Rhonder]

Hmm both images are pretty difficult to make out, but I think somehow the upper one with more detail is harder to decipher in this case (for me at least). The head is easy enough to discern but then everything from the bottom of the chest down is kinda hard to make out for now- and the extra black forms on the upper one add more confusion than clarity compared to the simpler lower one.

I'd tend to agree with @Kelheor in that I think it might be easier to read the light central figure against a dark gray or black (if you're going for pure black and white) background. As is the white-on-white leaves a lot of ambiguity (although again, the head is really well defined! Can easily tell its a dog person with a chain collar on holding his chin... just everything to the lower left from that area is challenging)

[LCT_m_a_d]

I see, thanks for the insight

[JRHoch]

Improving--but still not legible enough. The Hellboy pics are a good place to start. And there's always, the new king, Sean Murphy!

[rajillustration]

I can tell you really like doing the face--because that's easy to make out. But, when you go down the right arm to the hand that's really close to the viewport--that's where it's hard to make out what's happening. I thought the paintbrush was actually a leg for a while, because that's where a leg would typically be.

What I would do is take some photo reference, because it's really hard to hold a brush like that, and I think that's partly why my brain is having a hard time processing it.

Also, right now the shoulder is pointing down towards the ground, which, because it is a pivot point for the whole arm, would not cause foreshortening, even in the hand. If the viewport is looking down at the dog, he should be painting above him, I believe, in order to cause that foreshortening. I think if you went back and rotated that shoulder, it would help my brain register that the hand is what's in front of it.

It's also hard to make out the hand, when the middle and pinky finger don't appear to be part of it since they are the only body part with that much shadow. I actually at first thought the middle finger was the chair, and I read the outside of that finger as the silhouette of his abdomen.

Overall though, I like that you're going for such a difficult pose. It's a really cool idea.

[Kiweevil]

I think you're off to a good start with your composition ^w^ and your dog is very cute. And the use of corner space leads the eyes diagonally across the character's body and to his hand! Very nice. With a bit of tweaking I see much potential so please don't lose hope, especially after reading critiques!

Something that may help substantially is where you focus the weight of your lines. Thicker external lines or thicker lines where shadow hits usually helps the eye decipher what is going on in a picture more quickly. Thicker lines in the foreground than in the background also helps convey focus and distance more effectively. For example the paw extended towards us could use thicker outline work that fades into the width of the lines used for the rest of the body. It'll help eyes understand that it is extending to the foreground ^w^

But that is just my tips on how I'd personally rework this piece. I also personally enjoy the top one most.