Updated version:


Old Version:

(Click for DA link)

This is an image from another unpublished comic of mine - <I>Shrike - References to humanity</I>.
Please see the DA entry for a lots of more info on this image and about what is depicted!

MyPaint + GIMP, from scratch. Comments and critique most welcome.

UPDATE: After some pondering and very good feedback here and elsewhere, I have updated the anatomy and the image in general considerably.
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Griatch

As Always Griatch you are amazing, looks great!
Although to me she looks Muscular and quite skinny at the same time. Was that the look you wanted? I think she would look a little more realistic if you gave here some Meat in the mid-section

Willy

This was my comment on the GIMP Talk too, just brought it over so people can view it here if they don't use GIMP Talk.

The luminous dots in the back that matches the wires under the mirrors do arouse interest (although after seeing your explanation, they aren't related)

But she appears to have a very deep torso... if you meant it to be wide, there would be some more visible on the left?

Thanks for the feedback!
I went back and tried to see if one could widen her midriff more, but no matter how test it, we are seeing her torso and rib cage from the side and we cannot see very much more on her left side without causing a strange perspective as compared to the right side. It is possible that the 3D structure of her torso is not conveyed clearly enough (this view, combined with muscles, is not one we often encounter after all) since you both comment on a similar thing. I think the confusion lies in that we are not seeing the width of her torso on the right, but infact the depth. Your points are well taken. I will need to let this rest for a while to see if I'm also confused with the anatomy when I look at it again with fresher eyes.
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Griatch

Honestly that is all I can think of when I look at her...

@Willy

Hm, I think you are referring to something else than I first thought, notably the prominent spine. Looking at it, that would not be as visible as it was. I tweaked her back considerably - take a look, hopefully better.
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Griatch

Yes, and that's the problem... Here is what we see:

The depths/width ratio of her torso is 0.4 (83/200) and even worse since the perspective make us mentally increase this value. While measured on two people (me and my 20yo daughter) this ratio is around 1/3 so given perspective it should be more like 1/4 as can be seen here: http://www.inmagine.com/im002/gv0003075-photo

Side note: looking for that picture I searched for "three-quarters back view" on Google Images. In French you get mostly women. In English you get mostly cars. Go figure

I still see her Ribs on the side too, Griatch, and she still just seems Way to thin for me.

Image is fine, there's a lot good in it. I like the light and "subsurface scattering" in skin.

For anatomy discussion, there might be two slight problems. Shoulder structure is very hard to get just right, I might say that shoulders are a bit off, somehow arm and shoulder are not connected as they should. Other problem is spine, the curvature is not there. By adding it, you'd lose some strangeness. Probably it would lift visible breast higher, which would improve 3D structure.

You probably know that you have selected very aesthetically ambitious pose. Admirable. However, this kind is hardest to do.

I'm not implying that I could do better. I just have fresh eyes for this image.

This is also nice excuse for old dirty man like me to collect images of bare-nekkid girls... My wife has fine figure, but she's not interested to model for my endless anatomy practice drawings, so I'm allowed to have some "material".

This is what I tried to say. Those lines.

(Sorry about poor pic, I just quickly rendered one of my own poor-quality models in Blender and drew some lines over it...)

Wow, that doesn't look bad at all...
You are too hard on yourself

Griatch - great job! Do you use a 3D modeler or from memory?

I think it looks pretty good overall Griatch. It would be hard for me to draw a person. I think it depends on what you are truely trying to portray. I looked around on the internet for body builder women because you stated you drew her to be muscular. Muscles even in women are not smooth unless she has some body fat too, which most of us do. But if she is to be real athletic and muscular then not so much.

I know some or use to know about anatomy and physiology muscle and bone structure, etc. But it has been a long time ago now. Everyone is also different. I myself have a more barrel shaped chest than a flat one like women are suppose to have. I also have wider shoulders than even some guys do. My partner has a smaller bone structure than I do yet he is taller. My sister has wider joints but her hands and feet are smaller than mine. When I get muscle it is not defined but bulky I put on mass. My mom can comment on that one and has.

Still a tough thing to draw is humans and animals. I prefer stick people personally easier to draw.


Liana

but is the shrike actually a human, or a humanoid?

Human it said in DA page, she has implants in her back

Agreed ^

Another lovely painting my friend

I think you did a great job on it and her proportions Griatch.
Guess it's all in the beholders eye is it not?

It's indeed a lot in the eye of the beholder. That said, I plan to go back to this image at some point and adjust some aspects of the perspective. Thanks for the feedback everyone!
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Griatch

I think the image is awesome as it is! Her proportions look fine. The wires and dots on her back are indeed thought provoking. I am still envious of your abilities and your work!