Another set of eyes please :)

Jeremy Ross

Hi @ChrisConnor, honestly, it feels very busy.

I think your intuition is spot on regarding the composition. I remember your lion in the grass piece, that was my favorite.

Look forward to seeing this piece.

ChrisConnor

@Jeremy-Ross thanks Jeremy! Yeah I feel like it is too. I was thinking maybe to cut out the lava pool at the bottom and stick to the volcanic rock with hints of lava streams... And maybe move the volcano over further in so it contrasts more against the lions head...?
Maybe I just need to step away from it today haha

burvantill

I really like this idea. I think you are having a value & saturation issue. If you desaturate and increase the value of the lava and saturate and lighten the mane and possibly a bit of the cat you might be able to continue with this. I did a REALLY bad draw over on my phone to show you what I mean.

ChrisConnor

@burvantill ahh yes ok, thank you. Haha the visual helps a lot

Melissa_Bailey

@ChrisConnor agreeing with @burvantill about value and vocal point.

Really intriguing piece! For what it's worth, to me, this looks like a leopard instead of a lion -- perhaps it's the ash/lava looking like spots? Just wanted to share what this set of eyes saw.

ChrisConnor

@Melissa-Bailey-0 thanks Melissa

Yeah I can see that, however I haven't finished adding the detail/texture to them yet so hopefully will look more like volcanic rock when I'm done with it haha. Might rethink placement on some of them.

Niels

@ChrisConnor

I like the second one more, but without the mane it looks more like a leopard or panther to me so I would definitely add a mane. Maybe you could work around the background a bit so there is a ‘darker’ part behind the flaming mane (very cool idea btw) to work as contrast for the fire? I really like the way you textured the lava and the ‘splatter’ to the left of the lion.

jdubz

I think the mountain on the left is what might be killing it. It's a huge point of interest with the highest level contrast, and all the magma flows that way - you can see even the magma trail is almost leading right into the lions face to make a sort of tangent that sticks out. If it stays the way it is, even when you get totally done with the lion, the volcano is probably going to rival it in terms of contrast ratio.

So it's visually flowing all that direction for no payoff because that's not the focal point.

What I might try is making it smaller and lowering it and putting some atmo between us and it so it lowers the contrast ratio. At the end of the day it's just communicating that it's making all the lava, right?

Also, I had a thought that might totally not work or not fit in with that you want, but have you considered making the lions' mane being made of lava? From a shape language perspective that could get really interesting and then also flow into the pool below.

ChrisConnor

Hi @Niels, yeah I was definitely thinking this about moving the volcano more into the frame to contrast against the head.
Thanks

ChrisConnor

@jdubz thanks for this. Some good ideas for the mane. I quite like the idea of lava streaming out of its head. Will have to come up with some sketches.

As for that lava stream, I totally noticed that too when I posted this and was planning on cutting that out.

The volcano could definitely be made smaller too. I think you're right. And with it being higher on the page kinda takes the focus and power away from the lion.

Thanks!