how about adding more core shadows, to define the roundness and depth of your characters body? the fur is incredibly awesome, i just think maybe you can continue to break away from the slight flatness. this image still has. and i think for the back ground, maybe a dojo setting, cause you dont see that much, its usually outside canyons or fighting arenas, keep up the good work

I plan to once I get the glowing orbs and such done. The dramatic lighting effects that I want to try. But it's tough to shade and highlight the fur so I have to work around that.

I'll consider the background idea though. I need input from Raoku. He's looking for something DBZ like I think. I'm not well verse in that so it'll take me a few tries.

what program you using?

Sadly, Photoshop. ;) I wish Paint Shop Pro has a better brush system.

use brightness and contrast adjustment layer

I usually use layers for the shadows and highlights but I can't do it for the fur though. The edges doesn't feather out nicely. I did use layers for the pants though.

yea, i cant find a brush that does nice feathering, but if you set up a series of adjustment layers, with varying degrees of dark and light image adjustments, and then hit ctrl+i to invert the white to black to masque the adjustment layer, you can paint in the shadeing and high lights of the adjustment layers.

Do you have a tutorial for this. I would love to see it. I'm basically using technic of shading first and then smudge the fur around. Kinda works but if I can get my paws on something better, I'll look into it. The problem I find layering the shadow and highlights on top is that the fur gets blotchy and loses definition.

As for the brush, I made my own. PS's build in brushes are too dense. I made one with just a few dots spread out wide (like around 10 dots randomly over a diameter of 91). I usually reduce the size to around 46 while using it though. I might make a few others to play with in the future. I want to get pretty close of what Saul can do if I can.

i dun have a tutorial, but i could try to find one, but it is simple, just look at that one icon in your layer box that has a half black and half white circle, then choose brightness and contrast, then adjust the amount of lightenss or darkness you want, hit ctrl+i and the layer is completely masqued, then paint with white on the completely blacked out masqued layer and it will reveal the shadows where ever you want them.

ad for better effect, if you did your fur, and pants a seperate layer. just hover your mouse between the layer and the adjustment layer you made, and hold alt. it will allow you to clip the adjustment layer to your colored layer, and whatever is painted on the layer below, it will only be visibile on all the painted areas of the layer its clipped to.

I'm going to give this a try. Perhaps to deepen the shading a bit once I get the flames done.

yeash! -poses-

ooh there are many plugins available for photoshop for different brushes oh and i took your advice i went out and bought a new wireless optical mouse and mini keyboard for my laptop thanks for the idea for that and the pic looks great not sure on the red pants though kinda looks like raw muscle meat but perhaps shading will work out though

Glad it worked out. I hate those touchpads a lot. I prefer the little rubber pointer in the middle of the keyboard over the touchpads if I don't have a mouse. Those tiny trackballs are almost as back. Bigger trackballs I can live with.

Ummm. raw muscle meat? Eep. Maybe some sharper creases would help. I never really done clothing before. I need more practice.

also awesome work with the muscular chest he has a strong build i see

It actually looks like he's gonna power up, like some of the characters on DragonBall Z. XD lol

Hehe, that's what Raoku described, a DBZ type pose. I'm glad I got that idea through. I'm going to add the "power up" effects next. Not sure I can pull it off but it'll be interesting for sure. ;)

that will be awesome

ma i reccomend a glow around his entire body kinda like a golden fire

I thinking alone the lines of a blueish white glow. Maybe some wisps of smoke emanating from various places. I'm going to try lots of dramatic lighting if I can.

i have a tip that may help in photo shop their is an effect called diffused glow it puts an outline around the character kinda a soft glow i've used it to get glowing ghostly effects

I used those effects before. Not sure if I'm going to use it here though. We'll see.

Some parts are good. Like the fur.

Wow, that is an old one of mine. And like most of my works, I never really finished it. I had such great hopes for it too.

*chuckles* aws