Friday, July 15, 2011

Owen's Troll Sketch


Here is my sketch for the Troll assignment.  It's a take on the tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff.  The big bad Troll is holding onto the youngest goat as it pleads for it's life, and to eat his father, for he is more of a meal.  The goats father and grandfather look over the bridge wall in the upper left corner.  Let me know what you think!

4 comments:

  1. Hey dude! This is gonna be a great piece! Love that troll.

    Here is a draw-over - my main gripe is the bridge.
    http://www.elisa-alba.com/blogfiles/owentroll.jpg

    First, bridges can't be supported with stones at the bottom like that. I think they have to continue going across like an arch throughout. Otherwise the stones in the middle would just collapse. here are some examples:
    http://www.nauvoonews.com/collection/stonearchbridge/1stone_arch_bridge.jpg
    http://www.kansastravel.org/06ricestonebridge1.JPG

    I think that will give it some interesting perspective too. Also you don't have to go so detailed on each stone, it might be nice to smudge them up a bit in the shadow so that the eye goes more toward the detailed troll and goats. I also opened up the back hole more, with the perspective. The bottom appears big at the bottom, narrows more at the top, as you can see in those bridge photo examples.

    Anyway, like I said, that's the only thing I would fix, and I would definitely fix it! Sweet shnoz!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I see what Lis is saying, especially with the reference she found. I also agree that it would be best fairly dark and not overly detailed.

    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1192024/thebillygoatsgruffsketch72craigdrawover.jpg

    I did a quick drawover. I wanted the held goat to be facing the troll and larger(not sure if that overlap works but something close to that). The upper goats to be larger and closer. The troll's arm to be much more detailed (not sure if my sketch is capturing much of it but I'm looking for a defined elbow, much more defined wrist, defined knuckles, corded muscles and maybe some hairs or warts or just rough texture). I know he has a skinny upper arm and fat forearm but I still wanted them blending into each other more smoothly. Also the troll's mouth was off to a good start but from that angle you can see inside the mouth - more teeth and the tounge and the curve of the far side of the mouth.

    I think some reference of a heavily muscled, tensed forearm with light from above really defining it and a shot of an angry open mouth would really add the juicy details too make this troll really intense.

    Oh and I made one goat bellowing in fear above.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ug, ok, I'm coming into this really late, having been off in MFA-land. At this point, I will generally agree with Lis and Craig's feedback, because I bet you're already on the painting stage of this one. I will add that I wouldn't hesitate to make him really hairy (like give him some nice heavy eyebrows) and think about ways to make his skin really un-human. Maybe it's really cracked and calloused, or has a subtle pattern or mottling of some kind. I dunno, those are the man things I'd suggest at what is probably a late stage in your painting :) I am excited to see it! Poor little goats!

    ReplyDelete