The Phoenix

These are two dolls I made. I want some critique on the wings and such.





Comments AWAY!

The dolls.... pretty cute

The wings?.... not sure about that, looks like an over use of the distort filters.

But keep at it, soon those wings will look like wings.

Actually, I did not use the distort filter once on either of the dolls. I used the smudge on the fire one to create the flame-looking-thingys. On the electricity one, I did not use anything other than lens flare and gaussian blur on the wings. What is in the back ground on that one is little electricity floaty things.

One with water. I kknow the gradient is painfully obvious, but I made it at 2 AM, okay?

It is my first try at water. I made a new layer and selected a blue for the foreground and a stark black for the background. Then I went to Filter>>Render>>Clouds. After that I went to Filter>>Render>>Fiber. I do not remember the exact settings. After this, I used the Move tool and nudged it downward so there was some room above the 'water'. Then I selected the smudge tool on strengh of 75%, I forget what brush size, and, well, smudged. After that I went Filter>>Distort>>Plastic Wrap for some shine. Then I smudged it some more and used another Gaussian Blur on it. Then I was fairly happy with how it looked.

For the froth, I created a new layer and used teh polygonal lasso tool to select a ragged shape around the top of the 'wave'. I filled it with white and deselected. Then I went to Filter>>Blur>>Gaussian Blur, forgetting the settings once more. Then I liked how the froth looked, so I let it be.

For the darkness under the top of the wave, I made a new layer and used the brush tool to create a swath of very dark blue where I thought it should be darker. Then I did a Filter>>Blur>>Gaussian Blur, Filter>>Render>>Fiber, and Filter>>Blur>>Gaussian Blur. I liked how that looked, so I went to the next part.

I did pretty much the above procedure for a little shine of the part of the water that was exposed with a lighter blue.

I figured the doll would have some shadow on here from the wave, so I selected a dark blue. I used the gradient tool on Foreground to Transparent and created a gradient, changing the layer setting to Overlay.

And I think that is it.

Honestly it looks very filter-whorish. And frankly I don't understand what dolls have to do with water, electrical and fire themed backgrounds.

Try to make backgrounds in the same style as the doll/foreground.

[QUOTE=yankeeben614]Honestly it looks very filter-whorish. And frankly I don't understand what dolls have to do with water, electrical and fire themed backgrounds.

Try to make backgrounds in the same style as the doll/foreground.[/QUOTE]

Er, the girl that is the doll controls the elements. Water, fire, time, electricity, etc. The backgrounds are to show her power over them. I am making a series of them. Therefore the backgrounds are concerning the doll.

hey I control electricity too!
I only need to push a button and voila! - instant light! hihi

the doll chick is jaggy as heck... and the bg's ,...meh
sorry lady

[QUOTE=mihai]hey I control electricity too!
I only need to push a button and voila! - instant light! hihi

the doll chick is jaggy as heck... and the bg's ,...meh
sorry lady[/QUOTE]

I thought I asked for constructive criticism.

I realize I am not very good. I know I am a newb at Photoshopping, but I think, for a 13-year-old girl who has a busy schedule, I am fairly good. I have been using Photoshop for around a year, but I just recently got serious about using it. I think I am not bad for someone who has been serious about it for less than a week.

I am truly sorry Dark Light Lady. For a 13 year old girl with a busy schedule - those are better than most I've seen. I kid you not!
When I was 13 I couldn't use a VCR - let alone a computer. Heck I don't even think I saw a VCR before I was 16 or so...

If you're really serious about using photoshop - then you're in the right place. I apologize for being a donkey's cousin

Lady, are you putting those dolls together pixel by pixel.... like they use to do in "Palace chat"?

Like Mihai, posted they are a little jaggy but if you are pixel'ing them together I commend you. You can tighten those jaggies up with a little work and make them sleak and clean.

As far as the backgrounds, keep on working.... tou are going to get bad reviews and good reviews but all of them will lead you in the right direction. I would make a suggestion for the BG's though. Find some tutorials and run them through there are SOOOO many tutorials out there for Fire, water electricity and al that stuff you would be amazed. and running them through will give you the experience you are looking for. After doing some of them you'll be able to add you own style to them and go in a direction you would like.

and for 13.... you are doing great.