Hello everybody

I'm creating characters for my project which is selling european food products to eat to cook etc...
So I'm going to create many characters for each type of product and I'm want to share it with you to help me improving my illustrations (which is not my main skill, I'm webdesigner).

My first character is Merlin in relation with Breatgne in France, I want advices to improve it especially with dark and light part
Here the illustration



Thanks you

Nice but

The beard/hair can not be seen because of the background color
The left arm looks strange (like if a part is missing)
The left hand doesn't follow the wood.
You should make the orb transparent

Thanks V1nce for your answer I will work on it, I've sent you a private message to speak with you if you want.

EDIT : I"ve changed in regards to what you said and putting a black background to see better the hair part (for the orb I will do it later beacause I have to put a background next)

I think the nose part could use some more contrast - it's difficult to discern the nose from the cheek behind (but else, I like your Merlin).

I think it's a good start, for a first time user.

Some areas have a lot of detail, while other areas don't. I'm not sure if you might have hit one of the common stumbling blocks for people use Inkscape for the first time. That is, because of the ability to zoom in and see something better, we are tempted to fill in loads of details. But when we zoom back out, it's too much details. Plus, I assume for packaging, like if this will be printed on a box for example, I have the impressions that the more colors are used, the more expensive it gets.

Either needs a lot more depth (shadow on body behind cauldron, around the head/hair), or much less.... Or maybe consider cutting off the image, somewhere around the lower part of where the sleeve is hanging down. The bottom half is more boring, because of less details there. So it might be easier to balance it out that way?

A couple of more general things.

His center of balance is off, and I'm afraid he is going to fall over at any moment. Perhaps he needs to be stooped over more? Maybe beard and body more in shadow?
Something brown under the arm on the right (his left arm) - not sure what it could be.
I've never seen a cauldron shaped like that. Maybe it a European tradition? Fire under cauldron? Or is it a modern electric caldron?

Thanks for your participation brynn

For the first part you've explain it's not about to have more or less details although it's true that some parts have more details than other parts (because of having spend more time or not it's true) but it's interesting.
As I said it will be printed so the detail question is abstract because it will be smaller than you see here so is more about personnal taste I suppose (it's how I consider it for my part on this work and the goal).

What I want it's having opinions in regards to what it's right now, suggestions and more.
But it's true that I've been thinking about the posture if it was correct or not and I think you're right, maybe it looks strange I will check it.

I will still working on it, thanks !

First I should have said that I haven't had much training in art. My comments are mostly coming from being a potential consumer of the product.

Oh, I didn't realize it was going to be smaller. What will be the final size? That makes a big difference sometimes.

opinions in regards to what it's right now,

I like the choice of colors. Not sure if "right or wrong", but as a consumer, the colors seem good. Also, the soup, or the contents of the pot looks good. I like the general posture of the wizard, with the staff - all except for leaning a little bit.

After some more looking, I can see that the leaning a little bit can almost give the impression of movement - like if he's leaning over when the stirring stick is around on that side, and that maybe when the stirring stick is around the other side, he leans the other way a little bit. Like if he's moving his whole body in the direction of the stirring action (maybe almost like a dance?).

I think a little more depth in the face might help that. Maybe because the face seems flat, it emphasizes the leaning somehow. Yeah, I'm having a feeling that if the face had some depth details, like the robe, the leaning might seem more natural.`

I was only thinking of "packaging" when I made my first comments. But now I notice in the title, you mentioned "book illustration", and you mention "Breatgne". Is that the name of a book? Or is that how you spell "wizard" or "Merlin" in French? I only know a couple of French words.

Oh well, anyway, I still think it's a nice drawing over all. Just mentioned those things because you asked. Nice work, even with no changes

Thanks brynn for your help, I would like to say Bretagne which is a french part in france and the packaging will be the support with food inside.
The illustration will be at the side only to illustrate the source of the food it will be inside.

I will work a bit more the face.

neophus975 wrote:Hello everybody

I'm creating characters for my project which is selling european food products to eat to cook etc...
So I'm going to create many characters for each type of product and I'm want to share it with you to help me improving my illustrations (which is not my main skill, I'm webdesigner).

My first character is Merlin in relation with Breatgne in France, I want advices to improve it especially with dark and light part
Here the illustration



Thanks you

Agree with others about the detail of the nose. Don't worry about having a black background, it shows up clear as day! Not bad for a first try