A Makeover for Alex?
Added 2022-11-24 19:00:07 +0000 UTC
For the last year or so, I've been growing increasingly unhappy with how Alex's model looks in certain images. His skin sometimes takes on a waxy or "plastic" look; his tongue is too pink with white spots; the lips look like they've been caked in lipstick; etc. Now, maybe that's me being too hard on myself, but it's how I feel about some of the images.
So, as I began prep work on Act 2, I asked Patrons at the Lycan+ tiers what they thought of giving Alex a little makeover. The feedback was about 70% in favor of a new skin, 20% in favor of a modest tweak to the current version, and 10% in favor of keeping the original exactly as it is. It may be important to note this would only be for images going forward (I'm not going back) unless -- after completing BBN -- I decide to do a "remastered" version. So, I want to keep the adjustments relatively minor so it doesn't look like the casting of Batman went from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer or George Clooney.
After putting up that poll and receiving some feedback and chatting with folks on Discord, I made a couple more adjustments to the "new skin" version by lightening and sculpting his brows a little, with the final result being what you see below.
What do you think?
Comments
I think the new "darker" model should be reserved for post transformation... I would backport some of the details into the current model... but I think it would be fitting for the model to get a darker look as he goes down the path of darkness.
IniquusCorvus
2022-11-28 18:48:54 +0000 UTCNew Alex is 100% better. yeah.
Brian's Sandbox
2022-11-25 21:23:35 +0000 UTCGreat observations. The original skin was even darker but I loved the details and the huge improvement with the mouth, tongue and teeth, so I played around with some settings to try to lighten it up. Now, having run a render in a scene with another model, it seems like the skin as I adjusted it for Alex is not only a little darker but literally absorbing more of the light. I may have to make some adjustments in Photoshop to keep lighting from becoming even more of a pain that it already is. If I do that, I may lighten the skin up a little more.
Bound By Night
2022-11-25 20:00:09 +0000 UTCThe new model is a little darker overall (darker skin tone, darker eyebrows, darker eyes/tongue even some shadows in the shot shown here), which I guess is good since it fits the theme of the story. I definitely get more "innocent" vibes from the old model than this new model. The tongue improvement alone though makes the change worth it!
Jon G
2022-11-25 19:48:03 +0000 UTCNew one is fine, different enough that it isn't too jarring.
James Tarr
2022-11-25 07:11:54 +0000 UTCGreat job on the new model, Alex is looking so dashing! But if I could nitpick, I feel like there's something a little off. I think maybe the eyebrows are tad bit too dark for his hair colour. A shade lighter would make them seem more natural and less intabrow imo. Either way, it's an improvement!
Par Sonova
2022-11-25 05:20:08 +0000 UTCYou're both right. Getting feedback is a huge help. In this case if there is something I can tweak around the margins to make it less jarring for some people, that's good to know as something I should explore.
Bound By Night
2022-11-25 01:23:18 +0000 UTCit's true but it can be helpful to get a calibration from the people
LukaM
2022-11-25 00:40:27 +0000 UTCBBN is your work, so if there's something that you're not happy with then make the change--there's no sense in you putting out something that doesn't sit right.
BearyBry
2022-11-24 22:54:24 +0000 UTCI know and see what you're talking about, but would you believe me if I said that is 95% just his eyelashes being a little darker? I'll see if I can get a close up shot at an angle later today or tomorrow.
Bound By Night
2022-11-24 21:36:44 +0000 UTCI like the new mouth. But I do not like the new eyes. He looks like he is wearing eye-liner. I prefer my Alex without make-up.
Barbara Smell
2022-11-24 21:34:58 +0000 UTCThe eyes are especially striking, in a good way!
ZackB547
2022-11-24 20:22:01 +0000 UTCThe Revised version definitely has more detail and better use of shadow to highlight his features. Nice work!
Ray
2022-11-24 20:04:50 +0000 UTC
