I've been working, as usual, on the designs of my cats and I've finally come onto something that I feel represents the wild spirit yet also fused with some personality.  However, I want some opinions.  Do you like to see big cats in a more realistic manner in a graphic novel?  Does the cartoon cat style sometimes bother you?  Do you actually prefer it?

As simplified as it may look it was very difficult for me, to come up with a median.  I personally like BOTH styles but I feel that the story (semi serious, comparable with an anime) needs a helping of realism.  Yet if too realistic it does become boring.

Anyways here are three pictures that give you a clue on cartoony as well as some realism.  Or perhaps too much.

Again not sure.

I don't know about you, but I can't stand the cartoon cat style.  It bothers me beyond belief.

Oh, wait...

I believe I've mentioned it to you before, but I love your style of drawing.  I think you strike a wonderful balance between the realistic and the cartoony, both in your coloring and in your linework.  The two blend together seamlessly.  My attempts to do something similar always turn out too "clunky" and awkward.  I suppose it might have something to do with my being color blind, but I'm still jealous of your abilities.

Now, it's just a matter of production.  To be honest, no matter how "final" you feel your style might be, there will always be some changes along the way.  Be it conscious or not, change is inevitable.  And that's a good thing.

Keep it up!

John blames everything on being color blind! I'll be he has a stack of red light tickets that he's avoided...

Hey Jon, Saber.  

Jealous?  Oy.  I haven't even turned out one FULL page of anything yet and you're on your FOUR HUNDREDTH page!

Also I've started nitpicking again and the confidence I had from yesterday is gone

But you're right about the production thing.

I'm just banging my head on the desk trying to find out what I should do.

As for being color blind, I think your colors are great.  I was shocked you said you were actually.

I think your models above are absolutely fantastic. facial expressions and realism together. Purrrfect.

Quote :

Felidi wrote : As simplified as it may look it was very difficult for me, to come up with a median.  I personally like BOTH styles but I feel that the story (semi serious, comparable with an anime) needs a helping of realism.  Yet if too realistic it does become boring.

I agree wholeheartedly, overly simplified or overly cartoony style (alá Garfield or some other 'mainstream' comics) appears as dull and boring to me, but absolute photorealism isn't my thing either. It's a bit hard to explain what I mean exactly, but I prefer the minor unrealism of semi-realistic big cats in comics and cartoons, whether anthro/humanoid or not, as it obscures any 'flaws' they might have and thus makes them look nicer.

Quote :

Felidi wrote : However, I want some opinions.  Do you like to see big cats in a more realistic manner in a graphic novel?  Does the cartoon cat style sometimes bother you?  Do you actually prefer it?

Which brings me into the actual topic, I absolutely adore your style and the way you have portrayed big cats so far... don't really want you to change anything, but like John already commented, likely your drawing style will evolve over time nonetheless.  

Also, I love how you have a clouded leopard (Tundra) in your cast, cougars and clouded leopards are the big cats I like the most currently, followed closely by (king) cheetahs. (even if clouded leopards aren't all that 'big' )  

--Last edited by meckelbu on 2009-03-30 18:15:20 --