WIP of my fursona

[Leeward]

I know a few of you have seen and watched my DA page already since the link is in my signature, but I felt like showing this piece off and asking for opinions. It's a WIP of what I hope to turn into my fursona. It's based on a sketch which I traced and coloured in Inkscape (i.e. vector graphics). The hair is a bit weird for now but I included it anyway to make the face look more complete. Any comments or criticisms please?

Link: http://leewardshore.deviantart.com/art/ ... -481083135

Pic:

[rusted hydra]

shift the line below the right eye or add a line there to show the cheek, kinda looks now like that eye is about to pop out. But don't show too much of the right cheek or it's gonna look bad

[Leeward]

Yeah I also thought that line of the face looked a little odd, and maybe the right nostril is also a bit too pronounced. That's what I like about vector graphics, you can edit the lines post-factum without really affecting anything else.

[Leeward]

I changed the right eye, the nose and nasal ridge, and the left ear. Better?

[Sev]

Maybe I'm not looking right, but other than the bridge, nothing seems to have changed.

[Leeward]

Open both images in new tabs and switch between them, you'll see the changes more clearly.

[Sev]

Oh yes, I see now.

I see that you are a regular garden variety cow now.

Why the change?

[rusted hydra]

Yes it does look better with the change

[Leeward]

It's still a Minotaur/Tauren-like anthro, the markings on the body are more distinctive than the face, and I haven't added any accessories yet either. Also how many cows with green eyes and reddish hair have you seen?

I realised half-way that you probably meant the species on my profile. That change is because the Minotaur is associated with the Greek legend and Taurens are associated with the Warcraft universe, neither of which my fursona is related to, so I thought rather make it a vanilla anthro cow and customise it from there, hence the ref sheet I'm working on.

[Faanvolla]

...how many cows with green eyes and reddish hair have you seen?

Can't see the eyes though.

[Leeward]

That's actually sort of what I was going for, just with shorter, redder hair and a different horn shape.

[Leeward]

I've worked on the body and I have an outline with basic markings, here it is. Please note the body and limbs are not shaded or detailed yet.

Link

[Raven Song]

thats pretty cool

what are you making it in?

[Leeward]

Thanks, it's made in Inkscape 0.48

[Raven Song]

okay cool I tried Inkscape but i got tired of trying to figure it so went back to SAI...

[Leeward]

I'm a huge fan of FOSS so I love learning to use tools like GIMP and Inkscape.
BTW I'm looking for super-harsh criticism on this, so please don't hesitate to rip it to shreds, I need to learn.

[rusted hydra]

Harsh criticism? There is no perspective. Shift the right shoulder backwards a tad bit and shrink the whole arm slightly

[Leeward]

I have been told/already know of the following so far:

Neck too long
Shoulders (upper torso) too narrow
Boobs' shape is weird
Tail too lion-ish
Thighs too thick
Knees too small
Hooves too far back on ground for balance
Perspective issues (thanks)

[Sev]

Lion tails are amazing.

Anyway, the other thing that bugs me is that the body seem to be too small relative to the head and neck. It's as though you slapped a cow head on a human female.

[Ryall]

How now brown cow?

Looking good Leeward. To add to that list though, I would recommend changing the calves slightly: they look like they're too short or something. It's an odd shape.

Call me a pervert but you should ditch the boobs and go for a nice big udder on the crotch.
j/k

[Leeward]

Cool, thanks for all that everyone.

Call me a pervert but you should ditch the boobs and go for a nice big udder on the crotch.
j/k

I know you're joking but I just want to comment that that was a deliberate choice, because of the way humans (and several other bipedal eutherian mammals) evolved mammaries in a thoracic position rather than an abdominal or inguinal position, and therefore I'd be somewhat more willing to give her four human-like breasts than an udder on the crotch, but neither going to happen.
I don't exactly want to end up with this thing:

[Sev]

But Black and White 2 was so amazing.

[Leeward]

Oh yes the game is great, but I don't want that obese buffoon for a fursona.

[rusted hydra]

Also an udder is basically one boob with 4 nipples.
One boob is just... so... fucking boring

[Ryall]

Not if it's one SUPER boob! xD

Yeesh is that what the cow normally looked like though? What did the fat version of the cow look like then? I chose the wolf btw, and I was a benevolent god.

At least in BW2 that is. In BW1 I sacrificed children to the --... Well, me. In both games I had a good wolf though.

[Leeward]

Okay well I've been editing the body's outline and I have a new version ready.
I've attended to most of the issues that were mentioned, except the boobies.
Still no textures, details or shading, just full-illumination colours.
Harsh criticism round 2, are you ready? Go!
Link here, pic here:

[Sev]

I would say that that is a massive improvement.

[Ryall]

Agreed, huge improvement. Good job Leeward.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

It has salad fingers!

[Leeward]

It has salad fingers!

*Looks at salad fingers... Then minotaur concept art...*
*Looks at Rakuen funny.*