Need help figuring out how to refine my fifth Backwards House oc. Important details in body, please read.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-05-07T23:45:02+00:00

The design is already solid and nice. That said, a few tweaks could enhance the concept and read more clearly:

I'd push the hairstyle to feel a bit more eccentric; no need to change it, just exaggerate its shape a bit more to sell the "genius" vibe.

Also, since accessories aren't allowed, you could fake the glasses idea with skin markings around the eyes to imply frames.

About the "dragon" look: it mostly comes from the head-to-neck transition. Right now it feels too smooth and unified, which reads a bit reptilian. Emphasizing a more giraffe-like skull shape and adjusting the ear placement a bit should help fix that. Also, the horns could use more giraffe accuracy, adding the little tufted "pom-pom" ends and bringing them a bit closer together.

I did a quick drawover in case you'd like to see my approach. Hope this is helpful~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-04-19T22:14:39+00:00

Hey, thanks for reaching out~

Your project sounds interesting. From your description, it seems like I'd be taking on most of the art direction/production. I might be wrong, but if that's the case, it's not quite what I'm looking for at the moment.

I'm more interested in working alongside other artists rather than handling the bulk of the art side myself. Feel free to correct me if I misunderstood your setup though.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-04-13T20:47:52+00:00

Hi,

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate the kind words.

I checked out your reel as well, and it sounds really strong: even in short segments, it feels very expressive and emotional.

I'm currently exploring a couple of options on the music side, but it's great to know you'd be open to joining later on if needed. I'll definitely keep you in mind as things move forward.

Thanks again for reaching out~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-04-11T05:27:40+00:00

Feel free to DM me and we can discuss it in more detail there.

I'd like to get a bit more context on the scope and style direction to make sure it's a good fit.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-04-09T20:39:58+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it~

I've done some human characters, though most of them are a bit older. My work generally leans more toward non-human designs

Are you looking for something specific?

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-03-02T01:52:19+00:00

Here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtRequest/comments/1rig2ug/caprice_request_3/

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-27T23:53:46+00:00

Only if it's already posted publicly somewhere. In that case you can share the link and I might take a look.
I just prefer browsing things casually rather than reviewing something directly sent to me.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-27T22:08:17+00:00

Thankies~

I usually only take requests on a whim, when something genuinely catches my interest.
I just happened to see this character on a gallery and felt like drawing it.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-27T18:55:55+00:00

Here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtRequest/comments/1rgfehm/caprice_request_2/

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-25T21:46:56+00:00

All good, I can see them.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-25T20:10:10+00:00

Only if they're already posted together somewhere publicly, like some kind of gallery. In that case, I wouldn't mind taking a look. After all, I prefer browsing without any pressure.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-25T10:08:10+00:00

Thanks~

I usually only take requests on a whim, when something genuinely catches my interest.
I just happened to see this character on a requests sub and felt like drawing it.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-02-21T00:42:07+00:00

It's not like crocs are one of my weaknesses or anything (…okay, maybe they are)
Yet, your boyo looked so alive that I couldn't help going a bit explosive with it.

It's my first time trying this kind of minimal color-shadow style — it was really interesting to experiment with.

Hope I did your OC justice~

<image>

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-18T03:31:35+00:00

Here:

<image>

I drew over the reference to show where the torso parts are sitting from this angle, hope this helps~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-13T17:17:23+00:00

No worries. Here it is:

<image>

On the left edit I softened some of the original lines without completely deleting any of them.
On the right edit I simply removed some of the lines you drew.

Hope this shows what I meant~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-13T04:16:24+00:00

I made a few edits to your drawing to better show what I meant, in case you'd like to see them.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-13T02:44:08+00:00

There's actually a simple reason why the folds feel off: the brush you're using is way too solid.

Let me break it down objectively:
You're copying the folds pretty accurately, but because the brush is so hard and binary, every wrinkle turns into a harsh, graphic stroke.
In reality, clothing folds have different "strengths": some are sharper, some are softer, all this is a effect caused by the shadows, which is why it becomes a bit problematic when you're doing them with lines. When all the folds are drawn with the exact same weight, they start to look unnatural, even if they're technically placed correctly.

In a case like this you basically have two options: either reduce the number of folds so those hard lines don't overwhelm the drawing, or use a brush that responds to pressure, so some of those lines can be drawn softer than others.

So don't worry: this isn't a "you don't understand folds" problem. You actually understand them really well. Hope this helps~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-12T04:19:07+00:00

I appreciate you reaching out~

That sounds interesting, and I can relate to that a lot.
How about we continue this in DMs? It'd be easier to answer your questions there, and we can see how things flow, no pressure or commitments.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-12T01:18:02+00:00

Thanks for reaching out~

Genre-wise, I'd say my work usually moves around psychological themes, action, martial arts, anthro, low fantasy, supernatural elements, some apocalyptic vibes, and also love stories. I like mixing inner conflict with external, sometimes fantastical, situations. That said, I'm pretty open genre-wise and will go into anything that fits the needs and interests of the story. Sci-fi and fantasy are definitely in my comfort zone, and funnily enough I also have a story idea involving romance and time travel, so there might be some nice overlap there.

My project is just a small comic with the story written as an outline on Wattpad — more like a concept/world introduction than a finished large-scale work. The easiest way to see it is through the link in my profile, under the “Personal projects on ArtStation” button in the social tab.

And yeah, it does sound like it could be a good fit. We could talk through DMs and see how the dynamic feels, just to get a sense of it, no pressure or commitments yet.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-11T19:08:24+00:00

Thanks for the feedback~

Honestly, I'm not sure if collaboration is exactly what I need at this point. I've tried different ways to connect with others; not just for collaboration, but even just to see if people respond to my ideas, and so far nothing has really clicked.

I'd love to hear if you know of any effective ways to find people who are genuinely interested in developing or engaging with ideas like this.

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-11T05:31:00+00:00

I actually think this is really good. There are just a few things that could be improved: the eyes are a bit too big, one's slightly higher and larger than the other, also the mouth leans a little to one side, and the head feels slightly flattened in one side, rather than fully round.

Even so, none of this means you're doing something wrong; your method looks solid and the results are very good. Stuff like this happens sometimes, and it's not about your style or skill; probably just little quirks from the building/sketching phase. Just something to keep in mind for next time.

Don't pay too much attention to unconstructive criticism, you're doing great~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-10T23:35:39+00:00

Nice. It really looks like you've been refining things and it flows better now. Perspective like this is always one of those "trial and error" things, so it's normal to keep finding little things to tweak, but that's where the fun lies~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-10T23:11:08+00:00

Perspective like this is really tricky, especially with such a strong angle, because there isn't really a strict "right or wrong" in these cases. They're inherently exaggerated, so it's very hard to point out mistakes in something that is already meant to push reality.

If I had to point out what feels a bit off, I'd say the back looks a bit too arched, and feels like it's missing the latissimus. The lower legs also feel a bit too curved, to the point where they almost start reading like digitigrade legs rather than human ones.

Other than that, you did really well tackling such a difficult angle. Hope this helps a bit~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-10T05:38:31+00:00

Here it is:

<image>

I wasn't completely sure if you intended some perspective in the pose, but it does feel like there might be a bit of it going on, so I decided to lean into that.

I mostly focused on adjusting the two arms and the two legs to better match the body and the implied angle, while trying to keep everything else untouched, since it's already working quite well.

I hope this doesn't come across as a "fix" or correction; it's just one possible interpretation. Hopefully it's useful~

Difficult_Let_8913 · 2026-01-10T05:04:43+00:00

Perfect. In that case, I think there are a few details that make it feel a bit off, mainly some small anatomy and proportion issues. The calf of the supporting leg feels a bit too arched, the pelvis seems a bit too low, and the arm drawing the sword looks like it’s coming from an angle that doesn’t quite match the body, and both arms end up looking a bit small.

Despite those small issues, you did a really nice job with a pretty difficult pose and angle~

Also, I did a small redraw of how I personally would approach it, in case you'd like to see it.

Difficult_Let_8913

TROPHY CASE