Author Topic: Critique needed - Istock vector test (Read 5138 times)

archibald1221 · « **on:** April 12, 2013, 07:53 »

Hello.
I've been trying to pass Istock vector test for a long time. I have two images approved and i need one more. I had lots of rejections already and since last rejection i had to wait 1 year to be allowed to try to pass the test again. If this image will be rejected i guess i'll then have to wait 2 years so its probably my last chance. I'd be grateful for some critique.

vlad_the_imp · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2013, 09:09 »

If I had to bet I'd say this won't get you in. The fish looks like it's had a lot of work put into it but the man looks less convincing, his head and arms don't look like organic parts of his body, they're just stuck on, and his clothes have very little modelling. The pond doesn't 'sit' in the landscape in a convincing way either, and the 3 trees look like duplicates. It looks like you've put loads into the fish and the splash, then run out of enthusiasm for the rest of it. I reckon some more work is needed, not a disaster, just needs some more time.

archibald1221 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2013, 09:43 »

Thanks You for opinion. i'm also unhappy with pond placement, but so far i don't have ideas how to fix it. Those 3 trees indeed are duplicates, but i didn't know that it is considered disadvantage. I'll fix that.

vlad_the_imp · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2013, 10:04 »

Quote

but so far i don't have ideas how to fix it

You've got a sandy beach area around the pond, with green beyond it. In real life, the green area would be plants, grasses etc and they would be taller than the flat sandy beach, so the grasses and plants in front of the sand would stick up above it. Look at the foreground area in this illustration, where the foreground grasses are, something like that, with sandy beach area beyond it and the grasses sticking up in front of it.

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-3712753-landscape.php?st=f116536

I'm not a huge cartoon fan, but this guy does it very well. Take a look at how other people handle things, don't copy them, but just try and analyse why people get things looking right .

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2013, 13:40 »

Personally I like your illustration.

If all your illustrations have this level of quality and iStock don't want them… just don't make them the favor to upload to their site and propose your works on some other site

vlad_the_imp · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2013, 15:47 »

vlad_the_imp · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2013, 15:58 »

The guy is asking for constructive criticism.To be honest, just saying you like the image and therefore IS are rubbish for refusing previous ones, is not exactly helpful regarding his quest to become accepted.

archibald1221 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2013, 23:14 »

to Beppe Grillo: thanks for compliments. usually i don't do cartoons like this, mostly my designs are abstract backgrounds. most of my rejections in Istock test i got when i was newbie in both microstock and graphic design. i've tried to pass the test then with my very first and quite poor quality illustrations.
to vlad_the_imp: thanks again for the tips, very useful.

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2013, 01:27 »

Quote from: vlad_the_imp on April 12, 2013, 15:58

The guy is asking for constructive criticism.To be honest, just saying you like the image and therefore IS are rubbish for refusing previous ones, is not exactly helpful regarding his quest to become accepted.

Yes, sure you are absolutely right.

But I think that it is helpful to say him to try another place if with works of this quality (admitting they are all of this level of quality) "[he has] lots of rejections already and since last rejection [he has] to wait 1 year to be allowed to try to pass the test again"
It seems obvious that iStock don't like archibald1221's style.

Probably people as Picasso, Braque, Chagall or Leonardo Da Vinci will have not pass the iStock tests

My advice to archibald1221 is to not lose too much time with iStock and to try with another kind of agency, there are some more "Art and illustration oriented" like Fine Art America or Artflakes… (Alamy?)

Cheers!

archibald1221 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2013, 10:38 »

made some changes in my work. How do You think, maybe this looks better than previous?

P.S. Is there any quick way in Adobe Illustrator to check for open paths in the drawing? Is there any free plugin for it?

cthoman · « **Reply #10 on:** April 15, 2013, 11:57 »

Quote from: Beppe Grillo on April 13, 2013, 01:27

Probably people as Picasso, Braque, Chagall or Leonardo Da Vinci will have not pass the iStock tests

iStock's tests really aren't that overly demanding.

As far as the picture, I like the new version better, but it still has some of the compositional and perspective problems of the original. I'd take a sheet of paper and sketch out a few compositional thumbnails to see what works best.

Chico · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2013, 12:07 »

Quote from: archibald1221 on April 15, 2013, 10:38

made some changes in my work. How do You think, maybe this looks better than previous?

P.S. Is there any quick way in Adobe Illustrator to check for open paths in the drawing? Is there any free plugin for it?

First. I like image. Good chance to be approved.

Second. Let image rest for some days and then return to it, probably you will see things you could not see before. So, make improvements if relevant.

archibald1221 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 23, 2013, 07:23 »

I made some small corrections for second variation of illustration and finally passed the test. After 3 years of trying finally accepted as istock vector contributor

Thanks for Your advices. Especially thanks vlad_the_imp for good and constructive critique - it really helped.

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Author Topic: Critique needed - Istock vector test (Read 5138 times)

archibald1221

vlad_the_imp

archibald1221

vlad_the_imp

Beppe Grillo

vlad_the_imp

vlad_the_imp

archibald1221

Beppe Grillo

archibald1221

cthoman

Chico

archibald1221

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