Absolutely badass.

Oh goddamn that is awesome. The details in his face just like-- /make/ this.

Oh man, this is neat. Loving the shading style you've used here.

*earperk* Avatar?
*click*

YAAAAAAAY, I'M SPESHUL! *flops*

Interesting Clothing, and agree'd, very Bad ass :)

That doesn't look like the best earthbending stance, to be honest

I didn't realize earth-bending was real and had actual partitioners like yourself. All this time I thought it was a fictional cartoon, which by definition, has no theologically proven facts. How dare I sketch this fictional ability however I want, simply because I can; The nerve of me!

Yes, the nerve of you!

I kid, however, and I didn't mean to offend. I just think the pose seems very subdued compared to how intensely physical earthbending is shown to be in the shows.

You didn't offend; I just found your statement closed minded, like you didn't think it through.

The show leaves a lot of room for interpretation: Even if it did show every single earth-bender being intense, who's to say there are some who aren't so intense, like they made their own sub-practice of the art form (which happens all the time with real-life martial arts). So far, you've expressed that you think there's only one method of doing a fictional ability; and for something thats make-believe , such thinking is unimaginative (even if it was a real ability).

Not that I think that there's only one way to do something, Toph's own style of earthbending is different from pretty much everyone else's, and the pro-bending versions of earthbending are surprisingly light on their feet until they actually have to move some earth. That being said, I personally simply don't think that this picture captures the physicality all forms of earthbending are shown to have, and the idea that someone might have come up with a less physical form of earthbending seems unlikely considering the things each show has said about earthbending's basics and the philosophy behind it.

Even Bumi and Toph, who have been known to earthbend with minimal movements always looked very solid when doing so, with a lot of weight behind even their smaller moves and they're the two greatest earthbenders we've seen so far. You can chalk it up to me being unimaginative (which is kind of harsh and based on very little in this conversation) and I can chalk it up to a lack of consistency with everything we've seen and heared about earthbending in either show. Just because something's made up doesn't mean consistency becomes irrelevant.

I will apologize for my original post, though, since it's not very constructive and kind of wishy-washy. I'll just say that I I like the art, but the pose could stand to be more solid to better convey that he is an earthbender, as opposed to, say, a telekinetic who's just levitating rocks. Benders use their entire body in the show, and it is not purely a mental exercise like I think it looks here.

I didn't mean to sound harsh, I'm sorry you took it as such.

You're free to perceive this piece, and the fictional ability it's based on, however you wish of course; whether I agree with it or not is irrelevant. Though I do both agree and disagree with your view. I'd agree if my intention was to follow the norm: but all i wanted was simply a good looking sketch that showed earth-bending...no thought as to exactly what type of earth-bending. I suppose I just made-up my own. For a sketch, remembering what earth-bending is, was all that I needed. The philosophies and what-not is irrelevant to me.

I'm not familiar with the new avatar, so am unsure on if they show anything new concerning the abilities. But I do stand by my idea of the shows abilities being open to exploration outside what's shown on screen. That's whats so fun about fictional works, we could reason whatever we want from it. As long as I'm able to make sense of it, I'm prone to have a very open mind to all possibilities (and I mean ALL); which isn't always a good thing. Because of that, having someone tell me an aspect of a fictional ability is wrong or right (mainly if they didn't create it themselves), appears "unimaginative" to me. So please know, I don't think you're approach is wrong, it's right for you, and that's just fine. Your personal approach is your own, my reasoning simply doesn't match yours.

I didn't mean that what you drew was wrong so much as not as easily recognizable as earthbending due to how different it looks from the way it looks in the shows.

I recommend you watch the new show, though. It's super excellent.

Not recognizable to you, which is fine: but to the client (and myself) it looks like the character is earth-bending, which is what matters. Just because you see it one way, doesn't mean another sees it the same way.

I hope you don't mind my curiosity: but why leave such a comment (your first one)? It's a sketch commission, so I can't go back over it, The client was happy, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it, and the piece was for someone else. If you understood what I mentioned in my first line, and you wanted to share just to share your personal view: why? Considering it doesn't matter in the long run concerning this piece. I'm generally curious, and always wanted to ask someone this; no offense intended whatsoever :)

I dunno. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I didn't really pay much attention to the whole commission part, and the corners of the internet I usually frequent are more conducive to little comments like that. Mostly it was intended as minor, hopefully constructive criticism, but like I mentioned before looking back, ehhhhhh, it's kind of jerky-looking so never mind.

Haha, whoops, I forgot to click reply. My bad.

For me, I don't see personal preference as constructive criticism: a light on a new path the piece could of taken, yes, but not something that could assist with the current path a piece is on. But its pointless for a sketch commission either way.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question:)

Oh, and in reply to your other comment: I decided not to watch the new avatar until its complete. I only saw the first avatar about a year ago, so I don't mind waiting.

Ah, okay. You'll have a lot less waiting to do this time at least, since it's significantly shorter. But man, it's so good. But don't listen to anyone who mentions anything about steampunk when they're talking about it. A 1920s aesthetic is not steampunk. People be crazy.

It is quite awesome to see you working in traditional mediums, haven't seen this kind of thing for awhile :)

(and sorry for the epic late reply, I'm several months behind on FA submissions... >_> )