r/heroes3 • u/Daniil_Z • Feb 08 '25
Question (UPDATE) Posted before as looking to get Azure Dragon tattoo and want to see if it's recognisable, design has been updated, let me know honest thoughts? (I want it in this style)
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u/tLxVGt Feb 08 '25
I agree with others, it’s the “Azure” that defines him, not the “Dragon”. Without colour it looks just like a generic dragon tattoo.
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u/Figorix Feb 08 '25
These guys are so rare I don't even remember what they look like, let alone recognize a tattoo of them.
Like, if it's not basically 1:1 graphic, I don't think anyone would make connection to Homm3 without a context
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u/Leaf282Box Feb 08 '25
How many month ago was this😭 But yeah thats definitely a huge improvement
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u/Daniil_Z Feb 08 '25
Two months ago yeah, want to have it brushed up to perfection or close enough before getting it done.
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u/Adam_Ohh Feb 08 '25
If you’re still looking for the same reaction of “oh, cool azure dragon tattoo”, you’re gonna be bummed.
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u/Daniil_Z Feb 08 '25
I don’t want people to say that,
I want honest advice/how it may need to improve for next steps etc from people who play the game/know the creature in reference.
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u/rockady Feb 09 '25
The design is definitely more similar, and the little touches oberonjr suggested in his comment seem like good ideas especially the wings being somewhat lower, but i think you nailed the paw quite well already.
Is there any way you could have the wings less skeletal and...perhaps mix in a little blue in the ink, or go full blue and plan on having it redone once every couple of years to keep the color fresh?
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u/Then-Mulberry-1557 Feb 08 '25
The Wing is way too high imo. I can’t imagine the second wing being anywhere symmetrical like this
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u/Gungalunga01 Feb 09 '25
Face is way better now, and since you want it un this style I think its face is as good as it's going to get.
I'd adjust the claw to look more like the Azure Dragon's, and I feel like an important detail is its neck by the throat. I believe the "inward spikes" on its throat makes it look way more like a bone dragon, and doesn't compliment the spikes on the back of its neck.
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u/LegalStuffThrowage Feb 08 '25
This looks like a Dragon skeleton. The only thing Azure-esque is the face.
The wing spikes are facing the wrong way (should be more horizontal, you've got them vertical), there's nothing to imply there is meat on that neck or flesh on those wings, and the wings themselves have completely the wrong bone structure. They should be one large bone coming up from the back with 3 thinner bones perpendicular to it, the two 2 of those connecting at the end point of the larger bone.
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u/Twemling Feb 08 '25
if i were you, i would trace the silhouette of the pose you like best (i'm guessing the default standing pose) and then emphasize or embellish the details that you want to stand out, maybe using line weight. whatever process you're currently using loses too much of the original DNA in the process imo.
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u/RuzovyKnedlik Feb 09 '25
the dragon's snout should be more beak-like I feel. And the bottom of the neck should be smooth... the claws on the foot much longer (Azure dragon has MASSIVE claws compared to the other dragons), also the wing has huge claws too, pointing towards the dragon's head, not outwards like in your design. And making it blue would also fix a lot
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u/OberonJr Feb 08 '25
The spikes on the head and the neck are not accurate since in your design they’re equal size, and in the sprites they’re not. Also, the wings are more skeleton-y.
Overall imo I think this style just doesn’t lend itself very well to this unit because I don’t think this dragon’s silhouette is that unique. If you take the colour out of the Azure dragon, you’re really just left with a stereotypical dragon. If you still want to tweak the design to be even closer to the actual sprite, lower the neck spikes, curve down the wings, and give the hands the awkward pose that dragons and griffins have in HoMM3, and I think you should be golden
However, it doesn’t have to be a very accurate representation. It’s your tattoo, and you can do whatever the hell you want with it. If you like this design and think it’s close enough, go for it.