Chow 117 :: VOTING :: Smaug

[daestwen]

FINALS ONLY
-=ROUND 117=-
-=SMAUG=-

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http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii293/chowarchive/CHOW-LINES/CHOW-LINES-MEDUSA.jpg
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DESCRIPTION

“Smaug should not be "the Dragon in the Hobbit movie" as if it was just "another" creature in a Bestiary. Smaug should be "The DRAGON" for all movies past and present. The shadow he cast and the greed he comes to embody- the "need to own" casts its long shadow and creates a thematic / dramatic continuity of sorts that articulates the story throughout-

"In that respect, Smaug the CHARACTER is as important, if not more important, than the design. The character will emerge form the writing- and in that the Magnificent arrogance, intelligence, sophistication and greed of Smaug shine through- One of the main mistakes with talking dragons is to shape the mouth like a snub Simian one in order to achieve a dubious lip-synch. .. A point which eluded me particularly in Eragon, since their link is a psychic one.

"To me, Smaug is the perfect example of a great creature defined by its look and design, yes, but also, very importantly, by his movement and -One little hint- its environment - Think about it... the way he is scaled, moves and is lit, limited or enhanced by his location, weather conditions, light conditions, time of the year, etc. That's all I can say without spoilers but, if you keep this curious little summary you'll realize several years form now that those things I had in my mind ever since doodling the character as a kid had solidified waaay before starting the shoot of the film ...”
-- Guillermo del Toro on Smaug.



IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 45 ENTRIES - NOT ALL ENTRIES WILL MAKE IT TO POLL
A MAXIMUM OF 45 ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED IN THREE CATEGORIES:
CATEGORY 1 - Beginner's category
CATEGORY 2 - Intermediate's category
CATEGORY 3 - Advanced's category

ACCEPTANCE TO POLL WILL BE BASED ON THREE CRITERIA:
1: DID THE ARTIST FOLLOW THE BRIEF? (allowance for creative takes will be made).
2: IS THE PIECE ARTISTICALLY SOUND? (Is the illustration "finished?" - did the artist pay attention to anatomy, perspective, other fundamentals?).
3: IS THIS ILLUSTRATION THE BEST ONE? (reserved for rounds with a large amount of entries).

Depending on round turn out, the number of accepted entries in a given Category may vary from round to round. For example, if only 5 Advanced entries are made, that leaves EXTRA 10 slots open for Intermediate and Beginner.

Only Advanced Entries will be accepted for the the thumbs on the Queens Roster. If no Advanced entries are available for a round, then it will fall to the Intermediates. If no Intermediate are available, then it shall fall to the Beginners.

For further information on how this works, please see this post (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1630823#post1630823). (Still being updated at this time).
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SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRY:
1: You must submit ONE full sized image.
2: Make sure your name and CHOW # are EASILY READABLE on your entry.
3: Use the Standard format (Below);

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/ChowPics/frame.jpg
:right: PLACE THE IMAGE IN A FRAME WITH YOUR NAME/TOPIC
:right: SAVE YOUR FILE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
Chow##_Nickname
example: "CHOW#100_Oregano.jpg"

THE REST IS EASY:
1: No comments before poll is set.
2: Sit back and enjoy the show.
3: Good luck to all.

[Saturns Gate]

Phew done it! :)

This is how I see Smaug, I wanted his to look unbelievably powerful but at the same time sure of himself. Hence why there is no dramatic roar to his expression, just a somber look with a slight hint of a sure of himself smile. Gandalf taking him on? Please...

[razorbjc]

first of many more chows...
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk27/razorbjc/CHOW117_razorbjc.jpg

[ManaBurn]

I tried to go with a less typical dragon look. Reminds me alot of a wyrm though.

[tsujni]

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/tsujni/chow117_tsujni-1.jpg

[artiphats]

ok so we know Smaug is a hoarder, and I wanted him to convey both greed and evil in his expression and in the general shot. here's what I ended up with

http://www.raysartonline.com/conceptart/chow117_artiphats.jpg

[Schade]

wanted to convey a slightly human form rather than the typical style dragon with this one
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1492/smaugsm1.jpg

[JIVA*SOUL]

I watched The Hobbit cartoon for the first time in 3rd grade, and that was the first movie [after the Empire Strikes Back] ever to have a huge impact on me.
The characters and imagery were captivating...the music was enchanting...if anything, I hope Del Toro does justice to the music...

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/jivasoul/chow117_jivasoul.jpg

[HFix]

had alot of fun with this :bounce:


http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/HFix/CHOW117_HFIX-1.jpg

[Hybrid_75]

Should do more but I need to move on, learnt alot.

[Mark Tarrisse]

Here's mine
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/markus_the_barbarian/CHOW117_Markusthebarbarian.jpg

[Pixeltuner]

Well I'm done as well. I'm kinda satisfied, but these challenges are always very good at unveiling weaknesses, limitations and errors in methods of approach so most of all I learned a lot. :)

[Lege1]

Don't call it a come back =]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/legend0187/SmaugDrago_CHOW_071208_wip005_fini_.jpg

[Wasker]

one,two,three,four,five characters long

[Quinn Simoes]

Here's my version of Smaug. Good luck everyone!

Quinn

[Deon]

"I am armoured above and below with iron scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me."

[Studio Colrouphobia]

Here is mine, went with the less realistic to emphasize character...

[aoleon]

Asleep with one eye open...

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2617/chow117smaugsheraox2.jpg

[Gorgoleon]

Phew done and done. Started working on this a bit too late as usual, namely today. Done with acrylics.
Oh and sorry about the graininess, need to get a better camera :(

[Chate Noire]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/chatenoire/CHOW117_Chate_Noire.jpg

[grenogs]

a little rushed at the end, but i had to finish it.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x279/grenogs/smaug2-2.jpg

[VulgarDragon]

Aw, I'm tired so I am calling it done. And, no I did not delete Mr. Baggins...he is there, but he is invisible.

Time for a beer!:vodkamachine:

[mrbo18]

Nice works all around. Here's my final. I feel I missed the brief a bit on this one, but thought I'd post it anyway.

[Lenorekitty]

I'm gunna squeeze in :bashful: ...went for more of a "study" feel....

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff270/Brynnart514/smaugpost.jpg

[louis cypher]

Here is my contribution.

[jhgoforth]

Based my version of Smaug around an exaggerated envisioning of an Indian Ghavial mixed with a feathered serpent vibe from Quetzacoatl (eep, spell?) Still pushing my digital skills, this exercise is definitely good for that.

good luck all.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j241/joe_iguana/chow117_jhgoforth.jpg

[Jska]

Here's my entry, hope its not too late!


412576

:)

[benu]

Another late entry....
412621

[Einen]

:perv:

412780

[Spooky Roller Disco!]

gah didnt have enough time; girlfriends and village fetes are time consuming.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/mogri1901/chow117_spookyrollerdisco.jpg

[S.C. Watson]

Matt Dixon

[S.C. Watson]

... and mine.

413131

NO MORE ENTRIES PAST THIS MARK. POLL WILL BE POSTED SOON.

[S.C. Watson]

POLL is up!

Spooky Roller Disco! We didn't take yours because the image only looks half completed.

Good luck!

[Izi]

voted for Jska - I read Tolkien about 14 times as a kid

I think it really caught the right expression. smaug is cruel and greedy, like that...Oregano - close but, the neck plates seem a little fake...

[Jska]

thanks for the vote Naomi and others! :) I voted for Einen and Oregano - both integrated something I wanted to mess with on my design but didn't end up doing - the idea of a more segmented body, like a worm (wyrm) ...

Overall good job peoples! I'll have some C & C when I get a few moments :)

[Studio Colrouphobia]

Voted Oregano, the only one that In my opinion, really read as a character.
It got some issues (the eyes mainly...difficult to figure where they really are) but on the whole it just shows character, as opposed to being "just a dragon".

Matt Dixon close 2nd, but whilst it is a great render, I wish we could've gotten some more dixon face, it would have given a bit more character and pass Oregano's entry.

Others I like are:

Einen, Hybrid_75 and MarkusTheBarbarian.
These are excellent ones, they just look like they would win a COW rather then be in the CHOW..

ChateNoir- Your's is probably the closest as far as Character goes, but it read more "lazy-bum" then "evil" hence not reaching Oregano nor Dixon.


Good job everyone, difficult weekly this time, finding character in a Dragon is difficult without resorting to the less realistic render. I find that people really did a good job trying!

[Chate Noire]

Voted for Einen for beautiful rendering and a really evil-looking Smaug, and LenoreKitty for the personality that comes across wonderfully and for the awesome pencil work.

[Aly Fell]

Voted for Matt Dixon, Oregano, Louis Cypher, Shera 3000, and LenoreKitty.

I love Matt’s simple composition and colour choices in the lighting. Oregano has produced an image with great character. Louis Cypher’s, has tight rendering and expression (not sure about all that green though). I like Shera3000 for the woodcut feel, and LenoreKitty’s for the old school illustrative quality. Nice round!

[Deon]

Hi all - I voted for Einen and Oregano because they show a lot of character and the renderings are true to the book. (Oregano, the claw damage to his chest is an excellent explanation for the bare patch!)
Louis Cypher, I really like yours also, but I think he looks more confused than evil :) but I love the artwork!
I had a lot of fun doing this an learned a hell of a lot - thanks guys, I will be back.

[jread]

Oregano - your Dragon is Smaug...what a smug b@stard! perfect expression ;)

[Pixeltuner]

Voted for Lenorekitty and Chate Noire: The first because of it's original look and awesome linework, and the second because it oozes character. That's a dandy dragon if I've ever seen one :)

[Cryoxzonomony]

oh crap started drawing own chow too late, whateever

wut were u able to vote multiple pics? o well i like Saturn's, Hybrid's, Pixel's and Quinn's

[artina]

Sorry this is late. Anyway, I'm gonna post this just to share. I worked on this over the weekend and I finished it last night. Here it is.

[MJ_Alcazar]

I voted for Deon. I loved the character that came out in his drawing, he trully looks like he thinks he's indestructable. I also love the design it stuck well with tolkiens original drawings, which I found was really hard to do and get the personality across. Great Job!
There were also several others that nearly got my vote. Good job everyone!

[Lenorekitty]

Voted for Einen - amazing character and I love that neck! really feels like a wyrm and I'm loving your rich color palette
Oregano - I love the body language and the armor is incredible. I can hear his voice thanx fto your quote... This is Smaug!
MCross - your pen work is awesome...looks like it took you forever. It also reminds me of some of the older illustrations for fantasy. its really great
Deon epic, that belly is gorgeous and his posture is wonderful! your Smaug is truly grand!

this was a great round! Everyone did a lot of great work! Good job to everyone!

[humboldt squid]

voted for:
Schade - crazy atmosphere that reminds me of zdzislaw beksinski (http://www.gnosis.art.pl/iluminatornia/sztuka_o_inspiracji/zdzislaw_beksinski/zdzislaw_beksinski.htm)'s paintings

Deon - design is great and really conveyed the arrogance of the charecter

Matt Dixon - extremely "Tolkienesque"

[S.C. Watson]

Some quick thoughts and observations for this round:

Saturns Gate
Color/line/details: Color seems a little off - but perhaps that's my screen. Intead of being red/gold, your dragon looks more green/gold to me. The wings seem a little shredded to be able to carry his weight.
Composition: I like it - very dynamic. Though a little heavy on the pony guts :P
Character: you definitely get a sense that this is one bad dragon, but not which one. there's nothing here, other than perhaps Gandalf and the ponies, to tell me who this is.
Overall idea: Overall, I like it - some of the details are a little soft where I think they should be sharper, or a little sharp where they didn't need to be.

Einen
Color/line/details: very well done
Composition: I like the composition
Character: Not really sure that the character carried through all the way. The eye is good, but it seems to be lacking in the rest of the face.
Overall idea: I love that you went with a "Wyrm" approach. Well done.

Hybrid_75
Color/line/details:I am in love with the detailing you did. You have a little trouble around the juncture of the neck to the rest of the body, but over all, nice handling of a unique design. Coloring is good, though a little flat in areas.
Composition: Oddly, I think the one area that works against you the most is the length of the next - that loop it creates is distracting and really serves no purpose in your overall composition - I'd really suggest reworking that some.
Character: It's a good dragon - but to me, the character falls short. There is essentially no expression in the face, or body language to convey much of anything. As I said, it's a good dragon, but I don't think it's Smaug.
Overall idea: Overall, I think it's a good picture. With a little bit of refinement, I think you've got yourself a good portfolio piece.

ManaBurn
Color/line/details: This image, for the most part, cuts a good line - see composition below for more on that. Colors are a bit too saturated for my tastes, especially on the dragon himself. Details are good, though the graphic lines you have are in conflict with them - they create an unnecessary distraction that works against your piece. You've also got some areas that are obviously unfinished - especially around the lower body and feet. I suspect that you were attempting to show speed, but it didn't quite work out like that.
Composition: The composition is *very* dynamic, and I like that. If you lost the those graphic lines, I think it would be stronger and more commanding.
Character: Again, another good dragon, but not really Smaug in my opinion.
Overall idea: Overall, I think with some work, it could be much stronger.

Pixeltuner
Color/line/details: the color is a little dark for me, but seems to work. Nice details on the gem encrusted chest. I think the basic body shape needs a little work to read better, but not bad.
Composition: I can't quite tell what he's doing - it almost looks like he's sitting on his tail like a bar stool, which I imagine would be rather uncomfortable.
Character: Good character expression in this one. There's something that you did that I don't think you intended to - the wing directly behind his head on our right looks almost like a cigar butt :P which would ad some fun character and potentially an interesting spin on Smaug.
Overall idea: The idea of the bar stool tail really bothers me, but the rest of the character I like.

Quinn Simoes
Color/line/details: this is a really well rendered piece.
Composition: Composition works well - would work very well as a book cover, which I think you had in mind.
Character: Really good character expression! However, he looks more like a winged goblin with that overly long snout than a dragon to me.
Overall idea: He's definitely got some character, which I like.

Deon
Color/line/details: your biggest issue here is that your colors too saturated. Some minor anatomy problems with the lower arm.
Composition: good composition
Character: I think you got very close on this one - while you don't show much in terms of facial expression, I think there's enough there to cue the viewer as to who they are looking at if they are familiar with Tolkien.
Overall idea: I like it

mrbo18
Color/line/details: The first thing that jumps out at me is what just occurred to me where the wings - I thought they were plumes of smoke. I'd spend some time tightening those up.
Composition: Actually, I think the on the whole the composition works well. The wings work well to bullseye the dragon head and draw you into the picture. The other point that I'd like to make is think about cropping your picture some. You've got a lot of empty space there that's really not doing you any favors, and does nothing for the story you're telling. If it's a vital image, bring it in. Composing a good picture is like composing a good story - you're in control, so put the elements where you want them and where they carry the impact.
Character: A good dragon idea, but not enough to identify him as Smaug.
Overall idea: The over all idea is good - I think you need to just spend some time focusing your idea and not rush through you piece as much (we're all guilty of this from time to time.

Chate Noire
Color/line/details: Very well done! I love the little bit of translucency through his spinal plates!
Composition: Nice and simple.
Character: I love the expression - it's great.
Overall idea: Very well done - I love the simplicity of it, though I think Smaug's bed of gold would have been much, much, much larger :P

HFix
Color/line/details: I love the mood of the piece - I think you really did well with that, though I'm not sure how it would rain in the Dwarven hall there - but with as much damage as Smaug probably did, I suppose it's possible!
Composition: I actually really like it - it reminds me more of the classic illustrative style.
Character: Again, good dragon, but I'm not sure he's Smaug...
Overall idea: Over all I really, really do like - there's something about the softness of the piece that I find really captivating.

Markusthebarbarian
Color/line/details: Very cool. I really like the use of illustrative elements.
Composition: Cool as well - the idea of him coming through the door/window is nice - another image I can see being used as book cover.
Character: Really cool dragon - I mean that, I really like him, but he's not Smaug - who was a big red/gold brute.
Overall idea: Nicely executed and beautifully illustrated. I'd suggest doing a little more research next time we've got a literary character though :)

Studio Colrouphobia
Color/line/details: The biggest issue that I'm seeing here is the image is getting some of the "digital softness" - I'm not sure how else to explain it - specifically in areas that really could do with some hard edges - the gems/gold and such on his belly.
Composition: Over all not bad - nothing that I can see right off that detracts.
Character: Very fun take on Smaug - definately went with the "Wyrm" version, though I think Smaug did have forelimbs. I love the expression - this would do well for a children's book, I think.
Overall idea: Overall, I like it. I think it could have been beefed up a little with a slightly more dynamic pose - either in angle of scene or character, but not bad.

Jska
Color/line/details: Colors seem a little a little over saturated, but in this case I think they work well.
Composition: The neck arc is a bit distracting. I keep envisioning these as book covers and it goes right up to where the text would be. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but what it does do in this case is launch your eyes right off the canvas, which is a bad thing.
Character: GREAT expression. Mean, nasty, self centered and cruel.
Overall idea: Good job :)

razorbjc
Color/line/details: One of the many things that bothers me about this is how little time you put into the treasure - it's perfectly acceptable to suggest something, but where you suggest, you want to be clear and thorough - yours isn't. A little more time spent on that would have gone a long way. You don't need to insane with the details, but don't just throw them down like you don't care either.
Composition: Composition isn't bad, though I think it could have been tightened - especially on the left side.
Character: While yours has a lot of character, he's not Smaug, much less a dragon - I almost didn't take yours to poll because of that. And to be honest, if I were an Art Director, I would have rejected this right off because of how far off brief you were.
Overall idea: Over all, it's an interesting concept, but again, it's not Smaug. Be sure to stick closer to the brief next time.

[S.C. Watson]

Matt Dixon
Color/line/details: I love the colors. it was mentioned that the tail was a little confusing by someone, and I'd have to agree - with the pile of gold there, it just doesn't quite read right.
Composition: Sweet.
Character: Matt, I love your characters. This one is no exception - the only thing I would have liked to have seen would be the bare patch on his left breast, but that's only a minor caveat. The expression is just spot on. Love the sparks from his nostrils :P
Overall idea: With the exception of the tale, beautifully done.

Oregano
Color/line/details: Crap.
Composition: Crap.
Character: Crap.
Overall idea: Crap.
:ore:

Lege1
Color/line/details: Color is a little washed out for me. I think we could have gone with some richer shadows and color here and there. You've also some anatomy issues with the hands and legs - I'd watch that.
Faces, hands and boobs are where people spend the most time looking at image of a character, so it's important to get these right - doubly so because two of the three are directly used in communication. Well, okay, sometimes *all* three, but you know what I mean. Feet are important for the same reason that hands are - if your feet are weak, and your hands are done well, it will just look sloppy.
Composition: I like the idea of the ruins in the background, but as Greg Manchess (http://www.manchess.com/) told me in Seattle, if it doesn't have a valid reason for being there, don't put it in. Right now, they're just a visual distraction that pulls you out of the picture.
Character: Good dragon, but not Smaug. Also, it looks like you ended up with a snubbed nosed dragon, which we were trying to avoid for the round. I do like his pose though.
Overall idea: Over all, i think it's good - refine it some and I think you could have a really cool picture!

Gorgoleon
Color/line/details: I know this was a photo of a painting you did, so I'll not comment on the graininess other than to say that's too bad.
Composition: I like the up close and personal nature of the piece - brings you right into Smaug's view. You seem to be missing some hind legs, however.
Character: There's definitely something more than just "dragon" here, which I like - it's subtle, which is even better. I could certainly see this working as Smaug for people who are familiar with The Hobbit.
Overall idea: I think the most impressive aspect of this for me was that you cranked this out in acrylics, so Huzzah for you - seriously. If you finish it off, be sure to get a good shot of it and let me know - I'd love to see the final!

MCross
Color/line/details: Props for the line work!
Composition: Composition is pretty good - there's nothing that I can see that I would immediately change or that causes problems.
Character: I like your rendition, though to be honest I think you watched The Hobbit cartoon a few too many times, as this guy smacks of that Smaug. That aside, well done - good expression.
Overall idea: I love line work, and you've done a good job here.

benu
Color/line/details: This is another piece that I think is well handled in terms of soft coloring. It really has a watercolor feel to it, and reminds me very much of some of Tolkien's work.
Composition: Right side is not doing you any favors as it's empty space that says nothing. I'd like to see the image extended down to show more of Bilbo.
Character: Good job - you've included enough cues here for this to be comfortably Smaug, though I think the eye needs to be looking at Bilbo, not us :)
Overall idea: I really like this piece - the soft water color feel really sells it for me.

louis cypher
Color/line/details: I really, really like how you handled your distance fades. And your color choices are good as well - though the gold reads a little more green than gold.
Composition: It took me a few minutes of hard looking to figure out what what bothering me about your composition, which on the surface seems to be good. However, your stalagmites need to be pointing IN, not OUT. Right now their placement launches your eye right out of the scene. Not good.
Character: Great expression - I love the face - and the fact that he's not looking at Bilbo.
Overall idea: Well done. Needs some adjustment, but overall, good job.

artiphats
Color/line/details: If you're going to illustrate the coins in the piles of gold, I'd go for more of an oval brush than a round one.
Composition: I like how you have him and the gold spilling out of the frame. Nice touch.
Character: Nice focus on the greed there - that certainly comes across powerfully.
Overall idea: I think you did well with this.

jhgoforth
Color/line/details: I'd suggest trying to vary with the width of your line some. For example, keep a heavier line along the outside edges of your drawing, and user a thinner one inside.
Composition: be careful overlapping elements of your illustration - the snout overlapping the wing is a little confusing and I had to look twice before i was clear on what was going on.
Character:This would work well as a bestiary illustration, I think. It looks like you used a either a crocodile or alligator (not too sure which off hand, but the snout certainly looks familiar) as your reference - not a bad thing. But I'd suggest being a little more daring and take a few more liberties the next time :)
Overall idea: I like the feel of the image - it certainly reminds me of something that I'd expect to see in an old style bestiary, and I like that.

JIVA*SOUL
Color/line/details: Tight.
Composition: Well done, though I'm not sure if the focus is supposed to be the chest, or the face.
Character: I think this works well as Smaug - it really evokes some of Tolkien's illustration nicely.
Overall idea: I love the line work and your color pallet. The composition is a little confusing for noted reasons, but aside from that, I think it's good. I could see this easily as a color plate.

Wasker
Color/line/details: I love your color choices for this one.
Composition: I actually think it would have worked better with the right side and bottom cropped closer in.
Character: This is an unusual take on Smaug, but I think I like it. He a little too "bat-ish" for me, especially in the snout area. I don't think he's easily identifiable as Smaug though.
Overall idea: The style that you worked in can be really powerful, and in this case does work well with the image - I love the balance of the red/blue and all the rest.

tsujni
Color/line/details: I think the piece was stronger before you added color
Composition: Right now, you need to focus the illustration so you can actually see what you're presenting. What you've done is create a visual mess that *really* has to be looked at before you can identify the elements.
Character: there's no identifiable character here. interesting idea with the dragon armor, but Smaug did not wear armor (don't confuse Dragon Lance with LOTR :P )
Overall idea: The idea is an intersting, but the presentation is just jumbled and very hard for me to make anything out. FOCUS the illustration so that what you are explaining/showing/telling us is CLEAR.

Shera 3000
Color/line/details: I'd like to see some stronger colors, and some variation in tone. Line work isn't bad, but again could be stronger. Check your anatomy issues (legs, basic body shape).
Composition: This about the placement of the various elements when you're putting your composition together - what is going to work the best where? In this case, I'd move the dragon down a little bit and move the cave entrance directly behind - it's okay to create what's called a "bullseye" composition so your viewer knows what to look at.
Character: Work on expressing a range of emotions - Smaug was a brutal, evil bastard - the way he reads in the book is just very self pretentious and cruel, and that really needs to come out. He's not the kind of dragon you want to come up and pet, and I *so* want to pet yours :P
Overall idea: Good start. Just really take your idea and push - right now it's timid. Don't be.

grenogs
Color/line/details: You go rather soft on the details on the face and on the guy holding the torch - those highlights would serve you better if they were harder.
Composition:... And what's the bright thing down below his head and why is it there? It's distracting and serves no good purpose that I can see other than to say "HEY! LOOK AT ME! NOT THE DRAGON! I'M A BRIGHT SHINEY THINGIE!" Yes. In Caps. Your primary light source is the torch, so any refracted light will be LESS than that of the originating source, so tone the shiney thingie down, or take it out.
Character:I want you to try something here: Take that brow right above his glowing red eye and lower it a tad with an inverse curve. Just see what happens :)
Overall idea: Nice - the guy holding the torch (who is obviously one of the Lake Men) is very soon going to be a nice afternoon snack. Just sharpen your edges where the light is strongest, get rid of SHINEY BRIGHT THINGIE and play with that inverse curve and I think you'll have something.

Lenorekitty
Color/line/details: In a word, sweet. I love it.
Composition: n/a as it's more of a study than a composed illustration.
Character: Really did a fine job of conveying Smaug's brutish nature.
Overall idea: I think this is my favorite piece this round. It's nice and loose, and not over done. Just nicely handled from the get go in my opinion, though the only detractor is the shortish snout - but that's minor.

Schade
Color/line/details: I like your pallet choice - it's a very uncomfortable Giger-esque selection.
Composition: I think the composition works well for this piece.
Character: This was another entry that almost didn't make it to Poll because of the extreme deviation form what we were doing. Your creature there, while certainly having character traits, strikes me more as a gargoyle than a dragon. So, again, if I was an Art Director, this would have been handed back with a "Good illustration, but please read the brief, and do it correctly this time."
Overall idea: Please read the brief next time :)

All the best,
~Oreg.

[chuck18mp]

Voted for Oregano and Chate Noire!!!
:D

[grenogs]

thanks oregano, very much appretiate the crit. just to comment on your comments, though overall i dont have anything to complain about what your saying,you were spot on. So for your hard work in taking the time to crit everyone, i only thinks its right to explain my reasoning behind the main light saurce, :) personally the torch itself was not my main light saurce, but actually my main focus was the shiny thingy:) which is supose to be the Arkenstone of Thrain, which is supose to have the light of the moon. Just thought i'd satisfy your curiosity:) Btw, realy liked your character of smaug, very shirkhan with a little more pride:)

[Matt Dixon]

I voted for -

Einen. I really liked the 'wyrm-iness' of yours, and the expression was spot on. Good job on the glowing gold, too.

Chate Noir. Had to vote for yours because that expression is priceless. Got to be honest and say that he looks more stoned than smug, but I think he's great. Cool style.

Oregano. Great personality. Of all the entries, I think yours satifies the brief of showing off Smaug's character the best. He's a very Lockwood-esque dragon, too. Always a good thing.

Thanks to Oregano for bailing out my forgetful bum and putting my pic into the poll, and for the herculean effort with those comments. My hat's off to you, sir.

I agree about the tail in mine. I think that could be solved by extending the canvas to the right a little so the viewer can actually see where the last part of the tail is coming from, though that would mean fiddling with the composition elsewhere to balance things up. I'll fix that ( and the nearest talon on Smaug's right claw which looks all wrong to me ) if I get the chance.

This was a good exercise. As I'm sure has been shown over and again in the CHOW, showing the character of a character, the key factor in presenting an engaging figure, has very little to do with the character design. It's about setting, mood and, principally, expression. In the context of this site, I can imagine that it might be easy to imagine those skills are more important to an illustrator than a concept artist, but they're essential tools that can be employed to breathe life into a character and really help to sell a concept. By limiting the amount of character design and shifting the emphasis to the design of the image overall, I think this CHOW has demonstrated that very well.

[Hybrid_75]

It was between Matt Dixon and Oregano for me, I loved the smug expression and smoking nostrils in Matts and Oreganos 'I'll crush your insignificant little ass' expression is awesome . I also voted for Deon, Einen and JSKA.
I've Learnt alot and thanks to Oregano for the help and comments, I'll definitely rework it. And Matt Dixons comments on character are really great as well. I gotta say I was guilty of creature design over character in this, but that's why I'm giving these CHOW things a go.

[louis cypher]

good job everyone. thanks for the c&c Poshspice, Deon and Oregano !

[Lege1]

Oregs: Thanks a million on the compliment man. Lately I've just been trying to refine and hone in on my painting skills. I got the whole stub nose thing mixed up. I actually had a longer snout on the dragon but thought that, that is what was not wanted, so I shortened it. Unfortunately the nose should have been longer so I'll be sure to practice on my comprehension and reading skills while I am at work painting. Good looks on the the idea of ruins pulling you out of the picture. Next time I'll make sure I leave a lot of open space. Thanks again man.

-=Lege

[S.C. Watson]

Next time I'll make sure I leave a lot of open space.

It's not so much an issue of leaving empty space, per se. Think more in terms of directing the eye. Everything you put down on the canvas should driect the viewer's eye to right where you want it to go. Ruins are fine - but make sure that they make compositional sense. Google "Artistic Composition" and the "Golden Mean" and see what you can discover :)


... which is supose to be the Arkenstone of Thrain, which is supose to have the light of the moon.
Okay, that makes a little more sense. However, I would still rework it a little so that it isn't the dominant element in your picture. You can still have something terribly bright, and not overpowering. For the purposes of your illustration, you'd want to have Smaug dominating everything, which can be helped considerably by the lighting - using two light sources now - the torch and the Arkenstone, you have a chance to really play that up :)

Fantastic comments, Matt, thank you!

All the best,
~Oreg.

[corspufo]

Saturns Gate, Einen & Matt Dixon got my votes. Well done well rendered and really conveyed a story. Matt's was my favorite though. I lighting and attitude are wonderful.

Oregano: I had already clicked to vote and realized afterward I hadn't voted for you, SORRY!!!! I really love your illustrations, great emotion and well defined character. Your pencil work is always tip-top! Thanks again for all the crits, it's always great when someone takes the time to give honest feedback. I didn't get a chance to finish my image for this Chow but I am going to, I love where it's going. If you don't mind, I'd love your feedback on the piece when I'm finished with it. Thanks again!

[S.C. Watson]

Oregano I didn't get a chance to finish my image for this Chow but I am going to, I love where it's going. If you don't mind, I'd love your feedback on the piece when I'm finished with it. Thanks again!

I'd be more than happy to take a look once you're done - or before if you want earlier feedback. Just shoot me a pm!

All the best,
~Oreg.

[Deon]

your biggest issue here is that your colors too saturated

Thanks for the crit, Oregano!! I will definitely work on my saturation next time:)

[Einen]

Thanks a bunch for the votes and comments, guys. :) Here's how I voted:

Matt Dixon and Oregano: What can I say? In their own way both of them are Smaug, no question about it. I really think Matt nailed the greedy and sly parts of the dragon, while Oregano's shows his brutal and arrogant sides. Beautifully done!

Chate Noire: While the character itself might not be as evil and Smaug-like as I'd like, I really love your clean rendering and character design. Great!

louis cypher: The eyes kind of creep me out, but the rest of the dragon, setting and overall image is wonderful.

Jska: Even though most of the image is pretty undeveloped, I really like this face. It's probably the most evil-looking one this week, and that itself deserves a vote.

[Phaethon]

A surprising variety of designs in this one - which is really excellent. There were a few very well-rendered and expressive ones - Saturns Gate, Einen, Quinn Simoes, MarkustheBarbarian, MattDixon, and Schade - that I loved for their alternate designs, but just didn't hit me as 'Smaug'.

I voted for:

Deon - The rendering is good, but not great. As has already been said, the colors are too saturated. The lack of detail in the surroundings compared to the central character is also slightly distraction. However, the design, composition, and especially the pose are excellent. It's got a great sense of character.

Chate Noire - I was on the edge with this one - it's not quite Smaug. But the rendering and the expression are great. You use the soft brushstrokes and the reflected light from the gold well. The face sold me - good stuff.

LenoreKitty - This was my favorite. The design is radically different from anything else here, but it truly works as Smaug. I like the linework and the mix of hatching and soft highlights a lot. Awesome job.

[ManaBurn]

Oregano Just saw that you took the time to write personal crits on our stuff, sorry it's so late but thank you. =D