C.O.W. #155 -- Biped Insectoid ! -- VOTING

[Michael Jaecks]

C.O.W. #155 Biped Insectoid -- VOTING!!

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ROUND #155 VOTING

Topic: Biped Insectoid !


Deadline for the voting: Friday 2 October 2009

Posting thread (closed): http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=167039.


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OK - before voting/posting read this!!!

1. Please give c&c or a reason why you voted for the image!

2. Feel free to comment on any or all entries, the artists will appreciate it!

[Doomsupporter]

Artist: Doomsupporter

Concept: Arachnid Pedestrian

an illogical evolution of one certain spiderclass...
who knows for what reason the universe might have
done this, perhaps we'll know in the next stage.

my first c.o.w. entry

[ImaGEEnation]

Artist: ImaGEEnation

Concept: Fookin' Proon

In the future, is it possible for insects to be able to swim? Perhaps a fish could fly?
Or maybe, somehow their genes would mix and they'd be a wonderful creature...or not?

[Wixxi]

Artist: Wixxi

Concept: Aca Sindra

The Aca Sindra is a little insect that lives in the branches of large jungle trees. High up, close to the sun from which it gathers its energy. Its leaf-like charactirsitcs provide excellent camouflage against its enemies. These little creatures may look dangerous, however they are completely harmless. It's primairy food source is light. The Aca Sindra is bipedal and moves around only using its 2 legs. They also have 2 additional long arms to improve their climbing capabilities even more. Locals refere to these creatures as green devils, because when viewed from a distance their faces look pretty darn evil.

[Vaghauk]

ArtistVaghauk
Concept giant dreamweaver

The giant dreamweaver is a creature seldom seen in the world of Na.His huge body is filled with swampgasses which are sucked along with flies and mosquitos up into his enormous frame.
The people of Na are most appreciate of his appearance as he cleans the air and also it is said that that if a person of Na should happen upon him by chance he will weave then a good dream.
i´m sorry if i didn´t posted this the right way - i´m new here and still didn´t understand very well how this works - but i tried ...

[evolvingeye]

Artist: evolvingeye

Concept: Gargant Weevil

The Gargant Weevil, known for its voracious hunger for human bone marrow. Ranging anywhere from 4 to 9 feet tall, these creatures burrow beneath human settlements and camps, eager to impale its hapless victim from the ground below. A terrifying creature that is incredibly difficult to kill, thanks to the hardened plates that cover its body, known to be harder than steel and almost impenetrable.

[sketchius]

Artist: sketchius

Concept: Twig Hopper


This small insect, which to the order Orthoptera, hops amongst the twigs of a tree and feeds upon leaves and moss. It has adapted a bipedal posture with three digits on each limb, allowing it to easily grasp and manipulate food. Its middle limbs have become short and nearly vestigial, but are occasionally used as weapons or used in climbing. The Twig Hopper is very skittish and will typically leap away when startled.

781880

[Cam Sykes]

Artist: Cam Sykes

Concept: Slaying Mantis
AS the name may suggest the Slaying Mantis is closely related to the Katydid family of insects. It has large sharp scythe like arms that slice and dice it's prey. It is extremely fast and agile and with it's powerful hind legs can leap great distances.

[mongreldesigns]

Artist: Mongrel Designs

Concept: Kth' r'all
The size and weight of a large man, the worker Kth' r'all is usually seen walking the perimeter of the hive. They possess a rudimentary intelligence in normal circumstances, but any of the Kth' r'all workers can be telepathically controlled by their Queen. When under control of the Hive Queen a worker's antennae vibrate so fast as to be invisible. Caution must be exercised when encountering a Queen's worker Avatar. A typical Hive Queen possesses a Type III intelligence, rivaling that of a Strategic AI or Starship Intellect Core. Assume that any contact you have with a Hive Queen Avatar is a prelude to deception or misdirection. Retreat if possible, and offer no information, no matter how trivial it may seem to you.

Comments:
Thanks a lot for everyone that offered input in the WIP thread. I think I learned a lot while working on this. For one, I believe I'll work in color from the start. I'm still learning how to digitally paint and I've been concentrating on black and white for awhile, so I was hamstrung when time came to add color.

If anyone has any advice or comments I'd love to hear them.

[cw]

Artist: cw

Concept: Shield Walker


Shield walkers live in hive like societies and have some semi-psychic connection to hive-mates allowing complex tactical behaviours to be utilised in defense of the nest and expansion of territory. Their robust shell is ideally suited to charging down foes and has defensive spikes to deter flanking attacks. Some ritual-esque behaviour involving the shell has been observed as these creatures fight for social status among the group, suggesting a certain level of intelligence. The smaller of the 2 sets of arms is used for feeding, the larger for fighting or waving about during mating rituals. They also have a fleshy nubbin used for spreading pheromones around the place. The pheromone spreading is said to be a rather revolting sight to behold!

[audit]

Yoyoyo!

Artist: audit

Concept: Swan Bug

The granite marshes of Mahak were settled by a nomadic people - known as the Yed - some 1500 years ago. Though naturally a hardy race, it was only though their domestication of the Swan bug that they were able to survive in this unforgiving territory, using the large, non-predatory animals as load- and water-carriers and of course as a major foodsource - although the meat is far too tough to eat for those unaccustomed. The Yed also harvest the spines of the bugs' filament-like 'tusks' (actually overgrown mouthparts which the males use in mating displays) for tools and crafts, and for home building. The animals are traditionally kept and tended to by family heads, and prized bugs are occasionally given as dowries or as gifts between tribes.

782520

[Duman]

Artist: Duman

Concept: Rylath Stalker
The human colony on Rylath was not aware of the Stalker until larger hive cities began to form. Even then, their existence was only alluded to in unreliable secondhand stories. A soft clicking sound and two haunting yellow eyes were always included.
Wide spread knowledge was eventually obtained when a few specimens were caught, and the creature's features and behavior shown to the people. The Stalker seems to supplement it's diet with human refuse. Their presents near waste centers and run down areas is much greater than any other location. The average Stalker grows to around five feet in height, feeds on garbage and smaller scavenging animals, and is usually skittish. It is also a nocturnal species, and travels in dispersed groups.
To the general public they are an ignored nuisance. But stories have begun to spread, especially in the underhives of larger, man hunting Stalkers. Stories of drifters being dragged into open sewer vents, piles of bones in alleyways, and worse are whispered in dingy bars. Since the discovery of these creatures, the occurrence of missing children has drastically increased.
What was once only heard of in stories, has become a disturbingly common occurrence.
Bright yellow eyes staring out from the dark, watching, almost... stalking.

[lkjhgfdsa]

Artist: lkjhgfdsa

Concept: Chromatick
The cromatick is the size of a small dog, eats small dogs and smells like, well...
One is advised to keep small yipping dogs away from the cromaticks.
...or maybe as close to them as possible...

[zimfin]

Artist: zimfin

Concept: Whistling Jackson Bug
The Whistling Jackson Bugs got their name when it was discovered that during mating season the males made musical whistling sounds and danced in a similar fashion to Michael Jackson, (including the "Moonwalk") to impress the females.
They grow as large as 30cm in height and their many spines and claws can be used to inflict injury if provoked but are usually only used in self defense.

[Vampire Ninja]

Artist: Vampire Ninja

Concept: Homonoid Beatle

http://www.theklaus.com/PICS/Vampire_Ninja_COW_155.jpg

There was a time when man first decided to travel on foot, a giant leap in human eveloution. Similarly, two hundred thousand years in the future, after man has died off and the nature has taken over the earth once again, the insects become the next developing creatures. With such vast spaces on the earth for the insects to cover evolution takes leaps once again. The Homonoid Beatle not only walks on two legs, but also understands its own conciousness and understands some day he will die.

[Cy-AN]

Artist: Cy-AN

Concept: Mantiddarius

Lives on a palanet called Arachnides which is populated by insects. Mantiddarius is an aggressive species and carnivores, is one of the planet most ferocious predator, they hunt in small groups up to 5, led by a group leader most lethal of all.

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/edenschildren/cow155bipedinsectoid6final-1.jpg

[Call0ps]

Artist: Call0ps

Concept: Spinalygus
A highly evolved insect from planet Mushunis, this creature is most of the times no treat to any one, unless it needs to defend himself. they live in big colonies like the ants of planet earth.
... if you mess with one of them you mess with all of them...

[hypocalvin]

Artist: HYPOCalvin

Concept: G-20 Mutant Beetle
The ancestors of these beetles used to be small and peaceful. However,some guy got the idea to train these beetles to fight each other so he could make money off the fights. Then scientists got paid a lot of money to to genetically alter the beetles until they became so big and deadly that they lost control over them. Now, these new beetles terrorize the planet.

[dwinbotp]

Artist: dwinbotp

Concept: Ruminantian Spike
description included on the actual artwork.

[Fuseboy]

Artist: Fuseboy

Concept: Arachnoform Megafauna Specimen D-349


The dead husk of arachniform megafauna specimen D-349 has stood upright at the edge of the equatorial desert since its discovery in 2898, apparently having been dead for hundreds of years. Its passing resemblance to the aggressive (though tiny) hunting brachelids of the Rassleen wetlands was great fuel for the imagination, and man-eating megafauna was renewed as a staple of horror streams for the next several decades.

Frozen in its final posture, it seemed to scan the sun-baked horizon as if waiting for prey to appear. But what on earth could something so large possibly eat on Rasselus III, a planet with no land animals larger than mice (other than the primitive remnants of the failed first colonist wave)?

The environmental preservation statute of 2921 closed the site to tourists, and shortly afterwards a permanent zoological station was set up.

The discovery that D-349 was still metabolizing took everyone by surprise, but the evidence (detection of subsoil alkaline off-gassing - c.f. Steiner, 433/2a) was incontrovertible. More horror streams were made (there was even a short-lived theme park on Rasselus IV), and research activity ground to a halt as Steiner's team made the rounds on the talk stream circuit.

When work resumed, other surprises were in store. This time, however, Steiner's team chose to stay out of the limelight, making the controversial decision not to annouce the discovery of a massive keratinized deposit in the sand beneath the specimen. D-349 was clearly in a sedentry final phase of its lifecycle, and so the deposit was almost certainly a one-off fluke (perhaps a product of cult activity dating back to the first wave) and was definitely not an excreted mass of indigestible human hair. The safety of the Rasseleen communities was at no time in serious doubt.

[SIME]

Artist: SIME

Concept: Horny Beetle

The highly promiscuous Horny Beetles spend most of their lives battling and mating with females. The only way a female Horny Beetle will allow a male to mate with her is if he defeats her in a wrestling match, which is no easy feet as females are on average around 40% larger than the males and anything other than victory will usually result in his death!

[The Gurch]

[*B]Artist: [*COLOR=White]The Gurch[/COLOR]

Concept: [*COLOR=White]Bi-ped Beatle[/COLOR]

[/B] Resilient, resourceful and powerful all bywords for the hulking Bi-ped beetles, such was its inherent passion for confrontation it could quite rightly be called a Beat-all instead. When jeopardized these incredible insectoids go to whatever extremes they must in adapting to ensure the survival of its species a success.

Accounts of mans reckless and dangerous nature filtered to its habitat and over a surprisingly short space of time the Bi-ped Beatle beetle willed itself to evolve in defence. Its preparation even includes feeding all weaker and surplus offspring to the largest of the immediate family.
In a mere 23 years they grew in all attributes, stronger shell and skin, greater strength and size, all coupled with more aggression and gumption.
Considering itself ready, it actively went in search of a chance to bring the fight to man.

However as chance would have it many dumping grounds and scrap-yards are situated on the outskirts of town and unfortunately when these angry anthropods approached towns, they came upon these breakers yards filed with cars.

Believing these to be graveyards for iron bugs killed by men the species hastily returned to the deep forests to begin the next phase of its evolution.....

[Cloister]

Artist: Cloister

Concept: The Utholian Mordach

I don't have a description for this one... but it's big and can use various energies to do strange things... :) like construct great nests out of mammal flesh, and more horrifying stuff that it simply considers work. Use your imagination, and don't build space stations where these Mordach's live.

784781

[Pate5]

Artist: Pate5

Concept: Leaf-eater bug
These tiny bugs live in little groups and they normally eat leafs. They also build their nests from leaf. They have dangerous-looking claws, but the bugs use them to cut leafs, and they are harmless to humans. They are usually 1-2 centimeters long.

[daveneale]

Artist:DaveNeale

Concept:Sprint Bug


The sprint bug is a lean, not so mean, mini sprinting machine. Standing a full 10mm tall it can cover the 100 metres sprint it under an hour!

784855

784858

[Izer]

Artist: Izer

Concept: Bousflorins
See within page.

[Tyrus]

Artist: Tyrus

Concept: Desert Needle of Tua-tu
In the hazy plains of Tua-tu many creatures hide in burrows and tunnels below the noxious desert air. One creature is able to hold its head high and survive this deadly wasteland. Its called the Desert Needle.

[DefiledVisions]

Artist: DefiledVisions

Concept: Thwomp Cromper

These peaceful insects have adapted perfectly to the swampy inhabitat they live in. Feeding of small parasites living inbetween the swampgrass, they keep the roots of the Firebush from being overrun and infected by the critters. In return the bush provides with a great camouflage for the insect while feeding, ensuring this slow-moving and defenseless bug's survival.

[luvazquez]

Artist: Lu Vazquez

Concept: Kaliklaxan

While still in a very primitive stage of their development, Kaliklaxans are rapidly evolving, and each generation of Queen Mothers brings advances; increased intellect, the ability to stand upright and most recently, the ability to precisely manipulate their environment with their newly evolved digits, are some of the more recent developments. Someday soon, Kaliklaxans may span the very stars.

786190

[Knarf]

Artist: Alm0st

Concept: Dynastes J. sumo

The Original Rikishis.

[Crustibian]

Artist: Crustibian

Concept: Surprising Little Creeper

Like it's cousin, the hiding little creeper, the surprising little creeper is a solitary creature. It is about 30 cm. tall. When it feels threatened or annoyed, however, it will open it's "fear fan" which almost triples it's size. This is a great trick for scaring away a hungry predator, but unfortunately, the surprising little creeper is a little overzealous with it's fear fan and often scares away potential meals. The surprising little creeper is on the verge of extinction due to starvation.

my blog: http://www.denverwagner.blogspot.com/
my deviantart gallery: http://crustibian.deviantart.com/

[trickynick1001]

Artist: trickynick1001
Concept: Heron Locust

The Heron Locust is a close cousin of the common locust and grasshopper. It can often be found in Colorado rivers, fishing for small game. It makes its nest in red rocks, and is a protected species in the Garden of the Gods National Park.

[Steve Somers]

Artist: Steve Somers

Concept: Prancing Devilwasp

The Prancing Devilwasp

(Pictured here is the adult female symmetard, sometimes called "The Jewelled devilwasp".)

By use of special cells on it's thorax called "chromatophores", the Prancing Devilwasp is able to create the illusion of an eyeball which it uses to hypnotize it's prey (Typically large mammals, occasionally humans.) Once hypnotized, the Devilwasp lays it's eggs in the victim's throat, attached to the spine. A process which leaves the prey in a state of paralysis. There the young will feed until mature enough for hatching. This stage can last up to 2 months as the victim is conscious but helpless. In the third month the victim is dead, and it's body begins to decay. When the young are finally ready to be hatched, and the dead carcass has attained full methane bloat, the Devilwasp rubs it's conical wings in a low but very intense frequency. The host body is subject to violent vibrations which disrupt and destabilize the cellular structure sufficient to cause methane detonation within. After the body has exploded in a dazzling display of coagulated blood and liquefied organs which cascade through the air ever so delicately. Like somersaulting ballerinas in spaghetti fireworks. A swarm of newborn Devilwasps unfurl their wings for the first time and buzz through the air as if to say; "Mama, Poppa we're finally here you lucky people! We love you!"


note: Didn't know if it was too late to get this in, just got back from vacation -- if I missed the cutoff just yank this puppy out.

[scorge]

Artist: Scorge

Concept: DiddleBug

One of the first of its kind, the DiddleBug has adapted to walk on two legs, making it an agile and somewhat taller hunter of flowery branches and colorful foliage. With its large sensitive antenna, this 18" hihgly evolved insectoid prowls the lush landscape of the Amazon rainforest, eating and chewing its way through the most beautiful flora on earth.

[Michael Jaecks]

Wow, scorge. Your timing couldn't have been better as I started making the poll JUST as you posted. :)

[scorge]

I saw that you were on here Mj and figured it would probably be best to get this in pronto. I first looked at the topic last night and wanted to see if I could squeeze one out and squeak it in before you closed. Yay! :D

[Michael Jaecks]

Pretty fancy footwork there, Scorge. :)

New round is on:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2449227#post2449227

[Vaghauk]

i voted for audit. For me his picture got the best atmosphere and made me imagining about all the details of the backstory. I liked that it is dark and shows just the essential to put the imagination going. What i didn´t liked about it is that it was displayed to big so i would have to scroll to appreciate all of it - but that certainly doesn´t took nothing away from the strong and mysteriously beautyful first impact it had on me.

doomsuporters bug is one of the most creepy ones - i just love how it´s feed are (not) "attched" to the ground.

Fuseboy´s huge paralized spider is creepy on a comical way (at least i think so) - which i like very much !!

cloisters picture is awesome - just think it could have needed some more polishing in the details.

steve somers devils wasp is fantastic - funny and beautyful ! The execution might be one of the best of all...

i think all entries got a lot to discover, admire and learn - i justed picked some that popped out for me.This is my first time participating and it is for sure an fun and inspiring experience ! thanx also to m.jaecks and everybody else for all the effort to make this possible !!!!
(sorry for bad english)

[Fuseboy]

Okay, this is hard! Some of my favourites (just some of them):

doomsupporter - really cool looking, the web is such a nice touch
wixxi - love the lighting, really striking
sketchius - love the daintiness of the limbs, you've captured the translucent nature of insect legs
cw - love the texture and emotion of it, looks like somebody I could buy something from
lkjhgfdsa - really beautiful
zimfin - love the texture on the guy
Cy-AN - the upper limbs and head are beautifully rendered, despite the thick outlines it looks very realistic and threatening, like being dissed by a giant lobster
Call0ps - somehow humble but one of my favourites; I love the moodiness of the lighting, he looks deadly serious and plausible, one of the most believable as wholly insect
dwinbotp - a gorgeous painting, the colours are so delicate!
DaveNeale - painted so tightly, it's really slick looking

[Fuseboy]

Okay, this is hard! Some of my favourites (just some of them):

doomsupporter - really cool looking, the web is such a nice touch
wixxi - love the lighting, really striking
sketchius - love the daintiness of the limbs, you've captured the translucent nature of insect legs
cw - love the texture and emotion of it, looks like somebody I could buy something from
lkjhgfdsa - really beautiful
zimfin - love the texture on the guy
Cy-AN - the upper limbs and head are beautifully rendered, despite the thick outlines it looks very realistic and threatening, like being dissed by a giant lobster
Call0ps - somehow humble but one of my favourites; I love the moodiness of the lighting, he looks deadly serious and plausible, one of the most believable as wholly insect
dwinbotp - a gorgeous painting, the colours are so delicate!
DaveNeale - painted so tightly, it's really slick looking

I voted for Call0ps.

[mongreldesigns]

I voted for DaveNeale's Sprint Bug. The piece hits all the high points for me. I like the whimsical character of the bug. I like the weight it has, the texture of its shell.

I'd feel very sad if I stepped on one.

[Duman]

I am going to cast my vote for fuseboy. I really thought you put a lot of thought into your entry. I like the creature itself, but it was the background that really hooked me. By the time I read the passage about the "undigestible human hair" and looked into those creepy, lifeless eyes, I was sold.
Some incredible entries overall. Some really creative visions. And here I went into this COW thinking we would get twelve versions of the same bug. Thanks for proving my skepticism unfounded.
I look forward to doing honorable battle with such talented artists in the COW colosseum again.

[evolvingeye]

Voted for CW, thought it was very well rendered, and seemed very natural. The description was great too. Great entries all around as usual.

[Niva.]

I voted for doomsupporter, the creature really blew my mind, loved the spidery webs too.

I really wish that COW could be multivote like CHOW is, why don't you allow for voting like that Mike Jaeks? I don't know the history behind the voting schemes but CHOW is simply more liberating.

[luvazquez]

lkjhgfdsa got my vote...the design was interesting, and I like that it broke away from the conventional 6 limbed, mantis claw insect type...such as mine. The wings also were nicely done...had a real transparency to them, and nicely designed. The backstory was the kicker...

Interesting concept all around though...this was definitely a fun CoW, and the entries were inspiring.

[MikeBurns]

I voted for lkjhgfdsa. The piece is gorgeous! I love the design and the color variations are amazing, it has a watercolor-like feel to it. This is the one I kept coming back to again and again.

daveneale and scorge both were battling for my vote too, they are both very original and really interesting designs.

Some other personal favorites include:ImaGEEnation,CW,Cy-AN,hypocalvin, and Defiled Visions

[DefiledVisions]

Voted Scorge, love it!

[Cy-AN]

I vote for Scorge because i like the creature :D

[Vaghauk]

some more comments on the critters :

to almost : your bugs are funny (and quite well made i think ) i would like to know the story of that chains .... looks like he is a prisoner or something....

Lu vazquez : perfect illustration ! love the background !

defiled visions : nice concept - and good representation.

Tyrus : Your entry is one of the most sympatic ones !!! The desert - needle !
Keep up the excellent work !

Izer : Wow - what an concept !!!! An flower collecting bug ! I love the way you
represented the wholething - somhow reminding me of "hitchikers guide through the galaxy " -

daveneale : ja - that´s an bunny-bug !!!!! :D awesome ! funniest entry ! (and very well done !)

Pate 5 - that looks like an mean little critter - got som metallic-look ! It´s a shame that he´s so peaceful (cutting leaves) - he could look awesome cutting away evil humans ! ;)
good job of giving a 3-dimensional look.

the gurch : awesome drawing !!! very skilled ! But next time : more blood please !!! ;) (joking)

dwinbotb : okay - looks like shrimp to me - but it´s absolutly beautyful ! one of the best illustrations.

sime : very shiny, very friendly - a beautyful little beetle - any collector would like to stick a needle through it to add it to the collection..... :)

hypocalvin : lots of movement and strength in this bug ! well done - some more details and polishing would be great ! but it´s an excellent work.

---- i just lost half of my comment ,and i nearly had everybody in it
......aaaarg.
well ... it happens.
( luckily i saved this thing half-way....)
later i come back for the part i lost.

[Jatari]

I voted for Scorge's DiddleBug.
Scorge: I really like the interesting design. It has a believability to the work. The range of hues gives it a lot of depth and weight. It definitely doesn't look like we would find it on earth and may be quite intelligent!
Good Work!

[Izer]

@Vaghauk, thanks appreciate the comment. I've Never actually read/seen "hitchikers guide through the galaxy ", i mie have to check it out.

My vote went to ''The Gurch'', because of his overall style. Great stuff everyone, awesome round.

[Vaghauk]

Izer : you are welcome ! :)
i´d say read it first ! (there are five books i believe - but the first is the best in my oppinion )
if you want to see it , i recommend the old BBC-Tv- version which is all in all much better then the new movie.(which is also not so bad- at least parts of it....)

"life on earth is expensive - but every year you get a free trip around the sun "
douglas adams

[Steve Somers]

lkjhgfdsa - yours got my vote, just really liked the way you rendered it out, nice harmony of marks and colors.

[Crustibian]

I voted for Daveneale. Really original style. Some favs this time around: AlmOst, Vaghauk, lkjhgfdsa, fuseboy, and the gurch. Nice work everyone.

[AhkNemet]

I voted for Crustibian - I really like your style and of all of them, it was the only one that really stood out for me.

[Wyna]

So many good ones, but I ended up choose Scorge's. Great use of blue and brown. I also really liked the head design.

[Biomecha_wolf]

my vote went to audit bug..

the game between light and darkness was just amazing.!
Inspirational too!
Nice!