C.O.W. #217 ,Urban Disturbance. Wips Thread.

[(lark]

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For more info and details about the rules go here:

http://www.concepyart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=110879


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ROUND #217, Urban Disturbance

topic:

ROUND#217, Urban Disturbance

Imagine that a foreign species has been introduced into the urban environment. A species which begins to thrive and reproduce rapidly to the point where they’ve become an extreme nuisance to the people living in that city. This week we will focus on designing a creature which has begun to do just that, thrive in the urban environment to the point of becoming a pest. Think about instances like the Cane Toad, which, when released in Australia to reduce a particular beetle population, had a significant effect on the biodiversity of that part of the country. Also think about creatures that already live in the urban environment, why they can, and what makes them pests.


Round Requirements:

The creature must exist and thrive in an urban environment

The creature should not be dangerous to humans, but has reproduced to the point of being a pest

It should be clear that the creature is not originally from the city (i.e. it did not have part of it’s evolutionary process take place in the city)

Deadline:

JUNE 22nd 9:00pm PST (GMT -8 )

finals go here... http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3157069#post3157069

[Lege1]

Very cool =)

[warburton]

Another great topic. Will be interesting to se what people come up with.

I instantly thought of this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH55iTS_FMY

[hekatoncheir]

Nice topic! I actually have an idea for this one. heh.

Also, I thought of the same thing as logistic puppet! :}

[feralcoconut]

Haha, damn I had EXACTLY the same idea as you two!:asspat:

[Si_Swe]

Thank you, Clark, for posting the topic for me. Looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with, we've had a really strong showing for the last few rounds. Keep it up!

[MatiXmAta]

Hi guys.
I was following this creature of the week ''contests'' for about a year now and I finaly decided to try this out :) have alot of imagination so lets not waste it.
I'm kinda new to this so I appreciate your advices and critics , I will need em :)

So my idea will be this. It's some kind of a sand insect that came from the desert areas to the urban environment. By shaking it's tail , the insect produces sand making a sand cloud. They go in groups so they make a sand fog that interupts driving in a car or flying by a plane making it a pest. Hope it's not that similar to a wasp or something.

[Lege1]

Graffiti Bug,lol

[Solideus]

Hi. I'll make a shot at this.
WIP
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l617/AlderMoor/urbanpestwipa.jpg
The idea is a slow, stupid, stinky and resilient critter that wanders aimlessly in the city, more often than not getting itself killed under your car. The roadkills emit a terrible stench that is impossible to wash out.
At night they reproduce in a choir of squeaking mating-calls that is sure too keep the whole town awake.

Design inspired by hippos, crocodiles and rodents.
Process inspired by the work of Feng Zhu and Mike Corriero.

[Marsch]

Boy! im so making a dust bunny!

[Flame_Unquenchable]

Some Ideas I was sketching out.

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[Marsch]

well here is a quick sketch. need to think a interesting composition to show the mouth and think how to "evolve" the bunny body to a more unnatural form.

[Rob Powell]

Neat topic

@MatiXmAta: Neat idea, I'd recommend looking up some references to get a more accurate bug-like anatomy going, give some mandibles and some more details on the body, cuz although it isn't looking like an existing bug, it does resemble a pokemon, Beedrill.

@Lege1: possible inspiration from the last topic maybe? Make the head look a bit less geometric and make it look a bit more organic, so it doesn't look like it's man-made. Perhaps a nozzle or spout that sprays the'paint', also the perspective looks off on the bug on the right, practise working on your foreshortening, take into consideration parts that may not be visible at a certain angle.

@Solideus: Interesting looking critter, Doesn't look very mobile though. Nothing to really suggest cuz it's still a bit early, but I do notice that some parts of the creature are in shadow that shouldldn't be, like on it's left nostril there should be a bit more light to indicate it's form and so it doesn't look too separate from the rest of the creature's face.

@Flame_Unquenchable: Interesting creatures, the one on the bottom left is a little hard to read atm. But it is still very rough so well see where you go with these, but it's good that your exploring different ideas, and don't be afraid to combine them together, the possiblities are endless

@Marsch: Can be a bit of a twist to a simple mass of hair and dirt. Interesting to see where your gonna take this..

Oh Look a Pidgeon!
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This idea popped in my head for some reason...anyways I have a much better idea than your basic rat with wings...
this was no more than just a thumbnail sketch, the only one I came up with that actually looked half decent, and it's pretty close to what I had in mind.
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basically some kind of amphibious predator the size of a medium build dog, will not harm humans beyond a bite when threatened, but they are basically raccoons X10 when it comes to being pests, plus they are extremely intelligent which can make them even worse....etc, etc

[Weird.Is.Wonderful.]

Here's a line-art layout and basic colors for my entry, a tiny reptile who unfortunately breeds like crazy and eats metal. I stumbled upon the idea of putting one on a bottle cap when trying to figure out how to give its small scale.

[warburton]

Good work folks

matixmata Cool idea, keep pushing the rendering and try to show what your desription says in the design.
lege1 Interesting concept, reminds me of last weeks topic 'the painter'. Try and incorporate a reason why these bugs are painting all over the city. Are they marking their territory? or making some kind of nest? Try to get these answers through in the design.
solideus haha, i love that creature. It sounds like a complete nightmare ;D At the mo its not reading what your description says, try to incorporate that smelling, noisy, road kill creature in the design.
Flame unquenchable Your ideas are similar to mine, i like the concepts you've come up with. i look forward to seeing your ideas progress.
marsch nice bunny drawing, try and think what and why your bunny has a more unnateral form, everything in nature is designed a certain way for a reason, try to remember this when you come up with creature designs. Also don't forget to show why this bunny is an urban disturbance. Look forward to seein what you come up with.
rob powell haha, winged rats have already been done by nature, there called bats ;p
like the amphibious predator, lookin forward to seeing how you develop it.
weird.is,wonderful good idea, i can imagine his thing being a real pain in the ass if real. To show they breed like crazy you'll prob have to show masses of them and also show them feeding on metal. Could be a challenge but will look cool if you manage it.

Weekend off + Cow = :heart:
Heres my original design, which i then scrapped and my new wip so far -

[Solideus]

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l617/AlderMoor/urbanpestwipb.jpg
Progress. Feedback greatly appreciated!

[lkjhgfdsa]

lkjhgfdsa

[Rob Powell]

just some extra feedback...

@Weird.Is.Wonderful: Neat concept, reminiscent of the locust swarm, and the little metal shards are a nice touch. although the leg anatmoy is a bit off, a creature's leg is more functional when it has a thigh that allows it's legs to extend forward, if your going for the grasshopper look, the legs need to be a bit longer so they are able to push it's body forward when they extend back. Another thing I'd suggest, is why the creature would need to eat metal, is there something apart of it's anatomy that requires a high mineral intake? think about these things so you can improve on the design and make it more believable.

@logisticpuppet: I'm liking your second idea better, seems like just the kind of creature that goes about it's day eating people's garbage, unaware of that fact that everyone hates it.

@Solideus: Looks better, try to add a bit of a tonal variance, because parts of the creature are blanding in a bit too much into the background, and build up it's highlights to improve it's form

@lkjhgfdsa: Best one so far! I can see this being a nuisence just because it looks so damn scary, even the rats are going "EEEK!"The colours are looking really nice on it too, the subtle reds and greens really add something to this critter.

[Blankstate]

lkjhgfdsa Cool creature. A suggestion.
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[Rob Powell]

quick update...
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trying to figure out a lightsource, I want to have it lit up by some flashlight as if you the viewer are looking at it with that lightsource but I don't really want to have frontlighting on the creature....decisions....

[Nkristian]

I got my idea from the crabs posted earlier. :D but I want my creature to a have a unique aspect why it exist in an urban environment.

I'll give my comments on others work tomorrow.

[steve_courtney]

Hi all, first post here. Thought I'd try out one of these creatures.

My concept is a flamingo style bird, that's been forced inland due to its wetlands being turned into waterfront housing. These birds sleep standing up, but the city doesn't offer anywhere for them to sleep safely, too many people, cars, noises and predators. So they've picked up a nasty caffeine addiction. In fact, it's gotten so bad that they will swoop down on unsuspecting pedestrians and grab their soy-mocha-lattes right out of their hands, using their long, powerful legs.
All the extra time they have from being awake 24/7 has led to their population exploding. In a few short years, they have become a major pest in several coastal cities.

Let me know what you all think...

[steve_courtney]

Here's where I'm at right now, laying in the values...

[steve_courtney]

Finishing off values, going to start adding color soon. Any feedback welcome...

[Si_Swe]

Rob Powell - Good linework, seems a little large for an urban pest. More in the urban predator range. Perhaps if the garbage cans were more along the size of soda cans the scale would feel more appropriate to a nuisance rather than a serious danger.
Nkristian - It's hard to tell from the current perspective, but the scaling seems to place the creature as something rather large. There are ways to pull that off, but it could be tough to do and still make it feel like pest.
steve_courtney - Feels rather flat. Keep trying to push depth in the forms and get some texture in the plumage.

[Rob Powell]

quick update...
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[EDIT]@Si_Swe: Thnx for the suggestion but since I've already went ahead I'm just gonna leave it as is, perhaps if you think of it as a scavenger, then they could be less of a threat maybe

[steve_courtney]

First color pass, going to add in some texture next...

(sorry if I'm posting too much, I can get a little carried away.)

[Steelfox]

lkjhgfdsa Cool creature. A suggestion.
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WADR... I think it looked right before, it gave a sense of the legs tucked under the creature and suggested a gangling ungainly gait with the hips splayed but the rework makes the thigh look straight and loses that creepy suggestion of locomotion and pushes the "elbows out making it look pigeon toed which is less menacing also the weight distribution looks wrong now too

[Blankstate]

steve_courtney Haha. Great idea. love the description - soy-mocha-lattes.

lkjhgfdsa Like i said these are only suggestions. I do like your creature and think it works well enough as is. It only appeared that the one leg seemed slightly off somehow and that you might be struggling with how to go about it and am trying to help with reference and alternatives. It depends a lot on weather you want the creature walking or running i suppose. Of course it is ultimately up to you how to continue.

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Might find these useful. Was thinking of how an ostrich's legs are similar
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[Flame_Unquenchable]

Going to see where this takes me.

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[Solideus]

http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l617/AlderMoor/urbanpesta.jpg
Close to finished. Current version plus test layout. Might be the one I enter with.
Feedback still appreciated though!

[lkjhgfdsa]

@lkjhgfdsa

It is walking (strutting perhaps) much like an IBIS (as they are an australian scavenging bird though they are also called the 'sacred ibis' as they were less scavengy when there were no rubbishdumps to live at).
Thanks for the paintover, ostrich pics and critique!
Always appreciated peeps!

[jcpahl]

After struggling with a lot of sketches based around rats and insects, I decided I wanted to do a something cute. Here's where I'm at so far:

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac24/jcpahlart/color_cow217wip.jpg

Still needs a lot of noodling, obviously. It's a spider-monkey, I think. The result of some genetic manipulation gone awry, these endearing creatures survive because no one has the heart to exterminate them. Also, they can probably spin webs to catch birds.

The initial sketch:

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac24/jcpahlart/cow217wip1.jpg

I'm still toying with the idea of adding vestigial spider eyes and maybe fangs, but I haven't hit on a way to do it yet that's appealing to me.

[Rob Powell]

@steve_courtney: Interesting idea,

@Flame_Unquenchable: I personally wouldn't render on a black background, basically the same case as a white background, as it overpowers the values on your subject. it's best to use neutral colours so you can balance out the darks and light evenly, on a black backround it may be harder to show darker forms on your creature. I also notice the use of the smudge tool for the fur, as it can be a good way to establish the flow of the fur, you still want to go over it again with a small hard round brush at a high opacity, and mark each individual hair, (it is tendious but it can make a nice realisitc texture on your creature.)

@Solideus: Funny side cartoons, I'm feeling like the creature could use some more texture, and detailing to build up the form a little more, add some wrinkles and whatnot to give it's skin a little elastisity and it makes your creature look a bit less stiff.

@jcpahl: Cool creature and some really nice rendering, especially on the soup can. remember the creature has to occur naturally in nature, and is able to adapt to the urban environment. Although it is just the description that really indicates this.

Making progress, like how it's turning out, will probably start adding all the detail work soon..
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[Flame_Unquenchable]

@steve_courtney: Interesting idea,

@Flame_Unquenchable: I personally wouldn't render on a black background, basically the same case as a white background, as it overpowers the values on your subject. it's best to use neutral colours so you can balance out the darks and light evenly, on a black backround it may be harder to show darker forms on your creature. I also notice the use of the smudge tool for the fur, as it can be a good way to establish the flow of the fur, you still want to go over it again with a small hard round brush at a high opacity, and mark each individual hair, (it is tendious but it can make a nice realisitc texture on your creature.)




Oh, I'm rendering it on a Sepia background, I just threw it onto black to make it pop more. Yah, Mr. Gadbury has a great little tutorial on fur creation, I'm going to go over it again with a harder brush to throw in some highlights and shadows. Thanks again for the feedback.

[Lege1]

Rob Powell: Just wanted to thank you personally on all the feed back that you give everyone. It's really great when people like yourself can help push others to strive for their best. I see you constantly giving feed back to people's entry's and that is a great thing my friend. Cheers sincerely, and nice job on your creature this week. It looks like it's coming along quite nicely =) Good luck and keep doing best, I appreciate you.

"Art is not about competing against others and being better than everyone else, but it is about competing against yourself and discovering your greatest potential!"

You live this up =)

[Nkristian]

here is my update since i have the creature I wanted I just created a scene for iti'll try my best to finish this one.

I already see finished artworks posted. So I am bit worried about my work if i can really finish it.

lkjhgfdsa and jcpahl's work really stand out for me but I am looking for illustration that can show that this creature can look like pest.

Weirdiswonderful's creature is nice

any way here is my update.

[Rob Powell]

More or less finished, this is a detail shot of the creature's head...final image in the finals thread
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[Si_Swe]

Alright folks, poll is in 15! If you have a final image and it isn't in the finals yet, PUT IT UP!