CHOW #77 - VOTING! Guest: Coldrun Topic:Ice Druid

[Oblio]

These are the finals! SHOW CHOWracter!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/ChowPics/SupportChow.jpg (http://www.conceptartstore.com/index.html)
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PLEASE POST ONLY YOUR FINAL ENTRIES HERE!

+ All other posts wil be delleted.
+ This thread will include the final poll. Here is where you will do the voting.
+ The order in wich the finals are posted here will be the order in the poll. (the first to post here - will be the first entry on the poll considering that the entry is acepted)
+ Do not post placeholders.
Thank you.


]--------------------------



Ice Druid


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1.
2.
3.
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POLL RULES
(for the new people)
NOT ALL ENTRIES ARE TAKEN TO THE POLL.
(the selection is based on technical quality criteria)
ENTRIES NOT POLLED WILL RECEIVE C&C
(i really try to do this every time)
IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS - MISTAKES CAN BE MADE
I am trying to set this as a professional demand. I act as the client...
Oblio is always looking for feedback - If Oblio is wrong - tell him so.
DON'T VOTE FOR YOURSELF


______________

ROUND COMMENTS:


let me know if you prefere the big pictures in the vote or the thumbnails.

YAAAAY _ TREVOR DID IT AGAIN! (start working on the King of CHOW buddy - i have submissions comming ;)

[Jeremy]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/jforson/jeremy_chow77_ice_druid.jpg

[mark malone]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b87/Mal-1/chow77copy.jpg

[Evil_Sloth]

here we go...
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/9644/finaldruidchowwsi5.jpg

[Ads]

Here is my ice druid:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/SirAdam/icedruid3-copy.jpg

[thanos5]

http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/28226.jpg

[Gorgoth of Suburbia]

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/Damnroadkill/GorgothofSuburbia_CHOW77_IceDruid.jpg

[Skolld]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k102/skolld/skolldchow77icedruidweb.jpg

[sony]

:dur:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb207/yahyaehsan/sony_CHOW77_IceDruid.jpg

[dragon4lunch]

http://www.trickstertoys.com/additional/dragon4lunch_icedruid.jpg

I did quite a bit of sketching (on good old fashioned paper) and settled for something fairly human, but much taller. A giant! These ice druids ally with elves, whom make helmets for their tall friends (the hands of the ice druids are much to large to be able to do something useful, other than tearing out trees ).

[Yngling]

Well then, here it is... my very first CHOW! You guys are such an inspiration!

My character, he's a busy fellow. During winter, he has to look after the forest and its inhabitants, and make sure they survive the harsh weather. When he encounters an unfortunate victim to the cold, he makes sure that they are properly buried and guided to the afterlife. With a short incantation he guides the spirit out, and though it grieves him to lose one of his children, he knows it is now one with the forest.

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9599/ynglingchowicedruidcopyeo7.jpg

[timothee]

Updated Final:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r146/timdeplace/Timothee_CHOW77_icedruid10copy.jpg

[Phuzion]

Skya, after the Celtic warrior princess, is now more feared than her namesake.
With her Scream she can unleash all the forces of Winter, freezing armies where
they stand. She stays in the forests, tending to her trees and animals, and
worshipping the elemental spirits. Woe betide any who venture unknowingly into
her woods, or lay harm to those who dwell within them.




http://www.artdl.com/chow/phuzion_chow77_icedruid.jpg





Cheers,

[alice_]

Ice druids like hanging out with animals, in the hope that one day they will learn how to turn into one.

http://www.paper-pushers.com/alice/images/ca/alice_icedruid.jpg

She's learning it's secrets, one by one.


Hi btw!

[Red Mimic]

FINAL

http://www.156thmongoose.com/redmimic_chow77_ice.jpg

Some words for the druid. A man of mystery stalks the frozen forests searching for the sacred mistletoe to gain favor from the gods and end this never-ending winter. His left arm has succumb to frostbite but stays with him through some unknown power.

[skekTec]

skekTec Final

The Ice Druid in the final stages of full enlightenment. The druid is sent off into the wild at the height of winter with only one body wrap scribed with sacred text. Their body is destroyed by hypothermia and frostbite. If they are true to their path, the whole body (the heart being last) will be replaced with an ice form and will become a true force of nature.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m276/skekTec/KADCHOW77IceDruid.jpg

[Reed Rex]

Hi everyone
First time entry for any CA.org project. I'm an art student posted here like 3 times but don't usually manage to keep up with it. I'm hoping to try and get into more of these. Hope you like the entry. C&C welcome.

http://www.synthysis.com/portfolio/reed_rex/Reedrex_CHOW77_Icedruid6.jpg

[FreshPaint]

Enki is a druidess of the Aia. Living in the frozen north, the Aia tribe worships the gods of ice. Thier druids learn their calling at a young age, showing natural ability to dominate over the elements and an affinity for nature.

http://www.synthysis.com/portfolio/Anna/Freshpaint_CHOW77_Icedruid.jpg

This is my only my 2nd chow, so any comments and crits are welcome.

[smashpansy]

First Chow, folks! Here goes!

Jerry Heck is a small town modern day druid. He runs around shirtless in 30 below weather in a ritual performed 2 days a year in the month of January. The hypothermia is a reminder of nature's power, and how he must respect it. He has also modified his druid hood to include a pine cone beer helmet. The nectar of the pine cone is sweet indeed.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n112/smashpansy/chow1.jpg

[Sellis]

Here's my two pence worth, hope you guys like it.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4820/sellischow77icedruidnp0.jpg

Sellis

[Rodimus25]

My final for this weeks chow.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a358/rodimus25/Chow77IceDruid-2.jpg

[Lazy]

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/277/icedruidvf2.jpg

[YIIT]

Ice Druid - Pencil on Paper (A3) Color Hue on PS 7.0
http://yiit.net/YIIT-IceDruid-CHOW-77.jpg

[Shamagim]

jbhbjh

[Daray]

My entry for 'Ice Druid'

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f309/Deathsnare/icedruidfinal.jpg

[ashton]

http://studiopumpernickel.com/ash/2006-dailysketch/Final_ashton_Ice_Druid.jpg

I had trouble with my network so took a while to post.

[scottmcd]

He knows there was a time, long ago, when the druids did important things, like... like... well, whatever.

Now he's on an endless quest for the perfect ice wine ingredients. He seeks out the rare ice plants to harvest and take back to his people. Under its divine guidance, he's pretty sure that the judgements he renders for his people come straight from the nature spirits.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb283/sequentialscott/scottmcd_chow77_icedruid.jpg

[busterbam]

Here's my first go at a CHOW. Any crits welcomed. The Ice Druid controls the elements bringing snowstorms and blizzards on weary travellers.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x264/busterbambam/icedruid.jpg

[-anubis-]

In my presentation I tried to recapture the beautiful stillness of icy world. The owl represents life. The deer skull is death. And Icy Druid is a balance of both. The druid himself is part of this icy environment. Without him the world of life and death would fall apart.

http://www.olegs.org/gallery/albums/digital/druid-finalchow.jpg

[muleskinner]

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z202/dnickoli07/muleskinner_chow-77.jpg

[Antne]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/Antne/icedruid.jpg

[punkbound]

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x320/punkbound/icedruid.jpg

[NightMare28]

my first CHOW finished yay!

great stuff guys, my final, =P

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb163/nightmare_28/NIghtmare-28-CHOW-77-v3-fin-1.jpg

[ACRO]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g313/PARNUN/acro-ice-dr.jpg

[skullsquid]

General Winter

In russian folklore, the attribute of winter is personified in the figure of General Winter.
During the Napoleonic Wars, French soldiers recounted of a strange old man being followed
by a pack of fox pups in the middle of blizzards. Similar accounts have surfaced during
operation Barbarossa by German soldiers. Wherever he goes, winter follows and freezes everything to a halt.

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/5369/druidicecolorfnj2.jpg

[damienflux]

http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/21101/2000405779160023267_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000405779160023267)

[Coleb]

Final. Ice Druid
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/cocomartinez/CHOW/Coleb_Chow77_final_bw.jpg

Regards,

Coco

[JakkaS]

Kingfisher and his dog Icicle
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a314/JakkaS/Ice-druid--final-JAKKAS.jpg

[Johannes]

http://www.panzerkunst.se/temp_images/johan_chow77_3f2.jpg

[rodriguez]

hey folks here's mine

Times they are a changin thats for sure. Not long ago a girl could look up to the heavens and find her way in the world, not now tho trapped in this bitter wasteland. Oh well better be on my way.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8940/rodriguezchow77icedruidvd1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Michael Jaecks]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a379/neorepto/michaeljaecksicedruid.jpg

Pingu Snowfoot was an Ice Druid during the Second Age of Warming. The natural habitat of his people was threatened as the climate changed within his realm. He used his polar magic to beat back the thermal devils that threatened his land. His success was not without sacrfice, and he lost his life, winning the battle. His people were so gratified by his actions that his spirit was deified and now is worshiped as a minor god in his native pantheon.

[Tenno]

http://www.graphuji.com/Graphuji_CHOW77.jpg

[tical00111]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/tical00111/Ice2.jpg
Here we go. More color next time. Had lots of fun doing this.

[Stampedie]

Hi everyone, here is mine:
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/5936/stampedieicedruidos3.jpg

[Tom Garden]

http://tomgarden.co.uk/Webpics/tomgarden_chow77_druid.jpg

re-posting as i'm not sure whats going on with this two topic round lol!

great rendering jakkas, but the hands are a bit tiny - an i'd watch the bend in the leg - it looks a bit to far down.

[ikuru]

http://www.ikuru.se/box/icedruid.jpg
All done in one go this afternoon...
So much talent here this week!
Holy smokes!

[blackrobin]

Ice druid Neve, one of last disciples of the winter god Ziema. She freezes and thaws the rivers, regulating the countless life on the mountain. Wherever she goes, snow fall will follows, leaving an icy path. During other seasons she will sleep on the peak of mount Eras, but when winter comes, her eyes will open, signalling the coming of harsh and cold weather.

http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/28401.jpg

great ChoW everyone!!

[IronhideNT]

http://files.myopera.com/thinkseaweed/albums/150761/chow77-IronhideNT.jpg

Great work everybody, learnt alot!

[fuuryoku]

My fuzzy final:
http://www.thomscottart.com/images/icedruid.jpg

-Fuu

[Burtzum]

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c41/Burtzum/burtzum_chow77_final.jpg

Giving themselves over to frost completely, the Ice Druids become among the undead, trading their lives for the chance to truly understand their favorite element.

[LORD M]

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5717/lordmicedruidchow77le2.jpg


As the high-druid of the North tribes, Elhram Drehn can take partly transform himself to a snow fox to better cope with the freezing winds in the ever snowing lands. Being the high-druid he has almost as much power as the tribe high chief, he has a robe different then the average North druid - this because of his status.

High druid Elhram Drehn is always acompanied by his faithfull snow fox Serla, a creature kind and stronge enough to be his friend and bodyguard.


P.S. If you look closely, the head is in line with the body. :c

[peter_john]

here it be:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/617723615_8717098d2f_o.jpg

[Mr.Blonde]

yay for mostly nakedness

[HFix]

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/HFix/HFix_CHOW77_IceDruidFinalpost.jpg

[marco nelor]

been six months since ive posted a single pic. can i get in on this?

[Lyconeus]

First CHOW

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa255/lyconeus/lyconeus-icedruid.jpg

[JCole76]

http://www.jojamamida.com/Concept%20Art/IceDruidChow77.jpg

It is unsure wither the elves of the North are related to the elves of Ummorijima Island. What is known is that those wanderers that adventure to far into the North find the elves a beacon of hope, for the North is still wild country huanted by tribes of orcs and goblins. The elves have managed to carve out small sanctuaries of civilization. But the price has not been cheap. The elves have sacrificed their inner peace. Most evident is in the harshness of their leaders, the Ice Druids of Azurea.

[trevor]

done
hope you like
i may polish the crap outta this later
and i hate all you talented asses that hide until the deadline and then BAM right in the mouth
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/trevorclaxton/Trevor_CHOW77.jpg

[Oblio]

ok people - last chance to post the finals.
i'm waiting for the final selection from coldrun.


amazing round.

[Tom Garden]

the quality bar is really really high this week!!!bloody brilliant! Looking forward to the poll!

I've seen a lot of personal improvement in a lot of entries, rodriguez, i can see you have pushed yourself to improve the past few rounds, good work!

[Blue Severin]

Amazing freaking round

I think you've got me beat Trevor

In the Ice Wastes, a mastodon can be a girl's best friend
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/jbrassell/ice-druid.jpg

[the haggard]

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p272/t-lark/icedruidconc.jpg

[Woodlandwalker]

And so it was, the skyclad maiden had done her duty for the goddess, her sacrifice alone allowed the protection and the forthcoming of Spring. The celebration of Waking light would soon be at hand. The dormant earth cold over the winter months would begin to stir with life and she would be free from her icy bonds. The Ice Druid is a voluntary position... one not to be taken lightly. Many a month she afforded the earth its rest, now it would awaken anew and she would be replaced by the flower maiden warming the earth, and welcoming the Goddess renewed…. Blessed Be
http://www.glensportfolio.com/woodlandwalker_chow77_id.jpg
not sure about this double thread.

[coldrum]

Ok here goes...

The following entries were picked with relevance to topic and personal artistic appeal in mind : )

Jeremy – Seems a little unrelated but a nice render all the same

Mark Malone – Nice composition but has a few small anatomy issues
Evil Sloth – nice colors and texture

Ads – Nice coloring... the pose could be a little more dynamic.

Thanos5 – she seems a little plain but is beautiful and nicely painted

Gorgoth of Suburbia – Cool head... remember, he's old so add some bones to his hands and wrists ... loose some fat / muscle

Dragon4lunch – haha very cool... would have been nice to see the elf on his shoulder or something to even out your composition.

Timothee – Cool idea. You could add to his appearance by having a more dynamic figure... eg making his top half bigger (wider shoulders) and making his legs more animal shaped (thighs forward, ankles back chest out)

Phuzion ... very nice image although I wish you had stayed with the blue

Alice – Nicely rendered

Red Mimic

skekTec – Check the size of her head against her ribcage. I like the BG colouring

Reed Rex – Nice textures here. Maybe add more dimension to the face... nose etc.

FreshPaint – really nice detail here but check the size of her head against her ribcage.

Sellis – This is a nice painting but the cape around the neck is separating your character too much... if you check your anatomy under that costume, you may find his neck to be very long.

Rodimus25 – Glad you fixed the neck and leg on her. Nice pose and a hard one to get right. Try not to make her knee look too fat. Nice color choices

YIIT

Shamagim

Daray

ashton ... Wasnt sure about this one... I like it tho as it has a real storybook feel to it and the anatomy issues seen intentional.

Busterbam

-anubis- fantastic job on this. Very interesting composition and coloring. One of my favs

evildisco – Great job on this guy

damienflux – This is nice but it would be nice to see her bigger on the page.. also maybe try finishing your character details before adding detail to the background... eg.. tail

JakkaS – Nice coloring on this one... watch the size of the hands in relation to the face. Very nice

Michael Jaecks

Graphuji

tical00111

Tom Garden – very nice detail... watch your arm proportions and positioning tho.

blackrobin

fuuryoku

Burtzum

LORD_M – This was a hard one... make sure your characters head is in line with the body.

peter john

Mr.Blonde

marco nelor

Lyconeus

trevor – Great work, one of my favs. Nice use of colour, great composition and interesting details.




And the ones I thought could use some extra working...

Skolld – A little hard to read and seems unfinished. Small anatomy issues with arms... foreshortening.

sony – Anatomy issues... eg the head, neck and shoulders...hands.... legs??

Yngling – Nice idea. A little unfinished

smashpansy – unfinished and your concept seems unrelated

lazy – I was close to adding this but there are anatomy problems and it could be worked a little more.

scottmcd – unfinished with anatomy issues... eg hands

muleskinner – This image has potential but the style could be developed more. Also foreshortening anatomy issues.

Antne - unfinished

punkbound – this one looks a little unfinished but shes got a nice pose... also some anatomy issues.

Nightmare28 – this guy has great potential but could do with some finishing

ACRO – your style seems a little mismatched and the anatomy needs some working

Coleb – A nice sketch but needs some working

Johannes – Seems unfinished and has some anatomy issues.

rodriquez – There are a few anatomy issues here... the the coloring is a little bland and she's a little uninteresting... go nuts with your ideas on the next one.. sorry rodriquez.

Stampedie - unfinished

ikuru - Nice pose but why oh why did you dress her in red!! Sorry she looks more like a she devil.

IronhideNT – This is a little hard to read and unfinished.

Hfix – Almost added this but feel your coloring has let you down.

Jcole76 - Anatomy issues and doesn't really shout Ice Druid

Blue Severin - This is a nice image although the colors seem a little flat and your character is cut off.

the haggard – I really like the pose here but feel its a little unfinished.

Woodlandwalker – I wanted to add this but I feel the anatomy needs some working. Great idea tho.

Thats it... man that takes ages. Hope I haven't missed anyone. Remember that this is only my personal opinion.

Cheers! - Jez

[aberrant85]

http://www.nathanheigert.com/images/0_FullSize/CHOWicedruidAberrant85.jpg

[Tom Garden]

so....tuesday :P

I NEED CHOW!!! WAARRRRGHHHHH

thanks for the comments and crit! very helpful

[ikuru]

Coldrum, thanx.
I dressed her in red cuz it looks good in contrast to the blue.
To me she is on fire and naturaly therefore master over the ice.

[Oblio]

another generous poll with close to 40 entries.
I would have cut that in about half - i gave one vote to each picture that would make it to the poll by my standards. It sucks becouse i can';t really pick my favorites.. but well.. it's easier for me this way.

please let me know if you guys would like th ecurrent big images in the poll instead of the smaller thumbnails.
thankyou... let's go skyfishing!

[ikuru]

voted, jeremy, thanos phusion (strongest), and ofcourse, Trevor (semistrongest).

And what the hell dudes I didnt make it to the poll? I thought that was my strongest entry ever. :\ Dont worry though, I'll be back and crushing in no time. >:D

[Yngling]

Mmm too bad mine didn't make it...I can see why though, with all the other great entries. All the more reason for me to participate in the next one!

[Tommoy]

Can't see mine anywhere, maybe didn't make it to the pole but then it still should be visible here?

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/Tommoy/Tommoy_CHOW77_IceDruidD2k.jpg

[Antne]

OBLIO!!!! This works perfect! Every image is easy to find and clear. I like the large thumbnails. The second thread for final entries is a perfect solution. Awesome job!

[Michael Jaecks]

Well. I know many need no excuse or reason to paint another nude, nearly nude or scantily clad lady. And to be perfectly frank, many of the strongest entries this week in terms of rendering and technique fall in this category.

But concept-wise, I think it's kind of weak. Even considering irony as a motivation, it's thinly veiled (no pun intended) and still weak...If the topic had been "Sea Druid" or even "Lava Druid" you might have sold it to me. If the topic had been "Ice Goddess" you might have sold it to me. But not Ice Druid. Sorry.

As such, I voted for three that I think were strong illustrations and even stronger concept-wise: Jakkas (ever, always a fan) Evil Sloth ( for not only the druid, but the very convincing not-quite-arctic landscape... very... Canadian almost... even northern Minnesota... nice) and Alice, who proves quite handily that lady Ice Druids can be very lovely and fully clothed at the same time.

[Burtzum]

Yeah there could have been some much more interesting costumes. Thats one of the things I'm not too happy about with mine, its rather ordinary. His outfit needs something to make him stand out as an individual character more. Its really easy to fall into cheesyness with unique costumes though. I was a sissy and held back.

And yeah... so many ladies gonna get some terrible frostbite.

What I find interesting is two characters have a monocle/eyepatch type thing. Where is that coming from? Is that druid-ish somehow or just a coincidence?

[Shamagim]

Damien.....fucking beautiful!!, and I mean that in the complete sense of that word and not in the overused terminology to describe something good, I'm really stunned and amazed on how pretty she is.

[ikuru]

I think the main problem with trying to make something less expected and to go out of the box, is that people fail to see the conection and tend to vote for the most obvious/well rendered and Nude one anyhow.

[Michael Jaecks]

Back on the subject of nudity... you know, I can't argue against using it as a general rule. Sex sells, period and that fact will never change. But there are moments, IMHO, that it won't serve and may even contradict an otherwise solid concept. Again, if it were "Ice Goddess" you could totally justify the nudity because the character is supernatural at its core. But a druid is essentially just a follower of a belief system who may or may not have some magical power. It would seem that running around naked might even be contrary to their belief system.

But... they would all make lovely ice goddesses, no doubt about that.

[Red Mimic]

Great round. I like the big pictures for the purpose of voting but the thumbnails when I just want to browse. Torn...

Gave my 3 votes to Jeremy (piece had the most different look of them all)
Evil Sloth (best concept in my opinion and with a bit of Canadian-ish landscape as mentioned earlier) and Mr. Blonde (because it's just so fun to look at)

[skullsquid]

My Votes went, to Alice, Damien and Burtzum.

Alice's is so simple and yet reminds me of folklore tales and such. Plus the style is distinct.

Damien's got my vote out of pure drool factor. I wish the underlying idea were more interesting but from a technical standpoint it is indeed very nice. There's some issues on the knee and the foot if you cared at all.

Burtzum's was interesting because the explanation he gave integrated well with the concept. Plus the image is well done.

[alice_]

personal favourite: evildisco's general winter. The concept text has a close link to the finished picture, the design is interesting even with the simple flat rendering (which is really nice btw!) and I like russian stuff.

If I'd realised before voting that it was multiple choice then I would also have voted for anubis. It's a skull.. no, its a tree! I like it because it's all about the druid's connection to nature.

With regards to the boobs: I think that there is a large enough amount of historical precedent for topless ladies in religion and ritual for it to be okay. Sure its cold, but aren't nature religions all about being at one with the elements? That said, I think it was only phuzion's where the slight nudity actually added to the concept - probably because of the dynamic action rather than just standing around posing.

I particularly liked trevor's too (amazing animals!).

Really interesting round!

[ikuru]

coldrumtook your advice and made some alterations, have to post it here, hope thats ok, thanx again.

http://www.ikuru.se/box/bluefinal.jpg

[rodriguez]

Hey thanks Tom makes up for not making the poll again for a little while then i'm sad.:(
nah its cool the next topic sounds like a cracker so guess i'll just need to knock it up a notch

liked alices the best

[jubjubjedi]

I voted for a couple, but I sure do wish Alice, Damien, or Evildisco take the top spot. There are lots of good and competent illustrations here, but not necessarily for uniqueness of concept.

[Alex Alexandrov]

My vote goess to Alice i really love the style of this one its great cheers :)

[trevor]

votedd for marco and alice
marcos pic is so different from the rest and my favorite of all of em
bright cheerful and great painterly rendering
alice
subtle and beautiful
great pallette and i love the little flourishes in her hair
i just wish there was more in the illo or we could see more of her costume

[damienflux]

urg , i strayed away from concept this round , perhaps there isnt much to play around with , and like Ikuru says , people tend to vote for the well rendered and the obvious , It kinda reminds everyone how subjective it gets and all .. and i was a slave to it :( lol i've fallen . Oh and i voted for Mr blonde i really dig her expression , that coldness and Jakkas is just Phoar!

[scottmcd]

Hey all,

R.e. Coldrun's comment on mine not being finished and having anatomy issues in the hands and such. On the anatomy issues: check. I picked a hard pose on purpose, so it was good to work through that stuff even if I didn't nail it as much as I'd have liked. The not finished comment is a bit puzzling. Does the inking seem unfinished, or is it the fact that it's not colored. I'm not working on color right now, but I'd be most grateful for any feedback anyone could give on the inking. (sb entry for it: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1366033&postcount=101 )

I sent votes to:

phuzion: Nice dynamic, expression, and execution. She should cut down on the wintergreen mentos, I expect. I'd probably tone down the greelight a touch. (Greelight: That unexplained green light from beneath escalator steps. Also appeared frequently in the X-files. From Rich Hall's sniglets.)

alice: Very unique. This says druid to me more than the others, and what's the bird saying? She seems to be in touch with a wider field of perception than the rest of us.

-anubis-: I like the colors, and you managed the same pose I was trying for (elbow bent out and arm supporting weight on leg). Good costume too. I didn't notice the skull he's sitting on at first.

evildisco: Not very druid-ish given that Russian != Celtic, but a great character. Quite druid-ish in the connection to nature, though.

Tom Garden: I like the style a lot and immediately thought I'd see it on the cover of a paperback. I also like the translucent effect of the wrap over the legs. More greelight!

Trevor: I'm disappointed she's not eating an ice-cream sandwich, but still like the picture a lot. Glad to see the right hand finished out. What do you think she's looking at?



Also, am I the only one who saw Damien's and thought "but females don't have antlers?" Followed by, "Why am I OK with the hind-quarters of a deer coming off of her, but not with antlers on the head?" ;)

Also, for Michael Jaeks: That has got to be the buffest penguin I've ever seen.

[coldrum]

Michael Jaecks - As illustrators and concept artists we almost never get to choose the brief ... the topic isn't always something we feel passionate about drawing. I find that in these cases Imagination is a great asset ; )

scottmcd - The statement I made on your entry seeming unfinished was in comparison to other entries... many of which were colored or had the appearance of a finished piece. Your entry is hopefully one of thousands of drawings you will complete in your lifetime, so maybe instead of trying to justify why you did what... concentrate on the areas you lack in and better yourself with the next piece :)

Oblio - Yeah I felt I could have done the same. If I win one of these again, I wont hold back. I guess it doesn't do anyone any favors to be put through to the polls only to have 0 votes

[Jeremy]

I voted for alice's drawing. I guess I didn't really consider how close it was too the topic, but the drawing is a knock out, so it got my vote. I didn't know your could vote for more than one. Is that right?? Next time....

I thought there was tons of talent shown here, some worth marking on:
Mr.blonde- fantastic, the light in great, well painted
Marco- the color and light are great. Nice poses.
Damien- great realism.
Shamagim- The colors in the skin are wonderful! Actually, all the color is great.



Does mine really seem off topic???

[coldrum]

Jeremy - The reason I thought yours seemed a little off topic was purely a personal comment... others may feel differently. Don't get me wrong... its a killer drawing! I just felt it looked very modern and not so Druid like as apposed to something like peter_johns entry. Again, just a personal impression.

[ikuru]

alice, love your avatar Gurl! And there is some solid kick ass art on your webpage!

[busterbam]

Voted for Phuzion really liked the movement in it. Also liked Alice, Mr.Blonde and Trevor's too.
I think mine was picked by Coldrum but not posted in poll? Oh well next time, off to net some sky fishermen.

[damienflux]

I totally enjoyed this one! and theres many encouraging comments to spur me on!

[Oblio]

trevor.. let the lady win - you hear ? :P
great round - i guess we'll keep the pic pictures in the vote.

[Tenno]

I like the larger thumbs, but the resizing seems quite random.

[Tommoy]

I guess mine got lost in the snow, very disappointing:[

[NightMare28]

I feel you Tommoy, mine appears to have been lost in the snow too.

I voted for Alice, Tom Garden, and Burtzum. Great pieces and really expressed "Ice Druid" to me.

I agree with alot of the comments on here about all the entries.

Character before T&A I say, otherwise why don't we just have a pinup thread?

hope to see you all in the next round.

[Tom Garden]

thanks for the comments and crits! 8 votes woo!! most ever! :)

In the future - are we having one thread to post our work in, and then a final thread for the finished work?

Loving the bigger jpegs - would it be better to keep large jpgs to vote from, but loose the pics in the messages below?

Its really cool to see such a large amount of work each round! :)

[ACRO]

i voted for trevor cuz its just ill...

i realized that not all pics make in this thread......?

my drawing didnt make the final, but its all good...

try harder nexttime right?

[trevor]

thanks for the love folks if anyone wants a crit just ask
i dont have time to gho through and crit ALL of em but if you ask me i will
and Oblio dont blame me i VOTED for her!

[LORD M]

Yay! -anubis- and blueblister voted on me! My first CHOW votes ever! Thanks. :)

[ikuru]

thanks for the love folks if anyone wants a crit just ask

I'd love to hear it, dont need to be gentle neither. ;)

Jeremy, Your style looks a bit like the guy who did the Gorilaz art no?

Anyways its slick and cool.

rodriguez, indeed your stuff is getting better and better, youll be up there in no time, keep it up!

[Darktwin]

This was a tough one to vote for, man lots of good entries, great job everyone. My vote went to trevor love the composition and energy of the overall piece. Great work everyone!

[skekTec]

This was my first ChOW (yes I know how to spell it now:bashful:) and I really enjoyed the challenge. I am however confused about what the 'final' product should be. jubjubjedi kind of touched on this with the Illustration vs. concept artwork angle.

Please don't get me wrong, there is so much talent here it makes my head spin! I even contradicted myself voting for trevor for an awsome illustration. Would this same art be accepted by a video game art director or movie producer as a 'Character Concept'?

If I've stepped out of bounds, well...so be it. I'm working towards becoming a concept artist and I would like to know your opinions on this.

Thank you.

[trevor]

Please don't get me wrong, there is so much talent here it makes my head spin! I even contradicted myself voting for trevor for an awsome illustration. Would this same art be accepted by a video game art director or movie producer as a 'Character Concept'?


ok
since you voted for me ill give you an answer
probably not!!!!!
dont get me wrong
my illo could be used in the grand scheme of things for something like box art or a scene illo somewhere down the line in a development process,
but initial concepts are usually rougher,faster and go through many many changes something like mine would more than likely only be done after a concept was approved
but in this competition concept technique and presentation kind of overlap
if you were to look at alot of concepts they would be rough
sketchy and fast as well as having tons of variations on the same theme

perhaps next time i do a chow ill do the whole deal start to finish as part of my entry including an ortho or something

if i were doing the topic as a job i wouldnt have just made it up as i went along and done a full illo
so
short answer no
long answer yes hahahahahah

[Shamagim]

Now I assure you there was some thought put into my character concept, I just didn't thought it was going to be labeled as stupid & weak.

Now what I would like to ask is for people to please drop the subject ( the very subjective subject). Please?

[trevor]

shamagim- i have no clue who called it stupid and weak
but they deserve an ass kicking
its a great pic man
awesome color
and weird ass design (love the head gear)
i like it alot man

[skekTec]

Wheew! I thought I was going to get yelled at or at least a boot to the head for that question.(flinch!)

Trevor Thanks for answering my question, I really appreiciate it! I just wanted to know what others thought. I figured this forum is for what you said, "competition concept technique and presentation" combined. So I'll treat it as such.

BTW I can also really see your illo as a novel cover:teeth: .

Thanks again!

P.S. Shamagim, I aggree with trevor. Ass kicking warranted.

[Shamagim]

thanks Trevor, but that's not what I mean. I just felt that all this talk about nude(or almost nude) characters and how they weren't good enough conceptually for this case or any other....And I mainly mention this because of the " chose your own interpretation" theme attached to this particular round.


I'm all for people expressing their opinions, but I'm confused on how much insistence was placed on the subjective opinion than everyone who used nudity was not conceptual enough ( whatever that means)....and I guess all in all it does make me feel a little bit bitter.


Anyways, rant over, I guess it doesn't matter that much, it just feels much better to get it out and say it.:)

[jubjubjedi]

Personally, I couldn't care less about the whole nudity thing, it's clarity and uniqueness of concept that matters the most, no?

[Michael Jaecks]

Well, as far as nudity is concerned, I never used the word "stupid" and I never said "they weren't good enough for this case or any other," nor would I. I just don't think it works for this topic. I was very clear about making the point that a lot of entries that used nudity or partially clothed women were very strong in terms of rendering and technique... and indeed they are. I think I was clear about why I didn't think nudity worked well with this specific topic and then gave three examples of topics where it would work logically.

So let's not turn this into someone who objects to nudity on the basis of prudishness or censorship... because that couldn't be further from the truth for me...not by a long shot.

Look, its just an opinion and one I did not expect to be shared by the majority of people. By my count the nekkid ladies are winning by a landslide and I have no problem with that. Congratulations.

But I think I have a well thought out arguement which I continue to stand behind. I believe it was respectfully and contstructively submitted. I gave compliments for strengths as well as crits for weaknesses and I gave suggestions on where character nudity would be better used.

If someone feels singled out or personally attacked they shouldn't.

[trevor]

thanks for all the votes
this was an awesome round
ill have the topic to oblio by lunch for this weeks chicachica CHOW!

[trevor]

topic .....SENT
get ready to work your arses off for my approval!
just kiding


but


not really
work




WORK!