I.O.W. - #001: Holy Grail

[Digital_Blacksmith]

This weeks challenge, is the first of many to come. For this challenge, I have chosen an item that is one of the most well known items in mans history. This item I speak of, is non other then the legendary Holy Grail. Some say it was the cup Jesus drank out of at his last supper. Others say it is a life restoring vessel from times. Celtic times. Either way, it is your job to create your vision of the Holy Grail. It can be as illustrious and gaudy as you want, or it could be the simplest of cups known to man. Either way, this is your challenge.

Good luck, and have fun.

DEADLINE
Jan 22, 2008

[ZebraHDH]

Although its a bit like IDW, i like the idea of another weekly activity.

I'm only doing the occasional sketches (nothing making it to final) right now in the other activities to get myself drawing more regularly. Posting WIP's makes me feel like I am doing something better than nothing.

So because of your strict "if you aren't willing to take the time, then don't bother" guidelines, I won't be taking part in any way at this time.

Good luck with the activity, and maybe when I am more disciplined, I will start participating.

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Nono, what I mean is, that post something from your imagination, dont just draw a quick sketch of something and post it as your final. For a good example of what I mean, look at Bestows entry in my WOTW - The spear. He just posted a stick figure. I dont mind WIPs, as long as it looks like you put some thought and imagination into it.

[ZebraHDH]

OK good deal!

I would love to get into this. In a way, its like an imaginative still life activity.


edit: I'm having huge issues with coming up with anything creative here.

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Awesome. Cant wait to see what you will bring to the table. And sorry for the confusion.

[richfloyd]

Rave thanks for starting this thread. I won't be in on this one cuz my time is limited and I'm trying an environment of the week for my next project. Keep up the good work and thanks for organizing all this. Appreciate it! I'll check back to vote and see everyone's work- looking forward to it!

[Lotet]

so this is where you are Raverunner, im not sure if i can enter this one, il try but not sure...il join the next one though^^

[ZebraHDH]

well, i gave my sketchbook a good spanking, yet I am totally withdrawn creatively from this topic. Sorry, maybe I'll get into the next one.

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Damn, is everyone dropping out on me? Come on artists! I know you can do a pretty cup atleast!

[ZebraHDH]

Damn, is everyone dropping out on me? Come on artists! I know you can do a pretty cup atleast!

Personally, I think that is what is wrong with the topic. Yes I can draw a pretty cup, but I would rather spend my time thinking about pirate coves, glacier terrors, bio-mechanical tattoo guns, or medusa.

The holy grail as a religious object can't really be elaborated on unless you change the history of it, which kinda makes it not "Thee" Holy Grail. So thats what I was thinking about that.

The holy grail, as in, an object of a prolonged endeavor, is sooooo wide open there is almost nowhere to start brainstorming unless you personally have your own holy grail. And if you do, I't either a plain object, like Spiderman #1 comic in mint condition, or an intangible item like a family, nailing the guitar solo in a song you like, or running your own company.

This is all just my line of thinking and no one could agree with me.

But I would think that anyone who considered doing this drew a big gold chalice, a wooden cup/bowl, a beer stein that looks like a pope hat, and a coffee mug that says "Jesus", or "#1 Savior" on it... Then said "screw it, I don't feel like doing this."

I'm sorry I couldn't participate this time, but if the activity continues and the topic gets my creative fluids liquidating, I will surely draw for the practice.

edit: I'm sorry if this came off as insulting, I was just venting my frustration in being unmotivated to think outside the box.

[Digital_Blacksmith]

So, everyone wont do this because its to simple, but yet everyone goes crazy with the Cutlery challenge. I have seen many concepts of the Holy Grail, and as many stories to match it. Its not just the jesus cup, its also a celtic icon, a life restoring legend, and has many other tales about it. But hey, its just a cup, eh? Oh, and btw, im sure most the artists here have more imagination then doing the cliche. I would hope so anyways.

[ArtFish]

holy grail...sick.

i dunno, if i actually had access to art supplies this weekend (i am unfortunately away from my house, and even then my laptop crashed so im using a loaner and cant scan and such) id enter. I think its simplicity is what makes it intersting, sure we know basically what it looks like...but everyone is always on a quest for it (can we say monty python anyone?) but never seems to find it...
Where is this grail? and what does it really look like. is it so obvious that no one notices. or is it really an intangible item that will never be found...
none of us were alive during the time, we have no idea if it really existed or what it may have looked like or contained.
we are artists no? aren't we supposed to take simple things and let our creativity take them to a whole other level...

just some food for thought

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Thank you! Thats exactly what im talking about! So knowing all that, is anyone interested anymore? Or is this a dead topic?

[grenogs]

raverunner, i think the other main reason this challenge has had very little interest is simple, its very dificult to kill someone with a cup, plus its classed as something good and pure. However if you were asking for a chalice to be used by some evil sorcerer, or demon, then im pretty sure you would have more people interested. i wish it wasn't always like this, but the sad truth is, it usually is.

[Penumbra]

Here is a simple piece that I roughed out for this... I probably wont go to a full render on it though...but it did inspire me in another project that I am working on and it might find its way into that...thanks for the motivation.



It has a few perspective issues ...and the stonework needs to be redrwn to kill the symmetry

I honestly don't mind thinking inside the box for a while if it eventually leads me somewhere interesting. This is a difficult topic to wrestle with, if you do something traditional its cliche if you take it to far it runs the risk of being pretentious or superficial, given the context of "Holy".

That it is so difficult means that it should be a challenging topic.

[Digital_Blacksmith]

haha, hence why I chose this. I was hoping everyone would see it that way. Nice background.

And Grenogs.....who said anything about killing anyone? This is item of the week, not my old weapon of the week. Remember, not everything is meant to be violent and weaponlike. If this is an art forum, im sure people here can also do beauty and radiance. But as Artfish said earlier, who knows what it looks likes. Maybe it could be used by a evil demon. Maybe it was actually found hundreds of years ago by a evil warlord, and has men believing the real one is still out there. If you want to do evil, then do evil. If you want to do good, do good. Just because it has the word holy on it, doesnt mean its all good. Evil priest anyone?

[ArtFish]

This really makes me want to watch Monty Python (and the Holy Grail...obviously)

In all reality, you are supposed to draw YOUR view of it. dash what you've been told it was and draw what you really think it was. maybe it wasn't even a grail, in all reality, they did use a lot of metaphors and the like back then. Maybe the reason no one finds it is because it is cursed, or people try to drink from it and are poisoned and so it remains hidden away...no one who finds it lives to tell about it
Or it was destroyed long ago by demons, but no one knew so people just keep searching for it forever.

think outside the box people, push the concept.

[revenebo]

Here's my work in progress, more an exercise in rendering metal surfaces than anything else...

[Digital_Blacksmith]

Alright, and were done....2 entries. Was hoping for a bit more artists, but the two we did get are awesome nevertheless. So, lets get to voting, shall we?