Team Chow III - Nameless Operatives

[Ephelea]

The 9cm x 15cm is print size. I'd suggest working larger, as when you scale things down - it makes everything cleaner looking. Think in scale, I'm probably going to work 9 inches by 15 inches, because I know my computer can handle it. That may not work for you.

I'm fine with not using Russian, I'm rather fond of the bird idea. However, I think you could have said something earlier, Curly. But, thank you for speaking up now.

While we don't have the same drawing style, we still need our work to be unified. So, having some of our 'characters' wearing Russian clothing, and Curly's not - would separate our work entirely.

[Ephelea]

I'm gonna gather more material, more inspiration. I say go with the birds.
Posting some beginning work in the next few hours.
Any last comments? Arguments? other ideas?

[Tagtraum]

Okay, so since we all agree, let's do that. (I assume curly agrees too, because it was her idea )

I did some sketches twice the size - 18 x 31 (it is 15,5 and not 15, is it? I'll better check again, not that I'm doing something wrong ...)
I just don't get a satisfying pose for the magician, but I already found a first idea for the princess of wands. It's still quite Russian and without much bird-things, because I started sketching in the morning when I was waiting for replies^^' I've altered it a bit so that it's not too visible anymore. I think it might fit with curly's work, depending on her style. The kokoshnik kinda sucks, at least in the way it is now, maybe I'll leave it out completely.
Tell me what you think about it I think I'm getting better with colors gradually.

[Ephelea]

Hey Tag,

I would suggest using photo reference for your pose. And try to ensure your proportions are correct. Right now, your arms are a bit short, your torso/legs look compact. Perhaps lengthening them?

i also think it's funny we both went for darker hued skinned. posting mine momentarily.

[Tagtraum]

Thanks, but actually the arms and legs weren't meant to stay like that^^
I'm still not sure how I should put them so I just left it open. Thought she might stand on some kind of slope and uphold her dress with the right hand.

[Ephelea]

Here's my princess? lol. I can't decide. First draft

[Tagtraum]

I like the pose, it's ... well, something different. But I don't understand what's the dark thing on the right(?)

Uhh - I'll go off for now. Parents and stuff, already 2 AM here.

[Ephelea]

It's her hair. Night. I'll be here til prolly 1am Central if anyone logs on :o I've got to catch up after catching the flu this week. lol.

[Ephelea]

Empress? First draft

[Tagtraum]

Mh okay ... I think the hair should flow a bit more or something.
Nice empress^^ Btw: I just read that the goal is to illustrate a story or something that is linked to the card. Must have missed that, kind of.
On a related note, the color that belongs to the swords is actually blue and not yellow. (Didn't watch for that either ... the color of the wands is yellow, not red)

Though often used as a form of divination, we'll be approaching it from a strictly design perspective. Each card is meant to tell a very particular tale (though this tale often depends on the reader) and has many symbols and meanings attached to it. The goal will be to do each card as a character-based (this is still chow) illustration to illuminate the meaning of the card. However, the specific meaning and the symbols will be up to you. We will, however, be following mostly to the Rider-Waite deck, with the exception that we will be using Princess instead of Page.

[Ephelea]

think I'll be switching them, empress toucan and princess peacock or some other bird with blue

[Ephelea]

Here's my second draft, second pose and second look.

Any comments, critiques?

I decided to keep Toucan as princess and peacock as empress. We can do some changing as we see fit to the colors etc.

[Tagtraum]

Mh ... I like Don't have anything to criticize at the moment.

Will do some sketches for the magician soon. Hopefully.

[Ephelea]

third.

think her hand is too big -.o

[Ephelea]

Princess.

Anyone else got anything to share? -.o

[SMILEFACE]

WHAAA THE bird theme is HOT I REALLY LIKE THE peacock empress AN THE POSE IN THE Toucan IS WICKED Ephelea AN IM LIKE'N THE COLORS YA GOT GO'N SO FAR Tagtraum GOOD LUCK W/ THE CONTEST THIS IS GUNNA ROCK!!!

[Tagtraum]

WHAAA THE bird theme is HOT I REALLY LIKE THE peacock empress AN THE POSE IN THE Toucan IS WICKED Ephelea AN IM LIKE'N THE COLORS YA GOT GO'N SO FAR Tagtraum GOOD LUCK W/ THE CONTEST THIS IS GUNNA ROCK!!!

Thanks^^ Good luck to you too I just visited your team sketchbook and the sketches look great. Love the grinning king!

So, the princess developed a bit (need more feathers x_x'), but the magician has still no satisfying pose, maybe because I'm not sure how I want to depict him. A charlatan, a powerful mage ... uh.

The BG is nice, Ephelea. I think the feathers should maybe have another color, it doesn't seem to fit to the rest of the pic that well.
I figured that the princesses should have a scroll or a letter in their picture, that might be also important. And that they are (obviously) very young in appearance.

[curly]

I've missed that you've already added a second page..hhhhh Silly me! Nice progress here!
Ephelea, I really like the empress pose!Very nice ideas! But be careful with your colors and tones - for now your color balance is kinda off. Try to give them some colors of background and vise versa.
Tagtraum, your sketch seems to have a nice atmosphere and better color blending, but it's still to blurry to judge. Be careful not to cut her leg at cruel way
Here my rough knight of wands.

[Ephelea]

working on it. :o Can't decide.. to make a feather brush, or to go with hair and cloth >_>.

[Ephelea]

Ephelea, I really like the empress pose!Very nice ideas! But be careful with your colors and tones - for now your color balance is kinda off. Try to give them some colors of background and vise versa.

Nice work, so far curly. Interesting composition, but the foremost leg looks like it's slightly tipping downwards, towards us - and isn't on a flat surface. Just doesn't seem to fit the perspective you have for the upper half of the image. Otherwise, good work.

I was hoping to mute the colors in the background, lighten them and make the empress really pop. Might not work. Any suggestions?

[Ephelea]

So here are three variations, any comments? I tried changing the color of the dress. I'm certainly not done, but it might help? Not sure.

[snootchy]

heya ladies, doing great really diggin the bird theme like granny commented above! Only comment or crit or whatever you want to call it, i'd say to keep it loose and fun in the beginning, mainly exploration at this point. Looking forward to how this awesome theme develops!!

[Ephelea]

the feather/hair situation continues to perplex me >_>...think I like the fabric though.

[B-Man]

Glad to see you working with some wild colors. Best of luck to you! Cheers!

[curly]

Thank you for pointing out about the legs - I've fixed it. You should work on your light shadow colors. Put some colors of the dress into background - like red into trees.
You should give more life to the grass under her feet

[Ephelea]

light shadow? Sorry >_< I don't understand.

[Ephelea]

it seems you're both on the page Any thoughts?

[curly]

Put highlights on her skin too. Add background color as reflex in the shadows - zspecialy on her skin.Add shadows - from her upper body on her skirt,from her head mask on her face and back,from her red skirt on yellow dress.There can't be white highlight on her stomach - if I understand the direction of light correctly

[Tagtraum]

Uhh ... I suppose as a beginner I'm no great help in that matter. I'm currently trying to give my princess some kind of shape, lol.
Maybe search for a reference and pick up the colors with a pipette (or however that thing is called in English) - that's what I'm doing *cough* (that be cheating ?)

She was quicker than me anyway

I like the knight of wands. And I like his wand^^

[Ephelea]

Oh, I understand now curly Here's my latest attempt, and I've just started adding more reflective color

Tag, try : COLOURLovers I got it from the CHOW culture, you should really take a few moments in your spare time to go through some of the awesome links