ChoW#275 :: Loa of Love

[Eofn]

Character of the Week #275
Loa of Love
Design one of the four versions of rada Erzulie

DEADLINE: Deadline extended to SUNDAY 29th 9PM GMT+1
Check your timezone!

This week's task is letting out your more tribal, and voodoo nature by designing one of the four Rada Erulie; Erzrulie Freda, Erzulie Balianne, Erzulie Mansur, and Granne Erzulie.

Think about the symbols attached to each version of her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzulie

The Guidelines:

• Must be female
• Must be clearly haitian/deep south voodoo in design
• Please try to think beyond 'hot, naked woman' as the design. Think about markings and other ways of depicting her.

THE RULES
In addition to the brief, if you do not follow these rules, you will not be included in the poll.

• Files must be named: CHoW#275_Username 
(Files with any other names such as final.jpg or even chow275final.jpg will not be accepted)
• Finals must be posted in the finals thread BEFORE the deadline
• Final post must include the CHoW number and the artists username at the bottom of the image
• At least 3/4 of the focus character must be visible
• Final images must be accompanied with a basic character sheet in a separate image
Character sheets should at the very least show a sketch of the front and back of the character and a couple of early thumbnails/silhouettes.
• Follow the brief!

[grenogs]

"Please try to think beyond 'hot, naked woman' as the design. Think about markings and other ways of depicting her."

lol, thats at least 50% of your workforce gone

[Barefoot]

I don't really know who you're talking about, and having checked the wiki-page, I'm still none the wiser, however, I'm sure I can do something.
I'm assuming its less Ooga booga from Crash bandicoot and more Calypso from Pirates of the caribbean that we should be thinking though right? I know both are very hollywood-ised versions of voodoo, but I'm not sure what I should be thinking really.

PS: I don't mean to be nit-picky, but the way you've spelt voodoo makes it sound like a sauce that you have with steak. phonetically you've written: Voh-dou.
"would sir like some voh-dou with his topside?"
Don't mean to be rude by saying this, Nor am I pointing it out to take the piss, it just made me giggle a little.http://www.conceptart.org/forums/att...1&d=1326672086

[Pixeltuner]

Done :p

[SunRoamer]

"Think about the symbols attached to each version of her."

This left me confused, the only mention of a symbol was in the paragraph about "Erzulie Freda"?

[Tim Murphy]

"Think about the symbols attached to each version of her."

This left me confused, the only mention of a symbol was in the paragraph about "Erzulie Freda"?

I think by symbols Patchwerk might have been meant what each stands for. So for Erzulie Freda we would have symbols attached to vanity and love?

Just my guess.

[gen5]

Done :p

that's just too fast!

[AimBiZ]

I guess the under title is not supposed to be "Design a Prophet of the end times"?

Might give this one a shot. The description of the horses sounded twisted and interesting.

[Eofn]

It might help if you research her a little further than just the wikipedia page There is so much fun to be had with this one, lots of tribal, voodoo imagery, colour and designs!

[b-dawg]

I'm in, guys! Woohoo!

Here's some information I've found randomly on the internetz and saved in my personal txt file without crediting any websites.

---
Erzulie Freda is one of the most powerful Voodoo goddesses to work with. As the lover of powerful spirits she wields a great authority and power, perhaps the most effective and influential in the pantheon. If she smiles on you great blessings will be experienced in the realm of love, romance and sex. Synchronized with the Virgin Mary she is pure, good, and benefic and also extends great protection. If you are a woman seeking to take another woman's husband do not appeal to Erzulie! As a benefic goddess she will not help intentions such as those, no matter how passionate you maybe. If your heart, intent, and agenda is pure she will surely come to your aid. Once she has smiled upon you and rituals to her have resulted in movement make sure offerings are made with regularity and communication with her remains open. She will continue to aid you in your love affair.

Offerings to her are champagne, cake, luxurious food, jewelry and clothing. She loves the colors pink and pale blue. The use of her veve (symbol) is also necessary in rituals.

She is one of my favorite goddesses to work with especially when all the rituals have failed, she will intercede. I have seen her makes the most distant and uninterested people warm and tender, she brings men home, keeps them home, stops philandering, stops hurtfulness, abuse, cheating, keeps your love faithful and kind. She also intensifies your seductive abilities, infusing you with her charm.

---

Erzulie Freda is the loa of romantic love. She is invoked to help find a lover, or renew a love relationship. She is also a powerful magician who can obliterate poison and evil magic, and she can offer wealth and luxury to those who serve her.

Erzulie Freda is the epitome of femininity and compassion. She possesses great beauty, grace, and sensuality, and demands cleanliness of her children. Her symbols are a heart, a mirror, and a fan. Erzulie is often weeping, and these can be tears of sadness, joy, or frustration. She is syncretized with the Catholic Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows.

---

Erzulie Freda is a wealthy white woman, a promiscuous love goddess who moves in an atmosphere of perfume and luxury.

[b-dawg]

Some refs, guys, that I found for myself and which you can consider useful.

[fuhrenator]

Erzulie Freda (Lady Erzulie) - The vain and flirty goddess of love. Her "horses" tend to cry tears of longing and regret. She is syncretized with Our Lady of Sorrows (the Virgin Mary as suffering mother).

Erzulie Balianne (Erzulie the Gagged) - "Silences" (heals or calms) hearts. Keeps secrets or ensures that secrets will not be revealed. Helps people to forget past loves and overcome passionate emotions. Her "horses" tend to speak as if they have a gag in their mouth.

Erzulie Mansur (Erzulie the Blessed) - Represents maternal love and protects children from harm.

Granne Erzulie (Grandma Erzulie) - Represents the wisdom granted by experience and maturity and grandmotherly kindness and love. She is syncretized with St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary.

This is the part of the wiki thread we should be focussing on. For any one who hasn't figured it out yet.

[Rano]

@b-dawg thanks dude thoses are great refs ! this topics is really inspiring (as usual :p) i will try to do somethin' !

[SunRoamer]

Besides "gag" I still haven't found a lot about Erzulie Balianne...

http://voodoo.forourpla.net/loa/erzulie/

http://www.artshaitian.com/Pages/hai...francoise.html

[BFWs]

I absolutely love this week theme, I cant miss this one ><

[Moreuvian_lx9]

http://www.mysticvoodoo.com/erzulie.htm

http://www.google.com/search?q=%28~v...H82Dtgeb0ZTVAQ

http://www.google.com/search?q=%28%2...w=1280&bih=831

[Pixeltuner]

that's just too fast!

And I was just kidding of course ^_^

[Sakuranym]

Quick sketch. Not sure if I'll have time to really work on this but the topic was too awesome not to do something for! Yay pig tributes and spirity-swirls

[vandalfish]

I've done a few paintings of Ezili Freda in the past, she's actually one of my favorite subjects! Here are the pieces I've done before...I'm looking forward to taking another whack at her now that I've gotten a tad bit better. She's generally depicted as being of mixed race, with caramel skin and green or blue eyes.

[Ironbyte]

Really like the theme, thanks.

Here's a start for colours and idea, going to work in more of the symbols and sacrifices.

[meth]

@vandalfish, hey man these are killer works, i especially love second one.

M

[Eofn]

@Vandalfish well you might be interested to know that your second image is what inspired this topic

[fancypantsjnr]

Great topic, can't wait to get home and get started!

[b-dawg]

Yo, guys! Here go some of my thoughts on how this character could look. And after vandalfish's drawings I see that she looks more like a priestess of Erzulie Frida but not like her self... *FAIL*

BTW I have a question: in the description of character stands: Must be clearly haitian/deep south voodoo in design
But I found in internetz that she is a wealthy white woman blah blah blah and vandalfish depicted her like this. What should we do? Should we draw her as a white woman or a haitian one?

[Eofn]

b-dawg: The Haitian/deep south is a reference to style, colour, symbolism rather than skin colour.

[Pixeltuner]

update ^_^

[fancypantsjnr]

my sad effort to date lol

@vandalfish - saw that last one in one of my imaginefx mags.. awesome stuff
@Sakuranym - love the pigs hahah

[Pixeltuner]

And another one.

[vandalfish]

PatchworkWolf- Wow! That's awesome

b-dawg- Although Haitians and voodoo practitioners of the American South view Erzulie Freda as a light skinned woman (often described as "mulatto', half black half Caucasian) , this goddess has changed over time in accordance to the beauty standards of those who worship her. In addition to that, she essentially evolved from African goddesses who were later represented using images of Catholic saints by slaves attempting to conceal their true religious practices. So, I don't really see any problem with depicting her has a dark-skinned woman. If I participate in this challenge, I may decide to go that route myself.

[AWRECKINGBALL]

Pixeltuner I really like the direction this one is going