IOW #37 - Kraken Attack

[Andrew Sonea]

Illustration of the Week #37: Kraken Attack

This is a two week topic.

Topic
This weeks topic is Kraken Attack.
Your task is to create an illustration of a kraken attack. Most of you probably have a general idea about what a kraken is, but it is a good idea to do a bit of research on it first. As always, Wikipedia is a great starting point and has some good information (for example, they were not always portrayed as giant octopus):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraken

You don't have to paint the actual attack, you can also choose to paint what happens either immediately before or after the attack. Just make sure it is somehow clear that a kraken is involved.


Deadline
The deadline is Sunday 21st of October, 23:59 GMT


Have fun

[Jaunay]

Oh yeah this is the perfect topic, just what I feel like working on. Also I was researching artists and came along one of the Fantasy Flight atists, he has a whole bunch of awesome tutorials. The one that will specifically be useful for this IOW would be Tip 9 slimy tentacles!

[Aksel Ludvigsen]

Does it have to be fantasy/medieval or can we create pieces illustrating for example a kraken attacking a low-flying spaceship etc?

[onez]

Interesting topic.
Being a widely covered fantasy/literature/movie theme, we have already seen it a lot of times. This encourages creativity, so as not to be ordinary, or boring.
I think I will focus on the aftermath of a Kraken attack, and set the illustration in the office of a dandy Holmes-esque cryptozoologist. He is studying the organic evidence of the attack that a suvivor brought him.
Still working on the composition, which will be wider in order to show more of the cryptozoologist office.

Hopefully I will make the deadline!

[Andrew Sonea]

Does it have to be fantasy/medieval or can we create pieces illustrating for example a kraken attacking a low-flying spaceship etc?

Feel free to paint whatever you want, as long as there is a kraken and a hint at some sort of attack.

[Dcritelli]

Came up with this sketch. Not in love with the boat's design. I Need more reference I guess.

[Niam]

WIP

[onez]

ahaha cool

[Templar101]

I didn't like the previous attempt so here's something different! spent about 45 mins so far, plenty to go.

[Niam]

hardest part for me :/ completing it.

[xLouisax]

Hi guys ^_^ This is my start on the line-work. There's gonna be a guy on the boat sort of reacting to the creepy tentacles which I have to add. And actually I have quite a lot of detail to add, but all criticism welcome, especially about the idea. God I've gone to town commenting on everyone else's WIPS! I apologise for the lectures lol xxx



Onez That's a really cool idea! Can't wait too see how it turns out!

Dcritelli I think I kinda know what you mean about the boat, I think that most of all it's actually just missing a ton of ropes and boat-related thingmies though. Also (really nitpicking now) I can't tell if the anchor is sort of being flung into the air by the force, or if the tentacle is holding it up, or pulling it away. It might look more effective if the tentacle was sort of pulling it taught, as if it's trying to sink it that way or something.

Vivi I like it, I like the dark humour lol

Templar101 This is a really cool so far! Again with the nitpicking though :p I think there should be one or two tentacles gripped firmly in the middle of the ship, because at the moment it looks a bit like the ship has sort of bent in half on its own, and that it's sinking on its own accord, when the other tentacles suggest that it's being pulled down and crushed gradually by the kraken.

[Templar101]

Cheers for the advice xlouisax i'm liking how yours is coming along, looks very much like an illustration in an old book about sea legends!, i changed the tentacles in this further wip as well as added a bit of intrest to the scene, need to sort out the helicopter's perspective as it doesnt seem right at the minute.

[onez]

Templar101: the helicopter is a nice touch, it adds dynamism. Maybe you could try to push this further and rotate the whole canvas while keeping the helicopter still, and then add some blur to suggest movement

Anyway, here's my pencil base. Still a looooong way to go:

[CountBlackula]

Got a thumbnail down and I'm playing with colors. I like the lower left one a lot.

[Niam]

hi, is it possible to put a final thread up before tomorrow? I need to go for a trip on friday and wont be back till next week

[NakedZergling]

vivi....if there isn't a final thread up, you can send me your final, and i'll happily make sure it gets submitted with your name and everything. Let me know. My email is [email protected]
I don't want to see you work hard and not be able to share.

[Aksel Ludvigsen]

Put a thread up for ya.

[CountBlackula]

Step 2. Penciling.

[Anthis]

WIP!

My plan was to have the kraken surrounded by the sinking debris of a destroyed ship, with a single figure getting a last look while drowning.

Gotta work hard to get this finished but I may be able to squeeze in some critique tomorrow.

[onez]

Anthis: I love the atmosphere and composition. Can't wait to see it developed

[onez]

rerady for colour!

[xLouisax]

Ah man, I've been having one of those weeks where loads of stuff suddenly comes up! Hope I can finish this in time!!

templar101 Yeah I really like it with the helicopter added in! Gives it more action and dynamism (is that even a word? lol) I would adjust the position of the boat and the helicopter though, composition-wise.

countblackula I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out, you have a good flair at drawing creepy kraken tentacles! ^_^

onez Man, I really like yours, the idea is really cool! Can't wait to see it coloured!

anthis I like it, it's as if the body floating down is in complete contrast to the absolute chaos going on around it. Me likes.

xxxx

[Anthis]

Changed some things.. mixed feelings. Top right corner was supposed to have sails, folding around the krakens appendages as the mast is torn apart. Not sure if I can handle that technically, so I may need to scrap that idea.

onez; Pencils! Love that. Great scene as well. Your use of light is solid, though it may be a bit strong for just the candles. You can probably get away with that though Very much looking forward to the coloured version!
Dcritelli; Trouble's just about to start! Nice wet feel on that tentacle. You might want to vary the gestures of those tentacles, they all move the same currently. I like the ship actually. Some of it seems a bit wobbly, but nothing you can't fix.
vivi; I like the guy with the camera, nice storytelling. Good luck finishing, I know what you mean. The tentacle in the back may be a little confusing, since it seems to be behind the horizon, thus we can't tell how far away it is.
Templar101; Tilting the horizon slightly might help add some more energy to your piece. The scale on all those waves may be too large, especially in the distance. Consider how far away we are as a viewer. I like the distant view a lot, and the helicopter does a great deal for the narrative.
CountBlackula; Very promising, loads of action. With the middle part of the boat already destroyed, you might as well move the tentacle a little. As if the hull is being crushed.
xlouisax; thanks, thats exactly the feel I was going for. I like how you handled the eyes, and the unpredictably writhing appendages. The composition appears like the weakest point to me. Side-views tend to lose some energy. You can still change a lot about the water and overall atmosphere though.

[CountBlackula]

SSG- Thanks for the tip. I love your image by the way. Where would you suggest that I move the tentacle? Do you mind doing a quick paint-over? Thanks

[c-rallis]

Hiya! Fantastic entries so far!
It's been a while since my last visit.
This is a brilliant topic! So I thought I'd give it a try. to have it done by the expiration of the deadline.

[c-rallis]

Update...

[smuli]

Crallis - Nice composition, I like the multitude of overlapping stuff and the crisp bubbles on the foreground! The picture has really nice depth when I squint my eyes but when I don't, it looks a bit flat with the same contrast and sharp edges everywhere. Maybe some atmospheric "fog" could help stress the underwater setting too. (EDIT: I was late but love what you did with the colors!)

Anthis - Nice textures on the tentacles! I think your first version had more depth to it because the perspective of the ship wasn't defined yet. Since the atmospheric perspective suggests the kraken should be further in the distance than the closer side of the ship, I suggest painting a stronger perspective on the ship (the two sides seem to be almost parallel).

xLouisax - I agree with Anthis about side views but otherwise I like the composition in its calm simplicity, nice colors too!

Onez - I like the epic gestures and expressions! Can't wait to see it finished.


I noticed the topic yesterday and I've been a busy bee since then... Here's what I came up with: