C.O.W. #278. Bull, Ring-Tailed Shortsnout - VOTING!

[Si_Swe]

Round #278 - Voting!

Topic: Bull, Ring-Tailed Shortsnout

Deadline for voting: November 13th, 2012.

Round Requirements:

- The creature must be the male of it's species (the choice to represent the females is up to the artist, but the male should be the focus)

- The creature should have rings as a design element, unique to the creature's tail, in some way

- The creature must have a short snout, or be represented as a member of a larger genus of animal with a relatively shorter snout than it's counterparts

Deadline: November 6th, 7:00pm PST (GMT -8 )

[AllyAlbon]

Artist: AllyAlbon

Concept: Hairless Ringtail Shortsnout

The Hairless Ringtail Shortsnout is a herbivore that lives mostly on short grass and old bits of wood picked up from the edge of pineforests found next to the barrenlands. Their snouts have shortened to almost nothing in order to clip the grass as close to the ground as possible, while other species within the family have retained thick manes and a longer nose to root through the richer undergrowth found in the lower plains.

The males of the species grow enormous, developing thick rolls of fat to signify their aptitude at putting on weight in such a nutritionally poor area. The bulls fight by sheer strength, shoving at each other, nipping and scoring with their strong teeth until the weaker is exhausted.

Females are attracted by the bulls' bright tails that seem almost fluorescent in low light. The male will wiggle and waft his tail side to side, curling and vibrating it to show off his vibrance.

[ricardops]

Artist: Ricardo Padierne Silvera

Concept: Rocktail
The Rocktail is a creature that can be very dangerous, the habitat where they live is very hot so they must use their legs's hardenesses to autoprotection.
They are carnivore, and the most importante element in their diet is the gnomes, hot gnomes, gnomes that are on fire.

[alexson]

Artist: Alexander Forssberg

Concept: Ring-Tailed Shortsnout
These bulls have an oddly oversized tail to help counter weigh their front heavy muscle and skeleton anatomy which the males uses when running head on into each other to earn the mating rights of the females of the herd.

[marcoferrigno]

Artist: Marco Ferrigno

Concept: Short Snouted Ring Tail
(A common genus spread out across the northern hemisphere, the short snouted ring tail (B.Circulus) is a placid scavenger of the undergrowth that leads a solitary and relativley oblivious life style owing its survival strategy to its massive population numbers. During seasons of increased humidity bulls begin to develop fleshy lobes on the tops of their heads that are engorged with body fluids that contain hormones designed to condition itself and other SSRT's in the area to come into breeding season.)

[Abrazuno]

Artist: Abrazuno

Concept: Bull, Ring Tail Shortsnout

The Marmus Goat is known to roam the high country just at the foot of the mountains, sometimes spotted scaling the treacherous heights for the delicacy of mountain mussels when they become scarce. The males are a beautiful species with a distinguished long, ringed tail which the bull uses to with an array of expressive signals to warn the herd of dangers or if another bull was to come to challenge and intimidate away. The diminished snout is a result of breeding for the strongest males have not the longest snouts but the thickest bone density for the head plate.

Beautiful work all

[Coool Brain]

Artist: Coool Brain

Concept: Guk

[Daniel Hurd]

Artist- Daniel Hurd

Concept- Ring-Tailed Short Snout, AKA Leaf Nosed Tamarin
A rare primate from a small moon in the Zeta Reticuli galaxy. Mainly eats insects and worms. The male or "bull" acts as a sentinel standing on the highest point guarding his troop of females and offspring. They aren't considered aggressive but have been known to throw stones at any creature who gets too close to the troop. They get their name from the large flat nose and dark ring pattern on the tail.

Thanks for looking!

Awesome work everyone! I love seeing all the talent in these contests!

[Sunseaker]

Artist: Sunseaker

Concept: Ring-tailed Shortsnout

In the breeding season the adult males skin flushes with red to attract mates and ward off other males. While they do a lot of posturing and roaring actual fights between two bulls are rare as their strong digging claws and hard boney tail rings can inflict deadly wounds even with their tough armour.

[basti0n]

Artist: Basti0n

Concept: Bull, Short Snout, Ring Tail or Bound Guardian

This predator was summoned and bound using magic. As it grows new rings are affixed through its tail to maintain the binding. Most often used to guard thaumaturges on pilgrimage to holy sites of power or outside of their laboratories.

[humboldt squid]

Artist: Humboldt squid

Concept: Ring Tailed Pugalemurlope
A fearsome critter.

[Arbinn]

Artist: Arbinn

Concept: Rainbowine

These docile creatures are hunted for their colorful and prized horns. The species is on the verge of extinction and the naturally lazy bulls aren't helping the matter at all.

[Sjuu]

Artist: Sjuu

Concept: Tjeunis Circulus, Ring-Tailed Shortsnout
Tjeunis Circulus is a warthog like creature foraging its day through the forest.
Having a camouflage it will not be spotted quickly moveing through the forest.
although being a tall and broad creature (up to the human waist) the bull is having a big chest to impress the ladies.

[Epicraft]

Artist:Epicraft

Concept:Bull, Short-snout Ringtail

A predator that swings it's tail to create a whistling sound as air rushes through the main tail ring. The frequency overwhelms a prey's sense of hearing and can disorient them as the Ringtail charges at them. A unique feature of the Bull of the species is the loose rings of bone on the tail ring. When shaken at the right tempo, they create a ringing tone that will hurt the hearing of normal male Ringtails. This is how the Bull Ringtail instills his dominance over the pack. However, if another Bull appears and challenges his authority, he will have to fight to remain in charge as other Bulls are immune to the ringing of the bone rings.

[Stinkfist]

Artist: Stinkfist

Concept: GreenRinga
GreenRinga!!!!!!11

[Snipefalcon2]

Artist: Snipefalcon2

Concept: RTSS: Bull

[Si_Swe]

Poll is up. No cuts this week!

[basti0n]

i voted for arbinn. i like ricardos design and musculature but the tail is all black so i cant see how it related to the ring tail aspect so i cant really give it my vote.
@zeeboy - i think the value change between the light and shadow sides of the 'horns' is quite nice. i am distracted by the lack of clarity in the creatures form in other places where it fades into and out of the background color you have chosen.
@stinkfist - i wish the rings on your creatures tail were crisp all the way around the tail and that the tails outline did not show through them. I like the beady sunken eye and its clear highlight.
@epicraft - there are some nice detail and value changes starting to emerge around the eyes. i would like to see some more of that detail coming out of the tail and the ringed area there.
@sjuu - you did a nice job of showing the legs that are farther away as being in shadow. Spending some time to crisp up your outlines instead of having them be multiple lines would help your creature i think.
@arbinn - great local color and value choices, a dynamic pose and i think you did a great job with the short snout. I would like to see slightly more distinction in your rings, especially since they are closer to the viewer than the very crisp detailed areas in the back and snout, but overall i definitely think it is the strongest image. respect
@Humboldt squid - the pug snout is great and definitely can be seen as short. The creatures left arm is pretty wonky.
@Sunseaker - I enjoy your creature and its posture. I also really like your earthy color scheme. In the rings of the tail i have a hard time understanding how the rings relate to the tail. Some seem to be coming from nowhere or being incomplete in their arcs.
@Daniel Hurd - Lots of solid line work going on in your piece and i like having a reference of its size in relation to the human body. Definitely a solid piece but i wish there was some more contrast to describe the creatures form and the light blur coming down flattens the tail and some of the creatures left side.
@Coool Brain - Some good musculature and contrast starting to develop up out of your piece and you do a nice job representing its fur. I wish there was some more detail in the legs closer to the viewer, they read the same as the back legs to me.
@Abrazuno - Some great detail in the face and the headplate/snout/tusk area. I get distracted by your blends in some places though, in particular in the lower leg and hoof area where there should be some more contrast. They kind of flatten out there versus areas where there you have definitive light side and dark side relationships.
@Marco Ferrigno - definitely a unique take on the creature. I appreciate the different versions of the species so we can focus on which area is 'short.' In regards to your creatures shadow i highly doubt that with the light source coming from the front that the ring would show up let alone be directly below the creature based on the way you have it shaded.
@Alexander Forssberg - I like being able to see your snout wrapping around the creatures face and i think the local color and value changes on the creatures tail rings are good. I would like to see some of the detail and musculature you are beginning to show be more developed.
@Ricardo Padierne Silvera - I think a lot of your image is lost in the same sort of darkened value. This does create a nice distinct mega shape but some of the areas im curious about are totally obscured. Your technique looks strong though, nice texture, local color choices, and brush strokes.
@AllyAlbon - some great facial details and folds. I wonder about the front fore foots angle.

[humboldt squid]

Quick Thoughts:
AllyAlbon Good expressive face, doesn't really seem to be integrated well with the background. I think it's the blueish rim lighting for what seems to be a sunny outdoor theme. Some reflected light from the grass would help too.
Ricardops Good brushwork and color choices, but I don't see the "short-snout" or "ring tailed" parts of the brief.
Alexson The fur on his hump is pretty convincing. The color scheme could use a discord though (just a few touches of pale orange going by a triatic color scheme) and the facial anatomy i\r\t the horns isn't very convincing, so they just look tacked on.
MarcoFerringno Well realized concept! The wayne barlowe influence is pretty clear
Abrazuno This looked so great as a sketch, but the execution falls flat as a painting. I think the biggest issues you have are blending and edge control.
Coool_Brain Great animal anatomy! Same comments as for alexon in regards to color though. I'm not too wild about the longer hairs though, the spottyness of them makes it look like it has mange - maybe just leave them on the hump (like a buffalo) if you don't have time to cover the whole animal.
Daniel Hurd I like it a lot! Great background (The branch and mushrooms are still a little cartoony thanks to the black outlines that only they have though). It's hard to see the bull part of the breif though, same problem I had (and why I eventually just tacked on antlers)
Sunseaker the whiteish blue highlights\sunlight really flattens everything out.
Basti0n The profile view is pretty boring compositionally, and the rings aren't well integrated into the piece.
Arbinn Good personality
Sjuu The face, foreleg and withers are the biggest problem areas anatomy wise, but good color choice.
Epicraft Needs a greater value range.
StinkfistThe highlights on the fur seem pretty arbitrary and seem to follow the shape of the animal, rather than how fur's actual pattern
Snipefalcon2 The lost edges don't really work with the hard-edged tail. There's some perspective issues with the antlers.

[marcoferrigno]

Humboldt squid: wayne barlowe