::::skulls::::

**nicolas** · January 4th, 2005, 02:23 PM

Hello all. Here's a pic that's the first in a series, I originaly wanted to wait 'til they're all done...but at the moment I got other stuff that needs to be done. I will however post the other ones in this thread when they're finished (will it be months, years, decades, no one knows). I tried to fix some things that were critized already, but I'm sure you'll find some more

There will be floating skulls or bones in all of them, hence the title. It's about 4 weeks old, and was pretty much the first thing I did in Painter after not using it for a little more than a year(painter, I mean)....

cheers,

NIC

**IanE** · January 4th, 2005, 02:30 PM

Looks great!

Is the skull supposed to be shattering from hitting his head, or falling skull parts mixed with other bones and such?

Great colors here, Nicholas, this one looks really great. I can't wait to see the completed series.

**Daunting** · January 4th, 2005, 02:52 PM

Looks excellent. Love all the shadows in your image also, just great.

**Skureal** · January 4th, 2005, 03:42 PM

Cool!!

Really great painting with fine details. Amazing!!

german:
Wenn die Knochen dann nicht mehr so alleine sind, wirkt das auch ganz anders auf den ersten Blick. Also ein bisschen kannst noch dran machen.

Du kannst man versuchen es bei "Wizards of the Coast" vorzustellen. Vielleicht kennst du MAGIC The Gathering? Die suchen auch immer wieder Motive in einem solch angenehmen und perfekten Stil. Versuch es mal.

-sku

**ozan** · January 4th, 2005, 04:38 PM

nic. somehow i've never really seen your stuff.

but im glad i did. looking at your stuff, i wish i had made it. i love the combination of old school skills, experimentation and style. thanks for posting.

this piece is great. if i pick something to crit, i wish the bg was some how more harmonic with the figure. maybe those things could be flatter, almost silhouetted? just a thought.

-ted

**AdamBlack** · January 4th, 2005, 05:20 PM

The shadows on this are absolutely great. I'm confused by the floating bones above his head, but those are very well-done, too.

Adam

**ChromaticCodex** · January 4th, 2005, 07:42 PM

Very nice, I especially like the way that the background gives your eye a break from all the heavy, saturated stuff. I wasn't as much put off by the floating bones over his head (which look great) as I was by those "trees." Look like some seriously brutal dildos to me

seriously though, mad painting skills, looks super-proffesional.
Also, you said you did this in painter.. How large was it originaly, (pixles X pixles) very curious, if you don't mind sharing.

**flex mathews** · January 4th, 2005, 07:46 PM

wow, amazing work... post some more dude.

**Main Loop** · January 4th, 2005, 08:43 PM

the figure is great, the only thing bothering me is the background clubs, they feel too unresolved, the feel almost outlined and drawn in instead of painted.. its almost like you used two different technique

lmao @ your signature.. busta.. LOTNS is classic

**jrr** · January 4th, 2005, 08:48 PM

this looks really good man. loving the arms area.

**yellowworm** · January 5th, 2005, 08:20 AM

i love your color usage.

**James Kei** · January 5th, 2005, 11:33 AM

Nice one Nick!
Solid control of form, and a strong value pattern....yummy.
I like the background too.
I can't wait to see the rest of them.

**Groover McNab** · January 5th, 2005, 12:02 PM

Wow. Excellent piece.

**nicolas** · January 5th, 2005, 12:59 PM

OMG Thank you all! I didn't expect this kind of reply, I'm really unsure of my painted stuff. I'm more of a "drawer". There are some issues in this piece, which I can understand led to some confusion, especially the skulls. Yeah, there supposed to look like they're floating above his head. I tried them throwing shadows onto the dude(to clear that up), but that just looked wrong and whack. As for why, they're floating there in the first place? Initially, I was thinking of cartoons. You know when someone gets hit on the head, they get the little birdies flyin around. I went from there- and did skulls....hmm, whatever.

@IanE - thanx. see above, to answer your question.

@Skurreal - Merci. Jau du hast völlig recht, irgendwie muss ich nochmal ran. 'G' Wenn ich genug zeug zusammen habe, schicke ich die mal hin....mal schaun.

@ozan - Thank you very much! It's funny that you say old school, because up til 2 1/2 years ago I never seriously touched a PC before. I did pretty much everything analogue. I only got my own mac/intuos about a year ago, and it was a blessing, because it opened a whole new world for me. So, I'm glad you like the work, because it shows me I'm moving in the right direction.

@AdamBlack - thanx. I hope I cleared taht up a little above.

@ChromaticCodex, Main Loop - Thanx. Yeah, that backround...'sigh'. That's been giving me a hard time. In a earlier version, I had it very simple(those weird poles)but It looked like he's sitting in a photo studio in front of a painted Backround. This was critized, so I tried to give it some more detail, so it would connect better with the foreground. Hmm...
Actually(Main loop) they more painted than the figure(which started as a drawing), but I know what you mean.

yeah, Busta is the mad hatter of hip-hop wonderland!!!

@flex mathews, jrr, yellowworm, James Kei, Groover McNab - Thanks Guys! I'm glad you like it!

'til next time,

NIC

**nicolas** · January 5th, 2005, 01:06 PM

Oooops, forgot something...ChromaticCodex; the size of the pic; 5386/7318 pixels at 300 dpi.

NIC

**bosquejo** · January 5th, 2005, 08:59 PM

seriously amazing stuff, nicolas.
i like how the picture has been painted and your brush "touch".
looks great that combination between hard deep shadows and the skin tones through the guy surface. everything is very well resolved imo but the "lower maxilar" (ups, sorry my english) placed at the bottom of the pic i don't think that fits very well.. i know that you want to emphasize the idea of the skull -because is a piece of a series- but.. umh, is the only only thing that i don't love from here..

Anyway you deserve some:

**JoshuaTheJames** · January 5th, 2005, 09:07 PM

Cool Piece!

-JtJ

**Sketch** · January 5th, 2005, 09:43 PM

I love the detail in the arm. Really nice work!

**adraude** · January 6th, 2005, 02:11 PM

Great Work, Nic. I am really looking forward to this series!

I want posters!!

**Baron Impossible** · January 6th, 2005, 02:46 PM

Magnificent. I'm not usually keen on such "polished" pieces, they often look cartoony, but this one really works. You've got the light spot on, especially around his legs and feet. I demand more floating bones.

EDITED: Actually, I do have a crit (Thursday = pedantic day). His collar seems to bend in too sharply around the back, rather than follow the curve of his shoulders. Ha! I knew it couldn't be perfect