C.O.W. - Tutorials by COW artists

[Fozzybar]

This is the central point of all tutorials made by artists for a COW entry.

Only links will be posted here, so the tutorial content and comments are focused in the proper threads only.

Enjoy!

[Fozzybar]

artist: Matt Dixon
entry: COW # 01 - Mascot



concept: Here she is - the CA.org Critique Cow

Armed with the 'Crit Cleaver' in one hand ( +2 versus fragile artist's egos with an instant death effect against photo paintovers ) and the 'Totem of Shutyeryapandpractise' in the other, she wanders the boards in search of artwork to battle. Those who succumb must suck on the teats of wisdom. Mmm...creamy!

( She's a bad-tempered bitch at the best of times, but she's particularly angry here because of my badly-managed palette, unbalanced composition and unimaginative design. Some full-cream learnin' coming my way, I think. )



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=43114

[Fozzybar]

artist: JakkaS
entry: COW #059 - Creek Crawler



concept: Amberia

"MOOOOMMMYYYY!!! LOOK AT THAT!!! I FOUND A BEAUTIFUL AMBER STONE!!!"
The little girl was so happy, that she found an amber stone in the creek of Boorshtin and on top a fly was enclosed in the stone.

What the people don't know about this stones is their origin. Science was wrong for ages when they claimed that amber stones are the result of very old rosin...
There lives a strange species in the creeks - the Amberia. It walks underwater with its eyes above the water surface, looking for flying little insects. When the Amberia spotted its prey it catches the insect with its long tounge, which reminds of an ant eaters tongue. Since the stomach of Amberias are very sensitive, they can't digest the prey like we or most animals do. They have evolved an unique way of treating their meal. While filtering important substances of the insect in the stomach, the Amberia produces with an extra organ where the meal is going afterwards a shell of a special material, which completely covers the insect and makes it easier winnowing it.
The product is what we call an Amber Stone, in fact it's the Amberias dung...



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76782

[Fozzybar]

artist: Tyranx
entry: COW #061 - Iceberg Devourer



concept: Crastasticus Giganticus

This huge crustacean is the sole survivor of the precambrian era, it has grown immense over millions of years. It is very rarely seen, as it lives in the deepest parts of the ocean.
It has a strange habit of coming up every couple of months to take a big chunk of ice with it back into the murky depths. It does this because its eggs cannot survive in salt water. the creature takes the ice into a huge underwater cave system off the coast of Antartica, which also has several large hydrothermal vents inside. The vents melt the ice and it quickly floats to the top of the cave. the mother covers the eggs in a sticky mucus and sticks them to the top of the cave. the mother has to constantly resurface to bring back fresh water, in the form of Glaciers.

Due to its immense size, there are very few cave systems in the world, and even less with Hydrothermal vents that can accomadate them. This has kept their population low over the eons, and yet this has insured their survival, because the competition for food would be too great otherwise. Only old sailors accounts of a terrible sea monster remain to prove the existence of this creature, but the penguins know the truth.



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78114

[Fozzybar]

artist: Chuck Wadey
entry: COW #063 - Hypnotizing



concept: The Truncal Hypno-Trap of the Amazon Basin

Prominent resonator disks at the front of this monster's shell form the eyes of a tribal mask illusion. A hypnotic brain wave then generates an artificial devotion so steadfast that any beast will offer itself up for sacrifice. Its vine-tentacles produce hallucinogenic polyps that look like berries and compound hypnotic control when ingested. After the hypnosis is in full effect, the creature's real head will stop posing as a tree root and begin to feed. The commanding effect of the hypnosis is so powerful that victims rejoice in the consumption of their own flesh.



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=79449

[Fozzybar]

artist: Stephan_R
entry: COW #067 - Pinkish Peaceful Treehugger



concept: Cherry Cow

These gentle creatures feed mostly on tree fruits. They have developed very rough underbellies through their napping rituals. The majority of their day is spent gathering tree tops under their arms, before one quick leap places them on top of a lush pillow of leaves. It can sometimes take a dozen trees to hold the massive bodies of these mammals above ground. They've developed the nickname "Cherry Cow" for their diet in fruit, as well as their signature "cherry on top" display of laying on treetops. For the most part they sit and boil in the sun, soaking up the heat that will keep them warm througout the night.



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=82159

[Fozzybar]

artist: njoo
entry: COW #079 - Lava Swimmer



concept: Lava Swimmer

"Nothing should survive in such high temperature environment, however the internal structure of this mystic beast is beyond the understanding of men. While all creature must consume food to create energy to survive, the beast feeds on perhaps the purest form of energy, heat. Similar to plants, which require sunshine and water, in a mythical world, the closest thing that is a combination of the sun and water, would perhaps be lava. It's internal organs, if they can even be called organs, transform the heat into energy to "power" up this unique creature. The Lava swimmer is a slow moving beast, and swims as if it has lost its soul. Where did it come from, why did it choose to exist in such lonely world where no other lifeform exist... that's a story for another time..."



TUTORIAL:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92331

[Si_Swe]

artist: GoldenSerpent
entry: C.O.W. #200: Land, Sea, Air - Alpha Land Predator

Tutorial: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=220601