IOW #23 - Aphrodite Rises from the Seafoam

[Aksel Ludvigsen]

Illustration of the Week #23: Aphrodite Rises from the Seafom

This is a one week topic. This weeks topic was suggested by RomanDavis.

Topic
This weeks topic is : Aphrodite Rises from the Seafom.
This week your task is to depict the birth of a god. Aphrodite (sometimes called Venus) rising from the seafoam created from Uranus' severed genitals.
Those Greeks were a grisly bunch. Wikipedia has more information about the topic at hand.

Many famous artists throughout time has tried their hand to depict this scene. Feel free to increase your art history knowledge by looking around!



Deadline
The deadline is Sunday 29th of April, 23:59 GMT

[Dayle]

This is perfect, thanks! One of my favourite paintings is The birth of Venus by Alexandre Cabanel. But, I think I want to try something darker, see you Sunday.

[Kafka Dreams]

Some famous examples for inspiration
The most famous example is, of course, Botticelli


Cabanel


Moreau


And the always underappreciated Bouguereau

[Dayle]

Kafka - So glad you mentioned Bouguereau! He was so very brilliant, and one of my top five all time favourite artists. Thanks for linking the paintings too.

Here is my start. Three quick sketches for ideas. The first is a classical pose, the second more abstract / negative space, and the third a futuristic interpretation, inspired by Giger, a biomechanical Aphrodite.

Next, references, research (excuse to look at more paintings), figure out a scene and final pose.

[Bellhop]

This is what I have so far.
I used a photo as a placeholder, because I'm not sure how I'll position Aphrodite, yet. Hoping to experiment with the texture of sea foam.

@Kafka Dreams: Thanks for those pics! Aside from being good references, they're absolutely stunning pieces of art.
@Dayle: Even though those are quick sketches, I like their compositions. I find them interesting. If you decide to do a Giger-inspired Aphrodite (which I think is a terrific idea), you should go all the way. Giger's biomechanical pieces are intricate and interconnected that mesh the figure with the environment (like this). Giger's work is also very sexual, which is fitting considering the subject matter.

[Angel Intheuk]

Nice subject, I think I'll have a bash at this one.

Dayle nice ideas I like the Giger inspired one very much, you could go so many ways with it, I like the idea of her being created and we're seeing her half finished, I can imagine aspects of the environment around her being used to create her too, like she is being sculpted from the sand or something.

Bellhop I like the dreamy quality of the image, would work better compositionally if she wasn't in the middle though apart from that I'm interested to see where it goes.

[Dayle]

Thanks for the comments guys. I really like the idea of interconnectivity and sculptural forms, will be a challenge to try and do my own interpretation here.

Tonights work, blocking in shapes and getting the composition down.

[JeiWo]

Love the topic, got an idea for this one. Here's my first sketch, gonna try to work on it a lot today. Also, these are the two reference images that I'm primarily using:
http://mjranum-stock.deviantart.com/...F1854061&qo=34
http://mjranum-stock.deviantart.com/...F1854061&qo=86

[JeiWo]

Made some progress on it.

[Razorleaf]

I like your conception JeiWo. Having her emerge but unconscious, like she has been cast out of the sea is brilliant.

[Andrew Sonea]

JeiWo: Donato Giancola has some images a bit like yours. Take a look and maybe you can see how he handles a few areas which you may want to treat similarly in your piece:
http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/search.html
http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/goldenroseb.html
http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/shamanslossb.html
http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/venusawakeningb.html

[JeiWo]

Razorleaf- Thanks, glad you like the idea. I also had the idea of making her look actually rustled and dirty, like she would be if she just woke up in the sea with seafoam all around her. Haven't quite got that dirtiness yet though, it's still pretty clean looking. Still gotta figure out what details I want in there.

Andrew Sonea- Man I WISH I could paint like Donato, he's amazing, especially considering they're all in oil... Great reference, these are a huge help. He sure knows how to paint a figure...

Here's where I'm at. Not sure how close I am to finished, but it's getting there. Gonna take another look at it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing some more entries!

[JeiWo]

I think this'll be my final. I kinda want to completely redo the face, or at least the hair, but I'll probably do that at a later date. Overall I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Figured I should make her more blonde since she's usual depicted that way. Too bad I suck at painting blonde hair, let alone wet blonde hair...So yeah might take another stab at that another time.

[Sushy]

Really cool, JeiWo!

I am going to try this one too. Though I may started a bit late ^^;

Edit: forgot to attach it xD

[Razorleaf]

Not exactly what I was going for but I like it ...

[Dayle]

Razorleaf - nice work. My suggestion would be to change the colour of the background so she stands out more, (apologies if this is just a wip thing and you're already on it). You could be really brave and throw in a mirror, so we can see her face!

[IntoTheVoid]

Started a bit late, hope I have time to finish this. I'm trying to participate as much as possible to push myself

Since Aphrodite essentially congealed from the dismembered genitals of Uranus, I wanted to depict something like "beauty without grace".
Advice and crits greatly appreciated

[kwshutt]

IntoTheVoid, I really hope you finish this one. I love that the seagulls are attacking your venus, and I really appreciate this fresh take on Aphrodite as a less glamorous goddess who was created from a relatively bawdy body part.

[Sushy]

update on mine

[Razorleaf]

I hope you don't mind Dayle but I did a draw-over of your Aphrodite to help explain my comments.

When a woman leans back on her elbows they have to be back far enough , not only to support her weight, but also for comfort. Yours are too far forward for a woman to 'naturally' pose this way.

Also, between her upper stomach and her back is a narrow point but you can't forget the bottom of her rib cage. A man does not have this conclave but a woman does.

And to take this pose a woman has to be able to comfortably balance her weight on her hips for support. This way she can lift her legs if she so chooses.

I am a fan of deep contrast and lighting so I look forward to seeing this one finished.

[Dayle]

Razorleaf - thanks for the explainations and reference images. I don't mind the paintovers, really useful. I think the pose doesn't convey what I want it too. She isn't supposed to look natural and relaxed, I was trying to get across an upward thrusting movement, as if she was breaking free of the sea and uses her elbows for leverage. This reference pose kinda shows what I wanted to get. I will look at the arms and try and improve, thanks again!

[Razorleaf]

That explains it perfectly Dayle, my mistake. Yes, I can see now how she appears to be rising from the sea.

[Aksel Ludvigsen]

Finals thread up.

[IntoTheVoid]

Thanks kwshutt
I'll do my best to finish this piece. Even if I can't make it in time, I'll at least put the final version in my sketchbook.

[limbox]

I'll try to end this, at time.

Hope it isn't too much pin up/prorn/whatever. It wasn't my aim, just hapened turn out this way.

[Razorleaf]

I found it hard to cast my vote this week because ‘every’ image was so very good.

Kwshutt – I loved the way you had her lifted up by the waves, like an offering from the sea

Sushy – I loved the way you offered a bold image but left your Aphrodite humble

janubee – I loved your image because it was subtle and how you took a more contemporary route to conveying the theme of her rising from the sea

limbox – I loved yours because of the anguish on her face, you used beauty but offset it with pain too.

Dayle – I loved yours because you took a classic theme and gave it a fresh new look.

Dreoilin – I loved yours because of how you incorporated Nature into your theme. The colors are soft and I feel drawn into the scene.

JeiWo – I loved yours because not only is yours beautifully rendered but I like how your Aphrodite was thrust from the sea like an unwilling victim – beautiful but not under her own control.

IntotheVoid – I loved yours because your took the theme of beauty of evolved it, as if to say that beauty was vulnerable too.

[IntoTheVoid]

Oops, I forgot the poll was multiple choice

Voted for JeiWo for the mood, but other favorites were Dreoilin for the subtle style, and kwshutt for personality and the classical pose. Though everyone brought something unique and interesting to the table