C.O.W. #262, The Ninjas Companion. WIPs

[(lark]

For more info and details about the rules go here:

http://www.concepyart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=110879


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ROUND #261, The Ninjas Companion

topic:

ROUND#261, The Ninjas Companion

ninja are known as silent assassins, capable of dispatching targets with ease. mostly without the target even knowing he was in danger.

or at least that's how i see them...

anyway, ninja seem to be very solitary figures. working alone at their tasks with extreme efficiency, dependent on no one and no thing.

so, this week i thought it would be interesting to see what kind of creature would a ninja choose to have as its companion, to help the ninja carry out its assassinations. remember that it must be a new species that doesn't exist in the real world, but one that you invent.

show us the silent assassins greatest companion!

requirements this week...

- the creature must be able to hide and travel by stealth.

- the creature must be able to kill human beings, but rather than killing with raw power, it must be able to kill silently. the way it accomplishes this is up to you.

- the creature should be no larger than a large dog.

Deadline:

June 6th at 7:00pm PST (GMT -8 )

finals go here... http://conceptart.org/forums/showthr...36#post3469936

[Sethlene]

It has retractable poison fangs. Kills in a litteral heartbeat. They are as common as housflies and can become completely translucent. Thier expressive faces make them popular like puppies, and kittens. The best way not to get bit is to not piss them off... and hope no one has it in for you.

[Sethlene]

wip. Attack mode!

[scorge]

Well now, isn't this a fine topic?

[SandyMan]

Great CoW choice!

I'm trying to stay away from ferocious beasts or anything of that kind this time to expand my field on variety a bit.

[Lege1]

Scorge: Kicking ass on this one man; the head especially looks great!

[Prometheus09]

One question.... does this have to be an Earth creature (as per, "must be able to kill a human being"), or can we make this a companion creature to a different type of "ninja"? Saaaaay, an alien ninja? Or a robotic ninja? Etc?

Anyhow, been working on basic concepts, and will post soon.

[Prometheus09]

Lol Holy hell, man... it is so hard adjusting to using a tablet like this. I was too damn spoiled being able to just use the stylus right on my old laptop's screen. Argh! Okay, gotta focus :/

[Prometheus09]

Okay, trust me when I say that these are really basic concepts... I will produce something eligible for the contest lol I am just having the damnedest time getting used to drawing on a tablet and looking at the monitor... I will get used to it though, or just end up drawing what I want and coloring in PS. You will also notice the difference between my pencil and tablet linework with these concepts lol Any tips for quick thumbnails/sketches would be appreciated...

Basically, I decided early on that the best stealthy/sneaky pet would be small, and so I decided something kind of beetle-sized, as you can see by the first concept. However, I don't want the creature to be too closely related to currently existing bugs, and so I wanted to play with other concepts a bit.

I am still not decided on an insectoid concept, but I do like the idea... I am also toying with something that has a size and speed of a hummingbird. They would make excellent assassins. Basically, my creature *has* to fly, and yet also be fast when walking. Any efficient assassin-type creature needs to get in and get out, and kill from a distance too. No time to linger around and wait for the target to die, ya know?

Either way, I've decided my creature needs to be fast, small, stealthy, and effective. For that reason, my creature has multiple techniques for killing or incapacitating foes... namely, it can shoot out barbs from it's hind quarters. It can also emit a noxious gas, and yet again, it is so fast and erratic in its movements, that even the most skilled ninja stands no chance.

I have decided to pursue the small concept in the middle-top of the second image I posted here... I like the idea of a creature like that. It is insectoid, it flies, has a nice long tail that it can aim and launch regenerating barbs, has big mantis-like forelimbs for grasping, with recessed hind limbs, and also a tough carapace like a beetle, etc.

Sorry, got carried away writing.... been writing for the last ten years and not drawing :/

Edit: The first pic I've decided to not use that concept fully, but just parts of it, mainly the carapace. ALSO, the note near the bum says, "Smoke/gas emitter", not "snake emitter". Although now that I think about it, having a snake dispenser would be a pretty awesome device haha

[blackfingers]

just quick sketches for now, i'm trying to play with the flexibility of a feline, yet i want to stray a lot from the shape. The main focus of my design should be the long-jumping capability and claw-grip.



Edit, just doodled some head sketches:

[Prometheus09]

Holy hell, that is awesome, man... man. This stuff is both inspiring and discouraging... but I like to think of the former. Encouraging and inspiring.... I gotta work harder

[Prometheus09]

Geez, hell... what is your hardware/software? I feel so freaking awful.

Btw, the two creature faces on the farthest right feel best to me... I think they stand out. They look great as sneakers. Stealthy.

[Prometheus09]

Man, I have so little experience with composition.. I wish I'd listened to my art teachers like 12 years ago :/ Sheeit... I simply can't do this 100% with Photoshop since this tablet laptop is down I can draw it though... but I have such a poor idea of comp. I can do it thought. Sorry... long night, trying to encourage myself. You guys have posted some amazing stuff... rather than get depressed, it is good for motivation. I might not be able to beat you now... but eventually, I might be able to match you all Just need to practice

[blackfingers]

hey Prometheus09, no reason to be discouraged, you have to start somewhere! you have some really good ideas for your creature and since you've joined the challenge, you're on the right track. Also, pencil on paper is great exercise (i for one use the standard Photoshop round brush).

we're all here to learn, it's a lot better to see these challenges as opportunities to create rather than compete

i'll send you a PM with some resources and inspiration.

[Prometheus09]

Dude, please, send me that lol I really need the inspiration... I love digital art, but I can't stop doing "direct art". That's what I call it, at least... it's hard for me to do digital art without my old tablet laptop crutch. And yet, I think I do a decent job painting, I dunno... hell. any advice is accepted! Your WIP is fantastic, along with everyone else too... I feel so lost without this damned tablet, and so I feel a natural desire to go back to drawing with pencil and paper, and then just coloring it in. It feels like cheating almost, but I know it's not... maybe just my "style".

[Sethlene]

Dude, please, send me that lol I really need the inspiration... I love digital art, but I can't stop doing "direct art". That's what I call it, at least... it's hard for me to do digital art without my old tablet laptop crutch. And yet, I think I do a decent job painting, I dunno... hell. any advice is accepted! Your WIP is fantastic, along with everyone else too... I feel so lost without this damned tablet, and so I feel a natural desire to go back to drawing with pencil and paper, and then just coloring it in. It feels like cheating almost, but I know it's not... maybe just my "style".

XD It's not cheating! One step at a time. You need to get used to your equipment again right? Taking on one challenge at a time while letting the other challenges you have wait their turn isn't cheating. I'm in a similar boat. Just try to challenge yourself for now to get what you can done.

[scorge]

Rethinking things a little bit..

[Naevea]

A feline creature quite similar (but not the same by any means) to a cat both in appearance and in size, it has remarkably more mimic muscles, so it can make expressions and thanks to that and to its higher inteligence, communicate with its partner. Good for infiltrating unseen and sneaking around...
Not much imagination here (trying to work on that, but its no good t_t)

[Oskar!]

blackfingers, those lines and shapes make me sooo happy Can't wait to see your next images


Working on a beetle henchman, fueled by NINJA MAGIC!
Quickly tested some colors before going to bed, nighty night everybody

[aburnier]

Only one thing bugs me about this week's challenge. I think the creature should be able to assist the ninja in assassination even if it can't kill on it's own. For instance, a creature that could distract or confuse an enemy while the ninja approached would be invaluable, one that holds the ninja's weapons for him, or maybe one which produces corrosive saliva to break through locks, windows, etc...

I think the necessity for killing ability is going to limit the results of this round.

[steamingbadger]

Lurker here. Thought I'd give this a go rather than just flick through the archives in awe.
I started off with some standard creature shapes to warm up with stealth in mind. Obviously you can see from the 2nd one I forgot the rules for a moment >_< kept it in though in case I use it for part of the final creature. The first would seek the target's most likely source of water and secrete poison into it. The 3rd conceals fine darts in its bushy tail which doubles as a vibration detector, paired with sensitive ears it can act as an early warning signal for the ninja. The 4th is capable of attaching itself to almost any surface and curls up to fit into tight spots, this enables it to stowaway on its targets vehicle/luggage to wait until a suitable moment to strike. Usually it waits until the target is sleeping to attach its sucker-like feet to their chest/neck and grab their head with their hands. Its grip is so unrelenting that a sharp tug separates the head from the spinal column. The creature is surprisingly quick and can perform this attack by simply leaping at its opponent when a more suitable time isn't available. When blending in with crowds with its ninja companion it pretends to be a backpack.



I'll probably flesh out the 4th one because its just plain weird.

[Cloudbreaker]

I figured I might finally try completing one of these. Here is a rough draft of my idea thus far. I'm thinking this guy strangles its victim with its tail so they can't scream, then jabs them through the eyes before flying off silently into the night.

[scorge]

Finding it.

[elephant´s stroke]

The creature design is looking great scorge, i like the first idea the better. In this last one i think the idea is to freeze the moment just before to making the jump, the idea is good, but for some reason , and to my eyes at least, is looking static and unbalanced, like if the creature is about to fall the next second. Just a point of view in case you find it relevant.

Cheers.

[Snowgoyless]

Naevea
If you want to do a feline I suggest you look at some refs, first of all - at skeletal and muscular structure of felines. The creature so far has a ton of anatomical problems. Among them:
-skull. Where is the skull? So far it doesn't have any.
-limbs. Both front and hind - how are they attached to the body? Did you skecth a skeleton first?
-paws. Felines have small round paws.
Working on values is also required. The cat is of the same value as the scenery and thus disappears completely.

[jon n]

scorge- i really like the second pic matey. where your beastie only has one paw on the ground in motion it gives him a sense of poise and agility that he would need as a ninja's friend.

gona call my guy a shadowflicker. very intelligent and able to snap its tail as a distraction for the ninja.

[Si_Swe]

Oskar! - Watch out! Getting a bit too humanoid for COW.
scorge - Looking great, Dave. I think you'll have a better sense of momentum and action if you have one of the back legs lifting up a little bit. That will help it seem like the fully extended forelimbs are pushing off.

[Kritzlof]

Hi! This is my first time here and this seems like a great way to practice so I'll give it a shot.

This is my version of the ninjas companion.
It's a flying creature in the size of a small bird. It lives on blood from other creatures. It stings it's victim in it's sleep, and then circulates it's blood throught it's own body, draining it of all nutrition. The blood is then returned to the victim, though it's now useless and the victm will soon die. Since it doesn't actually drink or store the blood, just drains it, it can "drink" massive amounts at the same time and often drains all blood in the victims body despite it's small size. Since it can drain that much from a single victim it doesn't need to feed that often wich makes it a good companion for the ninja.

WIP:

[Jornum]

Another first timer here.

Started out with just some brainstorming to see what I could come up with, then started leaning towards the little bottom guy with the tongue.

Wanted something small and compact that wouldn't interfere in what the ninja was doing. So the idea behind the creature being he can curl up like a pill bug, then shoot out a tongue that might be laced with poison.

[scorge]

Sorry guys, had to delete the last post. Something wrong with the attachment manager.

Anyway, here's the final. Gotta go do something else.

Dammit, something wrong here. Can you guys see it?