COW - DEEP: Undersea Utopia: Deep Sea Ecosystem

[Fozzybar]

http://www.conceptart.org/davi/deepactivities.jpg

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/images/cow/cow.jpg


General Topic: DEEP: Undersea Utopia

For this grand joined activities challenge you are asked to explore the Deep Seas. The topic is specifically designed to keep the subject as broad as possibly, as the focus of this challenge is for you to come up with a wide variety of ideas and concepts.




COW TOPIC:
Deep Sea Ecosystem

Description:
Civilization is growing, even in deep sea. Cities are raised, structures built and advanced societies established. The Deep Sea Ecosystem is filled with many species. Show us what those species are. Bring the life to this new creative world...There are a range of choices...from the top of the food chain to the bottom. From pests to predators to prey to symbiotic life and anything else that comes to mind.


Concept:
- Quote the reasons why the species exists in or around the deep sea civilization.
- Add informations about its origin (usual habitat, living, food etc)
- What is it's place in the world?

Species only:
- Remember that the creatures must be a natural species.
- No individual or other civilized races, avoid non-natural parts like weapons, technology, etc!

Edit: Some artists asked about reins...that's no problem of course. When the rules say no items, we are talking about things which totally change the creatures status to an indepentend individual like shoes, cigars, clothing, weapons etc...if the items are adapted by the superior race, in this case humans (or humanoids) it is ok to have them included on the artwork/concept. So that said, feel free to use saddles, reins, collars etc




Format:
Instead of the normal one entry per person, this time we want to see a variety of work. In the end, you will be judged on the body of work and not just on how well the final rendering of your design looks. Ideas and concepts are what this round is about. The amount of work invested in each idea or concept is up to you; 5 developed concepts with sketches to back them up, 100 thumbnails categorized on different subjects, it's up to you. In the end, bundle it into one image/submission and post it in the Final Burning Thread that will be put up a little later.


Judge and Prizes
The results will be judged by both a public poll and a judging panel, as there are going to be awesome prizes for the winners! Great stuff! We promise!


Deadline: June 30 - 11:59pm

POST YOUR FINALS HERE:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=129459

[mattbyng]

Wow. This sounds awesome - great idea guys! I better get sketching...!

[joybox]

holy crap. this is epic. Great idea guys

[Moai]

What a cool idea! With any luck, I'll be in.

[Studio Colrouphobia]

Going to try and do both Chow and Cow on this one... will be crammed with entries, no doubt.. If I can manage to just end up amongst the intermediates or tup ones in this it will be a feat...

[davi]

Here is some inspiration I made for a cow topic, but since we have like 6 weeks of underwater, I'll make up a new one later for a different species.

Doing a creature based on this sound file is not a requirement, nor will it effect the judging, But i wanted to share something maybe inspiring!
SOUND FILE (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/activities/cow-water.mp3)

[artiphats]

I am in with every bit of spare time I have. Good luck to all, I expect this to be a challenge we won't soon forget.

[JakkaS]

I have to admit that I am disappointed... :(
When I saw this little banner with something DEEP going on....I was almost sure...that will be something..reallllllllyyyyyy BBBIIIGGG! Huuuuuuge!! Like....................like...................... .. like Fozz posting his Final or something like that..hehehehe!! :cheerleader::cheerleader::cheerleader:


Just kidding. Great idea guys. Last time this cohesion round went just great! Unfortunately I am out of this :(
Good luck.

Cheers
Kuba

Ps. Well...maybe I will make something quick :)

[monstertree]

This sounds like too much fun to pass up, I think I may well be in :):)

[Supervlieg]

nom nom nom nom nom nom

[Adele]

3 Important questions:

1. Where does Cow and Chow not cross over into the other...as Chow said it could be non-human or human...Im guessing that in Cow...you wouldnt do a mermaid??? Because that is human and not a creature??? Or is it a creature...not that im going to go Darryl Hanna styles (Splash Reference...NERD!).

2. This might answer my first question: What is definitely NOT considered a natural species?

3. I get the 5 rendered images of the final images...is the 100 thumbnails of the concept drawings we do? Just double checking.

either way, im going to do the creature one.

[Darktwin]

very cool idea, I also have a question about the thumbnails, are we required to do 100 thumbs, I'm assuming so, but I just wanted to clear this up.

[Mike Corriero]

1000 ..........

[Thalion]

Wow! That's fantastic idea!:D
Now, it is time to take a DEEP breath and prepare some concepts;)

[Hive_minD]

3 Important questions:

1. Where does Cow and Chow not cross over into the other...as Chow said it could be non-human or human...Im guessing that in Cow...you wouldnt do a mermaid??? Because that is human and not a creature??? Or is it a creature...not that im going to go Darryl Hanna styles (Splash Reference...NERD!).

2. This might answer my first question: What is definitely NOT considered a natural species?


Dude... both question 1 and 2 are answered right here....
"Species only:
Remember that the creatures must be a natural species. No individual or other civilized races, avoid non-natural parts like weapons, technology, etc!"

no individuals or other civilized races (such as mermaids!) And by non-natural I believe FozzyBar means that the species should have evolved naturally without any gene manipulation or such from the human or any other civilized race...

Chris

[Hive_minD]

Btw. Could you (FozzyBar) give us an example on how the final presentation should be? Just so I don't misunderstand and fuck it all up, if I should try to join :P

Chris

[vibhas_virwani]

hmmmm .... (unusual of me to be) thinking ...

[Saturns Gate]

Btw. Could you (FozzyBar) give us an example on how the final presentation should be? Just so I don't misunderstand and fuck it all up, if I should try to join :P

Chris

I second that. This sounds like something I wont be missing up. :)

[davi]

Post your concepts & illustrations all within a single post. The amount of entries you post is up to you, yet keep quality as a concern.

These concepts shouldn't be full blown illustrations, but that isn't discouraged. The point of this activity is to flush out the world as much as possible, so the more quality concepts you can bring to the table the better.

Try to be considerate with the size of your images if you plan on posting a hundred.

[Serpian]

I'm definately in! This is just what I need to start drawing more!

[Rabid]

Rabid is in,
This is excellent, glad to see no one will be pulling their hair out for this one trying to pick their best first draft concept.

I'm gonna put this straight out there right now.

http://images.google.com/images?q=deep+sea+creatures&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBF&um=1

Also check out planet earth "Ocean Deep"
I personally have a shit load of invertabrate and vertabrate anatomy books to help me on this one.

I tend to organize right off the bat,(<<<Art Dir. A.K.A. Mr. OCD) if anyone needs help with how they are going to classify their work in bulk give me a PM. I have alot of ideas on how to present a mass ammount of creatures. My one question I wish to add is are gif. images a possibility?

[DefiledVisions]

Sweet sound Davi, inspiring, oh and thanks for this. It's a great idea to combine all the weekly activities into something massive.

[Me,Myself & Me again]

So can we do all the weekly challenge's or do we have to stick to one?
Because i would'nt mind doing COW, CHOW, EOW and IOW.

[polydrawer]

maybe choosing one and putting all your effort in it is a better idea

Nice thema/initiative, maybe i can create some free time to work on a creature

[Tyranx]

*pokes head in*

oooo.... whats goin on here? :wink:

[Michael Jaecks]

eeek! Its a moustachioed baby orangutan on the loose!

one question about Deep: is this civilization on earth? Seems like that would limit some possiblities.

[Rabid]

*pokes head in*

oooo.... whats goin on here? :wink:

Ahhhh SHIT! It's game over man it's game over! <<< In annoying marine voice from Aliens

Nothing interesting here tyranx...just fish....:yawn:

[peter_john]

A huge huge topic being launched just as I finish up teaching for the year... So much for relaxing by the pool with a drink in hand. I'll be basking in the warm glow of my laptop instead...

Moai, I still need to post the photos of everybody from Seattle. Hopefully Redhelert, Longshao and Lander will get in on this too. Dudes, consider yourselves officially summoned!

Update: 5/22/08
Concept for Deep Sea Utopia
The deep sea ecosystem I'm working with exists on Earth thousands of years in the future. Humans have overworked and stressed Earth climate and resources to the breaking point. Ice caps have melted and sea levels have risen to cover the land surface of Earth. Unable to correct the global disaster, humans have chosen to hibernate until the climate can naturally right itself again. A small population await, asleep in automated hibernation colonies on the ocean floor for what may take thousands of years.

In the meantime, ocean life either adapts or perishes from the new material and chemical intrusions into their ecosystem. I've been reading up on things like the Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch ( http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/, http://www.vbs.tv/shows/toxic/garbage-island/) and The World Without Us by Alan Weismann. It's pretty incredible to think that a Texas to 2xContinental U.S. sized patch of plastic is swirling around the Pacific Ocean.

The ecosystem is going to feature organisms adapting to waste and incorporating it's material/chemical properties. For example:
Crabs incorporating plastic polymer strands into shells.
Animals making use of material for shelter or food (eating oil, fuel).
Animals adapting to/making use of hormone altering chemicals in plastics.
etc...

"Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a toxic substance at a rate greater than that at which the substance is lost. Thus, the longer the biological half-life of the substance the greater the risk of chronic poisoning, even if environmental levels of the toxin are very low."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioaccumulation
Apex/Alpha level predators: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apex_predator
Persistent organic pollutants: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistent_Organic_Pollutant

Behold, the sketches.
1. Walking/striding whales, mobile anemone, parasitic starfish causing hormonal imbalances in their large hosts. Symbiotic crabs that eat the starfish.
374730

2. Harpoon worms: snail like tube worms that explode out of their shells (compressed Nitrogen) to snare large prey. Another crab is equipped to eat them whole, crush their shells internally and feed off the Nitrogen.
374731

3. Miscellaneous things. Tall crabs, fat/electric fish.
374733

4. Middle of the spread, Smith Crabs: Hermit Crabs evolved to piece together debris and detritus to build their shells. Alone they are very weak but they grow stronger as their shells grow bulkier. When young they mainly scavenge what they can find easily but older Smith Crabs will dismantle bigger pieces of hardware if they desire it (making them a nuisance to undersea settlements).
374735

5. Gnarly predators, swimming nudibranchs, crocodiles/reptiles.
374736

6. Newt things, plesiosaur forms, kaiju?! :D
374737

7. Large predators, walking whales...
374738

8. Smaller fish forms, tall coral structures built from long strand polymers.
374739

9. Digital roughs on the walking whales and minaret crabs. The whale with legs idea is kind of hokey. I'm going to work on other versions with fin/legs. The minaret crab is too complex too. Redesigns of that are in the works.
374740

New updates will happen at the bottom. Good luck and good work everybody!

[Salacuis]

Don't waste your ppl, I already won... (I wish i could :'( )..
I'm really looking forward to see this

[Ilaekae]

Me, Myself'...the idea was originally to try to enter as many challenges as possible.



And...why not POW! BWAWCK BWAWCK BWAWCK! :P

[arttorney]

Seven weeks is a long time.

[AwesomCherryBlossom]

This is awesome :^^: I have to start drawing >_<

[misael]

I really want to do this, but Ive never entered a COW before. What thread do I submit my entries to?

[Rabid]

I really want to do this, but Ive never entered a COW before. What thread do I submit my entries to?

A submission thread will be given at a later time...keep your pants on and focus on the pencil instead...I got 6 creatures already what about j()()?:medusachow: :hugsmile:'

Quick Q for Fozz: Yopu do realize that if one of us posts our finals it may be 2 pages long right? Or is there a secondary way you wish for us to submit when it does come around?

[Cavman]

I think I, a lowly noob, might try at this. This will be fun.

[SuPa-]

I'm in, and I'll see what I can cook up
Like Cavman, I'm also a noob xD

[Fozzybar]

i feel...so deep....:perv:

[Rabid]

i feel...so deep....:perv:

Ahahaha! Nice Fozz!

[SuPa-]

My idea
Nothing special, a green crustacean-like thing. Just a black and white digital sketch with some color brushing over it xD
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s107/aquauzi/BottomCrawlerConcept.jpg

[Dirty C]

"Concept:
- Quote the reasons why the species exists in or around the deep sea civilization."

Um. Did you do biology at school? You know that's not how it works, right?

[Michael Jaecks]

"Concept:
- Quote the reasons why the species exists in or around the deep sea civilization."

Um. Did you do biology at school? You know that's not how it works, right?


hehehehehehehehe. Technically, Dirty C has got a point. Wildlife tends to steer clear of civilization. Perhaps there are deep undersea pigeons.

[HiloHello]

Rats. Raccoons. Coyotes. Pigeons. Cockroaches. Termites. Cougars. Bears. Seagulls.

Lots of animals like us. Or at least taking advantage of our garbage.

[Dirty C]

What about the vast majority of animal life who were just there? I'm not asking this to be a dickhead, I'm thinking of entering. How do I explain why a whale-like creature is underwater? By explaining its phylogeny back to RNA based organisms billions of years earlier? I mean, **they're just there**

My degree's in molecular biology and evolution, so I'm not arguing from ignorance. I just don't know what I'd say if I designed something that clearly belonged at that depth and the civilisation which sprung up there coincidentally had nothing to do with it..

Someone wanna point out what I'm not getting?

[HiloHello]

What about the vast majority of animal life who were just there? I'm not asking this to be a dickhead, I'm thinking of entering. How do I explain why a whale-like creature is underwater? By explaining its phylogeny back to RNA based organisms billions of years earlier? I mean, **they're just there**

My degree's in molecular biology and evolution, so I'm not arguing from ignorance. I just don't know what I'd say if I designed something that clearly belonged at that depth and the civilisation which sprung up there coincidentally had nothing to do with it..

Someone wanna point out what I'm not getting?

Well, a whale-like creature probably wouldn't continue to hang out around civilizations unless it was some sort of scavenger. Or something that adapts to scavenging, like a mouse, a pigeon or a rat. Omnivores in general are a good bet, I suppose.

Maybe domesticated? Like some underwater version of horses or cats?

[longshao]

You should worry about the civilization part if you are doing EOW or CHOW.
I think they just want you to design a deep sea ecosystem. Right, Fozz?
I feel I should challenge myself and do CHOW.

[Dirty C]

Hm. Well, it's given me something to think about, so I'll see how I go.

Cheers folks. I'm unsure how I'm going to squeeze this in, but I'm gonna see how things go.

Good luck to those mucking in!

[Cavman]

SuPa, you move fast!

Here's a WIP form me. Gonna be some kinda deep sea fish predator thingy with big claws and jaws, I geuss.

[SuPa-]

Squid-like thing, kinda made quickly. Named it the Creeper Squid
The giant crustacean is called the Bottom Feeder
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s107/aquauzi/CreeperSquid.jpg
Oh, is it okay if the environment IS the crustacean (Bottom Feeder)?

[Adele]

Hive_minD thanks for the reply...your photo makes me feel like your shouting it at me :D

Im just so looking forward to pumping out drawings...leaving the colouring bits till later on once I really try and find the background to my creatures through drawings.

have fun everyone!

[Sangmort]

When you all said you were planning something, I truly did not expect something this colossal.

I guess the "I didn't have enough time to finish!" excuse will not work this time eh? :)~

[Cavman]

Thought sense I worked a it more that I'd post again.
Not quite done, but it looks better, I think.

[Studio Colrouphobia]

"No non-natural creatures" I hear, and someone said that this means no altered or engineered creatures.
What about symbiotic creatures used by (for instance) the CHOW entries for specific purposes? That would still be possible to use as "natural" creatures no?

Im thinking to link several of the concepts with those f my CHOW entries, to bring it together neatly... not that the two entries have to be fitted together, but they will be possible to do so with one another.

[Arteater]

1st idea
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs25/i/2008/136/d/c/deep_2_sketch_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
cavman: try sketching more anatomy before you color, I think more detail on the design would help a lot. good start

supa: I would like to see another angle on your creature.

[Jussslic]

woohoo! my first post and my first cow. pretty quick sketch, don't think i'll have time to take it further any time soon. hopefully i'm doing this correctly...

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn237/jussslic/serpent1.jpg

anyway, i'd love to hear some crits!

[Fozzybar]

What about the vast majority of animal life who were just there? I'm not asking this to be a dickhead, I'm thinking of entering. How do I explain why a whale-like creature is underwater? By explaining its phylogeny back to RNA based organisms billions of years earlier? I mean, **they're just there**

My degree's in molecular biology and evolution, so I'm not arguing from ignorance. I just don't know what I'd say if I designed something that clearly belonged at that depth and the civilisation which sprung up there coincidentally had nothing to do with it..

Someone wanna point out what I'm not getting?

You are supposed to come up with a concept about deep sea creatures which are attracted by the undersea civilization (cities)...

eg from the real world: crocodiles on golf courses, ice bears seeking the waste in northern villages, foxes in London etc

I admit that i am confused by the description text, since there is no direct hint that the creatures are attracted by the civilization or living around them, because that was my initial idea, but davi and/or Jason changed it, so i don't know in detail what they have in mind...

[Fozzybar]

*pokes head in*

oooo.... whats goin on here? :wink:

You say Deep Sea and Tyranx is there...like a rat can't resist sewers...:perv:

[retter]

just messing around with ideas. not sure if i'll keep these concepts.
still trying to come up with some ideas about how to present it.

[yongs]

hi guys! i've been lurking around for quite some time and was getting ready for the next COW but didnt expect something this big.
But either way, i'm trying for this one!
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff241/archvader/deep-wip001.jpg
exploring some silhouttes, was thinking of doing a small food chain or something liddat. crits r welcomed! good luck to every1!

[Rabid]

Well the creatures being attracted to civilization does kind of narrow down pieces significantly on the other hand there are two simple way out of it. #1 most deep sea creatures are attracted significantly to light and I don't think human beings will be living down there in the dark.
#2 If one of the creatures really shouldn't be around civilization, then make that creature eat another creature that is...

[Lander]

Cool stuff :)

Peter_John: Do you really want me to post those pics from Seattle?

It's been a while. I occupied myself with some figure painting. But Now I'm all done. Creatures galore.

[Rist]

I am thinking the same as Fozzy on this. I will be designing the larger creatures of the deep that might migrate most of the year and come out only at a certain season to hunt for mermaids or whatever lse the guys at CHOW come up with. I will not worry about scavengers or creatures that live off humanoids 'gifts'.

When i first saw this topic I thought of creatures like Scaly Dragonfish or the Hatchet-Fish. But I think s long as you have a purpose for the creatures appearance the project is quite open.

To show how outlandish some of the creatures are in the deep sea, here is an image:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08/photogalleries/sea-creatures/images/primary/deepsea4.jpg

[chuck18mp]

nice topic I love it!!!!!!! :)

[peter_john]

Lander - I'm just going to post the photos to flickr. I'll send you guys a link when it's set.

You are supposed to come up with a concept about deep sea creatures which are attracted by the undersea civilization (cities)...

eg from the real world: crocodiles on golf courses, ice bears seeking the waste in northern villages, foxes in London etc


Unless the topic is specifically "deep sea species displaced by/adapting to encroaching civilization" I interpret the topic as pretty broad. Human civilization is a part of the natural ecosystem on earth. Our lifestyle affects other creatures and vice versa. A good rule of thumb might be to just cite how each organism affects one another. Maybe in the form of a food chain diagram.

Otherwise, we should focus on displaced, re-invading native species returning to the civilized habitat. Any thoughts on this, Fozzybar or others?

[Arteater]

getting the feel for layers, man this is tough. I used to think layering was cheating, I now see its an art in itself.
http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/137/1/f/deep_3_sketch_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
This concept was a deep sea fish evolving to land, kinda looks like a lizard.
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs26/i/2008/137/2/a/concept_2_deep_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs26/i/2008/137/a/1/more_work_in_progress_deep_by_arteaterproductions. jpg

[Fractalbot]

http://fractalbot.com/conceptartorg/rockangler_paint2.jpg

Here's one idea... the Rock Angler. When born, it's skin is rich in calcium to promote fast-growing coral to cover the entire length of the Angler's body. With this natural protection it crawls unseen amongst coral reefs (which I imagine are premier property for our water-dwellers due to its beauty and colourful inhabitants).

Originally eating fish carcasses and acting as a cleaner species for the reef environment, the Rock Angler now chooses to eat the wastes discarded from the biodomes, especially protein rich vegetable matter and leftover fish parts. Frequently seen as a useful species they are allowed to climb on walls and go unharmed near the submerged habitations.

Would love to do some more work on this topic, let me know what you think! :overhere:

[Rabid]

I'm going a totally different route from these creatures so far, but I'm still loving the ideas!

[Me,Myself & Me again]

Thought this might inspire alot of you :D

http://www.damnthatsweird.com/2008/02/top-10-weirdest-deep-sea-creatures.html

[GRMC]

crazy round! i m gonna join as well. great posts guys

[Kaffinated]

I would recommend hitting up YouTube for this gold mine of weird deep sea odditys Its from a documentary called The Blue Planet and covers pretty much most of the ocean wildlife and ecosystem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00YJIyoZ56U

[Rist]

Here is my first sketch sheet. Just some ideas I had and then partially coloured them in PS.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4527/sketches1ly8.jpg

Second sheet.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3907/sketch2fk0.jpg

Now that I have a grasp of the whole thing I will now precede to make some thumbnails.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7336/cowdeep1fh7.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1781/cowdeep2at3.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2322/cowdeep3ii2.jpg

This is a refined version from the thumbnails.

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2533/cowdeep41qa3.jpg

[LeanneMGardner]

I'm seconding watching Blue Planet, and IMAX's special on the oceans. For any of you who haven't seen it, The Abyss is an incredibly awesome movie about an underwater habitat and alien civilization =)

[daestwen]

Heh, I almost feel embaressed to post this in here, but here's my first little lonely sketch for the COW side of deep.

It's supposed to be half egyptian dog half plesiosaurus or whatever they are called. :P

370840

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

awwwwwwww

[Saturns Gate]

Well im sorting out the details of my creatures as I go along designing them. I got quite a few thumbnails ready for the choosing and developing further. Heres two of em so far, the double mouthed beast will probably be the main predator of my version of the Utopia but we will see how things turn out. :)

[Vorace]

Reaaaally fun to do, and really fun to watch other ones developing their underwater universe.

Some of my doodles!

1) some underwater behemot, the apex predator of the Deep Utopia
2-3)Some kind of digging creature, plaguing the ground of the underwater land
4)cow-like creature, principal source of food and meat for the deep inhabitants
5)crustacean creature, small but deadly
UPDATE
6)Ideas for medium-size predators
7)design doodles for a type of big fish used for food (like (4) )
8 )random little fishes design

UPDATE:
First color test. The Sea trap with some tropical fish. Will post some text to explain them. still a WIP.

UPDATE : Giant strange jellyfish monster

UPDATE : added some strange sea creatures. A crustacean predator, a tropical fish, and 2 creatures living in the deepest part of the ocean, and a big super behemot/leviathan/megapredator etc

UPDATE : Cow-like creature. Took a previous sketch and did it in colors. This beast is one of the main source of meat for the deep inhabitants.

[Lege1]

Wow this is a pretty advanced COW topic. I think this is a good one for getting people in the research mode for their topic no doubt; however, I don't think I will be participating in this one because I research enough in college. Good luck to all on this one for real. I see the pages filling up for this topic.

Fozz: I definitely look forward to the old school single subject topics, this is good though for all those who have done a hundred of those though,lol.

[Kaffinated]

A fun what if would be if one of us designs a sea creature thats found later on.

[Saturns Gate]

A fun what if would be if one of us designs a sea creature thats found later on.

heh, remember to date your work ;). Claim you found it while fishing and drew it, then you can name it and piss off the researcher who did actually find it. :D Oh and Vorace, really nice thumbnails mate, keep it up!

[Kaffinated]

An idea i had floating around in my head.

[MeTaL-Mike]

wow there's some awesome stuff in there dudes, need to start drawing myself... keep posting :d

[peter_john]

Vorace- woot! Second to last page, bottom right creature is my favorite. I like the mouth/ventral line. Carry on :]

[Delmar]

This is great!!

Currently in the story developing phase but couldn't help to make some quick thumbs..........This is going to be AWWEEESOMME!

[Mr. Perfect]

I bought myself a tablet on Monday so I can finally start participating in COWs! I'm pretty pumped, I must say.
I threw together a quick WIP. It may change intensely before I complete the final, but it's certainly something.
Also, what do the rest of you guys think about taking a "cartoony" approach to this COW? Cartooning is my specialty and I feel like I may get a better final product that way than if I strain myself to make a realistic piece.
Just lookin' for crits.
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk64/Slim_Perfect/ShrimpWIP.jpg

[S.C. Watson]

I'll be posting my other sketches and what not here.

As noted in the other threads, because of the format that I am using to explore all of this, I am not doing many individual sketches of items/characters/critters/thingamahbobs - all this stuff will sort of be mixmashed together.

So.

first critter sketch included on this page. More to follow.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v25/Oregano/LEMURIA/lem-01.jpg

All the best,
~Oreg.

[Rist]

Updated post 70 (http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1766824&postcount=70)with another sheet.

Oregano: Are you working on all 3 activities?

Delmar: Really like those thumbnails, really natural style!

Vorace: Great little sketches! Inspired me to also think on a smaller and simpler scale.

[Saturns Gate]

heres another creature taken to a further stage, ill post some sketches soon. Good work so far guys.

[S.C. Watson]

Oregano: Are you working on all 3 activities?

Since the contest involves ALL FIVE of the weeklies, I am working on them all, yes :geekg:

~Oreg.

[QSeptember5]

I don't understand, why would there be predator and prey in a utopic society? Wouldn't they all eat plant-life? The description doesn't exactly match the topic.

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

My guess is it's a utopia for the society....not for all of the animals included in the enviroment. They're just animals and have no societal rights necessarily. Of course, things would have to be in balance for it to be a utopia.

Those are some good looking creatures Saturn's Gate....the one on the top left looks really interesting.

[mellongcreate]

who's utopia is this? I love meat and not being able to eat it doesn't sound like my utopia :P I know this is just the start of the whole comp but only a few people are leaving notes with their work briefly explaining what they are doing? All about idea's not just cool images right? And yes Utopia = Perfect Harmony so life and death go hand in hand.

EDIT: By Utopia I'm sure it's all about the 'biosphere'. An 'Ideal' situation of exactly 'how' could an underwater ecosystem flourish. Even though this is COW, the Utopia part really is focusing on the Deep project as a whole. I could be totally wrong here but this is how I understand this.

[Mr.Otsredir]

I don't understand, why would there be predator and prey in a utopic society? Wouldn't they all eat plant-life? The description doesn't exactly match the topic.

the society is a utopia, but there can still be pros and cons, as long as the society is a perfect working society. wild animals cant really fall into the utopia because they are wild. they do what they wish.

some quick thumbs. im still thinking too much normal creatures, need to branch out and think outside the box.
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm277/mrotsredir/img031.jpg

[tsujni]

some cool ideas drifting outta the noise in here....

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/tsujni/cow1.jpg

[DefiledVisions]

Sweet Tsujni! very elegant designs

[Saturns Gate]

who's utopia is this? I love meat and not being able to eat it doesn't sound like my utopia :P I know this is just the start of the whole comp but only a few people are leaving notes with their work briefly explaining what they are doing? All about idea's not just cool images right? And yes Utopia = Perfect Harmony so life and death go hand in hand.

EDIT: By Utopia I'm sure it's all about the 'biosphere'. An 'Ideal' situation of exactly 'how' could an underwater ecosystem flourish. Even though this is COW, the Utopia part really is focusing on the Deep project as a whole. I could be totally wrong here but this is how I understand this.

Dont worry, I have a load of written work ready to be posted when the time comes. Right now im still working out each of there relationships etc, and yeah a Utopia can mean a few different things. The fish probably like the fact that they have more to do than eat all day, ie: legging it from sharks! :)

[Rabid]

I tend to veer away from utopia ideas since a perfect place is boring. Nothing interesting ever happens. I enjoy nature as beautiful and equally cruel in all her majesty. This should be even more true of the deep ocean. I mean, have you ever seen what it is like down there? It is practically barren, everything must coserve energy, and nothing is wasted without being scavenged upon. It's a damn hard place to live. Then transforming it into a "utopia" is a hell of a leap. But I'll do my best, I refuse to give up some iconic "terrors of the deep" that I have already finished though.

[Searious]

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/9750/deepht0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


one of my first ideas

[Arteater]

A little off the topic, check out this prehistoric fish from the great lakes.
I took this a few months back in Kenosha Wisconsin.
http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/140/e/c/prehistoric_fish_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
and this guy was from the Toledo Zoo on Saturday,
http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs29/f/2008/140/1/0/toledo_Zoo_fish_by_arteaterproductions.jpg

they had some giant deep sea crabs that were real wicked.
Another sketch for today.
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/140/d/2/deep_concept_4_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
tsujni: Nice work, I like the top one

[Rabid]

Hey arteater, that first image is one of my favorite organisms from when I was a kid. That's Dunkleosteus, the armor plated prehistoric monster. Good stuff, check this fish out, lives in the amazon river basin, nicknamed the vampire fish...the Payara

[Arteater]

That fish is INSANE!

[ibbo]

Just thought i would peek in and say hi to everyone - This COW has really caught my attention, so i thought i would give it a go. Its been a while since i've participated in any of the competitions, but heres a quick thumbnail i did to get my creative juices flowing - Kudos to Andrew Jones thumbnailing tutorial by the way!

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1012/sm2hr2.jpg

[UPDATE] Only a small update, i've just been playing around with the various features and forms - and added a quick side perspective as to build up an anatomical understanding of the beastie.

Its not much, but once i get a theme in my head i can keep working on it! Great work so far guys, keep them coming!

-Ibbo

[QSeptember5]

I suppose I shouldn't have said society, what I mean is simply a utopic location or situation. All I'm saying is, if you run the risk of being eaten by being there, how is it a Utopia? I like eating meat too, but in a Utopia there would have to be mutual respect for all creatures for things not to fall through. There would be perfect harmony, yes, but there's already perfect harmony with all creatures eating each other. That's just the wild, not paradise. There would have to be a different kind of perfect harmony. And if you're not designing creatures that live within the Utopia, you're not really staying on topic.

I figured the creatures would be pets, workhorses, or creatures along those lines.

[Adele]

i think everyone is thinking too much into it....just develop some deep sea creatures, have fun in the sketches, try not to be too generic with the crusty looking dragon-y creatures....give them some reason and character development for being where they are and use your imagination. if you draw and draw, the personalities, environment and back-story will develop as you go....research other animals and their history and habitats...thats my 2 cents.

[Vorace]

Dunkleosteus rocks haha!

updated my WIPs on page 3!

[Mr.28]

I was thinking of researching a whole ecosystem and I got distracted on the lowest level. Check these out. They're single celled algae called diatoms and they're essentially made of glass. I think they're pretty cool.

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

Well, in the interest of the city's safety,here are some friendly inner city inhabitants....I only have a few minutes each day but I guess I can make some time this week for some colors :D
http://www.dazimua.com/images/CA/citydwellers.jpg

http://www.dazimua.com/images/CA/narcysus.jpg

http://www.dazimua.com/images/CA/seabee.jpg

[Cherries]

hey, guys! i'm new here and have been lurking for a bit, but i came across this while hunting references for the deep and thought i'd share.

cooler than a liger. :D

http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/white-tiger-swimming.jpg

[ibbo]

Those are some awesome updates Vorace. And thanks for those references Mr.28, i was going for something plankton-like too, until i found our how incredibly hard transparent creatures are to draw! Think i'll stick with my crustacian/fish for now :) !

-Ibbo

[Rabid]

Eh, I'm not gonna reveal alot but heres a small sketch from my thumnails...

[Saturns Gate]

Nice Rabid :) Looks like a lovely little creature! What a charmer! hehe

Thought this was cool : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20080520/video/vwl-world-record-breaking-fish-15af341.html

[Fozzybar]

sick :)

[LORD M]

Hehe, great topic, because I study ecology at the moment. :)
Here's some stuff that might help you guys. This COW is baseicly about the trophic levels. If you don't know what the trophic level is, I suggest you read this briefly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophic_level

It's not just about the food chain - it's more about the food web.


Food chain shows from the bottom dweller to the top predator:
http://www.niles-hs.k12.il.us/jacnau/chpt541.jpg


Food web shows that every organism affect eachother in some way. None goes safe! :
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/images/ant_web01.jpg


I hope this helps. :)

[Saturns Gate]

im doing something like that, although trying to make it look neat and tidy is another thing with so many intersecting arrows. :) Still, I think this is a good idea because it allows you to think about each creature individually and much more realistically.

[Velocipro]

I like this topic. Kinda helps you think more out-of-the-box than usual and it's an intresting first C.O.W. (For new membs like me). I just don't know where to begin. A whole ecosystem, you say? :3

[Adele]

Mr.28 nice images....sometimes you don't even think about these awesome things that are existence.

[meeatu]

Here are sketches on the Chow Utopia

[Hybrid_75]

awesome looking ideas meeatu. i like your style

[Nubb]

This is great!!

Currently in the story developing phase but couldn't help to make some quick thumbs..........This is going to be AWWEEESOMME!

Delmar- love those thumbs. Don't know how's the final gonna look but those make me want to wait :D
Go! Go! Go Peeps!

[davi]

remember everyone, think UTOPIA!

While in an a utopia there are creatures that hunt other creatures, but if a story were to be devolved around the idea of an Utopian city... how would these epic fanged sea-beast come into play?

You can get away with just making creatures that eat creatures in most of the Cows, but try thinking different for this activity.

Think beautiful, Think helpful, Think cooperative, not just death :P

[Nubb]

Love for everyone! ;) Nice perspective. I'd love to see universum ballanced and free from agression ( not that I don't like seeing blood thirsty predators eating tiny peacefull skippys ;) )

[Ezidof]

Im in, i'll post some images sooooon..

[Rabid]

remember everyone, think UTOPIA!

While in an a utopia there are creatures that hunt other creatures, but if a story were to be devolved around the idea of an Utopian city... how would these epic fanged sea-beast come into play?

You can get away with just making creatures that eat creatures in most of the Cows, but try thinking different for this activity.

Think beautiful, Think helpful, Think cooperative, not just death :P

Utopia......:er: :hugsmile:

[GreenTopaz]

Well, I'm not much of a designer, but I'm giving this a go. Have been feelin creatively dead lately, maybe this will help get the cogs turnin again :)
Think beautiful, Think helpful, Think cooperative, not just death :P

You dream wrecker :( I'll have to start all over again...

[Erik Wilson]

a few of my preliminary ideas - I have a lot more and a lot of refining to do, but some basic concepts. I want to do at least one representative of each link in the food chain.

Though you can't tell from these first sketches, the idea I have is for each one to be at least semi-transparent, with greater or lesser amounts of bioluminescence

For the creature aspect of the Utopia concept, I see it as a perfectly balanced system: the right number of prey and predators, in a synchronized cycle of life and death.

There are sentient residents of my Deep Utopia (but I'll of course post them in the CHOW thread); but they too will have to factor in to this chain of life forms in a balanced, non-disruptive way.

http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_01.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_02.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_03.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_04.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_05.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_06.jpg
http://www.erikwilson.com/DEEP_creatures_07.jpg

[Arteater]

Erik Wilson:Awesome sketches, cant wait to see some progress on one.I kinda like the fourth one, squid thing

a more friendly concept
w.i.p.
http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/142/d/a/another_deep_creature_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/143/f/2/Almost_done_by_arteaterproductions.jpg

[avanent]

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1852/anenomitelx0.jpg

Dont know how many I'll create for this project, but this was my first idea :)

[Fozzybar]

IMPORTANT NOTE
Some artists asked about reins...that's no problem of course. When the rules say no items, we are talking about things which totally change the creatures status to an indepentend individual like shoes, cigars, clothing, weapons etc...if the items are adapted by the superior race, in this case humans (or humanoids) it is ok to have them included on the artwork/concept. So that said, feel free to use saddles, reins, collars etc

[Rabid]

IMPORTANT NOTE
Some artists asked about reins...that's no problem of course. When the rules say no items, we are talking about things which totally change the creatures status to an indepentend individual like shoes, cigars, clothing, weapons etc...if the items are adapted by the superior race, in this case humans (or humanoids) it is ok to have them included on the artwork/concept. So that said, feel free to use saddles, reins, collars etc

OOOOHHH yes! But you made me lose a week...

[DefiledVisions]

hehe, this is too massive. Everytime I start thinking I get "too deep".. I've made some basic sketches of some resident creatures in one part of the whole echosystem thing, a deeper, colder part of the ocean. Bah I'll start postin' soon, no use talking instead of drawing ;)

[DefiledVisions]

Erik Wilson Very neat sketches you've got there, I'm kinda thinking in the direction as you, with some kind of creature for each link in the foodchain. At the moment I've got too many top predators though.. hehe

EDIT
2 refined sketches
Just throwing out stuff from meh mind.. actually didn't notice it was a utopia until today.. so I'm gonna have to rethink a bit, and more subspecies etc. anyway, enjoying this, really nice stuff ppl are posting. appologies for the low-quality pencil rendering.

[Rist]

Hi guys! Some great additions you have made.

HERE is my update. (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1766824&postcount=70)

I have been in the thumbnail and small sketches for some time because I want to make sure I have covered most options. Please tell me what you think as it will greatly improve my work!

Thanks.

[Grumbleputty]

OK, I've been waiting for an excuse to enter a COW for months now, and this theme is too good to pass up. Here's my first- it's an example of convergent evolution, a starfish-like creature that has evolved into a massive, filter-feeding whale-like form. I'm still working out how to communicate it in the image, but my basic idea is that four of the starfish legs have transformed into flippers, while four more have formed the "jaws".

http://www.comicspace.com/grumbleputty/uploaded/15100/1211507653_HFxmlEcURr.jpg?1211507657

[Arteater]

Defiledvisions: Great work, nice clean lines

Grumbleputty: I'm liking your concept, nice design

Updated my last post, darkened and detailed. seems like I'm getting somewhere.

[Hybrid_75]

coming along nicely arteater. I would say try concentrating on the larger masses before working on the details. when you work out the large areas first the details are sorta the cream on top. Looking good.

Been trying to folllow that very thing in my stuff and I will eventually add colour and enviroments. but anyway my latest update http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=126361 here it is at my sketchbook.

[Arteater]

Hybrid: Thanks, I need someone to smack my hand when I start details too soon, I always do it. In the end the anatomy is always lacking.

Heres another concept, one of those up all night ideas :)
http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/143/0/0/gator_shark_concept_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs30/i/2008/144/7/8/gator_shark_wip_by_arteaterproductions.jpg

[Rabid]

This is getting exciting! Good stuff everyone, keep up the nice work!

[banhatin]

take some sketche to prepare the design
http://forum.coowow.com/noncgi/attach/2008/05/23/1211556378-userId-624-haidi.jpg

[jhagen22]

I'll come back later with descriptions of my overall idea. But this guy is kind of a cross between a manatee and a starfish. The little parasite creatures on it help to clean it and feed on any leftovers.

[Colepoopface]

Hey everyone, i love the works so far. I have never done a sketch of the week before, but i was doing some sketching and it just so happens that my random sketch was an underwater creature thing. So mine as well post right? lol, I see that you're supposed to have a whole bunch more designs so i will have some more sketches up later hopefully if time permits. Anyhoot, great designs everyone and thanks for checking out my poop.

Cheers,
Cole

[vibhas_virwani]

wow !!! some insane stuff up there !!! :O damn !!!
here are a couple of my underdog thumbs for now ... ill keep updating here ...so watch this post :)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc132/vibhas_virwani/cow1.jpg
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc132/vibhas_virwani/cow2.jpg

[Pavel Sokov]

guys, y are you posting your ideas already?
your just helping the compeition that way with your ideas. I find it would be better if we all posted our entries on the last 2 days

[Hybrid_75]

guys, y are you posting your ideas already?
your just helping the compeition that way with your ideas. I find it would be better if we all posted our entries on the last 2 days

Heh I'm gonna need as mush help as i can get on this one. The last thing I wanna do is post something in the last couple of days and have something not right about it. than only having a couple of days to rectify it. It could be too late by then. Not everyone needs help from this website I guess, but it's my only real source of a critical eye.


Colepoopface that looks creepy, i like the atmospheric spookiness to it

[Arteater]

I agree with Hybrid, posting in these threads has helped me become more understanding on all aspects of creating an effective concept, although I am keeping a couple DEEP secrets :)

[Pavel Sokov]

ya i know that it helped you, but thats the problem! you arent supposed to get help from fellow artist, you are supposed to find your own underwater race with your own influences, you know?

haha either way i will be posting my entries on june 17th anyways, since I have to leave for a vacation. If the posting threads aren't open yet, I am in trouble. I guess I will have to pm a moderator and ask what can be done for me.

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

guys, y are you posting your ideas already?
your just helping the compeition that way with your ideas. I find it would be better if we all posted our entries on the last 2 days

that's not the spirit of conceptart.org. if it were it would suck like most places out there.

I havn't seen any ideas I want to borrow from, nor do I mind if others copy me, because the people who can paint better than me already have their own ideas like any good artist.

It's more than just the contest it's the journey, when we come out of this we'll have portfolio fodder and experience as a reward, so let's have a good time on the way as well.

[DIMAGYAN]

nice work everybody

i have to start on this part of the deep

"domestic and farm"

376389

more creatures

395939

395940

395942

[vibhas_virwani]

one question ... can anyone help me with this ?? >>> where do the plants go ?? COW or EOW ? i mean deep ECOSYSTEM should include plants shouldnt it ?? and plants could also have changed if creatures , characters environments as well as technology changes ... or we just not supposed to draw plants at all ... and the rules were modified a bit for DEEP right ?? so .... plants ?? creature-plants ?? no ?? :P

[Fozzybar]

F*** the plants!

[Sellis]

To right, F**K the plants!!!!

[DefiledVisions]

.. or you could just eat em?

[LeanneMGardner]

This contest has me wishing I had a tablet =3

376581
Parasitic Jellyfish Stalker

376580
Mollusk Floater

376582
Prehistoric Angler

376583
Algae Eater

[Ramitxon]

I see amazing stuff around already. This one is a BIG topic really. I have to say I have no idea of where I'm going, but just needed to start sketching. Here are some thumbnails. I hope I can round up the concepts on the next days.

[Hybrid_75]

Sheesh, Lotsa work going on. You can see it's gonna come down to how unique your creatures are gonna be, and how they fit into the idea of living in or around the utopian society. well here's a little update. I was thinking this guy is like those harvesters on the matrix, might have a rider controlling him, might be cool to give him lights dangling in front almost like a spaceship. Genitic Engineering gone mad. F*** the plants!

[cyoung]

Just some rough ideas.

The first has this membrane sack that expands to "close" the mouth. When it's time to eat, the sack deflates upwards exposing the jawless, digestive, orifice.
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=376979&stc=1&d=1211781113

The second is my favorite so far. I believe i'll try out painter for the first time with this.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=376981&stc=1&d=1211781334

is this even going on still? I'm new and don't really know how this works or when the "week" in "creature of the week" starts.

[Hybrid_75]

is this even going on still? I'm new and don't really know how this works or when the "week" in "creature of the week" starts.

yeah dude you got till 11:59 pm on June 30th this is a biggun look herehttp://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=125901

[Rabid]

yeah dude you got till 11:59 pm on June 30th this is a biggun look herehttp://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=125901

Hyrbid is right man, you got some sketches now but definetly turn it up a notch!

[cyoung]

Haha, I'll work on it. But I didn't even find this site until about 4 days ago, gimme a break :P
I work full time, so this'll have to be an outside project.

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

Welcome to CA. :)

[ibbo]

Just a quick update to show where i'm at, and to congratulate everyone on their entrys so far! I started off doing some squiggles of giant angler fish, but these eventually evolved into some kind of hybrid eel. More info on exactly where the ideas came from (and a brief discription of the creature) when i post the final render!

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3919/cowdeep2vn2.jpg

Any casual feedback is much appreciated,

-Ibbo

[Rabid]

A big bravo to all of you guys so far, I'm lovin these! more more....brains brains....myuagghhh

[Jamesy]

Weird, these remind me of pokemon. Hopefully I'll do more soon.

[Aguijón]

I found this, it is a drawing from my chilhood.

O.K. This creature have non-natural parts. But maybe I can fix that.

[dhchamp]

I'm in. going to start today. finally got some time. going to be my first.
And already I see so many sketches of people that I think might even be better then my final piece. But hey. ill give it a go anyway.
Such a big activity Is nice since you have more time. A week is often kin of short for me to make a full piece. since im only starting out :) .
good luck everyone.

[viperxmns]

Ooh, I love deep sea life. Kinda hard to top what's already down there, but I'll give it a shot.

[Adele]

FOZZY, Is it possible to see a fake example of how the final entries should look, just mock up of how the page of the final image and it's concept drawings should be posted....any ideas?

[Fozzybar]

If you need some inspiration look up in the forums for (professional) conceptart, how the artists present their artwork.

There are no restrictions regarding the layout or design. Just make the best presentation for your own artwork, how you would present it to achieve the best impact on the clients/viewers ;)

[Thalion]

I'm going to make 5 finished concepts.. I hope that I will finish them before the deadline;)

here are some of my early thumbnails:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z139/thalion_art/deep_thumbs_early.jpg

[Shard]

stumbled upon this stuff earlier, thought it might be of interest here..sea slugs mostly and very colorful ones too..hopefully it hasnt been posted already

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/nudibranchs/doubilet-photography

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

I love nudibranchs, nice photos.

[chaosrocks]

I see squid/octopus, whales, and angler fish. where are the beasts of burden, riding steeds, protectors, predators and vermin? no one ever said it had to be THIS world. just because there are great and peculiar things already in our ocean. doens. mean they are the Only source of inspiration. OUTSIDE THE BOX PEOPLEZ!

CRX
a wanderer from EOW

[Saturns Gate]

I got a few riding steeds cooking up, and a sacred creature. Will post soon. :)

[Arteater]

Well, I had some free time, and busted out some fish :)

Hope I can get something to work well here.

Great work everyone, post more!
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/154/6/1/speed_sketch_fish_2_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/154/e/6/speed_sketch_fish_1_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs25/i/2008/154/1/0/70_fish_w_i_p__by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/154/4/9/Deep_concept_5_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/154/c/c/Wale_eater_w_i_p__1_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/154/3/3/Deep_concept_6_wip_by_arteaterproductions.jpg

[Shard]

loving those renders arteater!! that last legged beast is damn scary!

[benkashmir]

arteater - excellent thumbs imho.

[Sept]

Quick question,

Is the COW: Deep event open to any skill level? I am just a beginner still and haven't participated yet from the intimidation factor of all the great work that shows up here. I know I won't win any prizes, but it would be good practice to participate I think.

[jason01]

I've seen a lot of great things here so far . . . I'm going a little cartoony on this one.

[Hyptosis]

jason, mighty fine work man =]

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

Quick question,

Is the COW: Deep event open to any skill level? I am just a beginner still and haven't participated yet from the intimidation factor of all the great work that shows up here. I know I won't win any prizes, but it would be good practice to participate I think.

I think you should dig in, but try your best...:assspank:

[Lege1]

Just fiddling with an idea at work...ehh

[erenarik]

Arteater,Saturns,Cole..everyone ..great creatures..keep them coming ..

Here is my first piece


http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/2414/deep1zs7.jpg

[xzacto]

GEEZ, i would hate to be a judge for this stuff. a lot of this stuff is awesome. very inspiring work.

KUDOS to everyone

[EricElwell]

some sketchy sketchy..

http://www.thetextureguy.com/screenies/creatures019.jpg
http://www.thetextureguy.com/screenies/creatures020.jpg

[corspufo]

EricElwell: your Squidpedo is pretty cool. I like it. I say, keep pushing and start painting them.

Here's one of my sketches. I've got a bunch more penciled out but not scanned, so meh. Either way, I'm here and I'm......uh, here. I just feel bad that I didn't jump into this thing sooner. ENJOY! The thing that I want to achieve with a lot of these creatures is practicality. Not just something cool with fangs, but something relevant.

The idea behind the can opener crab, is something that can open up the armory hides or corally flesh of the creatures in the deep, and feast on the goodness inside!

[comixnut]

geez art-eater i don't think you are putting in quite enough work nor taking this seriously enough man! LOL Far out dude those are awesome. Keep up the great work ppl.

[viperxmns]

idears-
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/viperxmns/deep.jpg

[Hybrid_75]

This was going to be a COW entry but maybe cause it has humanoid bits to it it should be a CHOW? I'm not sure.

[EricElwell]

hmmm, the squid seems to be the dominant being.. but whatever.. you could go even farther and turn it into a statue and call it EOW :)

here's tonight's DEEPly doodle
http://www.thetextureguy.com/screenies/creatures021.jpg

[Fozzybar]

This was going to be a COW entry but maybe cause it has humanoid bits to it it should be a CHOW? I'm not sure.

Go for ChOW...it won't be accepted for COW ;)

[Rist]

I have just updated post 70 (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1766824&postcount=70) with an unrefined creature. I am fumbling around with it to find the right material textures and colours.

[Deodatus]

Hey! Great work.
nice ecosystem you create!
keep it up

[corspufo]

Rist: keep pushing, your ideas are interesting and have a lot you can go on. I would recommend pushing the values in your paintings, also something that would give viewers a sense of scale I think is also important.

Hybrid: Dude sick, that's beautiful. But yeah, Fozzy is right, that's a ChOW. Little mermaid's Ursela was half octopus, and she was definately a character.

EricElwell: Adorable. Now paint them. PAINT THEM ALL!!! I am interested to see where you take their colors.

[Rist]

Rist: keep pushing, your ideas are interesting and have a lot you can go on. I would recommend pushing the values in your paintings, also something that would give viewers a sense of scale I think is also important.

Hybrid: Dude sick, that's beautiful. But yeah, Fozzy is right, that's a ChOW. Little mermaid's Ursela was half octopus, and she was definately a character.

EricElwell: Adorable. Now paint them. PAINT THEM ALL!!! I am interested to see where you take their colors.


Thanks! The ones that are shown are still in early stage and I have not put much effort into the technical details as of yet. I will be away for a week, but drawing throughout, so I will address whats here and do many more and try to push this project to a finish before the deadline.

As for yours. Design-wise if its going to be a crab-like creature make sure to follow nature by giving it the right amount of limbs etc. Also if the creature is built to do something, make sure to illustrate that thing for your final image.

[Arteater]

Hybrid: Nice work, cant wait to see that finished.

Viperxmns: I love the RIDGEBACK LEVIATHAN, something about that mouth that draws me to that guy.

Corspufo: nice concept and design

Ericelwell: Im liking your style with these creatures, The one chasing the diver is my fav.

Rist: great progress, keep it up . I sure some of the thumbnails would come out nicely.

[viperxmns]

Hybrid: Nice work, cant wait to see that finished.

Viperxmns: I love the RIDGEBACK LEVIATHAN, something about that mouth that draws me to that guy.



Thanks! I owe the mouth dealie to the Gulper Eel..

I gotta flesh out some more ideas..

[Quinn Simoes]

Great ideas so far everyone!

Here's a couple creature concepts...

[corspufo]

Rist: you're absolutely right! When I first sketched out the crab it felt more like one of the bugs from Starship Troopers, more legs will definately help. And yes, totally right, showing it in action is key. I planned on it, but I'm not sure if I should have it "opening" some larger fish/creature or a sea vessel? Ideas?

Quinn: good shading. I like the top creature more, the bottom one needs more definition to it's shape. The tail portion, I think would read better if it tapered off more where the fin meets the body. Also, I'm not digging the finger/digits in the front. Feels a little tacked on. A claw or forward facing fin would be cooler. I DO like the gills up top on the shoulder/back area. Bubbles coming out would be cool too.

[jread]

posted this in ChoW as well, as im not sure whether it is intelligent yet... :P
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5359/deepalienescapesmalloz1.jpg

[Lege1]

Arteater: I've been lurking in here as I work on various projects traditionally. I just gotta say that you've made a lot of improvement and great job for real. I really liked those two creatures you banged out a few pages behind this one. The whale and leg monster was real dope. All your image making elements are coming together quiet well and I am a big fan of the perspective that you're using. I just wanted to come through and compliment your hard work cause I see you are very active on this site. Keep it going.

[Arteater]

Lega1: Thanks a lot, I had a few days ope and figured I would be obsessed wile I could, hope I find more time before this ends. I havnt seen much of you lately, I hope you get a few creatures in ;)

Hope to see some work from these artists, Jakkas, Jaecks, vegasMike,Mayk, Mike Corriero and Lander , I wont name em all but these guys works tend to stick in my head.

[CecelyV]

I'm new to creature design, but here goes...^_^

[krossj]

quick creature sketch

[marcoferrigno]

lol as i clicked on the info link for deep a thought popped into my head ' wouldnt it be cool if deep was about sea creatures? ' freaky coincidence or just too obvious.


nice looking progect, but alas for me the timing could not be more awkward with an end of course exhibition to put up... nice looking concepts so far, will deffinitely be keeping an eye on this thread.

[meganite]

I saw this competition a week ago, and it sounds awesome! I'm a newbie around here, I look forward to being able to participate. I'll dredge up some of my ideas from the past and some sketches I've done recently as well. Hopefully I can fit in time to do this as well as my summer courses... Good luck everyone!

[corspufo]

jread: You rendered that out beautifully. But one of the rules for COW is nothing humanoid. I'd stick with this in ChOW. It came out great.

CecelyV: The Face for your worm fish is pretty cool, I like the "mask" aspect of it. Your second sketch doesn't have a lot of definition to comment on, and you last one is only giving hints of a lot of ideas. Step it up and show us whatcha got.

krossj: I'm interested to see where you'll take this guy. Keep it up.

Meganite: WELCOME!!

[Bralt Hannicart]

Well, boredom hit me so I thought I'd join the COW competition this month.

This here is a sketch of a concept I had in mind:

http://www.bralt.be/COW.jpg

A crab-like giant with an entire ecosystem on it's back. How is that for symbiosis? The sponges and corals house many small fish and critters that lure sharks and other predators to the crab. The crab eats the shark. The leftovers are for the small fish and critters. Or something like that.

[chuck18mp]

Man all yours ideas are sick!!!! Keep it up, don't give up!! :)

[Sir Bret]

The Tree

This is a quick sketch of my cycle. I will be doing some individual sketches of each creature in more detail - this is just the basis for all the other organisms. There's also an explanation behind my damn weird Utopian organism, the Tree. :P The sketch doesn't do the concept any justice... but then this is only the idea stage, I've been doing EOW until now. Hopefully I can convey it better, later on. :) Any critique would be absolutely fantastic!

I hope this is in the right context for COW - please inform me otherwise, and I shall conceal my embarrassment and move it elsewhere.

The Utopian Cycle of the Tree

This is how the Utopian Cycle of the Tree works:
The ‘Tree’ respires using sulphur emanating from geothermal vents located underneath it.

In turn, bacteria respire using the sulphur, but reside on the tree. The bacteria then produce heat energy and sulphide that the ‘Tree’ can use for muscles and cell regeneration.

The bacteria are eaten by hundreds of siboglinid sulphide worms. Although they eat the bacteria the ‘Tree’ requires to respire effectively, they in turn protect the Tree and the bacteria, to some extent, from predators by their poisonous ink their parotid glands produce (similar to snake venom).

To stop the siboglinid worms from overbalancing the cycle, predators immune to the ink, and yet vulnerable to the larger predators beyond the Tree, occasionally eat some of the worms. They also clean the Tree’s air vent so bacteria, plankton and loose polyps don’t clog it up. The siboglinid worms still protect all the creatures within the boundary of the tree, minus creatures outside the cycle.

When there is less bacteria, the siboglinid worms are more plentiful. This means there is less food on the Tree’s vent for the small fish to eat, so they eat the worms as an alternative source. When there are more bacteria, the vent has more bacteria clogging it up, so the small fish eat there as their main source.

The Tree lives for seven thousand years, due to its effective cell production and lack of PCD DNA (programmed cell destruction). Eventually the Tree suffers an autophagic death – but by then, another Tree is growing beneath it, two-hundred years old. The cycle of organisms gradually move to this Tree. The old Tree loosens its grip on the ocean floor and is slowly carried away by the tiny current of the deep sea.

This cycle presents a perfect balance in respiration and reproduction.

And finally here's a quick sketch for the base of my idea:
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff171/sirlitebulb/UtopianCycleoftheTree.jpg

[Pavel Sokov]

posted this in ChoW as well, as im not sure whether it is intelligent yet... :P
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5359/deepalienescapesmalloz1.jpg

is it just me or things cant look reflective/slimey when under water?

i mean you look at any fish under water, its pretty matte, but when u take it to the surface it gets wet looking. you should watch out for that

[Tommoy]

Didn't think too long, just drawn something.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/Tommoy/DeepS3k.jpg

[EricElwell]

I like where you're headed Tommoy.. I like the translucent nature of the fins/tentacles/tendrils .. it's rock'n! :)

Here's a painty dealy based on an old sketch:

[Michael Jaecks]

Arteater:

That was really kind of you to say. This month is reallllly full of work, so I'm sad to say I will have to pass on Deep. I'm even getting some of my creature fix needs met with the client work. But, I do miss you guys and wanted to check in and see. You're all clearly rockin' out. Can't wait to see your final presentations at the end of June.

Cheers!

[No.Verdikt]

Awsome work everyone, this is going to be incredibly tough but I want in, so heres what I got so far at least for this part of the competition. I'll probably do another brainstorming sheet and then make separate finals for my faves rather than just fine tunning the roughs. It tends to look better when i do that.

[Saturns Gate]

Nice ideas guys and gals! :) Im off to the sea life center tomorrow for the day, gonna try and fill up my camera with cool fish. I will see if i can upload some for you all to get some inspiration from. Keep up the good work!

[corspufo]

Pavel Sokov: at first I was going to disagree with you, but looking more into it, you're absolutely right. Things that are slimy or anything like that, have more of a Matte finish. If anything they have a soft glow to them.

[EricElwell]

yeah I agree... I suppose you can cheat just a whee bit, but if you're going for that mucosa (sick I know) texture, you can imply translucency with veins and whatnot.

[Hybrid_75]

You could possibly do a slimey type creature that lives in the dry areas that humanoids or what ever civilization have built. Enviroments that they have populated themselves and their animals from dryland or new hybrids or whatever. wonder if any one is doing that out there? It does depend on wether you think the civilization breathes air or not I guess. just an idea.

[Sir Bret]

You could possibly do a slimey type creature that lives in the dry areas that humanoids or what ever civilization have built. Enviroments that they have populated themselves and their animals from dryland or new hybrids or whatever. wonder if any one is doing that out there? It does depend on wether you think the civilization breathes air or not I guess. just an idea.

I am doing it for my EOW civilisation, where fish-gods bred with Atlantics to form a new hybrid race that are humanoid, but can live underwater. :D

Seeing some really cool stuff, especially yours, EricElwell. Somethin' weird that critter is. :P

[Ian Mack]

Research. Jacques Cousteau book from the libo is tha shit. Looking @ everyone's work, I'm realizing that it isn't about research only though, gotta make some cool pictures!

[nickmarshallvfx]

Not planning on participating but was just messing around and thought it might be fun to do something along these lines.
Bout 30 mins:

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL762/3253510/19178467/320843639.jpg

[krommover]

alone in the deep. very very deeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!!!!!!!

[Saturns Gate]

Well, been to the sea life sanctuary in Hunstanton and got a few shots, though a lot of them did not come out quite as well as I hoped. If any of you have a similar place to view these creatures where you live I would highly advise going and having a look. Your understanding of them will be much more clearer then any photo can tell you.

I have sorted through the images and batched them together for you all to use, so check this link and download the larger file! :) Cheers! Oh and that is not a ghosts head in one of the images, its my girlfriend! lol

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27562341@N07/2569571627/

[Fulcrum919]

Here are some initial sketches at some of the creatures you run into in the underwater utopia...

http://www.artofhagan.com/Sea1.jpg

More to come...

B

www.artofhagan.com

[bishoplynx]

Here are some pencils so far of a few creatures. I'll post more later. I'll be finishing these in my analog world. Also I'll post the biological text with the final render.

http://www.bishoplynx.net/wp-content/gallery/images/COW_DeepSea/planning/Cow_001.jpg
http://www.bishoplynx.net/wp-content/gallery/images/COW_DeepSea/planning/Cow_002.jpg
http://www.bishoplynx.net/wp-content/gallery/images/COW_DeepSea/planning/Cow_003.jpg
http://www.bishoplynx.net/wp-content/gallery/images/COW_DeepSea/planning/Cow_004.jpg

[corspufo]

BishopLynx: sweet sketches. Very different and very creative. and a little gross, lol.

Fulcrum919: Cool sketch, and nice image manipulation. My only crit is they are looking more like a character and less like a type of creature. Well, like an intelligent being anyway.

Krommover: Welcome! Keep pushing your image. I think you still have a lot of room to really push the envelope for creativity.

That bein said, here are my latest creatures to add to the mix. The Squatter Crab, a parasitic version of the Hermit Crab. And the Displacer Fish, a fish that gives of false sonar frequencies to trick would be predators. Also, I've updated my Can-Opener Crab, TAKE A LOOK! (http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1790856&postcount=182)

[EricElwell]

Looks cool brian.. I like your style when it reads well, but the dude on the right is not reading too well to me.. Moth/Lobster/Satan is looking pretty cool though, not a huge fan of his face.. just feels generic and un-intimidating

Bishop, I dig that first one! something about chubby fish cracks me up

Corspufo, I like the fishy on the right, almost feels like he is "dragging his feet"
Hermit crab on the left is a cool concept, but it's just not reading as well as it could, I think.

Cool stuff guys! keep rock'n!

[corspufo]

ericelwell: care to elaborate? where should i push it?

[Shydrow]

I think i may enter this one but maybe not. I am not good with painting in photoshop yet so i may just post some sketchs which i always do ok. I do Robots now but i think i can do fish and aquatic life.

[EricElwell]

corspufo.... honestly, I wasn't too sure what I was looking for, so I started to fiddle with it.. I think a lot of it comes down to the rendering.. if you balance the values (and hues/saturation) between areas you can get it to pop more. So here I'm just trying to make the hermit crab's pincer and eyes pop out from the scene, so you immediately think "Oh crabby!" also the fish skull is pushed forward with values, so that should also pop right out at yah. The rest of the change is just a little form tweak on and around the pincer..

So in a nutshell, the values are pushing the skull, the hues are pushing the crab

[EricElwell]

that being said... I think a lobster tail and some long legs would be cool :)

[corspufo]

EricElwell: Dude, that's a great idea, I like it! I take it back, I love it. I'll get back on that as soon as I can. WOOT! I love it, it's great having another pair of eyes on my stuff. Can you do me a favor? Check out my Environments and tell me what you think and where I can go, I've been staring at them and I need a new set of eyes on them. Environment 1 (http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1780382&postcount=100) Environment 2 (http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1795172&postcount=159).

Here's another beasty for the bleak blackness of the depths.

[EricElwell]

On the environment: that's a cool concept, but I think you could benefit from two things. The first thing that pops out to me is the angle and of the camera and perspective. In the shot where you are looking up, it takes a second to realize what's going on, and where you're looking. It's a bit disorienting. Also, it's almost perfectly vertical and I think you're losing some opportunity for some implied cool stuff in the far background. The same is true of the other shot, you can't see deep into the crevice, so there isn't much depth in the scene, and what depth you do have going on runs far off in a direction entirely different from the crevice (which seems to be the point of your concept). So I would recommend merging the two angle and get the camera look up at 45 - 75 dg angle so you can frame both the waters surface (looking up at the fish silhouettes is cool), and also see lengthwise down the cave, implying the structures and lights fading far far into the background.

So the way you frame your concept is important, but also what is lacking is a real range and balance of values. I'd recommend doing this in black and white.. whether it ends up your final piece or not. Balancing you values is key in a scene like this. What you've got now in terms of color is not bad.. at least in your choice of hues, but what is bad is how it is hampering your use of values. Try it in black and white, and get a range from black to white with all the grays in between, and try to differentiate form from form by placing their values within the higher range or lower range of the grayscale (meaning, don't shade EVERY object black to white, even if it is the exact same object, if it is placed elsewhere in the scene it may have a smaller range in value between it's brights and darks than it's partner object placed somewhere else in the scene.)

Anyway.. give that a try. :) cool concept, I think you just need to work on those two things to sell it. Good Perspective (+composition), and good balance of Values. Rock it up, and show us what you come up with! :)

[bishoplynx]

I added some inks to the first COW. After I add some color I'll refine the inks.
http://www.bishoplynx.net/wp-content/gallery/images/COW_DeepSea/Inks/Cow_001_ink.jpg

[Arteater]

Ian: Great work, love the progress

corspufo: wow that guy is pritty sweet

bishoplynx:nice work, watch those eyes, to me it looks like he has no control of em :)
http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs30/i/2008/165/a/2/more_crearures_AE_by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs25/i/2008/165/8/1/Deep_cover_page_w_i_p__by_arteaterproductions.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs28/i/2008/165/e/6/turtle_species_by_arteaterproductions.jpg

[Pavel Sokov]

guys im seeing great concepts, but none of you know what a utopia is, u are drawing very menacing creatures, all of u

[Naomi Ningishzidda]

heh heh Pavel is not going to let us get away with anything

I made a bunch of friendly ones Pavel, just 5 minute thumbs, but I will start fleshing them out tonight....go back and look at my post, that pink thing "Narcysus" is a "bug" catcher...the people keep them in their homes and their "hair" is jointed it wraps over their face and that glowing appendage to capture household pests in its sticky tendrils...very harmless to mer-humans. :)

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1770526&postcount=105

Also I think underwater creatures are rough looking too - even friendlies, though you're right we need to get Steph Laberis in here to teach you guys a thing or two about fluffing your creatures up...

[Grumbleputty]

here's one for you, Pavel! The comments might not make sense unless you read my backstory (which, itself, makes absolutely no sense), which is linked in my sig.

Sorry about the sketchiness- I'm concentrating right now on getting all my thoughts out of my head and onto paper as quickly as I can.

[Michael Jaecks]

Arteater: The cover page is really nice. I like the effect a lot. Have you thought about a different and perhaps smaller font? I think it might make the effect of the light more dramatic. Plus I just want to see more of the painting. :) It seems really simply and straightforwardly painted without a lot of special effects and wacky brushes, which makes me like it even more. The way the cyan gets more saturated as you pull back closer to the sunlight really works.

Grumble putty: great design. I love the way it opens up. Very clever and original.

[Vorace]

Grumbleputty : haha that's a very original design!

arteater : yay I like a lot your update!

Saturn's gate too your stuff rocks...

corspufo : great monster, looks nasty and deadly

great job everyone !!

updated mine page 3 :D

[scorge]

Hey guys, long time no see. Looking gooooood.

[viperxmns]

Those are awesome, scorge..

sketches, with an eagle nosed squid and a rhino-like fish of some kind..
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/viperxmns/deep3.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/viperxmns/deeep2.jpg

[Shydrow]

maybe i shouldn't enter i can't think of anything really original besides a shellfish thingy.

[krommover]

Hi! One more fish. BIG FAT FISH! Unidentified abyssal anglerfish.

[krommover]

Huge squid is just a flash-light in abyss! Let me introduce you … sperm-whale gulper!!!

[krommover]

bone-headed fish!

[arttorney]

100 thumbs rule! (No wait, that was 100 punks, sorry.)
393291

[Pavel Sokov]

oh look, here we go, lightly coloured beatifull looking creatures! arttorney knows what this compeititon is about haha, good job!

love the colours of the really fat echinoderm, the peach one with blue poka dots, and pink outlines!

i myself gave up and drew one really brutal creature since everyone was doing it haha!

[chaosrocks]

still seein alot of anglerfish

wheres the undersea falcons, and the wazzisies?
the matched team of puller critters
the mining somethgnorothers?

that dig through the water and channel psychic energy?

[krommover]

Friendly fluorescent cawfish! It is funny!

[krommover]

twice as much... dangerous!

[EricElwell]

cool!

here's just another sketch:

[Azuma, Hironori]

So like... is this thread for submissions or just talking about the project now? I just need to know where you are supposed to post the final product...