Chow 126 :: VOTING :: Scheherazade

[daestwen]

FINALS ONLY
-=ROUND 126=-
-= Scheherazade =-

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http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii293/chowarchive/CHOW-LINES/CHOW-LINES-MEDUSA.jpg
NOT SURE ABOUT THE GUIDELINES? CLICK HERE! (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=117390)
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DESCRIPTION

Heroine and teller of the 1001 tales in the "One Thousand and One Arabian Nights".

Read the attached for details on her story.

The basics:

- Her character and the stories that she tells have been traced all over the ancient world - Persia/Arabia/Egypt/India - so feel free to experiment within the time period, but this IS in the ancient world. No Alien Arabian Nights, please!

- A strong woman, and an awesome story teller. Please keep in mind that she uses stories over seduction - your character should reflect that, and not just show off a skimpy outfit!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheherazade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boo...and_One_Nights

http://www.bartleby.com/16/1002.html

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ACCEPTANCE TO POLL WILL BE BASED ON THREE CRITERIA:
1: DID THE ARTIST FOLLOW THE BRIEF? (allowance for creative takes will be made).
2: IS THE PIECE ARTISTICALLY SOUND? (Is the illustration "finished?" - did the artist pay attention to anatomy, perspective, other fundamentals?).
3: IS THIS ILLUSTRATION THE BEST ONE?

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SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRY:
1: You must submit ONE full sized image.
2: Make sure your name and CHOW # are EASILY READABLE on your entry.
3: Use the Standard format (Below);

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/ChowPics/frame.jpg
:right: PLACE THE IMAGE IN A FRAME WITH YOUR NAME/TOPIC
:right: SAVE YOUR FILE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
Chow##_Nickname
example: "CHOW#100_Oregano.jpg"

THE REST IS EASY:
1: No comments before poll is set. They WILL be deleted with utmost malice and petty grumbling.
2: Sit back and enjoy the show. BYOPC (Bring your own popcorn)
3: Good luck to all.

[daestwen]

Please review these helpful reminders if you have not done so already.

:right:ON GETTING TO POLL (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1891823&postcount=15)
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:right:NEW ROUND RULE: WIPS PLEASE! (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1910999&postcount=27)
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:right:SUBMISSION FORMAT REMINDER (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1911002&postcount=28)

[townes]

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6947/arabbbhw6.jpg

[bitethefrog]

Scheherazade and her little sister, Derizade.
Good luck everyone!

EDIT: Oops! Forgot the WIPs! Added them now!

Other Inspirations:
The incredibly sexy and strong main character from the PS3 game Heavenly Sword, Nariko. (http://www.us.playstation.com/heavenlysword/)
Jaime Murray in Hustle (Season 3, Episode 4)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g48/jayfrog_photos/Jaime_2.jpg

[edujante]

Hi! In my piece I try to translate the texturized and the elegant ornamantation of the indian folklore. So i work in this way I trying to represent the texture all around and find a rich moody ambient.
wip!

http://edujante.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sheherezademaking.gif

FINAL!

http://edujante.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sheherezadedeflow.jpg

[tmyohlaing]

My final, coloring process, and sketches in order.


http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w214/tmyohlaing/CHOW%20126/CHOW126_tmyohlaing.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w214/tmyohlaing/CHOW%20126/Coloringprocesstmyohlaing.jpg


http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w214/tmyohlaing/CHOW%20126/wipstmyohlaing.jpg

[Chronoperates]

I was going for showing the cunning that she used in leaving the story hanging and asking if he would like to hear more with this one.

[MJ_Alcazar]

My final.

I had a pose in mind as soon as I read the brief. I come from a long line of storytellers. So, the hand movements and the sitting pose was quick to jump out. Many of my ideas came from the screenshots of the movie Arabian Nights (2000) and my memory of watching it. Also, this http://www.orientalist-art.org.uk/ helped me to get into the environment i was looking for. Especially the Odalisques.
I still have a long way to go with my artwork. But, I really liked how this one turned out. The face for one looks better than any I have ever done. But, I look forward to improving next week, and I hope to incorporate all that I learned this week into future pieces.


http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/chow126_MJ_Alcazar.jpg


http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwipchow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mj_alcazarwip1chow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip2chow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip3chow126.jpg
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip4chow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip5chow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip6chow126.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/mjalcazarwip7chow126.jpg

[wiltekirra]

This was fun! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the entries finished.

[Greeneyed girl]

my first CHOW, had a ton of fun doing it, though I wish I hadn't procrastinated as much and could of gotten it more finished. ah well there's next week.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/sketchpocket/1000nights3.jpg

[Windsrock]

Too bad that picture of picture never gives a true image of itself. Believe me it's better in real life.

Wips as a sidebar.

[ArtbyWard]

Very cool topic, nice results everyone!! Heres mine:

[Foofea]

My first submission for CHOW - not able to give it the attention it required :(

[Martheart]

My final! :mittenbop: And ofcourse the wips. Also I added a picture I used for inspiration. Good luck everyone!

[Jason Strutz]

My entry
Oil Paint - 14" x 19"
Scheherazade built up her stories from the dust and sand, entertaining her captor and saving countless lives.

[murkus]

Hi...
This is my first time posting on concept art. I had a lot of fun and I hope you like it. :) Enjoy and good luck to everyone!

---
Oh no! I didn't realise WIPs were required for this one. I hope it's not too late. I didn't save too many of them :[

Here they are and some pictures I looked at for inspiration
persian nobility from this site: http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/PLATE2BX.HTML

[Adele]

As you can see, Scheherazade in my concept tells stories through seduction by her long hair, using magical dust that she carries in her hip flask. Her eyes are hypnotic, drawing you in to watch the tale up above.

I delivered this in my animation TV toon style, its what comes most natural and also very fun to do...I love drawing wild hair, so it was even more fun to colour it. I could of easily done a full figured sexy seductive (robotic???) woman ;D, but I really wanted to go more fantasy based for Scheherazade.

My colour influences came from Lou Romano, Bill Perkins and Scott Willis...all TV animation artists :D

I didn't add in the original background because I wanted to focus on the character and if you were watching the story, you wouldn't notice what was around you anyway...being seduced. I also made her eyes clear over, as Im sure she would have beautiful eyes...but not the focus whilst her hair is the focus.

I didn't have net on the weekend, so had to enter this morning, Monday in Australia.

Hope you likey!:drinkup:

[DecayingLolita]

Spent most of the week half blind and coughing my lungs up - lost it all twice due to my computer crashing and had to finish early because of a Black temple raid! I think it turned out alright... Also hand cramps.

[ccsears]

i don't use photographic reference too much for details (hands are an exception), but i do use it for pose and "orientation of forms and overlaps."

me concentrating on opening the refrigerator door with my storytelling powers... i just took about 10 shots like this in my kitchen and started from there.

464083

464081

464082


daestwen / oregano i know i'm going to screw it up. EOW wanted an outside-hosted thumbnail. I'm assuming from the looks of everybody's submission that you want attached files, properly named.

[kiwigarbage]

She wore little decoration (by the aristocratic standard) knowing and trusting her beauty to speak many more words than any frivolous beadery and jewels could. The king was always stunned by her image in the morning...first, by how stunning she was, and second, that she was- in fact- still alive. He would remember back to the thrilling tale of the previous night and instantly hunger for more. He pretended to doze before stirring so he could gaze at her beauty for a few more moments...

I hope that wasn't too wordy. haha, just a little backstory to the illustration.

I really really gave it my all on this one.

(decayinglolita- you're my fave so far!)

[DIMAGYAN]

process notes and wip (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1918120&postcount=32)

trying to make a more "grapfic" look with solid blacks as shadows.no references used for the costume or character(only the links on the brief to see the description of the character). pencil sketch and digital paint.

self crit:

good points: i liked the sketch feel ,the gesture and the figure in general.
the face result was ok.the background idea(walking in the clouds
as a result of storytelling). at the distance
the elements are still quite clear, the graphic reading of the
image is acceptable.

bad points: the final result didn't match the spirit or feel of the sketch.the
"graphic" intention deliver a not clear result(the most acomplished
part is the face,probably) the painted part don't work very well
with the solid blacks.
the look of the character is a bit generic, due to the lack of
research and references.the character lecture is not very clear as
persian woman.the idea on the background is not too original.
the folds are not very clear, and quite uniform.


conclusion: the final result don't match my initial attempt and original sketch.
however i like some parts of the piece(the head for instance).
and expeimentation was a big part of this image( experiment to me
of course).so in general im content with the result.

464104

cheers

[Senira]

I started this yesterday afternoon after reading the prompt. Rather than bust my butt trying to knock out black and white AND color, I decided to try and take it as far as I could in the B&W version.

Here are my WIP for this one. Originally there was a standing candelabra where the armoire is, but I decided that it didn't really do much for the composition. About halfway through the picture, I decided that the armoire was too dark and oppressive by itself; it was distracting from Scheherazade. So, I added in the poof and cups in an effort to balance it out.

I tried to incorporate some of Elwell's advice on edges in this one. When I was working on the armoire, at first I made the edges super-crisp, then I remembered that they were out of focus and I went back to soften them up. Some of my softening efforts just look unfinished, however, so I'll have to go back and fix that as I continue to work on this piece.

Overall, I'm pleased with what I have so far simply because I finished it in what was (for me) a shorter amount of time; I think I spent 11-12 hours on it between today and yesterday. As I said, there's still some finishing to do--I'm still not entirely happy with the composition; that armoire still feels too attention grabbing, methinks-- but I feel like I'm getting there.

[BludHund]

Still a couple flaws, but I'm out of time. I'm pretty sure I cropped it too severely as well...

If I had more time I'd like to have shown some different embroidery on her robes, plus I was really tempted to create an overly elaborate arched frame...

Good luck to all.



464137



464135

[HFix]

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/HFix/CHOW126_HFix.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/HFix/CHOW126_HFix_WIP.jpg

[Ramariel]

Hey guys, great Chow round! Barely sliding this in at midnight, hope it isnt too late!

[adri_n]

Here is my entry. Hope it gets in on time. I decided to look up what Islamic harems really looked like back in the day, since knowing something of Islamic culture, they were unlikely to let their women lounge around half naked. Her clothing style is based on traditional Turkish wedding attire while her pose is (hopefully) emphasizing the fact that she's a storyteller. I figure that for one of the best ones in history, she would have difficulty just sitting there.
Hope you like it. Good luck everyone.

[mmfidler]

Here she is...

I found some of the Persian Miniature paintings interesting. Some examples below.

I wanted to portray Scheherazade as being almost borne of her stories. She is very cunning and intelligent, but also light and ethereal. Her stories lift her up from the world out of all danger. She looks up toward the heavens to guide her, and she blends between reality and fiction to stay alive.

Final and wips:

[timothee]

Final
http://img28.picoodle.com/data/img28/3/9/15/f_TimotheeCHOm_3a3c37c.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/15/f_TimotheeCHOm_3a3c37c.jpg&srv=img28)
WIP
http://img28.picoodle.com/data/img28/3/9/15/f_TimotheeCHOm_6e4e55f.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/3/9/15/f_TimotheeCHOm_6e4e55f.jpg&srv=img28)

[mr. m]

well... not so proud of it... but heres mine... :dead:

[skorpi]

My final. i hann't the time, to paint her naturalistic, so it's more Comiclike, but I like it :)

[lunarman]

Here's my final. Good luck all.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f271/RaynersTablet/Chow126_Lunarman.jpg


Wips
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f271/RaynersTablet/Chow126_Lunarman_WIP.jpg

[Aly Fell]

Mine, very much incomplete. I just haven’t had time to get on with this just now, which is a shame as I’ve really enjoyed this ChOW. I decided to do her as a 1940’s movie star with a feel of actresses like Hedy (That’s Hedy!) Lamaar or Rhonda Fleming. So many 40’s movies seemed to have Arabian Nights settings usually with Anthony Quinn as the evil Sheik!

I darkened it up a bit as I'm on a different monitor, so it might look poo!

Daestwen/Oregano – Please don’t take this to poll if you feel it’s just not finished enough.

Oops! WORK IN PROGRESS (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1917008&postcount=3)

[Flipnastywebby]

ok this was a blast.
so in keeping with the fun new rules, the first paintings are my WIPs as the last stand alone piece being the finish.
i was not going to do this round...until my wonderful girlfriend rocked out in her gypsy/belly dancing attire.
i asked for a good pose to start from and just went nuts.
I saw the yard dogs Friday and just got inspired.
this is all i could come up with in two days.

first one to the finish


:pirate:


and i forgot about the naming...sorry for posting so late:nohope:

[cowboy surfer]

Here we go:

[daestwen]

Blagh. God I hate colour. :(

464806

464807464808464809464810464811

[smugbug]

"Come closer....let me tell you a story...."


464868

464869

464870

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2860519205_e263c9e091_o.jpg

[daestwen]

NO ENTRIES PAST THIS POINT.

Well, actually, I'll give you a fifteen minute grace period, but I'm going to delete anything added after that.

[daestwen]

Off Topic/Brief
Senira - Too modern. Nothing to put the time period back a few thousand years. Also, anatomical issues with the legs.
mr.m - Pretty sure I specifically said no excuses for nothing but a skimpy costume in this round... ;) Seriously, though, I didn't really see anything 'story-teller' about her.

No WIPS
townes
Greeneyed girl
murkus
adri_n
- No excuses for any of these. I made several posts to remind everybody. Please, if this is your first chow, prove to us that you read the rules.

Incorrect naming format (NEEDS TO BE CHOW000 YOURNAMEHERE)
edujante
timothee
PatriciaS - To you and Timothee in particular - I think this might not have been on purpose, but as we're holding fast to the rule I'm still leaving you guys out. Sorry. :( From now on you'll probably want to attach your images instead of hosting them elsewhere, as they seem to change the file names to strings of random numbers.

Failed quality check (sloppy/rushed/unfinished artwork and/or insufficient artistic quality)
MM.Fidler
tmyohlaing

Good, but just not quite there


Too much style, not enough focus

Almost made it, but... we had reservations


Anatomical Issues


Almost didn’t go, but we had less than fifty entries:
Poshspice - Unfinished.
MJ_Alcazar
daestwen
bitethefrog
bludhund
Wiltekkira
foofea
Hfix
lunarman

[kiwigarbage]

Wow! I'm so excited that I made poll! Hard work payed off :)

Ramariel and Poshspice got my votes.

Amazing entries all!

[Adele]

I voted for:

daestwen I like the full figure and composition

Chronoperates Nice colour warm vs cool, costume and attractive face and angular structure.

Poshspice Even as a girl i just want to lay next to her and stare at her face...beautiful colours and very exotic...I have a easy feeling that your 'almost didnt make it' work may win the round...

[Chronoperates]

Icemoon: Really liked your color palette on this one, that combined with the textures in her clothing and the environment really made it fun to look at. :P

Posh: Even though its not finished I really love the muted tones that you used and I love the composition, she's just got this really captivating gaze that keeps me looking at it.

Adele : I really like that cartoony style that you work with, it has a really nice flow and motion to it. Your colors are also really fun and they transition well from one part of the character to the next.

[Greeneyed girl]

Flipnastywebby-really nice job, I especially like the tarot card aspect that you put in. And you really captured her personality of being a good fun story teller.

[Aly Fell]

Got to say I'm really surprised to be in this round. Nice, but surprising. I'l spread some voting goodness in a bit...

[Chuck,mate.]

unbelievable. in the lead with an unfinished piece... :)
Aly buddy - you`re a monster. I actually voted for ya.
finished or not - she`s breath-taking, and so well done damn it.




Pat.

[ccsears]

2 cents...

townes definitely needs to have harder edges or maybe actual line work. but there are some interesting color possibilities here and there in it.

bitethefrog something about the facial expression reads a little bit off to me. i do pick up the "defiance," but there's something about that facial expression that doesn't much make her look like she's going to tell a good story. i like the inclusion of her sister though.

edujante i like the shapes and colors in yours a lot. the powers that be must have decided, i guess. maybe they were upset that you called it an Indian story instead of a Persian one. but the colors and shapes are very charming.

tmyohlaing i guess my first crit would be why is the king standing if it's his bedtime story?

chronoperates i like the finish you took it to, but the legs look kind of disconnected from her cushion. i have trouble seeing her actually making contact with the cushion underneath her.

MJ_Alcazar there's kind of an interesting antique feel to your piece. if i had to pick a gripe it would be the uniform thickness and repeating proportions in the smoke. even if you choose to go graphic design-y with it, there should be a little more variation in the smoke shapes.

Wiltekirra the pose is interesting, but it looks like they're almost ready to have a fight.

Greeneyedgirl props for choosing to illustrate a kind of story. she looks maybe a bit too surprised considering she's the one telling it, but i like it. maybe doing something with dramatic lighting would help.

windsrock takes guts to go traditional. good job. i;m a bit confused about the light source though. if the main light is the lamp, you should probably make it a lot brighter. right now the flame is the same value as her costume.

icemoon i think you put in some really good work making all the props and getting a feel for the piece. i'd be careful with your proportions though... the table is very tall compared to the chair, her torso is very long compared to her legs, and her arms seem a bit short. be careful not to divide an image perfectly in half (look at the fence in the background, divides the picture top and bottom equally.) that said, i like the color choices you made. and voted for you too.

Foolea Needs harder edges. right now, you've done a good job drawing attention to her face because that's where the few hard edges are. but there should be some harder edges throughout. I think i catch a glimpse of the moon through the curtains. if that's right, i think you should've made it much bigger. it would've been a cool image to see through the smoke.

ArthemisIX I like it, but i would've made it more of a night scene. here it looks like dawn--but it could be an interesting twist (living to see the sun rise, etc. story will be continued another day, etc.) if that was intentional, i like it.

jason strutz takes guts to try to paint traditionally with a tight deadline. gave you a vote for that. like i said in a comment above though, the flame is almost darker than some other parts of the light areas. it really needs to go much brighter. also, put some catch-lights on the lamp. from a distance it almost looks like she's holding her breast.

Murkus What I like about yours is that it really does look like she's in the middle of telling a story.

Adele I like yours a lot, but her arms get a little bit lost in the confusion. if you darken the bottom edge of the backgound to make her arms pop forward more, i think it would help. good job though.

decaying_lolita some interesting stuff going on here. personally, i think it's a little too desaturated, but that's just my opinion. i like the pose.

kiwigarbage i guess my crit would be that there's no element of storytelling to it. in fact, it almost reads like a fashion model pose. i'm also wondering why it's so bright in the room, but maybe you were intending to show that she survived the night? if so, you need to make that more clear.

dimagyan i like the drawing, but not the pure-black shadows. you could maybe get away with it if you drop the background much, much darker, but i think you should just lighten the shadows a bit.

Senira this is kind of interesting too because it looks like it's shot from the king's perspective--looking at the storyteller.

Bludhund This is also the start of a very good pose. there are some proportion problems, but you've picked a very storry-telling-ish pose. be careful with your lighting though--it's a bit harsh.

HFix interesting... not sure if i dig the camel headgear but it's an interesting take. i like the variety of textures used though.

Ramariel I think the only major problem you have is value organization. the halftones you've drawn on her face and abdomen are too dark and compete with actual shadows. other than that, it's a good pose and interesting background.

adri_n i like the hookah smoke. the perspective on the hookah needs to be fixed though.

mmfidler i think you need to lighten all the shadows if you want to convey light and ethereal. right now they verge on black at the silhouete edge. the lightness of the blue background makes it a little bit distracting.

timothee i like that you decided to move the moon so it wasn't a basketball pose. good catch. also interesting choice of scenery. Maybe it lacks a bit of storytelling, but it's a decent start for something.

screw it. i'm tired of critting. maybe more later.

[DecayingLolita]

I don't usually speak but, others give an attempt at crits so I must try. These are the ones that stand out to me;

Poshspice: I think this is one of the few pictures of yours that I've actually ...liked. That's not to say you don't have a flawlwss technique, in fact I'd say the opposite, a lot of your pictures have a lovely shape/anatomy and a nice dramatic pose and whatever and then you paint over them with a sort of bland mechanical precision that makes me feel like I am voting for a machine. I like seeing the lines and the wash colours in this one.

Icemoon: I love all the little details and the colouring, voted :p

Chronoperates It looks a little like she's um, balancing on one knee and not sitting on anything, apart from that I think it's reeally pretty, like the lamp.

Skorpi: It has lovely lighting and looks really solid even if it is cartoon style.


*panic* hope that nobody gets mad at me, I'm horrible at critting things especially when I see 100 things wrong with my own. But I don't despair that I lose the popularity contest, I don't wish to make things that everyone is immediately pleased with (although it might be a nice feeling one day.)

[Wiggers]

Voted for poshspice, even as a WIP it's still the most awesome piece!
also voted for Adele, loved it! and i voted for Ice moon, beautiful piece of work!!

[cowboy surfer]

Really pleased to have made it to poll for once, I worked very hard on this one. Still plenty of things I am not really pleased with but we practice to improve, right?
On my home monitor all my colours look just the right side of deep, warm, light, shadow, but on my work monitor they look really overly dark, too saturated etc. I am wondering how to tell which version everyone else might be seeing? Any opinions as always very welcome.

Townes - Good pose but too many anatomy anomalies, for example she doesnt seem to have a shoulder on her right side. And I find all the dot colouring very distracting, try to use it in small doses only.
bitethefrog - I like the story telling of your piece matched with a good composition. I would like to have seen your original line work cleaned up a little, for example lumpy right breast could have been smoothed out. And a sujestion for added impact would be to have more extremes of highlights and shadow.
edjuante - liking the style and colouring, would like to see some storytelling in there somewhere though. Very good wip video - fancy sharing how its done so that we can all post like that?
tmyohlaing - i like the storytelling in the composition. there are some anatomy issues eg the bend in the top half of her right arm. Also lacking in any obviously researched arabian influence, the curled up shoe ends dont do it for me I'm affraid.
chronoperates - lovely paint job, good use of light and shade there. I can feel that 'do you want to hear more?' question! I think that her left leg is making her hover at an unnatrual angle and that overall her body is a bit short/stunted/out of proportion with her head.
mj alcazar - great linework, you have included a lot of fabulous details that I really like. I think that I liked your second to last wip better than the final though, it read more clearly/cleanly (overworking one step to far is the ancient curse of all aspiring artists!). Anatomically you are really improving, I think her legs are too short for the rest of her though. Even if you use refernece sometimes artistic license is needed to make the image 'convincing'.
wiltekirra - you have captured a nice old school feeling with this piece. Watch that anatomy though, her left arm curves unnatrually in the top half and her right is just too short at the top.
greeneyedgirl - although your painting seems to have some good colours in the right places try to blend it together so that it becomes less 'line-y'. I dont think your composition leads the eye around the piece either. I do like her weaving of the stories though.
windsrock - I love the rich deep colours you have used. I dont really get the storytelling vibe from her though. She seems to just be blowing some hearts/petals to the wind.
Icemoon - Very nice feel to her. I think I only like the piece from the waist up though. There is something strange about the set of her legs, and her chair looks very precariously balanced on top of some steps.
foofea - i like her pose and i think you have done a great job on her fingers (i find them really tricky). I think you should consider a more limited colour palate to tie the image together and help it feel less mudy. I dont think the somoke conveys the storytelling I assume you were going for either.
arthemis ix - lovely feeling of meloncaulie, good ligh/shade. Enjoyed your wip process. Would sugest the image lacks the storytelling part though.
jason strutz - i think that the idea of stories in the sand is inspired, well done. Her pose feels a little awkward though, she is a bit too hunched. Would have liked to see the sultan slightly more defined as in the initial sketch.
murkas - there is some real nice fabric and drapery going on there. I like the semi see through top you have gone for. Tip would be to paint whats under the top first then paint the top and then lower the opacity. It gives a more realistic feel than the white you used.
adele - great style and I love the hair telling the stories. The only bit that bugs me is (imho) too much curve in the arm/wrist on the righ arm.
decayinglolita - she has a sad, sexy look that i like a lot. Colours a little muddy though.
ccsears - a very magical feel to her storytelling. She is sexy too. I like how you used her viel/scarf/robes as well. Good wips process too. My small crit would be too much reflected light on the fingers.
kiwigarbage - good design, she has great eyes. Try adding some more subtle colours in your skin tones like pinks where the skin is thin or blues/greens in the shadows. Also I would have prefered no background if your not going arabian. She looks like shes in a normal western bedroom playing dress-up.
dimagyan - truely great sketch though i feel she looses something in the painting. Maybe try for a more complimenary colour skeme? Also not a lot to convey that she is a storyteller.
senira - like the fact that she is chained up. Not convinced by her surroundings though, and she seems a bit short/stunted. Nice pattern on top, left hand looks wrong though.
bludhund - i see what you were going for with her storytelling but there isnt enough to convey it for me. Also too much blue imho.
hfix - like the fact that she is writing, shows that she is educated. Really got a problem with the camel fir though. Surely this would not be worn by desert people - far too hot and makes her look more like a western viking/barbarian. I dont know though maybe your research has told you something i dont know?
ramariel - I like her pose but i think i liked her better before the colour. She looks too...er... shiney(?) for my liking. Sorry thats not much help but i am not sure how else to describe it.
adri n - i like the researched clothing and the pose. maybe try to tie the colours together better. I dont think the background compliments her clothing.
mmfidler - i like the design of her top. Colours are a bit too bright/saturated for me. Her cloth wrap doesnt really look realistic. Maybe try researching fabric a sketching how it moves.
timothee - well moved on the moon. She has a very well painted face and the image tells a story. Small crit would be that her white highlighting from the moon seems to be glowing above her skin rather than reflecting off it.
mr m - you can obvoisly draw well from what i can see of your initial sketch but i think that feeling is lost in your painting process. Also watch out with the stipulations in the brief, she wasnt supposed to be too scantily clad! I dont get much of her storytelling either.
skorpi - nice drawing composition and colours. Small crit would be her veil. if it is translucent we should be able to see her hair and the background through it, if not we shouldnt be able to see her ear, chin, neck, shoulder through it. Likewise on the sister too. It needs to be consistent one way or the other.
lunarman - she has a good face, but the rest of the image is very muddy and undefined. It makes it hard to see whats going on.
Poshspice - awesome skin tones, pose and linework. And actually seeing it unfinished helpes me to see some of your process. Would love to know how you blend your skin tones so smoothly as I am strugling with that one! I feel although what is there is having the potential to be one of the best paintings i have seen of yours, it in no way tells me that she is a learned storyteller.
flipnastywebby - i like the scroll framing her to convey the storytelling and her expression. I feel the colours are a bit muted/muddy and i am not sure what is going on with the middle section. Her sari/trousers seem to stick out very unnatrually to the left of the image.
daestwen - i like the image design and her pose although her right leg looks too hidden/tucked under itself to be totally convincing. Good colour choices. Small crit would be that the gold highlights on the fabric stands out a bit too much, mabe less opaccity would have worked better?
patricia s - for me the modern clothing doesnt quite work. Good composition though. Too much texture overpowers the image.

Wow hope that got everyone. As always trying to be helpful and constuctive, not offensive!

[The Whistler]

Nice round!

Votes go to ArthemisIX and CowboySurfer :)

[Foofea]

thanks for the feedback and putting it up there (I really don't like my finished piece!)

Arthemis and Poshspice are my top 2 faves but there are at least 6 more i would pick ...

[edujante]

cowboy surfer:

to do the wip using imageready and i export the sequence as a .gift (animated).

[timothee]

Doh! I just got your message Daestwon. What image hosting do you suggest for next time. Photobucket?
Anyways, I enjoyed working on this piece, it was a little different theme then what I'm used to working on.
Thanks Cowboy and ccsear for the helpful crits.
I voted for Poshspice. Great facial expression and nice
clothes design. Man, even your unfinished works looks finished.
Good round overall.

[S.C. Watson]

Doh! I just got your message Daestwon. What image hosting do you suggest for next time. Photobucket?
timothee, you can attach your image to your CA post - when posting, if you scroll down there's an attachment manager below and you can upload your image that way. Also, that makes sure that it is permanently here on CA - no chance of accidentally deleting it!

All the best,
~Oreg.

[jpedro]

great work people!
voted for Skorpi, Icemoon, Chronoperates, Arthemis and...Posh, even if you didnt finish it, which you have to now ;)

these entries captured that 1001 nights feel the best for me.

well done and cheers!
Jan

[DeKal]

i voted for

POSHSPICE - so sick man. no words. anyway, i may have just noticed a tiny niche in your critique shield. is that highlight on her ribcage a little low and too close to her bellybutton? im probly just too high right now. im sorry your highness.

:asslick: :mittenbop:

ICE MOON - great composition and colors. i really like the background and environment and clothing and just the overall image. i think everything is pretty much on point accept the anatomy. just put in a little more work there.

[Senira]

Thanks for the crits guys. Yeah, I knew there was something completely wonky going on with her legs; I tried transforming it a bunch of different ways in PS, but I really just need to sit down and re-paint it. ccears was right; I tried to paint the whole thing from the king's perspective, so I think I'll keep that perspective and re-work the composition for take two. Thanks again guys!

[Adele]

yeah, i notice my style in arms bugs a few people round here...but Im just pushing the boundaries...oh well.

well done everyone

[ye_oldskool]

Another really strong round!

I voted for a few but I gotta say that I reaaaally dig Adele's entry. Its so refreshing to see a stylistically different take on these forums - great stuff.

Go the bendy arms!

[quickreaver]

I love CHOWs; missed a bunch of juicy ones! I logged a vote for Posh (OF COURSE)...finished or no, it's damned seductive. The design rocked on FlipNasty's, though I think the fontwork could've been a tad more legible. And I dug Decaying Lolita's soft palette and brushwork. Those were my picks.

Other mentions: Chronoperates-saucy! Icemoon-lovely detail. Skorpi-charming! Though perhaps a bit innocent for the subject matter. But hey, that's just my opinionation.

Great job, all!

~Cris

[ArtbyWard]

Wow thanks everyone! I never would have imagined getting so much votes!!

I voted for:

Dimagyan: I like how she seems to walk in a dream world. You also seem to have researched her clothes well.

Arthemis IX: She seems like a very strong willed woman, also a bit mysterious but at the same time sexy without being too tempting. Good clothing design. Very nice!

Skorpi: A lovely illustration and style. I like that you have included her sister, it works well!

Poshspice: What can I say other than "please finish it for me" :D. It's very beautiful and still my favourite poshspice painting in the making!

Decayinglolita: Very lovely and good clothing design. At one time in your wips it seemed a little more clean, i also liked it in that stage.

[Adele]

hehehe, GO POSH SPICE! look at those votes!

Im pretty chuffed about the response to mine, thanks guys and well done to everyone else!

[TheJester]

Well Posh owns this round too I guess!!!! It's amazing how a pro's unfinished work radiates so much quality, as to stand out between all these entries!!!!

Nevertheles, although I'm a fanatic for Posh's work, I think the only one that really captured Scheherazade's mysterious and compelling persona, was Decaying Lolita's piece! It may lack in posture and clear anatomy, compared to the flawless babe Poshspice as usually pulled out his sleeve, the atmosphere it captures though is beautifull!!!

[RyerOrdStar]

I think it's kind of sad...
Even pros (maybe especially pros) have to be held accountable to due dates and she herself said it was not finished. That is one of the first rules of this contest. The fact that people refuse to acknowledge that and prefer to play favourites is depressing for all those who worked hard to finish theirs on time.
I don't think it should have even been included in the voting.

[S.C. Watson]

I think it's kind of sad...
Even pros (maybe especially pros) have to be held accountable to due dates and she herself said it was not finished. That is one of the first rules of this contest. The fact that people refuse to acknowledge that and prefer to play favourites is depressing for all those who worked hard to finish theirs on time.
I don't think it should have even been included in the voting.

Don't confuse an unfished drawing with an unfinished assignment. Many of the greatest drawings in the world fall into the category of "unfinished." If Posh's work was one whit below what I know he could do, he would not have been taken to poll, period. Posh's work went to poll simply because even in it's "unfinished" state, it completely captured the essence of Scheherazade in an effortless, and beautiful manner.

All the best,
~Oreg.

[Flipnastywebby]

Oregano has a point,
plus if you dont believe it shouldnt be voted for dont vote for it
I didnt personally, because even Aly said it wasnt as finished as the other works.
though it was a great insight to how posh works.
suck it up and learn form it.
this isnt about winning its about learning, getting better from your experience then applying it to the next piece you do.
the poll is just a bonus for all the hard work people put into the CHOW.

heres an idea, if you are so upset with the decision, do the next CHOW in the alloted time. By example you are proving your point.

sorry to be coarse about this.

:pirate:

[feifeicreate]

I love Chow, for sure. I think this is a great opportunity to learn from others and get better. People put a lot of work to get this to work, and I really appreciate it. I like the people here, they really care about each other and offer great comments and critiques, that's what I cares about and that's what I like about CHOW. You learn from the best.

But when it comes to the poll....LOL...sorry for being an a$$, but IMHO the poll is just a joke really. As Oregano have said before: in the end, it's all meaningless. I don't get it why people get upset because of the poll, who won who loose, who make it who didn't make it...this is not a test you take to get a job or a company you want to get in. this is just a website.

Create something that can make your portfolio looks better, that's more important. So quit whinning and start drawing.

[JessiBean]

she herself said...

He, himself... don't worry, lots of people make that mistake.
:^^:

[Adele]

RyerOrdStar you do have a point...but as regulars we know what Poshspice can produce; professional images. With this one, we got to see the roughness of it, the underlying drawing which I actually love to see. But putting that aside, we can still see the character and if he hadnt have said he didnt totally finish it, we wouldnt of known because as a picture it still looks complete because it works well in composition, colour, and character emotion and expression.
This is a fun place to learn and also query if you choose...so you have that right.

If if was a proper competition, then there would but arms in the air...but this is a fun 'draw against your peers' forum and if you do a concept that doesn't make it in, then you learn why by seeing who got through to the poll. :)

Im hoping Poshspice finishes his and puts it in that new thread for people that didnt finish in time!

Well done to all, I really enjoyed looking at all the entries!

[TheJester]

I say we ban him! that's what we do! comes in here with his posh attitude busting our asses and having the nerve to offer advice too!!! stealing all the glory... Seen his bloddy avatar? it's full of dots! 'Es trying to take over CA i tell you!!!! And after that, who knows, maybe the whole internet!!!!

[Flipnastywebby]

haha hahahaha hahahahhaahahaha

[Aly Fell]

It begins quietly... today ChOW... tomorrow... the WORLD!

Thank you guys. I didn't expect this to go to poll. And yes, I will finish it, and I mean that. I was enjoying doing it. :)

He, himself... don't worry, lots of people make that mistake.
:^^:

Yeah, it's weird isn't it... can't think why?

[RyerOrdStar]

You guys misunderstood me. I was not 'angry' or trying to be harsh at him. I did not enter, and even if I had I wouldn't be mad at not making it to poll. As an artist I am my own worst critic, anyways.
I merely think that rules should be followed, and yes everyone knows Posh does beautiful work, I myself am one of the biggest fans of his stuff.
I severely doubt that he'd be offended at not being taken to poll, it's just a reality of a contest or a job.
I don't think if James Jean entered an unfinished piece in some big art competition they'd give him slack just because everyone knows what he's capable of, you know?
I apologize if anyone took my comment to be rude or attacking Posh.

[Phaethon]

Cowboy Surfer - I'm really sorry to do this, but I've got to call you on that figure in your background. That's an out-and-out copy of a work by Sparth (http://www.sparth.com/):

http://www.sparth.com/gallery/albums/userpics/oldmage.jpg

Again, sorry. But I've just got to call you on that.

[S.C. Watson]

Cowboy?

[daestwen]

Actually, he already pointed this out in the WIPS thread. He told me (before I even thought about it) that it was an intentional homage, and asked if it was okay.

I said as long as he was up front about it, I was okay with it, as he did offer to remove it if necessary. (This was before it came up, so he addressed it long before anyone noticed, is what I'm trying to say.)

[S.C. Watson]

Thanks Dae. Case closed.

[S.C. Watson]

I apologize if anyone took my comment to be rude or attacking Posh.

(this is odd - I thought I responded to this earlier ... oh well :/ )

No apology necessary. I merely explained why Posh went to poll, and a few others threw their opinions in as well, and then it got silly :geekg: So, no worries. It's all good.

All the best,
~Oreg.

[cowboy surfer]

Cowboy Surfer - I'm really sorry to do this, but I've got to call you on that figure in your background. That's an out-and-out copy of a work by Sparth (http://www.sparth.com/):

Again, sorry. But I've just got to call you on that.

Thanks Daest for the back-up.

Phaethon - Just to clarify I am a big fan of Sparth's Prince of Persia concept art and was inspired by some of his pieces for this particular round.
He has a very loose style that I try hard to emulate but with little success so far (I still need to refine too much after the initial pass I think), so for the purposes of learning I tried to somewhat recreate him in this image.
I figured that our heroine was the main focus (and I assure you she was all my own work) so I could experiment/homage with the background.

As Daestwen has pointed out I was totally up-front from the start about him:

"I have also added the king in the background - he is an homage to an artist called Sparth who did some concept art for the prince of persia game and one of his pieces has a character like this very loosely painted in it. For the purposes of learning I have tried to somewhat recreate him in my scene (I hope that's OK and within the rules Oreg/Daest?)"

This was what wrote in post # 120 of the wips thread.

Anyway I hope that goes somewhere towards explaining my reasons for adding him to my image. I never intended to pass Sparth's work off as my own.

[S.C. Watson]

Cowboy - no worries. As you know we get a lot of copies in Chow, and so Pheathon was just being cautious. I didn't see your initial post about it, and apparently neither did he, so there were obviously going to be some questions. Once Daestwen pointed that out, it was done. It's all good, so absolutely no worries.

All the best,
~Oreg.