C.O.W. - #125: Waterfall Queen

[Fozzybar]

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

For more infos and details about the rules go here:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=110879


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Round #125

Topic:
Waterfall Queen

Deadline (extended):
Monday, 29 September 2008



note: The deadline won't be EXACTLY after a week...it can last up to 24 hours more, i am human and have to work also, you know ;)
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How to post

In this thread you can post all wips, questions, comments etc
However if you are done with your entry, post the final image in the following thread.

THREAD FOR FINAL ENTRIES (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137444)

READ THE INFO IN THE 1ST POST OF THE FINALS THREAD TO SEE HOW TO POST YOUR FINAL IMAGE!!!

[Fozzybar]

ADDITIONAL INFO

1. The Waterfall Queen is a species, which exists in or next to waterfalls.

2. What is it, that this species can only be found at waterfalls?

3. No individual/character!!! Make a concept of a species!

[Rabid]

Definetly got my brain really cooking on this one, this may take some thought before I really start finalizing something out....a couple things that do pop into mind is since it has the title queen it should be a bit "showy/ regal" in a way and maybe utilizes the constant flow of water to catch its food...

[DragonicFlames]

I'm new. -obviously- I want to make sure that the design that I have created for this COW is alright (as this is the first submission I've put up on here, ever). I was looking through the rules and I was worried that it was too "human-like." Also, apologies in advanced for the pure crappy picture that it is. I was rushing to get it on my computer... D":

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b362/Dragonicflamesfac/000_0216.jpg

Again, sorry about the crappy quality. I will post a much better one for other WIPs, promise. x)

[Rabid]

I don't know Dragonic, can't tell right now if it is too human like, but it does seem to be bipedal....it's up in the air....

[Gyroban]

@ DragonicFlames, the picture quality is pretty low, but it looks like you've got some drapery in there. IMO Clothing tends to designate a creature as an individual; but it's up to you.

That aside, I like the frill/webbed ridge-thing on the head, very remnicant of a crown.

[DragonicFlames]

Perhaps I'll rethink the cloth (cause yeah that's what it was). I was thinking about it myself, like why would they have something like that? I dunno. I was going for like a gown-ish feel.

And yes the picture quality is horrible. D":

[JakkaS]

Beautiful topic Fozz :)

Quick start

[Rist]

Hi JaKKaS! What the heck? (http://www.mayado.jp/)

Great piece so far!

[Fozzybar]

errr, what is the link for, Rist?

[retter]

errr, what is the link for, Rist?
the mayado pharmaceutical company it seems...

[JakkaS]

Hey Rist. Thanks!

If you mean the sigh on the image ....it's probably from a texture from this site: http://www.mayang.com/textures/ :D

Btw, another update:

[Verehin]

here is today sketch...creature WITH waterfalls)
Not shure what I finish that in future...but I try)

[Rist]

I guess so! I thought it was some strange promoting or signature that would make sure art thieves would not call it their own!

The update is coming along great. I was going to mention that pure black you was using, but it seems you have got it under check after all. Its a very strange species with no real indication of reality (ie. eyes, teeth, hair, etc). BUT, that's what makes it real alien!

Fozzybar: No worries, nothing malicious!

[lunarman]

Haven't been able to visit CA this whole week. My car just got out of workshop with my new engine! yayyyy! Anyway, I'll try this week's COW (1st try at COW). Here's my wip

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

[Chate Noire]

JakkaS, your colors are literally mesmerizing :)

[Rizza]

Great colors and movement JakkaS, I really can't wait to see the finished piece. The concept is really really interesting and the creature still captures and elegant, regal look.

[Gorgonzola]

Thought I'd throw up one of the thumbnails I have in my head for this, it's a neat enough idea to not pass up.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z86/Norn5/thumb2copy.jpg

[gmblfdz]

Hmm... a few of the sketches posted so far are similar to ideas that I was playing with. Back to the drawing board.

[MoHog]

Awesome topic. Great start JakkaS, i hadn't even thought of tht kinda take on the creature. Also gd start Gorgonzola atm it looks (to me at least) a lot like JakkaS' design sure u'll put ur own spin on it tho.

[Verehin]

progress...waterfalls add later

[Rabid]

Looking nice Verehin!

[Carbono]

Verehin, great creature so far. The head is very nice, i love the bones connected to it. Good stuff...
I only would take some care with the hands/feet, i don't know if they are strong enough to hold it... and on the drawing they seem a little bit to flexed to be holding the creature... Anyway, great concept!

[RonHundred]

Those designs are killer everyone!
I am excited, my first cow. I have looked through all of these, its amazing the creativity. I'm not sure if I can add to it, but i'd like to try, here some quick ideas.

[Verehin]

the last WIP

[Stimpy]

Hi all, heres a little idea iv had.

It lives around waterfalls and is able to cling to the
rocks using the suckers on its strong tale and underside.

This chap grazes on algae and moss like organisms which grow around waterfalls. He is also able to catch smaller insectoid life forms.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn50/stimpy_2008/waterfallqueensmall.jpg

[DragonicFlames]

Well, I didn't see any "No DF, too human like," so I went a head with it. :"D Changed a bit of stuff around, and at least the quality is about five times better than the other picture, still shaded weird where I've accidentally smudged things.

And I hate all of you for having your pieces already colored. >/ Lol. All of you. Hate. :"P

RonHundred, I like the one on the left, but I like the one at the top the best because of the little action it does. XD

Alas:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b362/Dragonicflamesfac/000_0217.jpg

My picture of shame. x"D I wonder, is it Ok to have an example of what I'm talking about when I explain what the digits/feet design is for (IE the thing in the background). Or would that be too much for the picture? I really haven't seen that many COWs with multiple pictures of the species.

[ikuru]

Jakkas, looks great dude!

[MoHog]

A basic anatomy of the beast sketch (5mins). This beastie uses it's long tail and strong hind legs to rappel down waterfalls to a good position for it to snap up any birds or insects that fly within reach.
http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q429/LouAy/Waterfallsketch.jpg
More of an idea sketch than a proper drawing so crits on form would b preferred, but i dont really mind:P

[Verehin]

ups...this is last last last WIP XD

[Rabid]

Nice Verehin, check those feet though, they seem to be slightly out of perspective with the rest of the body and it kind of makes him seem floaty...
Now I know what the female business end from hell looks like...XD

[rockinmyway]

Here's a quick WIP.The idea is that the creature strings a web across the waterfall like a fishing net. Some C&C would be amazing.

[Fozzybar]

Verehin
Try to reduce your sharing enthusiasm a little bit :D We don't need to see every step of your entry ;)

[Rabid]

Rockinmyway
I can't tell quite what is going on in the thumbnail shot because of the grid system. Also, how large is your creature? It seems to have very flimsy appendages and if it is at least the size of a small mammal or larger it might have a hard time supporting itself.

[Rist]

Hi Verehin. I really like this design; almost feel sorry for the pathetic sloth! Haha. Love the idea of placing a spider-like structure on the crown!

One small tip would be to take out that blurred shadow that the creature is standing on, and possibly make a textured rough edged flooring.

[Azathoth]

Jakkas looking freakin great already. Come on Cowies let's rockem sockem...... Zang!!!Poww!!!Bopp! ZwEEEErch!! Let's not let the big shots walk all over us...... Don't drop your stylus.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v668/SpiderofLeng/WIPWaterfall.jpg My WIP. BWAA HAHA. Crits please....

[Verehin]

Fozzybar
sorry, I dont know that rule...

Azathoth
very nice...play with lightning..now creature looks flat

[warry]

Waterfall queen....

I am not satisfied by the result but I do not manage to it make better, if somebody has advices...

http://lg.art.free.fr/waterfallqueen.jpg

Thanks

[Fozzybar]

Verehin
no prob, it's not a rule, but imagine what would happen when 20 people post 2 wips each day over 1 week ;)

[Rabid]

Verehin
no prob, it's not a rule, but imagine what would happen when 20 people post 2 wips each day over 1 week ;)

At that point we might as well share eachother's coffee and rides to work...:yayca:

[Rist]

I quite like seeing other peoples progress when they work. Maybe if it slows down page load time you could add a rule in the RULE's section that each applicant is allowed a certain number of images per submission (by submission, I mean participation); or maybe each applicant has to post all WIP's in their first post, and every post after that would be for comments/crits and message's to notify people of their updates.

The latter seems more of a personal preference really; but I like the former idea in that it then becomes manditory to limit the amount of images one posts.

[Rizza]

Here's a sketch i did the other day, I think i'll go for an eel/dragon look. They hide beneath waterfalls, protruding their long lower jaw underneath the actual falls. The pressure of the water forces everything through a series of holes throughout the lower jaw that have a filtering system similar to the teeth of whales, water runs out but small fish and vegetation stay within the mouth until devoured.

http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp309/RizzaCA/Photo46.jpg

[vizaz]

Heres wip on waterdwelling creature that takes hold on cliff near waterfalls. It uses foreclaws to climb up from predators bigger than it is and shoot frog like tongue to unaware creatures size of the big birds to humanoids. It dissolves corpes in stomach and drop the bones out where they came.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t289/vizaz/waterfallqueenside4.jpg

[UCT]

is this still going? did I read this wrong or have we gone past the deadline?

[thesaint]

Here are my thumbs, I hope I can do it in time. =D

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=472976&stc=1&d=1222273478

[Rabid]

Deadline is the 29th UCT

I relly like this sketch Rizza! Good textures, would this creature be swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall? And raise its head out when it wishes to feed?

[jhagen22]

This was a fun one to work on. I haven't worked on the c.o.w. for a while.
My idea is a crustacean that eventually came out of the ocean and decided to climb up waterfalls to catch its prey, breed, and live. Eventually it evolved into my design below. - I'm sure I'll make that sound better in the final. :P
It holds onto a rock with its claw and the tendrils act like those of a jelly fish to catch prey.

[Rizza]

Deadline is the 29th UCT

I relly like this sketch Rizza! Good textures, would this creature be swimming in the pool beneath the waterfall? And raise its head out when it wishes to feed?

Thanks Rabid, when I made her i thought about how there are usually caves or areas behind waterfalls, then they would stick they heads out and their lower jaw would go underneath the running water catching things, filtering stuff with the help of the water pressure.

[AhChu]

Line art wip, before I attempt my poo colouring in skills :P

[AhChu]

Mmmkay, here is a colour update, cant decide what do do with my creature at mo so I did the rest instead...plan is to have these giant water falls that cascade of the creature..might be to adventurous for my first painting but oh well...any got any tips be my guest...coz my brain hurts....maybe thats sleep calling....oh well

[Fozzybar]

I quite like seeing other peoples progress when they work. Maybe if it slows down page load time you could add a rule in the RULE's section that each applicant is allowed a certain number of images per submission (by submission, I mean participation); or maybe each applicant has to post all WIP's in their first post, and every post after that would be for comments/crits and message's to notify people of their updates.

The latter seems more of a personal preference really; but I like the former idea in that it then becomes manditory to limit the amount of images one posts.

No need for a rule....just don't need to see wips of any new brush stroke ;)

[lunarman]

Hey guys need feedback :) Im not sure if I like where Im heading with this one...

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f271/RaynersTablet/waterfallqueencopy-1.jpg

[Verehin]

lunarman
hey! man I like ligtning on your creature...but anatomy looks too abstract...try do muscles and shapes more better and realistic ;)

[Rist]

....just don't need to see wips of any new brush stroke ;)

I should use this as a rule for myself. I tend to show pieces to the public after every little tweak :wtf:

But i see where you are coming from; the more simple the rules, the easier they are to follow. Making a rule for every little detail would make a list a mile long.

I have actually posted enough in this thread to have participated myself! If I get time before the deadline I will try and include myself.

[thesaint]

Here is my second WIP and I am still not sure about it =/ It just doesn't look like a queen...

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=474211&stc=1&d=1222377906

I want to use some matte painting on the background, is it agaist the rules?

[Alayna]

hey guys! Long time no post... Thesaint, nice wip so far! Can't wait to see more detail. Azatoth, nice work too, more detail in the feet would really be helpful, right now they are kind of sock-looking.

Here's my wip so far. I'm not sure if I'm going to have enough time to work more on it, but crit would be great. She's the queen, like a bee queen, so she is constantly eating and birthing tadpole like babies in to the waterfall pool. She lives in caves that are immediately behind waterfalls, and doesn't leave her entire life, so she has super sensitive ears to be able to hear past the water (they are like Luna moth ears). The males are brash and constantly fight, so when one kills the other it is not uncommon for her to eat its floating corpse. The females take care of the pool, and make sure the queen is fed. The females are much more mammal like (the males are more amphibian looking).
Since the males and females look different from the queen, should I post those too??

http://www.alayna.net/ca/cow125.jpg

[Soulweaver]

What, no love for pencil work? :(

Jhagen22, great design, this is my fave so far. I'm not sure why this topic is attracting so many bizarre, alien-looking creatures, but I like it.

Couple things:
-The seventh leg is a little distracting, but forgivable.
-Maybe think more about the "queen" aspect. Although she is pretty regal-looking as is.

[thesaint]

Hey, lunarman I'm liking your creature, but I agree with Verehin, you should try to get some animals or insects for reference.
Good Job. =D

[thesaint]

Aaalmost done... I'm kinda short in time, so I'll only have time to do few adjustments tomorrow.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=474605&stc=1&d=1222419108

[Fozzybar]

Here is my second WIP and I am still not sure about it =/ It just doesn't look like a queen...
It doesn't have to look like a queen, behaviour, social rank or whatever releated to the term queen is ok. Since it is a species, the queen term is referring to the whole species not to an individual...

Ladybirds for example don't look like ladies actually :)

[Nubb]

Jakkas Man You rock. Love the design and base color ideation. It's going to be sweet one!
Rizza Second favorite at the moment. Keep it up!

Ok, so I came with the idea of a creature that lives behind waterfall wall not because it chose to but because it has to. Ever flowing pure water is a deadly thing for it ( i don;t actually know why :/ chemical ingredients perhaps ). Anyway the waterfall cave is a prison not a home of choice. Everytime some poor, unaware bastard or a couple looking for romance goes into the cave, waterfall queen eats em' and falls asleep for a year or something untill next victim comes. Poor and embarrassing background but what the hell!
Cool or uncool?

[Verehin]

Nubb
yah! coоl..anatomy is very well

[brambor]

Hi! I've been lurking on this forum for six months and finally decided to post something. This is a result of having fun with alchemy - a moss-like creature.
http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp262/brambor/watq.jpg

[Serpian]

Ladybirds for example don't look like ladies actually :)

They don't really look like birds either.

[scorge]

Jakkas, Nubb, Jhagen, The Saint....Looking fantastically indubitably badass. Keep it up guys!
Not sure if I'll finish. Seeming a little too typical for my taste. :yawn:

[Rizza]

http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp309/RizzaCA/smallwaterqueen.png

I'm here right now, not sure if I should add anything else or leave it like this.

[Nubb]

Verehin: thank a lot man!
scorge: Thanks and get back to work You lazy bum ;)
Rizza: I think You should add some more detail. Bring it to life a bit.

And my ideas. I'm trying to come up with a creature that people rather feel sorry for than are afraid of. Sure it kills people, but it doesn't want to. I know the time is short so it'll be a conceptual rampage for me today. Hope i'll make it.
Good luck to everyone!

[EBrown]

Jakkas- The colors in this are just fanastic. Love it.

Nubb- Awesome conceptual art. I'm not sure I'd feel sorry for it.

I tried to move outside of my usual style with this COW.

The Waterfall Queen is an exceedingly rare migratory animal of the forest. Many hunters hold them to be sacred and count themselves (and their craft) blessed to ever happen upon one in the wild. Because of their symbolism of fortune, no man dares to kill one lest the Gods punish them for killing one of their most beautiful creations.

Waterfall Queens gain their name from their mating rituals. When one of these marvellous beasts is looking for a mate, it will journey to one of many waterfalls that it has mapped in its mind. There, it will put on a display to attract possible partners. The males possess enormous mains which hang from their necks. For camouflage, the fur is covered in self produced brown oils and muds so that the animal can move undetected. Waterfall Queen males wash away this cover within waterfalls to reveal their brilliantly colored 'plumage'. Once they have found a suitable partner, they once again cake this color.

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~etb342/COW/COW125_waterfallqueen.jpg

[thesaint]

Rizza
Your concept is f*cking awsome =D I love that mouth design. I just think that you should add some background.
Scorge
Man, your concept is realy realy cool, but I think the overall shape is too abstract.
Nubb
The anatomy is great, congrats!


This is my almost-almost-done concept =D Still doing some little details and I am organizing the story and stuff.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=476497&stc=1&d=1222628204

[Rizza]

http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp309/RizzaCA/smallwaterfallqueen2.png
K, took Nubb's advice and added some more detail. Could it use anything else?

[Rabid]

Nice Rizza, really getting pumped for yours, you can be sure I'll be voting this round, I was going to do this one but I have clients to satisfy first :)

[Lege1]

A little w.i.p. action...

[scorge]

Before I begin,
Nubb: Thanks for the kick, and holy shit in a hat does that final blow my fuckin' mind. Sick.:D..........:xpld:
Puttin up another WIP so you that helped me with your fine advice can see the changes I've made.

[Nubb]

EBrown Thanks a lot! And about Your design - i like the idea. It reminds me a bit of Ziyazaki's forrest spirit creature. Seems pure and good. :)
thesaint be carefull with the background environment. You've got pretty detailed back plain and spooth main character. The values flipped. Add some texture to Your monstrum or fade backround... i guess :)
Rizza Better i say :) maybe some focal point? like red eye or something?
Lege1 hard to say what it'll become but i like the sketch :)
scorge cool stuff man! great impression of the colossus. Some more detailed texture on the tentacles and few more tentacles and it'll be hell of a concept! And thanks a lot for kind words :)

[thesaint]

Nubb
You are right >.< I spend a lot of time in the background and forgot to put detail in the creature...And I accidentaly fucked up my layers, so I can't correct that in time :(

I'll keep that in mind at next COW, thanks for the advice :D

[jhagen22]

Just put up my final. Really digging the entries on this one! I'll save my comments for the voting round, but good job everyone!

[bonner]

My first post in this area, Hope you like the art. The design is loosely based off a giant clam, Alligator snapping turtle and a Octopus combined with an Ant lion. Crazy combo but I think i got the point across. If anything else can be done with this I don't know, but I will eventually put it on the final entries only. I was experimenting with an underwater environment like under neath the waterfall. the bottom of the waterfall. I am thinking about adding a few sunken ships and skeletons around the Water Queen, but I don't know if this will be a good idea. Sugestions and Crit's Welcome.

[jhagen22]

Fozzy - I know it's past the deadline, but I had to edit mine. I just re-cropped it to lose that line on the bottom. Hope that's okay.

[Fozzybar]

poll is up:
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137444