Chow 135 :: VOTING :: Agetha, The Victorian Automaton

[daestwen]

FINALS ONLY
-=ROUND 135=-
-=AGETHA, THE VICTORIAN AUTOMATON=-

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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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ROUND #135 :: AGETHA, THE VICTORIAN AUTOMATON

DESCRIPTION

Agetha, The Victorian Automaton

ADVERTISEMENT:
Witness the Miraculous Agetha! A realistic, full-size clock-work doll, Agetha is made of all British Empire materials, including genuine Indian Ivory, Canadian copper and bronze, and Pearls off the Australian Coast. Designed and built by master craftsmen Henry Dunnet, Agetha is fully capable of mimicking all human emotion. Wound by a secret form of steam technology, Agetha only requires one hour's wind up a day, and can do all your daily chores for you, with a happy smile and a spring in her step. You'll never want to go back to your old life, once Agetha is in it! Made to Order for a Limited Time, please contact Henry Dunnet for full details!

Scrawled at the bottom:

NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION. First Agetha failure. Set to be destroyed. Please pull ad from new week's newsletter. Henry Dunnet wanted by police for misconduct and endangering the Queen. Send all information to Col. Newcastle at Scotland Yard.

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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)

[Artofinca]

Chow 135 - Agetha, The Victorian Android

[anison]

Chow #135 - Agetha, The Victorian Automaton

My first Chow, ha ha...

[Goog]

My entry...

[IIKII]

519869

519870

Chow.135

[JessiBean]

Process:

520382



Finished:

520667

[leuparaleu]

My entry:

520431

And WIPs

520428

Good luck everybody !

[Desmayado]

Well I am not so happy, but you cant do an omelette without breaking some eggs..

Good work everybody.

520553

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9905/wipspv8.jpg (http://img397.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wipspv8.jpg)

[rodriguez]

Final

520548520549520550
520551

[Angel Intheuk]

The Amazing Agatha...

[vandalfish]

This isn't as finished as it could be, but I should probably work on some homework about now.

[WTFsteph]

something came up and i had to rush in order to finish this week :(
tried to get the "robot uprising" theme from my first idea in there though.

[Relic]

520796

wips
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/Reliczhi/ca/135wips.jpg

[AlotAbitAlittle]

Final - going for the dark and mischievous.

[Daray]

I'm going to submit this anyway, although I'm still not 100% satisfied with it. Bleh. I was taught not to submit any work you were not happy with, but I can't entirely work out if I'm not happy because Im trying to settle into a newish style, or that I get scared off easily by other competiton, no matter how light hearted it is. But at the same time, I don't want to puss out and seem afraid :)

520842

520843

[Artificially Awake]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/prep-executioner/agatha.jpg

WIP shots

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/prep-executioner/lines.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/prep-executioner/color.jpg

[ryuloulou]

http://stephaniehans.free.fr/chow135_ryuloulou.jpg

wip

http://stephaniehans.free.fr/wipautomaton.jpg

[YIIT]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/3038498112_a561da306f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/3024010149_9c6be043bb_m.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/3030057063_a2450ca7b9_m.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/3034141665_96e0a24654_m.jpg

[Pixeltuner]

Nice stuff again :) Mine is not all that it should be, but I'm sick at home so not much painting for me today between the coughing and headaches.

btw: As you can see, I pretty much 'copied' a pose I used in my refs. (low end of the image) If such direct referencing is not allowed, feel free to not put me up for poll. :)

[Baze]

First time doing a CHOW! The pose is from referance. There is some really grea stuff out here!

[|flow|]

not so happy about the colors ...

[prepsage]

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1015/prepsagechow135be5.jpg
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/9720/prepsagechow13503cn6.jpg

[Sorknes]

For what it's worth, after ruining it several times and just going back to what I had... *lol*

[allsides]

http://www.all-sides.com/htm/oldsite/htm/personal/remote_pics/chow135_allsides.jpg

[¿Dubious?]

First time. Wish me luck.

[MJ_Alcazar]

Ok. I decided to go ahead and post in the final thread. I know I won't make it to poll this week, but I did learn a lot. And, to me, this thread sort of is the final stop where I can put my work up, and say, "I will do better next week."
I really enjoyed this process and enjoyed seeing everyone else's work. Just didn't think my work through enough on this piece.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/chow135_mj_alcazar.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0004-4-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0005-4-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0006-3-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0018-4-1.jpg

[Partialartist]

Here's my piece. Didn't have enough time to color it, but it's alright as is.

Wips:
http://partialartist.googlepages.com/Agwip5.jpg
http://partialartist.googlepages.com/Agwip6.jpg
http://partialartist.googlepages.com/Agwip4.jpg

[Flipnastywebby]

PFZZZZZZZZT!!!!!!

[purb36]

great works, peoples. awesome! :yum:

here's mine. it was a great experience doing this; i have much to learn, but i learned a lot during this. thx for the activity! :yayca:


521262
521261

boston sketchgroup represent!

[Dusk22a]

My first Chow ever, I'm excited. Everybody's stuff is really creative and I'm stoked to participate. If I somehow messed up on formatting, please let me know. Thanks.

[birdsatemyface]

I'm pretty ambivalent about the finished piece, the shading looks awful, as does what's supposed to be the tea. It's my first finished Chow, so I'll chalk it up as a learning experience. Thanks to those who gave me advice, sorry it looks so bleh, haha. (I dunno what's up with the artifacting, I saved it at highest quality..)

[Silene]

Guh, how smart am I for forgetting my login details in a panic to get my first chow done...here she is, not as complete as I'd like but I still like her. Hope I'm not late...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v61/aquius/chow135_silene.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v61/aquius/chow135_progress.jpg

[S.C. Watson]

No further entries past this mark.

~Oreg.

[S.C. Watson]

Okay! Poll is posted!

~Oreg.

[Equality72521]

okay so i looked at everybody's piece and was astonished at the awesome work here. So, i have given everyone a small critique, i tried to say at least one good and and one thing that could use improvement, and these are solely my opinion. Good luck everyone!!

yll7: Very creepy and disturbing, reminds me a lot like the bad guy off Wild, Wild West, although the wheelchair may not be very useful when you need house chores done. Nice choice of text, looks like an old advertisement,

Christian Shane: Very Victorian, with the elongated features and filigree background, yet im not really receiving the automaton vibe. than hands are robotic, and with the steam, but overall it look like a woman spilling coffee. That said, it is well rendered and does get the mood of the second part of the brief.

Desmayado: Very much maid-like, the dress and bonnet. you used the Canadian copper and bronze from the brief. Dark, ominous hallway, creepy doll-like face. Good stuff. Some things i felt were outta place were the razor fingers, why would a maid have those? I think the face was more on the side of a doll and not of a victorian style automaton, or at least an ADULT automaton. But, i do get creeped out by her eyes which i think goes well with the brief

Pixeltuner: Very colorful and vibrant, you can only guess that her hands are covered in blood! Nice use of painter (thats what it looks like) Great job of conveying the automaton look, with the robotic shell and glowing eyes and GREAT facial features, yet i dont read victorian in the hair, also their seems to be a bit of anatomical problems. her torso seems to be a bit long with chubby legs. Real cool background, but the floral design seems to be a bit distracting.

Rodriguez: Great improvement since your last ChOW!! Gotta love the background, but their are a bit of perspective issues, such as the chair and the table, try working on everything working towards singular vanishing point. You successfully conveyed the Victorian era automaton with a mask to change emotions, very creative. her pose, though, is lacking, looking very stiff. the mood of the piece is a pleasant one, not so much like the second part of the piece.

|Flow| Really nice style, i was immediately drawn to her face, looking very innocent while having diabolical thoughts. great use of the brief, followed the materials and looks like an automaton, very menacing with the knives and blood, my only crit would be i wish the dress could have been a little more finished, would have liked to see that

Angel Intheuk: Wow, an actual advertisement, now that’s following the brief! As for the figure, she looks overall elongated, like an extremely tall maid. the detail on the blouse is a little fuzzy and blurry, also her steam may, kinda, sorta, look like she farting, but that might be just me. Kudos on integrating the text of the brief!

Artofinca: very etherial in conception, you like taking to the extremes with the briefs. she reminds me more of a ghost than an automaton, but i think that may be because of the colors chosen. You did capture the creepiness that went along with the brief, i could see her goin haywire like in I, Robot. the hair is a little more modern for the victorian era though

Daray: Interesting concept for the automaton, it looks like she has a free mind and is trying to run away from the people who want to capture and destroy her. the gears behind her look out of place, seems they would get in the way for chores. But i do think her face and dress fit perfectly.

Partialartist: Victorian Automaton Cinderella!! Really neat style, like a Disney animator. very impressive, i wish you had time to color the piece, would have been nice to see. Only thing, why is she holding the broom upside down?

Flipnastywebby: blood stains, those are a bitch to clean out of aprons arent they? really cool idea for the hand extension, though both hands are a bit off, especially the one holding the kettle. She also seems to have really long legs, but i really like the design/color of her dress outfit

Goog: If R.L. Stine wrote a book about this character, this would be a scene from the old school TV show. The colors of the purples and crimson red go well with each other. as for the actual character, her dress seems to be flat while her upper arms are extremely long. I really like the little girl, adds a contrast to the automaton.

Sorknes: well no mistaking this for a person, awesome job on conveying an automaton and a maid. i could see her cleaning the house very well, yet she looks more like a character on the jetsons and not so much steam powered, i think what saves this piece is the sepia tone, very well done

dusk22a: I think that you nailed the brief, pose, colors, design, only thing that pulls away form the character are the static gears and old school newspapers, i love her face as well

ArtificiallyAwake: with four arms, what chore can she not perform? Nice colors but i think you could have pushed those colors more, adding different yellow and red hues, they are a bit flat, the dress could be more defined as to accentuate the folds, and the texture overlay makes it appear more flat as well, i do like the background, really adds to the victorian flare of the brief

Baze: really cool take on the Agatha Automaton, looks like someone stopped her but was too late, i can really see the attention to detail on the head, i wish you could have continued that down onto her dress. i also like the dynamic lighting, really sets the mood. her face and hair looks to modern to be of Victorian era, though
wtfsteph: very stylized piece, nice approach. couple of things, though, her left hand bleeds off of the page, and im not sure what the black lines are on her dress. I think cleaner lines would be more appropriate for this kind of style i.e. her hair and the circles for pearls (?)

Relic: Wow, those are some folds aren’t they? methinks its a bit too busy for the folds for the dress, though. I do like her pose and the exposed gears. you nailed the Victorian era dead on. One thing that bugs me is her leg, i dont really know what it is, just seems off

JessiBean: well, what can i say? very nice. everything is done quite professional, but you do have some competition for this round ;)

Allsides: really nice mood, i think the colors match the style quite well, reminds me of Clochette’s work. But the white “steam” distracts from your piece, could have been toned down

alotabitalittle: super creepy, ya see what happens when men create something in their own image? the tile and blood work well with the image, great job integrating them. my small nitpicks are her arms, they are skinny compared to the rest of her body. Also, i really like your border, it adds to the image, not just an afterthought

?Dubious? Nice style goin on here, reminiscent of cell shading and bruce timm's style, she looks a little off balanced, like too top heavy. her dress and mechanics do go well with Victorian style. Some things to work on would be her hair, it doesnt have much form, just a bunch of squiggly lines, the steam could use some highlights instead of just the flat color to go with the rest of the piece, and try to work on some line variety with this style

K: i like the integration of Henry, that dubious bastard!! The dress and hair follow the Victorian style, but i see more of a futuristic android than automaton, it may be the blue lines coming out of her skin. Also, im not sure what the thing on her chest and the yellow light on her shoulder. Im real fond of her face, real nice job on that

leuparaleu: cool placement of the viewers POV, and awesome job on those drapery folds, probably the best on this round with that. you really took the automaton and ran with it, especially with those legs! creepiness factor is added with the mysterious animal on the plate. one thing is her breastplate is a bit off in perspective, to me at least

MJ Alcazar: No challenge stops you does it? impressive progress each round. definitely captures the brief and fits the era. some tips to help would be to use a drapery reference for her dress, it seems to be cylindrical, also, try working on gestures to get a rhythm to her pose, using “S” like shapes to get her curves down, cant wait to see your stuff in the next round!

purb36: A ChOW that has its own narrative, very nice, this picture tells a story, which is great for illustrations, i really like Agatha, but her surroundings could have used the same amount of detail, the perspective is off, and the far background (in between the columns) is lacking, and the queens(?) hands could also be worked on a bit more

Ryuloulou: really nice style development, her pose is nice as well, like she is holding onto her key for dear life. her hair is more like Princess Leia’s than Victorian style, though, also, what is the green shading on her dress. cool rusty background BTW, complements the color scheme

Silene: I love the incorporation of the ivory, copper and bronze, one of the few to pay attention to that detail. really like the hand details. her torso is a little asymmetrical and slightly flat. but the hues and highlights of the dress fit quite well with the details of the torso, great reflective surfaces

Vandalfish: what can be said? great stylistic choice, colors, pose, only thing i can see is i wish the darks from the dress and hair could be used with the torso, the torso just doesnt pop out as much

Anison: first thing i read as awesome are the hands and stains on her dress, really cool. i would have liked to see more values in place, really pushing those darks in her face and shoes, also, is the dress supposed to reflective, like a cast metal, it looks like with those highlights, those also could have been pushed more to make it more readable

Last but not Least
Prepsage: now that is a character concept, really incorporating the brief’s materials, and i really like the texture overlays, great attention to detail as well, background could be changed to make the character really stand out, though

this took FOREVER!!

[¿Dubious?]

Equality72521: You actually skipped mine and gave me K's critique. Thanks though!

[Equality72521]

thanks Dubious, i edited my post for ya :)

[purb36]

equality - thx for the crits, dude! yeah, finish and polishing is something i definitely need to work on, especially backgrounds. i'll keep that stuff in mind next chow i do. again, thx!

[Fenster]

I voted for:

Partialartist: I really liked the strong lines and detail on yours, and her trying to sweep with the wrong end gives the feeling she is malfunctioning. I would have liked to see this in color.

WTFSteph: I like the bold style, remeniscent of metropolis. I would like to see the lines smoothed out more (vector maybe), to reinforce the iconic nature of the piece.

JessiBean: Fantastically well done, great attention to detail, I enjoy the lighting, great use of color, and nicely composed.

Allsides: I really liked your linework, although the color seems a bit rushed. The character looks like it came from Little Nemo in Slumberland, one of my favorite strips. Also I'd keep from posting the wip as part of the finished picture, because it gets shrunken down in the voting, and I'd have liked to see yours as big as possible.

RyuLulu: I like the emotion your automation expresses, it's well drawn, colored, and evocative.

Prepsage: Great design, I love the overlapping steel plates, as if it was designed with a beetle's shell in mind. The 2/3s view really makes her pop. Very well done, and the filigree at the edges is a nice touch.

Some really great entries here, I really enjoyed all of them, I wish I had been able to enter something this week, but I was out of town.

Cheers!

Fen

[Desmayado]

Some things i felt were outta place were the razor fingers, why would a maid have those?this took FOREVER!!

The razors were linked with the briefing, where it says that the production is stoped and the constructor wanted by the police, with acts against the Queen accusation. The razors are coocking/killing tools included in the dessign by the constructor, a false identity of P. Moriarty. (this last is just my imagination)

Good and constructive work with your post.

Ah, sorry for my english.

[The Whistler]

Hey, nice round :)

prepsage, Vandalfish and sorknes get my vote this time around, awesome work guys!

[Dusk22a]

Thanks for the critique Equality. You made a good point about the static gears. I didn't realize you could vote more than once or that you weren't supposed to vote for yourself *blush*. But I was really, really glad I participated. I liked that you critiqued everybody Equality, so I'm going to give my 2 cents too. This was a lot of fun and is a great way to get you in the mindset to complete a piece within a deadline.

yll7: The colors are great and I think the face was human enough that the machinery additions upped the creepy factor. The wheelchair is an original idea but I'm not sure its practical for her job. It definitely has a Victorian theme to it, and the mouth is a neat idea.

Christian Shane: You had the same issue that I ran into, whereas she looks too human and the automaton isn't really coming across. Some more areas of hardware and gears would have helped. I like the pose, it makes a nice silhouette, and the background is perfect for your character. I'd harden up the lights and shadows and make them even more distinct, especially on the skirt, don't go too smooth on them since the cartoonish colouring looks nice.

Desmayado: The maid theme and the automaton come across great. The only real issue is the background, it seems to detract from her and its the same color as her dress so a lot of her silhouette is lost to that. The eyes are substantially creepy.

Pixeltuner: One word: creepy. Really creepy. The saturated colors are nice, and I like the background. The Victorian theme isn't coming through in her dress or the machinery. I can clearly see she's a machine, but the period's off, maybe make it brass colored and lengthen the skirt. If the belly is a conscious choice I think its interesting, but it does detract a bit in focus, maybe decrease it a bit so that I focus immediately on the blood covered hands. Also, really nice brush strokes.

Rodriguez: Victorian and automaton themes are strong, I like the masks addition, nice touch. Some perspective issues with the background. You might adjust her pose around the neck.

Flow: Beautiful character, the only critique I have is with regards to the skirt, finish it! Its such a nice concept and the metal is so well done I really want to see the skirt reach the same level, I like the facial planes as well.

Angel Intheuk: The advertisement background is a really nice touch. I think the smoke's placement needs to be adjusted, or the source of it needs to be better defined. The overall design of the dress is great and it accomplishes both the Victorian and maid aspects of the piece. Not sure about how the head is connected to the chest however.

Artofinca: The face is great, and the robotic elements are clearly defined. I'm not seeing the Victorian however, and I think that's largely due to the color choice. The color palette is interesting, and I wouldn't want you to change it completely, but you could add some warm gold hues to the metallic pieces and that might hone in the Victorian aspect and compliment the green tones on the background nicely.

Daray: Very illustrative. I like that you went that route, it screams children's storybook that went a little dark. I like the random placement of the gears because it almost reinforces that. Some suggestions: put a pattern on her skirt that is a bit more evident. You've got these nice patterns everywhere else and the vast expanse of the skirt stands out because its more subdued. I like the disjointment of the face, but the eyes might be too much of a distraction, but I'm not sure what to suggest on them. This would make a great illustration.

Partialartist: Color, I want color! Its such a neat pose and it has so much energy too. I'd turn the broom the other way since she seems to be in midsweep almost. I really like the pose and I'd love to see it colored. The hat is a nice touch as well.

Flipnastywebby: Very eerie, the pose and eyes really up the creep factor. I like the pose and the dress and hat. Only things I'd suggest are a midtone background since the white is so distracting, really work on her hair and make it well defined since it the immediate area I focus on. I don't know about the blue seams on her, it almost detracts from the other colors, which are so nicely done, maybe a red or yellow instead of such a light blue which inadvertently makes me jump to a futuristic setting. (I've been conditioned).

Goog: The colors are nice and I like the addition of the little girl. I think the automaton's proportions are distracting. Her arms seem a little too long to be practical and the scale of her to the girl to the chair should be adjusted a bit. I like the eyes since they seem almost anguished and that gives an entirely different tone to the scene.

Sorknes: You went the all metal route and it was an interesting change. I think the overall design is solid and the Victorian and maid themes are pretty evident. Only suggestions are to add some decorative detail to her in some areas and sharpen the fuzzy edges on the bottom. I like the monochromatic color since I'm focusing on her construction.

ArtificiallyAwake: Nice idea with the arms, incredibly useful for an automaton. Definitely pull her away from the wall, the shadow hurts the silhouette and detracts from the design so much, and its such a nice design! Sharpen the bottom edges of the skirt since they blend into the floor a bit. Really, really nice idea on the arms' textures, I'd wish I'd thought of doing something like that instead of the flat metal.

Baze: Nice change of pace with the pose, it looks like she got taken down. I can't decide if I like the smile, it seems out of place, but is a little creepy, so I'm on the fence, and since the brief mentioned the smile, its making me think it fits. Her chest and torso seem too flat, whereas her face is really nicely defined. Give her some mass on her torso. The knife is a nice touch.

wtfsteph: This is a neat design, only real issues I see are the fact she's cut off at the top and right. I want to see her arm and the top of her head, especially since she has such a nice shape.

Relic: The exposed machinery in her back is great, I love it. It screams Victorian too, and I generally like the pose. The biggest issue is her dress is like Equality said, just too busy. Maybe work on defining the major masses first since the shadows and highlights' value range looks the same all the way across.

JessiBean: Its great, but you know that :P Everything looks good, maybe add something for the creep factor or to suggest something beneath the surface that would lead to her questionable actions. I ran into an issue though with trying to carry that across.

Allsides: So dreamy. The colors and design and linework are all great, you also nailed the theme of the automaton. I don't see her as a servant however, she looks a bit too regal. Also, the fuzziness on the colors towards the edges distracts me, I like the steam, but I think the colors should fill the linework, and the steam toned down a bit. Its such a pretty robot, and I know the umbrella isn't at all "servant accessory" but it adds such a nice touch.

alotabitalittle: Wow, just, wow. I got a little freaked out here. Great design, but where you really excel is just the creepiness. Holy cow that's eerie. The only thing I don't like, and I disagree with Equality here, is the background. Maybe just because the outer edge is red, it just looks off to me, maybe frame the inner border with a black edge just so it has that framed look. Detail work is really stellar, btw.

?Dubious?: Interesting style. Only thing is that the steam needs some sort of highlight to suggest some mass (be it as it may). Also, I agree with Equality on working on the hair. Like the colors, the green pops out though, so you might add it somewhere else or desaturate it a bit.

K: I like the dress and the hair. I see a definite robot in her, but the blue lines make me think futuristic, and I'm not sure what the yellow device on her right is. The triangle shape on her chest is a bit confusing as well, and I think the anatomy on her right arm needs some work. Her face is a really nice combo of robot/human and the dead eyes are a nice touch.

leuparaleu: Great take on the design! I totally dig the legs, its a great branching out. The skirt looks terrific too. The tail is really distracting though, mainly because I'm trying to figure out what its attached to. The point of view is dynamic and the shadow, well... I suck at shadows so I'm jealous.

MJ Alcazar: Good job on nailing the themes. I would suggest redoing her left "breast" since it seems off compare to her right one. Her skirt seems to be a bit immobile so I'm not sure if its metal or cloth. I like the way her upper torso is attached to her lower frame.

purb36: Neat take on the story elements. The colors are good, and you did a good job on keeping the themes pretty strong. I'm a little confused as to what's going on though, I believe she's pouring poison into a filled cup? I feel where you're going, but I just need a little more coaching. Oh, and really cool pose.

Ryuloulou: Great face, really...its so innocent. I love the color scheme. I'd just pull her back from the background a bit.

Silene: Nice job with the materials used to create her. I can clearly see which parts are bronze, gold, or pearl. Her skirt's shape looks a bit off though, and I'm unsure how its supposed to be hanging.

Vandalfish: Terrific from the start. Really strong design, she's memorable as a silhouette. Everything's pretty solid, I'd just like some more detail...mainly as a selfish desire for eyecandy.

Anison: I'm assuming the stains are blood, I'd suggest adding some redder hues so that's really clear. The face is neat, and definitely creepy. I like the swirl patterns on the dress and think its a neat element, but I'm unsure as to the material or mass of the dress. I also like that you went with a metallic hair, nice touch.

Prepsage: My favorite from the start. Solid, just really solid all the way around. I've got no critiques, just enjoyed looking at it.


Wow, this took me, like a good 3 hours to write, so I'm not sure if I'll do it again. I do think its really important we critique each other though, especially since there's so much potential here. It was pretty clear everybody worked hard and it interesting to see everyone's different takes on the same subject matter. It was such a great group all around, again, I'm really stoked to participate.

[rodriguez]

Equality72521 and Dusk22a Thanks a lot for taking the time to crit me and everybody else. Of course you're both right about the perspective its something i really need to work on.

[MJ_Alcazar]

Hey guys, thanks so much for taking the time out to crit!
To answer both, It was supposed to be a metal skirt and I was sort of influenced by those heavily starched garments in those clothing designs madhatter posted. They looked so stiff! How did they move??? :)

[anison]

Equality - Thanks for the crit, you've really nailed one of my serious problem areas. Gotta stop fudging light sources, I suppose! :D

Dusk22a - The stains on her hands and dress are actually supposed to be rust, hence the orange/brown coloration. I was really trying to stretch myself as far as depicting the materials she's made of is concerned, so I'm glad to know that the hair is convincing, and that the enamel of the dress needs work. Thank you!

[Chate Noire]

Voted for:
Prepsage - really interesting, different design and lovely execution. The only place where it kinda wavers for me is the legs area, but the rest more than makes up for it. I also like the framing: simple and elegant.

Yandalfish - I love the steampunky look and the brushwork. Your color choices for her and the background convey that "something's not right" feeling very nicely, without having to use bloody knives or murderous expressions. Nice.

[Baze]

Thanks for the crit guys! Im pretty sure this wont be my last CHOW!

[Clochette]

Voted :
Flow : Not my favorite rendering but one of my favorite concept, she reads automaton and at the same time different of the classic atomaton almost everyone turned out. Really cool.
JessiBean : Love the face and her hair, with that little shiny machine in it, very Victorian, and intriguing. There is a something in the composition which bugs me off a little : her left hand is tangent with the background sphere so I focus on this hand which is not the main part of the picture. It's my only crit! :)
Vandalfish : Great one, I love it. The pose and composition are excellent, beautiful execution too. Agreed the yellow breaks the color sheme tho, and makes us focus on unnecessary details ; it's not the hue but the saturation of that yellow that is maybe too much. A colder could be better, but I still love it! :) She's perfectly victorian! And a crit again, she is too sophisticated for a maid, she looks like a rich lady with high social level more.
Prepsage : Sweet! I love her solemn expession, and the original design very much. The simple background allow the viewer to enjoy the complex concept of your character and it works pretty well.

[¿Dubious?]

Equality, Dusk: thanks for the crits guys. Honestly this piece was hugely rushed and a total departure from my normal style. I learned some really interesting things from the process though so I guess it's good.

Voted for Prepsage: Loved your rendering and concept. Really superb work.

[prepsage]

thanks everyone for the positive response and crits! Please PM me if you'd like one in return. I type super slow now (see below)

chate noir: You're right about the legs. Unfortunately, I kinda crushed the index finger on my drawing hand before I got to that point, so a large portion of my time went to learning how to draw without it. In all likelihood I'll be revisiting the piece and adding details that the current situation deemed too difficult to execute.

[AlotAbitAlittle]

I've would love to focus my attention long enough to do a full crit, but my cold meds are preventing that at the moment. If anyone would like a crit please PM me.

Thanks for the crit Dusk22a I was really trying to find my dark side on this one.

Thanks for the crit too Equality I agree the hands are weak. I am going to go back and rework them.