Chow 138 :: VOTING :: Countess Elizabeth Bathory

[daestwen]

FINALS ONLY
-=ROUND 138=-
-=COUNTESS ELIZABETH BATHORY=-

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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 #138 :: COUNTESS ELIZABETH BATHORY

DESCRIPTION

Countess Elizabeth Báthory 16th century countess who was rumored to bath in the blood of blue blooded girls to prolong her youth.

She is supposed to be the inspiration of Dracula and vampires, but Vlad the Impaler was used as the visual form.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory

Thanks to Adele for the suggestion!

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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)

[fersteger]

I checked out the brief and the reference in the thread, then just starting drawing it up. The black and red color scheme as well as the horizontal composition struck me right after seeing the ref so I went with it.

An image of the countess entering her 'sacred' bathing shrine located someplace on her vast estate. The 'bath' is kept at a steamy 110 degrees for optimum youthification.

I hope I'm posting this right, let me know if I'm not, I haven't participated in ages.

[ANARKY]

Right, here's my final and Progress.

EDIT: I've added a partial work safe and the full frontal nudity versions of this Illo as well, I'll let the CHOW peeps choose which one to use.

[scorge]

Tried to be subtle with the blood. Didn't work out so well.

[Adele]

This is an image of Bathory going down into her chambers where she keeps her imprisoned blue blooded virgin sacrifices. This is early in her days of obsessing about her youth fading, dressing in her wedding train, to remind her of the day she married her husband...who is currently away at war.

I had always wanted to play with the image of Bathory under the dripping blood from a cage but I didn't get to do it in my film. So this was good fun.
Originally I had her eyes looking forward, then it wasn't turning out right, so I made them look up...then after a suggestion I returned the eyes to looking forward again.

[matias]

http://members.optusnet.com.au/matias.jakku/Linking%20Files/ChoW_138_matias_Final.JPG

All done, wish I had gone more into costume but oh well, went with an abstract/design background, was alot of fun goin Pollack in my kitchen to get the splatters, photoshop just cant capture randomness quite like gravity.... yet! :P
Looking forward to all the entries!
http://members.optusnet.com.au/matias.jakku/Linking%20Files/ChoW_138_Matias_wip%204up.jpg
http://members.optusnet.com.au/matias.jakku/Linking%20Files/Chow%20138_Blood%20Plates.JPG
Edit: Heres a four up progression of my entry, also just for fun I've got a small version of the blood plates I did for the splatters and the background, they were really fun, hadnt gotten my hands dirty in a long while!
I was using some of my Gouche for the darker reds, I always liked the stuff, then to get some thicker consitancty did the ol' corn syrup and food colouring trick (thank you dvd extras! :P) Unfortunantly I was almost out of red so that is why some of the splatters are pink!

Cheers guys
Matias

[UCT]

UCT - Chow 138


I have no development stages as I just painted it through in one sitting. Sorry.

[Hideyoshi]

535667

[ozzymaru]

Hello guys,

this is my first chow. hope you all like and enjoy it, though I would've loved to keep working on the details had it not been for my pesky day job (restaurant manager/chef). :P

Anyway, I hope to improve more and more as I keep learning. You guys are amazing!

Ok here goes: Just went on without any reference as far as anatomy was concerned... (lazy!!!) I did look at a turkish bath house though. which was of no help. lol so finally just worked on what i thought should be...


535739
535740

I wanted her to look like she's going about her daily routine of bathing 'with' blood. she has a psycho look as she's whistling a tune she made up called the "tune of death".

All the best everybody!

Ozzymaru

[ArtbyWard]

Here's mine, good job all!

[buffichar]

For now this is it. I'll go back and look at it again. I did alot of new things which I'm happy about and i did benefit from everyone's input but right now all i really care about is seeing what everyone else's work will look like. :yayca:

[The Whistler]

Finally done. It's 1:30 AM over here and I have to get up in the morning heh...
Good luck everyone!

Progress here (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2035432&postcount=135)

[vaughany_boy]

Hope I got this right, I'm new to this whole procedure

In my mind I was going with the idea that despite looking quite young and nubile she is actually about 50 and her bathing in the blood of young girls, lured in by her court lifestyle, has actually been quite effective as a cosmetic. Desperate to be seen as perfect and beautiful she is ruthless in maintaining the secrecy of her operation.

[alo]

The Countess caught in a moment of self doubt? Touching her pretty face and wondering if it's worth the price (young lives, eternal damnation, etc.) OR touching her pretty face and wondering if this cosmetic bath thing is working. Maybe it needs a few more virgins?

Anyways... I've been lurking around here for a while and I finally decided to do one of these because I'm supposed to be writing a paper. Yay responsibilty!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/mooseflower/CHOW138_alo.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/mooseflower/wips.jpg

[Adam Schumpert]

Its been a good week. Good luck to everyone. :^^:

536166

536167
536168
536171
536172

[JessiBean]

:lifedrawing:

Finished:

536192



Wips:

536190 536191

[Aly Fell]

I'm sorry, but I didn't have time to finish this over the weekend. So a quick tart-up on the dress and bits and bobs will have to suffice.

[Martheart]

Okay, here's mine. I had much trouble with the colouring, I'm going to take a different approach next time.:geekg:

[Xaya]

Wips:

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My more or less finished painting:

536234

[Pixeltuner]

Final, didn't have time to finish background or some minor posture stuff but I'm pretty satisfied nonetheless. Awesome work everyone, very HQ round :)

[Adi.]

heya all :)

mine isn't quite finished yet but i thought id throw in what i got so far...

[Tibbenstein]

good stuff all. i went super traditional.

[Nutter]

Almost wasn't going to finish yet another chow, but decided to knuckle down and do it.

Some top stuff so far from the usual suspects.

[hungryan]

536392
536393
Here I go.

[Sorknes]

Awsome round. Had to stop when I realised that whatever I tried to fix I made worse... *lol* GL everybody :)

[Hiipi]

Cha!

I made it yay!
Didn´t QUITE have the time to finish this as much as I wanted, but I am pretty satisfied of it anyhow. It is pretty dark, so I am hoping the ones whoses monitors are calibrated different to mine can also enjoy it...

I present thee, Lady Bathory:

536460


And progress:

536457

[mimer]

my final, and my wips.

[Dan!]

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q81/DECYPL/Chow138_dan.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q81/DECYPL/chow138_wip_dan.jpg

[mayhemunited]

http://www.mayhemunited.com/art/chow138_mayhemunited.jpg

http://www.mayhemunited.com/art/chow138_mayhemunited1.jpghttp://www.mayhemunited.com/art/chow138_mayhemunited2.jpg
http://www.mayhemunited.com/art/chow138_mayhemunited3.jpg
http://www.mayhemunited.com/art/chow138_mayhemunited4.jpg

[Novbert]

the final

536584

and the wips

536585

[timothee]

Here's my version:

[algenpfleger]

Phew o_o First time I finished a ChoW! And I almost blew it, I only started this morning, kinda got confused with all the days a week has o_o So I worked on this pretty much all of today.

536634


And WIPs...
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536643

[ryuloulou]

just in time or so it seems
http://stephaniehans.free.fr/chow138_ryuloulou.jpg

an the wips
http://stephaniehans.free.fr/elisabethmini.jpg
http://stephaniehans.free.fr/elisabethmini2.jpg

[MJ_Alcazar]

Didn't get it as finished as I would have liked. Got too busy with studying and everything. I still worked really hard on it though, so I decided to put it up here anyway.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/chow138_mj_alcazar.jpg

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0003-6-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/elizabethbathorywip3-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0004-5-1.jpghttp://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0006-4-1.jpg

[daestwen]

NO ENTRIES PAST THIS POINT.

(you have about fifteen minutes worth of grace period, though)

Thank you!

[benu]

536726

536729

[DecayingLolita]

Also only did this today... Not too happy with the finishing

[daestwen]

Alright, that's it for the grace period! You two are in, but that's it.

[daestwen]

A few cuts this week:

UCT, Hideyoshi: No wips. Sorry!

Adi: I totally love the image, but this is so far off topic that I had to cut it. I can understand the thought process, since she has been labeled a vampire in popular culture, but we were working with the historical figure. Still, it is pretty awesome. :P

Quality Check/Rough/Unfinished:

ozzymaru: Welcome to chow! :D Your first piece here doesn't look quite finished enough for poll, so for this week I have cut it. Keep working and learning, and I'm sure I'll see you in the poll next week.

buffichar: Not quite finished enough to make it to poll - it's obvious from your roughs that you meant to take this further. :) Keep working at it, and you can always show us your progress in the Chow Revisit and Revisions thread.

Almost cuts:

Hiipi: For two reasons. One, because you really can't see her face, it's hard to get character from her. I let her pass because you were one of the few people to address the fact that she had accomplices (in her servants). Two, you didn't follow naming convention. I let it slide this time, but please please please following naming convention. :P

mimer: Almost stuck this in the unfinished catagory, but let it pass. I'm just a little afraid that photobucket will delete it, but we'll have to see.

[PuppyKitten]

Holy hell. I just spent almost an HOUR writing detailed comments and crits for everyone (like a paragraph each) and my browser ate the post.

D:

This is why putting effort into anything is always a stupid idea. *grumbles* Sorry guys, I can't even begin to retype any of that.


I will add this though-
Ryuloulou: Awesome. Just gorgeous. I love your work more and more every time I see it.

Algenpfleger: You don't know me, but I've always really loved your work. I'm so glad you finished this in time. It's BEAUTIFUL. Just gorgeous. Great job!

[mimer]

wow, I made poll :) I'd love to get some crits on this one :)

Voted for Matias, for the slightly unhinged snarl on her face, the nudity making her look more predatory and animalistic than "pinupy" and the fit body, making her look plenty able to run you down, hold you down and stab you to death. powerful and slightly feral, i like it :)

The Whistler: strong face, and good pose makes this one stand out for me.

Poshspice: for making fabric look damn good, and doing it with a "tart-up" *sobs*

Alo: love the style.

Algenpfleger: awesome picture, the oposite of static and stiff. she looks like snow whites evil twin.

[JessiBean]

andyowlsoak - one thing that stood out for me in your piece is the expression, you did a great job capturing a character here. I would just suggest not using so much black for shading - shadows are rarely really black, try purples and blues, etc. And try setting up some life studies for how fabric would drape and fold, yours are a little regular and stylized, where as from the face, I gather you are going for more realism.

Anarky - you have some awesome areas, like under her knee/the bent leg and I like the environment and reflections you are establishing, though I think a little work on anatomy would do you good - her head is rather large (I think she is 6 heads high, where she should be more like 8), and her torso and everything going down seems to get truncated. Also, considering the mood you set up in the overall piece, try working on how you light your figure so she belongs to the moody scene, not so much overall evenly lit.

Adam Schumpert - You definately went for setting a scene, and I commend you for your ambitiousness, and some of the elements of this really work well - I like where the iron maiden is going, just maybe push the metal surface on it more, with some highlights, maybe some scratches and damage. Do watch out for everything in the scene having the same range of high and low lights - let some things recede and some come forward to give a better sense of focus and make it less busy. Also, watch your heads getting large for your figures (esp compared to the arms/hands).

Adele - I like the character you have interjected here, and the color palette is really excellent. I would just suggest keeping things a little cleaner - maybe you were going for painterly in this one, but I like the crisper nature of your earlier sketches and some of your other work I have seen, I think some elements like the cages could be simpler, flat shapes, maybe even graphical elements. I love the pearl detail along her neckline.

ArthemisIX - I love how her victims become a sort of pattern on her dressing gown, I might suggest pushing that further, like a kimono print. And I think your coloring is excellent, maybe try stepping back some, lay in blocks of color all over and get really loose with it, then tighten up. Might help some happy accidents come along, and it's easier to relax and stress less about it that way.

Hungryman - I like the traditional approach here, and the bold colors are excellent, as well as the loose rendering. However, it can get too loose, and look a little like color blobs rather than a rendered form - pick out some areas of focus and try tightening them up some, and explore varying your edge qualities. Also, some indication of her sinister nature would have helped to make this a better character piece rather than just a portrait of a figure.

JessiBean - You hack. Fail less.

Mimer - I think there are some anatomy issues here that are kind of distracting - did you use a ref? And if not, I would recommend it, things like a tilted up chin and raised arms can be tricky, when in doubt, get some visual resources. For example, the upper arm and forearm seem long and awkward, and the breasts wouldn't poke out of the water quite like that if her upper chest and shoulders are completely submerged. But! I do like the angle, it's a new take on the bath of blood everyone runs for when Bathory comes up, so nice way to keep it fresh. Good effort, keep pushing forward. :^^:

Nutter - you got one of my votes because I adore the skull figures behind the countess, in fact, I kind of wish they were the only things in the piece. The countess and her victim are a little stiff - consider incorporating the movements of the skull demons into the whole piece next time - they could be part of her clothes, her hair, a cloak, lots of things, that would make her seem sinister, where as now, she is a pretty woman with something sinister behind her. But man, I LOVE those skull guys.

Pixeltuner - the slippers are hilarious, first and foremost, and I love how wet the blood looks. I think something in the quality of the face was lost between the sketch and the finished piece and the flatness of her stomach is distracting - lots of other things are so well rendered, it seems like that part is pasted on, like it sits in front of the robe, because it doesn't respond to the elements around it. Be sure to define your light source so it can define the shadows and highlights on your figure.

The Whistler - you have grown SO much since the first time I saw you do a chow, this is AWESOME! I like how you are experimenting with warm highlights on her face, and the posing of the figure. Watch out for the left side of the face getting a little wide and try pushing the rendering in some areas like her bodice or her sleeve so that it isn't soft all over - give some variation, contract and focus. Great work on this one!

Xaya - it was interesting to see the evolution of this piece over time, and I very much like where you've taken it. I do wish you had left her robe long, tho, it seemed regal like that, and then you coudl have played with the light through it if you wanted to show her legs. Also the anatomy on her victim seems to not be as solid as your countess and her arm seems awkward. I might silhouette her or tone her down some so she doesn't detract from your countess. And I totally dig the costume design, by the way, very interesting.

vaughany_boy - I get where you are going with the bathing here, but I think your character seems a little flat - she looks very serene, but not very scary. Also, your pink backlight seems to be coming from all over - it is on both sides of her legs, and the inside sides of her breasts - and every area of skin has the exact same highlights. Since the background has a mooder tone, and seems to suggest a light source, pick a spot for it to fall on, and face out from there - the part of her that would be closest to the light is brightest (generall the head) and the furthest part would be less bright (generally the feet). Keep working at it. :)

Timothee - I really like the solid feel of your rendering, especially the folds on her skirt. Her feet look like she might be listing to the left, though, and her head seems a little akwardly to the right, which makes her shoulders look very broad and not so feminine. If you are going for stylization, you have a great beginning with your color, just some polishing on the anatomy would make it even better.

alo - I love the face on your piece, and the stylization of the blood, though I think the floor messiness might get too busy and detract from your focus, which is your figure. But the way you laid in color around the face and head - it's just lovely.

fersteger - very cool idea, I like the uber goth thing you went for, she looks very moody and has great character. I would say, though, I prefered your rendering in the earlier phases, where the under skirt and background were looser and she stood out more. The white highlight on her leg stands out most to me now, and it is a little distracting.

Matias - I LOVE this chow of yours, the stylization is perfect, I love her sneer, the pose, it is just lovely, and very clean. The only nitpicky things I can say are that the one eye looks awkwardly lower then the other, and it looks like you didn't really deal with the foot tucked behind her and it could use some more love, but those are pretty minor. It's really, really excellent.

Pause for now, more soon.

[mimer]

Jessibean: Thanks for the crit, did use a ref but kinda freewheeled it on the chin, my model had her head tilted further back, arching her back our of the water more which made the breast look more natural out of the water than it does now when she looks less "arched". Thanks for taking time to comment :)

[Adele]

JessiBean thanks for your crit and Im glad you liked it...I wanted to focus on the character more than the background...I like the pearls too. Im not a finished art person in the styles that are around here...I think I could of done more and smoothed it out...but I was pleased with what I achieved in a short time that I had with other work I had to do. I liked that it looked gritty, because it was in a gritty dungeon with bleeding grisly bodies. Next time hopefully I can take it to the next step...still, my style of character doesnt seem to get much votes here...most likely because Im currently from the cartoon animation world rather than feature film live action or gaming.

your is one of my two top favourites. I liked your detail on the countess' clothing and the lighting. I really like the hand you slipped into the shadowed floor. I dont know about the little girl there casually around, as I do believe she wouldn't have had her around in her chamber...unless she is a demonic presence of youth? BUT thats the only crit I can give...at this time if I had to be picky! but she does balance the picture out...

fersteger stood out to me as my other top favourite, haunting and mysterious. It was a nice example of quick concepting with simplicity and at the same time, detail. I really like the lighting on the dress indicating that the Countess is about to step into the blood. I cant find anything I dont like...other than I think she looks a little worried...maybe this could be her first time walking into the life of witch craft which the countess was involved in.

Poshspice too bad you couldnt get it finished, but it still looks nice.

Otherwise, well done everyone and I glad you enjoyed the Countess!

[daestwen]

Adele:

To be honest, there was a lot more I could have cut, but. It's always really hard to make that particular choice, and when a round isn't over fifty entires, I try to cut as few as possible. Especially when I'm making the selection myself, I often feel it's more fair simply to put it to poll.

[timothee]

Thanks Jesse for the crit. I definitely see what you mean about the feet, wish i had more time to work on it. I'm going to polish this up when I get a moment. Yours came out sweet. I especially like the idea about the character keeping tabs on her victims. The hand on the bottom is nice touch as well.
I also voted for Nutter, I really dig the mood in your piece. You gave Bathory this haunted look, that works well to portray her character.
Fersteger's was another one that gave me a sense of her character. I like the gothic feel to the piece.

[Nutter]

Thanks for the input Jessi, I really needed to give the whole composition and character a little more time at the start, The worst part is that the skulls were the easiest and quickest part of the image.

I gave out a few votes, but my favourite by far has to be Algenpfleger, that is one brutal looking image.

[hungryan]

Jessibean: I completely agree with you about being too loose at parts (for example the hand, now that I see it it could have used some more work) about the picture. It's just hard for me to find the balance between sketchy stuff and detailed things, I don't want my pictures to feel like they have a lot of forced detail, sweaty feel, if you know what I mean. I'm still working on finding the right way, I'm new to this whole digital painting thing, I studied as a printmaking artist.
But about the other thing about not being sinister: she was a historical figure, and in that age it could happen that she was falsely accused of those murders (it happened also in fascist and communist regimes), she was a woman who lost her husband, so left alone without 'protection', in the middle of an age where clever women were sometime seen as witches. And on medieval portraits people didn't try to look sinister right? I think almost all of the stuff here (if not all) is about blood and gore, I just tried to show a different perspective.
What I liked about your stuff is that this violence is more subtle, in a way, funny.

[daestwen]

But about the other thing about not being sinister: she was a historical figure, and in that age it could happen that she was falsely accused of those murders (it happened also in fascist and communist regimes), she was a woman who lost her husband, so left alone without 'protection', in the middle of an age where clever women were sometime seen as witches. And on medieval portraits people didn't try to look sinister right? I think almost all of the stuff here (if not all) is about blood and gore, I just tried to show a different perspective.
What I liked about your stuff is that this violence is more subtle, in a way, funny.

While I don't think it was necessary to make her sinister, I wanted to address this.

There isn't much doubt that she did it. They found several women in various states in her castle. Four of her servants were tried and found guilty of being accomplices to murder. She was never officially charged - she was placed under house arrest while they charged the servants and tried to build up the case against her (cases against nobility are always more difficult). She was found dead a few years later.

Though there was a very, very slim chance that she didn't do it, this certainly wasn't a 'the weird old lady' is a witch scenario. This was a 'holy shit, what's with all the dead bodies and torture devices' scenario. :P

Although it's only myth that she bathed in blood, she didn't in reality!

[Aly Fell]

Absolutely excellent round. My votes go to:

Jessibean: Lovely work. Detail where it should be and great expression with the lighting. I like the coy lass in the background as well.

Alo: Wonderfully atmospheric piece and the composition is excellent. Would like to see it a bit more finished, but you still get a vote!

Fersteger: Very Goth, so you get one too! I like the framing and the subdued tones. Top!

Sorknes: Great ‘period’ attention with the dress and the look. A bit more ‘love’ on the victim could help, or maybe the opposite and pushing the character back a bit...

Algenphleger: Smashing work. Great composition and mood, and beautifully painted. I’d love a bit more expression on Bathory; she’s very impassive and the dress is very ‘girlie’ for an evil serial killing queen! ;) But overall my fav!

More thoughts later with some honourable mentions...

[matias]

JessiBean: Great scene, strong lighting perfect execution! Her dress and gown really flow well, the muted area with the carpets and the hand really sells the dingy castle with point of candleight feel. Also thanks for the crits, I see her wonky eye now, doh and you totally caught that foot I think that was my last point on her, gon have to be sharper than that arent I! :P

Fersteger: Amazing dress, its looks suitable noble but getting run down, she does look beautiful but unhinged, nice work.

Poshspice: Awesome as always! The consistent high quality and volume of your work is amazing, also I love the way you've rendered the highlights on her dress were it drapes on the floor, really looks old masters-ly (if thats a style >_< )

Algenpfleger: Wow, great angle! shes so full of manic purpose! Alot of energy in the pic and superbly painted!

Ryuloulou:Nice work, I like the addition of the hands coming up through the blood and her art nouveau hair is great to!

Also thanks for the nod Mimer! Good to know that Im not the only one who find sexy feral girls alluring!! :P

[Adele]

Adele:

To be honest, there was a lot more I could have cut, but. It's always really hard to make that particular choice, and when a round isn't over fifty entires, I try to cut as few as possible. Especially when I'm making the selection myself, I often feel it's more fair simply to put it to poll.

hey thanks for the reply, I understand...sometimes it is a little unusual when there is only four in the poll :D

[alo]

lol, Adele, I think your question is directed towards the mod(s?), but I am (possibly incorrectly) interpreting your long list of grievances as a plea for explanation on the part of your ‘someone’. Just guessing that’s me. Anyway, there was supposed to be some sort of almost-not-quite-serenity/projected-chaos figure/environment juxtaposition thang going on, but considering I’m not an artist (pro or student) and this is my first photoshop ‘painting’, it would be safe to say that I have no idea wtf I’m doing. But I joined this site to learn how, so we’ll see how it goes, I guess?

Your comments in the form of constructive criticism would have been nice -_-;
Thanks, everyone whose were!

[hungryan]

Daestwen: I will sound boring now. I don't know if she did these things or not, but, do you think if some noblemen wanted to accuse another they couldn't hide some dead bodies in her castle? Or torture her servants until they confess?
Sorry for arguing so much, and sounding like an asshole. :)
And I know this doesn't make my picture any better. :)

[UCT]

A few cuts this week:

UCT: No wips. Sorry!

Thats fair, this looks like a fooking crackin round anyways. Could I just ask that 'if ' I trad paint another entry that the 'wips' rule could be linient? Its just that once I start I dont want to stop and take a photo then up load it, then carry on etc. This sounds lazy but its almost against how I work, gets in the way of the flow.

[Martheart]

And my votes go to....

Jessibean - Thanks for your comment! I voted for you because of the nice colours and lighting. The girl in the back gives it extra dark atmosphere, really nice.
Fersteger - I like her dress with the black and red colours! She looks somewhat scary, really nice atmosphere.
Poshspice - I love her arrogant expression. You really put character in your illustrations. The dress is amazing!
Algenpfleger - You really stand out because of the angle you've chosen. It's gives the illustration a very dramatic feel. Her face is beautiful!
Ryuloulou - Your art has nice patterns and lines, a really refreshing style. The arms are creepy :)

[Sorknes]

Awsome, awsome round :D

I'm still trying to decide who to vote for, right now I just wanna vote for almost everyone *lol*

Edit: took out the rest, it's all fixed now :D

[Studio Colrouphobia]

Voted, JessiBean, Alpenfleger and Fersteger.
All have their individual qualities, but Ferstegers image just radiates a certain sensation that need to be mentioned..

[Pixeltuner]

Jessi: thx for the crit :) The longer I look, the more odd things I see myself. I probably will go back and do some more on it.

Here's some quick thoughts:

Adele: I love the Burton-esque toonishness of yours.
Jessi: Great atmosphere, great expression. The background looks too crisp and too 'here's a stone texture' for me (it's not the point of this challenge but it distracts me) and I think her boobs look like balloons :D
The Whistler: I love the head, look almost like I can touch it. So much depth. The rest looks less 'touchable' in comparison I think.
Posh: Great work as always. The classic portrait feel is brilliant.
Algenpleger: Illustration and storywise, this is a win for me. Very dynamic and dramatic.

[Daray]

Ok I have some crits, sorry if they aren't anything special, I'm generally not that great at it! Nice round though, I had doodled an image for this, but I ran out of time due to work :)



andyowlsoak - I think your image could have work better if you had made Bathory a little more recognisable for the time period, reflecting in her clothing. Whilst I can see you have some elements there, she looks a little more like the 1940's art Deco era. Also I think the image looks a little 'dirty' being the shading is very black/brown in some areas :)
Anarky - Nice picture here, but what let it down for me was the size of her breasts. They seem just a little too big for her body.
Adam Schumpert - A nice piece you've pulled off here and I voted for it.
Adele - Another piece that I nearly voted for. Nice idea and I like that you keep your designs cartoon (as thats your area) I think I would have preffered this more if you had either kept a more cartooney feel to the painting technique. I like how Burton-eque it is though, if thats a good thing for you or not! :)
Arthemis IX - Nice idea here and probably something similar to what I would have done (the victims within the cloth) As jessi said I think it would be good if you could have worked it more into the fabric as well, as if it was the design of her robe also.
Hungryan - I like the approach you have taken, of making a portratit. However it does not really show anything about the Bathory from the legend that people know. In order for a design to work it needs to be recognisable :)
Jessibean - As always the skill put into this picture is fantastic, and its well executed. The only problem I have is the light source. Yes its sexy and all, but where is it comming from. Right now it looks like its from her boobs and for me it lets the piece down.
Mimer - I think if you had added some extra things into this piece it would have done better. There isn't really a design to the piece or the character.
Nutter - I voted for this piece also. I like the idea with the ghosts that she was haunted and Ithink the image works very well. Its nice without so much gore too :)
Pixeltuner - I can't pick out too many flaws of this piece, other than it was an image that didnt really click for me. I think maybe because you have taken a modern approach with the slippers and robe. Her robe should have been a little more bloody too :D
The Whistler - Nicely done here. Very simple and meaningful piece, but I think it lacks a little something from the image. I'm not sure what... but its just the way I feel, sorry its a crappy crit for you!
Xaya - Another piece I voted for. I enjoyed the character here and she didn't look as sinister as some, but quite clearly determined to kill the victim. As Jessi said, I think really the robe should have been much longer, it was a way of showing nobility also.
Vaughany_boy - I don't have much to crit, other than she needs a little more design to her :)
Timothee - I really love her outfit, but I think the anatomy here could do with some work. Her head is a little small, or her shoulders are too wide. And her feet seem a little unbalanced, she looks like she will topple over :)
Alo - Interesting piece here, its hard to crit because of the unique style. I like that she seems ashamed however.
Fersteger - Nice work which fits the breif well. I don't really have much to crit, it works well :)
Matias - A fun style to work with! Well executed but I think there could have been a little more to the character herself.
Icemoon - I nearly voted for this image, but I had to narrow down my choices. I love how she is checking in the mirror and ignoring the bodies. Perhaps a little more work to refine the image would have helped :)
Sorknes - A nice piece here, and I like that you added an instrument for killing. My biggest crit is that she looks to be floating, some shadows underneath the skirts and behind her need to be added.
Poshspice - I was supposed to vote for this but it hadnt loaded and I missed it! hmph. Great job as always, I love how regal she looks. She seems to be painted a little different to your usual style also, which is a good thing. Maybe you could have added a victim subtley given time :)
Dan! - Good idea for going more modern on the tale. But I don't think it fits too well sadly.
Hiipi - Another I voted for. Whilst there isnt much design to the character herself, I loved the idea of her bathing with a bowl and with the accomplices.
Decaying Lolita - I know you had started this at a late time and I think it shows. Nice idea and would have worked if you had some more time to refine the image :)
Algenpfleger - This picture was another that didnt load right away for me and I missed it. Sorry! I like this piece a lot, probably the most. I love how brutal she is!
Benu - I think your image would have worked alittle better if you could have the 'bathing' theme somewhere included, wether it be a bath in the background or off to one side. Right now she could be anybody that likes a spot of torture :)
mayhemunited - A nice dress design actually for this character, but the head is putting me off somewhat. It doesnt seem to fit well wth the rest of the image, perhaps it is because of how bright it is compared to the background and clothes.
MJ - Your skills are still improving, great to see! I don't think sadly this week though your entry fits with the breif. There's not much Bathory about her. :)
Ryuloulou - Lovely piece and one I voted for. Works well, I dont have too much to crit on it either. Aussi parce que je suis une bonne poire pour votre travail d'art ! Oh et avoir des objections mon français formel pauvre, essayant de le finir toujours ! lol ;)
Scorge - There are a few anatomy issues here (the legs look a little short) and the skin is a little too pink. But the idea works well. I think just to touch up on the skills would work better.

[Clochette]

So much great work! :O
Voted : Jessibean, Festeger, Matias, Algentpfleger and Hiipi. :)

[HareTrinity]

She was AN inspiration for the Hollywood vampires, possibly; vampires exist in myths throughout the world.

In fact she was probably a bisexual; her aunt was well known as one and she was very embarrassed by this.

She enjoyed humiliating young girls in front of men, and was known to kill them and, yes, rumoured to drink and bathe in their blood (though these are probably quite exaggerated rumours).

When she was eventually found guilty they locked her up in her own castle and left her to starve to death.

Festeger: I'm not sure how that bath's being heated (or if blood, even large amounts of it, would bubble like that), but I like her bedraggled look. A bit more detail (on her, or the background, or both) would have been nice.

ANARKY: MILF! I like the idea, but her hair looks unnatural and I'm not sure what the point of the thong is... Also, her nipples are too static and small (unless she got really bad implants). This is a shame, because the detail on the curtains shows you can do better (also look like a slightly smoother style). Also, the reflection looks wrong to me (because the robe nearly touches the step which doesn't show at all, I think)... I think maybe a slightly more padded look (I know she starved to death, but her arms and ribs conflict with her plump chest, to me). And possibly pubic hair, but I understand CHOW artists hate to include that.

Scorge: Hey there! Interesting pic, but a bit too ritualistic for my liking. Also, your slave girl and blood lacks detail and I understand Lizzy-Bath liked to entertain her male company with them, and that humiliating females only was her thing. This makes me think of a high priestess and her slave committing a sacrifice. It would be great to see this fully finished!

Adele: Ah, a slipping-into-insanity image... This really isn't my view of her, but it doesn't look so bad. The doll-like image of her does emphasise the "fake beauty obsession" that I think you were after. However, I'm a sucker for detail, and some more texture (on the wood, candle, stone, etc) would have been nice.

Matias: Haha, love her expression. It's very "yeah, so what?" and that's a possibility given she was an upper class girl with no one to answer to (up until her trial), and who got her kicks out of humiliating and mutilating young girls. Her right breast doesn't look right though (and I think that left one's fighting gravity somehow), which takes away from her sloppy "I can do whatever I like" look. Her left leg looks a little off too... But other than that it's a nice, simple, background that works despite not going with the dark-and-gothic theme most artists took. I think having her next to her victim might have worked too since there's so much space to the right, but really there's not much I can add other than that. It's good!

UCT: Ooh, an Egyptian hint here? And makes me think of... Phoenixes. A focus on her obsession with youth, I take it? It's not my preferred art style, but it's very good, though the red around her chin looks off (but again, I don't look at art like this much, maybe that's meant to be there). I think a more relaxed pose would have been nice though (I'm trying now and I don't think I can do it). It's great to see someone who didn't draw her underweight though! After all, if the aristocrats can't eat well who can?

Hideyoshi: Nice concept, again seems to refer to insanity, but in a more lost and confused way (which might be fairly accurate), it's a shame it looks unfinished!

Ozzymaru: I like the bedraggled look you gave her hair, like she's just wandering around at night (maybe during her death sentence) and reflecting on blood as her obsession. More detail (texture, and maybe a floor) would have helped, and I think you might want to review your colouring technique? Your 3rd stage pic (roughly coloured sketch) is very good and shows a lot that's not reflected in the final piece. For example, I like the arch, and though the perspective looks a bit off you could have kept that and given the piece a more confined look. Whatever your choice, I look forward to seeing more by you!

IceMoon: Ooh... Someone did her fully dressed! And I like the symbolic hint that the fuzzier corpses are the people she "walked over" to get to where she is in her mind. Has her reflection got a different hairstyle? It's a bit hard to make out, but then my knowledge of hairstyles is pretty low, so maybe those side bits wouldn't show as much as I'd think they would. A bit more detail on the background (so that just the lower half seems symbolic) or maybe some corpse detail (I guess that could be because I have a macabre interest) would have been nice... But I understand that pillars are boring detail when you have a countess to do!
-Might vote for this one.-

Buffichar: That is a very striking face! And a suitable border, but other than that it sadly looks unfinished. You can barely make out the pillars... From your sketches; I like your improvement on the pose (looks much more relaxed and gives her ol' Yorick there) and it's a shame you didn't keep more of the background. Maybe next time aim for a smaller finished piece? Also, jawbones don't keep as well as some would make you think, so a jawless skull would probably look better (some breaks and different perspectives on the ones in the background ones too, and if that's just her collection of perfect skulls then she has an awful lot; 3-5 would have probably worked just as well and would explain how they're so neatly piled). Hope to see more from you in the future!

The_Whistler: Now she looks nice... Very young and confused, which probably isn't a bad take on a girl who was probably a closet bisexual left alone by her husband in their castle... Not sure why she has an AXE, and some more detail on its handle, her hair and her dress would have been nice, but this is definitely one of my favourites. The medallion looks a bit off (I think it's too far to the right) but yeah, this gets a vote.
-Will vote for this one.-

Vaughany_boy: Very stylish, and you might have been going for that, but to me the arms don't seem to match and the necklace looks painful. And I'm not sure why we can see her ribs. Or are those scars? Also, if she's dipping her toes in to check the temperature, shouldn't her toe tips be covered? And just in general I'm not sure what that stomach shape is (it's not just you, I've seen a lot of artists do that, but as an average build female it confuses me since I can't see it on me when I'm naked in front of a mirror)... Not sure about the scars/tats on her arms either... It's a nice picture, I like the empty background and the excess use of red, adds to the gothic and surreal feel that I imagine the castle had for its victims. And it's nice to see a simple weapon. I think I'm biased because of the art style, please don't take my comments as offputting; it's a good picture and stands out from the other entries.

Alo: Not finished enough to say much other than; why not? The face is good, and the pose and expression show a lot of emotion. Even if you'd cut down the image size considerably I think this would have stood a good chance... Shame you had to write that paper! Thanks for submitting anyway.

Adam_Schumpert: What's happening to her stomach? But yeah, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that the attention to detail is nice, the originality of the background designs adds to the "rich and spoilt" implications and having her bathing with the girl's corpse hints at her lesbian and possibly necro tendencies. I think the nipples are pointing upwards too much (boobs be squishy, at that size they should be out to the sides more I'm sure), but her face looks good. The crying iron maiden is an awesome touch. Though a bath that started off luke warm next to a window? I'd cuddle up to the corpse too, that must be cold!

Jessibean: The background's great, the detail's great, she looks like an aristocrat lesbian with a cheeky little girlfriend who wants to help her find new victims. I'm not sure what's she's writing or why but the picture has a lot of character. She definitely has a vampiric hint, so who needs to pay attention to the tragic and confused reality she may have been? She's hot.

Poshspice: "Why do they scream like THEY'RE the ones having a bad day? Just look at those wrinkles..." The dress lacks detail a little but this is made up by the detail on her face and mirror. It's simple, and I like how she looks like a tough woman who's using petty things to distract herself. Gets a vote from me.
-Will vote for this one.-

Arthemis_IX:I know they're meant to be symbolic/souls of victims, but nipple-less breasts scare me! The upper half of the pic is much better (to me), and the cartoon-ish style lining works, though the... Um... Steaming vase... Seems to be lacking detail on its stand. For Liz herself; I like the bedraggle and confused look, like her obsession with blood/beauty is leading her to forget everything else (not just her morals but her hair too, gasp). Looks a little oriental, but that's not really an issue, I like this picture and if it weren't for the lack of nipples and other details on them I would vote it.

Xaya: I love the concept, it's a shame it doesn't look completely finished! Liz-Bath as a predatory female, possibly with sexual motives (hinted by what she's wearing and her disregard for that), as well as that empty expression, closing in on her prey... I like it! It's shame you didn't do more, maybe work on a smaller finished piece next time?

Pixeltuner: Aww, lookit her little skull slippers! And she looks like a real, an not necessarily gorgeous, person rather than a photoshopped model. Adding in her naval might have helped to give her belly some form, and I'm shocked that blood isn't staining her gown, but it's good. The floor looks a little out of place too, but the metallic look overall works.

Adi.: Nice demon chick (though I'm not sure why her horns are made of hair), but I don't see how she's the countess? And what type of skull is covering her crotch? But then I prefer demons to be drawn nude when there's no reason for them not to be, so I guess I'm biased.

Andyowlsoak: Ah, tradition. I like the historical reference, but her dress looks wrong? I love the brick bath and her expression, like this is her escape, but more detail on her dress would have been great.

Woah, 14 more left? I'll come back to this, and actually cast my votes, later.

PLEASE NOTE: Please don't think I'm trying to be cruel or say anyone here's a bad artist, or even that my art is better (I'm working on it, but keep getting stuck around the same point in adding colour), I'm just trying to make sure every entry gets some feedback. It's great to see anyone drawing this character anyway!

[algenpfleger]

Man, this was tough o_o I ended up voting for, umm...

Adele, because I love the stylized madness going on in there. I actually feel like madness is the only thing that really describes that person, I mean, what she did is just beyond reason o_o

Jessi, because I love love love the lighting, even though it looks a bit empty :O And the giggling servant adds a whole level of creepyness. Awesome! I also like the fact that there's no blood visible except for what she writes with.

And Hiipi, because your composition and lighting is really unique! You really dared to do something different there, hiding the countess' face and making the whole image so dark.



But seriously, so many great entries o_o

Poshspice's I loved too, the way you paint fabric, man you need to teach me how to do that! And she looks so... arrogant and disgusting, in a personality-way, great work there o_o

And Arthemis, huah I love the dead virgins you got in her dress.

Pixeltuner, the expression she has is amazing, really... arrogant, like she's supposed to be. If she'd only do more than just stand there!

Xaya, you incorporated a good bit of storytelling, which is always great! Her face looks really young, but I think that's intentional. Great job on the lighting too! o_o

[daestwen]

Daestwen: I will sound boring now. I don't know if she did these things or not, but, do you think if some noblemen wanted to accuse another they couldn't hide some dead bodies in her castle? Or torture her servants until they confess?
Sorry for arguing so much, and sounding like an asshole. :)
And I know this doesn't make my picture any better. :)

I did say in my original post that there was a slight slight chance she didn't do it, but.

There is loooots of evidence for the old-woman-treated-as-a-witch problem - both anecdotal and actual, and though we might not be able to pin down each case (although it's pretty obviously all of them), this really doesn't fall into that category. We have tons of evidence to say she did do it, and none to say that she didn't, and at some point you simply have to believe the evidence. (And by evidence I mean historical evidence, not forensics - obviously we don't have access to that now, it's been way too long.)

If you're not willing to believe historic evidence, then there really isn't any reason to study the subject - you'll just be running around in circles trying to disprove stuff based on really shakey resources just to fit your thesis.

With history, unfortunately, you kind of have to pull all the evidence together, figure out what contradicts, and then make sense of it. In the case of Bathory, they already disproved the bath thing, but no one doubts that she was very involved in the murders.

And I'm sorry if *I* sound like an asshole. History is a passion of mine, and though it might be impossible to be as rigorously tested as science, I still believe in a method and code of conduct. :P

[hungryan]

Daestwen: OK, I believe you. This means then, that I was completely on a wrong track. Well, at least I have a nice looking picture (at least that's what I think, despite the fact that I've got 1 whole vote). Edit: Wow, now I've got 2 ! :)

[daestwen]

Daestwen: OK, I believe you. This means then, that I was completely on a wrong track. Well, at least I have a nice looking picture (at least that's what I think, despite the fact that I've got 1 whole vote).

Well, I wouldn't go so far to say that.

After all, even monsters had their pretty portraits painted. :P

[ryuloulou]

voted for

jessybean> not much to say, it is very good artwork.
Alo> I just love your work! very original, very subtle. And you colors are really great.. if I had one thing to add, she looks a bit like she's got an afro haircut :)
Poshspice> love your work on the satin, tht's really impressive. as a matter of fact, your picture is the only one to make the countess real. the hand holding the mirror seems a bit odd though.
algenpfleger> She really looks like an evil White Snow :D
but it is an excellent picture, very evocative with a great composition.


didn't vote for them but ...

Arthemis> I loved the idea, I was on the way to to something like that too, but, as always, I changed my mind. The lights on the face are a bit odd though. it looks like you can't chose between the lightsources.

Nutter> I really liked the demons and the skin tones but the hand of the countess and the dresses could be improved

Matias> I realy like the design, it's like a adult-rated disney.
isn't she looking a bit more roman than middle-aged ?

sorry to not giving advice for everyone, but being french, it's sometimes very hard to be clear about what I mean. I am always scared to chose the wrong words... it's exhausting..

[UCT]

I voted for nutter. This thread is buuursting with talent, every submission has raised the bar, very difficult to comprehend a 'winner'.

No time for crits, nice one everyone!

[Hideyoshi]

algenpfleger: that is easily the best piece this round. I even think it's one of your best pieces yet! Something about composition, lighting and camera angle (!!) that sells the whole atmosphere and her character in great intensity!
And now I hate you.

some others got votes, too :)

[HareTrinity]

And some voting...

Nutter: Lacks detail in the lower half, but I suppose that encourages the surreal feel to this piece. You don't need me to tell you it's awesome, and it finally shows a little humiliation! Sort of. A woman driven strange but an odd obsession, brought on by spirits? This does strike me as a bit of the "mad not bad" applied to women however, and you have lots of votes already. Well done!

Hungryan: Ah, simplicity. It looks good, albeit a little lacking in detail, but I don't feel it conveys much character? A suspicious background (or maybe some red stains on her clothing) could have given this picture more depth.

Sorknes: I like this. Stuck up and commanding and indifferent (or possibly secretly enjoying) the pain of her victims. The background looks a little detached from the character, but I like the attention to detail in the clothing especially. Not sure why the blood looks like vines, but if that's what you were after (as over-sized blood veins maybe) then woo!
-Maybe vote for.-

Hiipi: Quite possibly my favourite in many ways. If this was for "the castle of Countess Elizabeth Bathory" or maybe a pic in a set showing her, or even the background to a more innocent portrait; this would be an instant winner for me. It's simple but atmospheric, but I really can't see much of Liz-Bath and that's what the contest is for... Still, I'll put it on my maybe list just 'cause it rocks so much. Great job!
-Maybe vote for.-

Mimer: The blood is rich and overall the blood bath is convincing, but unfortunately her face looks a little off? I think it's the chin... Also, I'm not sure what's going on with her left arm. Is that a hint at vampiric tendencies (that she's absorbing the life force of her victims)? Her right thumb looks off too, but that's only because her submerged torso looks so awesome. Brilliant job on the blood, and a nice simple scene to go with it!

Dan!: Ooh, happiest day of her life? I think her chin line looks out of place, but that's probably me being silly. It's a good pic, and definitely says "dangerous bride" but not much about it says Elizabeth Bathory to me. Looking at your WIPs though, that is amazing detail on her dress' form, I admire your patience and attention to detail!

Mayhemunited: What a lovely image! Definitely says vampiric lady of the household, but I think keeping the blood stained face (if only slightly) would have been nice... Also, her hands look a little small? But that's of little consequence, other than the table and base of her chair this is more than enough attention to detail!
-Maybe vote for.-

Novbert: "What have I done!" she cries- no, wait, she's just applying blood to her wrinkles? Oh... I like the concept, implies obsession quite well. The goblet looks a bit odd though, which is a shame since otherwise detail seems very nicely distributed in the pic. I do like the background. It's one of the best backgrounds (reasonable detail, dark, subtle) in this competition I think.

Timothee: Ooh, stylish... Though she does look like she's leaning backwards? And the neck looks a little stiff too, but maybe she's just winding down from the kill and I'm misinterpretting it. A castle/victim/bath background might made this picture more certainly the character intended, but she looks good at any rate.

Algenpfleger: Gorgeous picture, especially the lower two thirds, looks rather Queen of Hearts to me! I think your depiction of her lack of empathy for their suffering comes across well, but she herself looks a little too fairytale to me... But hey, you're winning aren't you? So you know it rocks.

Ryuloulou: That is very nice. I think you got the almost cartoony white outline, the symbolic ground and her fine art face to work together really well! It's a great picture, and it would win a vote from me if it weren't for the oriental feel that doesn't really (for me) convey the Countess' background very well.

MJ_Alcazar: This is a really charming piece. Is the shadow a reference to Nosferatu? Because if it is meant to be then that makes it even more awesome. And awww, kitty. It's a very warm piece with several hints of a darker underlying truth. Not what I was looking for, but it's good. It's also nice someone drew her kicking back and relaxing whilst dry!

Benu: More kitties! It's a shame the foreground one doesn't have as much detail as the background one.. And I'd prefer the victim naked (humiliation was documented as the Countess Bathory's hobby), but then I'm possibly odd? A bit more detail (like texture) could make this excellent.

DecayingLolita: An abandoned young wife, going crazy in her lonely pursuit to wait out the return of her husb- actually, this reminds me of your name! It doesn't look finished, but she definitely looks like a troubled young girl who could have been saved by someone being there for her.

Votes: The_Whistler, Icemoon, Poshspice, Hiipi

[MJ_Alcazar]

Thanks for the crits guys! I was trying to go another direction and be more subtle. I read she was into the occult and stuff, so that's why the candles and cat as symbols. The shadow was a reference to those old vampire movies. Cheesy, but I was trying to put little hints in. :)
I have time to think this week, so hopefully I'll be a little more in line with the brief. I was just thrilled to get to poll! :)

Awesome work guys, I had a hard time narrowing it down to vote. It's really cool seeing everyone's minds at work each week. :)

[mayhemunited]

The ones I loved the most and why.

Fersteger I love the loose brushstrokes, and your ability to to bring out the detail. You're dress is amazing, and I like the quality you did with the blood.

Adele This feels like it belongs in a new film that Tim Burton would do. Great idea to go in this direction with the character.

Whistler Love the blood splatter and a great choice in colour for the background to bring out the character

JessiBean Great treatment of lighting, the brick texture is very well done.

Poshspice Blown away by your treatment of drapery. I love the face detail as well.

Hiipi Stellar use of colours, and gorgeous painterly quality with the brush strokes.

Algenpfleger Brilliant angle and composition you got my vote. I really think you did a fantastic job!

[The Whistler]

Wow, this turned out to be an awesome round! Thanks for the crits everyone

HareTrinity - axe because I imagine her as a lunatic, sure, she liked to torture people but I guess sometimes you have to go for a clean cut heh ;)

My votes go to:

Nutter - love her, love the skulls, she looks exactly like a lady who'd start a school for young girls and then torture them all to death...

fersteger - I love the concept, looks very painterly and artsy, love the red-black color combo

Poshspice - other than being awesomely rendered, I voted for this one because she looks the part - she looks Hungarian. Can't really explain it, half of my relatives are Hungarian, and somehow all the women have these kind of lips... Wow

Algenpfleger - a bit too pretty but so awesomely rendered that I couldn't not vote for it :)

And now for the others:

andyowlsoak - this is a great start but she looks unfinished. Also, watch the wrinkles on her sleeves - I don't think cloth would fold like that in that position. What I like about her is the face - she stands out from the rest of the entries.

anarky - there are some anatomy issues on this one that really bother me - her torso and head are very big when compared to her lower body, her head is as wide as her waist, and her boobs are too huge. The latest one I guess is a matter of preference though :p. On those anatomy problems, always try to compare how big the parts of the body are in relation to one another, and consult reference. Now don't get me wrong, this is not a bad picture, but you have potential for more. What I love about this one are her legs. On their own they look great, they're very nicely done. Just keep up practicing and you'll get it in no time :)

Adam Schumpert - What I really love about this one is the background. Everything is done up so nicely, and the details are awesome, love the tub. However, the characters look like you did them last, and considering the BG, they're simply not as good. The countess is a bit too bright, she's rendered like she's standing outside on a bright sunny day, and there's nothing around her that looks like it's the source of such strong light. And, was that an Angelina Jolie reference for the face?

Adele - also love the bg, the countess is pretty cute too, the only thing that bugs me a bit is that the lower part of her body seems too short. The colors also seem a bit muddy, but that's something you solve with practice, I have to work on that myself. Again, love the dungeon :)

Arthemis IX - she looks lovely, I love the hair. The only thing I don't get is the dark shadow on her face and under her collarbone, it seems a bit out of place to me because I don't get where that shade of blueish is reflected from. Other than that, nice work!

hungryan - I like the different approach to the countess here, I also like the fact that you really tried to recreate the amount of clothes worn at that time, you didn't go for skimpy clothing and boobish like the rest of us ;) She needs more work though, seems a bit muddy and unfinished.

JessiBean - Hey, thanks for the crit! About yours - awesome character, awesomely rendered as usual. The only reason why I didn't vote for this one is that that dress looks kinda uncomfortable around the cleavage part... How does a woman in 16th century keep those from falling out while walking around in a dress like that? ;)

Mimer - it's a great concept, I wish you had more time to work on the piece. Except for it looking a bit unfinished, my only crit would be the boobs because I don't think they float that way in water... I'd have to check a ref to be sure though...

Pixeltuner - You really know your way with colors man, killer slippers too ;) My crit for this one would be her torso, it kinda looks like there's nothing under that blood, looks kinda flat. Other than that, I like it :)

Xaya - no crits really, I like this one. The reason I didn't vote for it is that she looks more like a Hollywood star then like a bloodthirsty 16th century countess. But that's all really, the piece per se is great :)

vaughany_boy - other than some smaller anatomy problems (her left hand is a bit wavy and her ribs look a bit like fish gills) which are not that big of a deal, it just doesn't speak royalty to me. In other words, there's nothing on her that labels her as a countess. Try adding more of the character part to your next chow, and also try putting some perspective in the BG. Keep up the good work! :)

timothee - the only thing I can't get over on this one is that she looks like she has two left feet. Not much else to crit on, there are some minor proportion issues and she looks a bit stiff but it's nothing that serious really.

alo - I like the girl herself, but I don't really get the really lines that show on the cloak and all around her. Maybe it's an artistic expression thing I don't understand and you left it like this to make a point. Don't know, looks kinda messy to me...

matias - wow, so much muscle on a countess who probably didn't have to lift a fork herself in her lifetime ;) She's nicely rendered, nice skintone. I'd make the dagger pointier too. Nice work :)

Icemoon - this was a nice idea, I like the frilly dress but I'd make her bigger altogether because the face is kinda tiny this way. It's nice though, really gory :)

sorknes - your countess looks really evil. I like that. The girl in the BG is a bit distracting though, I can't really make out the body parts.

Dan - woo this is nice! Why didn't I vote for this one? Dammit... Anyways, LOVE the facial expression heehee, really sinister. Awesome work!

Hiipi - the rendering is really nice but what I don't like about it is that her face is not really visible, not even in the mirror. It's a really lovely mirror too to be honest :)

Decaying Lolita - looks like a nice sketch, but definitely unfinished. Too bad, she'd be awesome done up...

Benu - I like this, this is really nice. The cats are a nice touch and the ceiling is awesome. Almost got my vote but unfortunately I couldn't vote for everyone I liked because I'd have too much votes.

mayhemunited - her skin is really too white considering she's in a dark room and her face looks kinda flat. Try pushing the values more next time, don't be afraid to experiment. Like the hair, she reminds me a bit of that witch from Sleeping Beauty :)

MJ Alcazar - this is an improvement :) Nice kitty, I get the blue tones on it now too. I have a problem with the dress color though, it's too muddy somehow. The picture looks great in smaller resolution, the one in the poll, but you should maybe smooth it out a bit next time. I love the shadow on the wall, very sinister looking. Nice job, keep up the good work! :)

ryuloulou - I like this one too, almost got the vote. Not much to crit on really, love the hair :)

Scorge - she has some major anatomy issues that bother me, e.g. her boob is bigger than her face, her face is too small compared to the rest of the body, her feet are too small etc. In other words, it looks like you didn't draw the figure first and then added the clothes on, it looks like you just started with the head and went on with the clothes and then added the body parts sticking out of it. Most importantly, it looks like you haven't used reference. Try using one next time and you'll see how much better it will look like when you know how things are really supposed to look like. Sorry if I sound a bit harsh, it's not my intention, but this was the same advice given to me a while ago on skintones. Use more reference. The best advice you can get too :) Keep practicing!


WOW this was long! I apologize to everyone once again if I sounded rude or harsh at any point, it wasn't my intention. I also apologize if I misspelled anyone, it's really late here.

Also, if I missed anyone, feel free to say, I meant to get everyone who got in, if I didn't it wasn't intentional.

[ozzymaru]

A few cuts this week:

......
Quality Check/Rough/Unfinished:

ozzymaru: Welcome to chow! :D Your first piece here doesn't look quite finished enough for poll, so for this week I have cut it. Keep working and learning, and I'm sure I'll see you in the poll next week.



Hey thanks daestwen for the encouragement and advise. I feel good just by the fact that you looked at it and cared to comment. I sure will keep working and trying harder, if not this week then definitely next week. Thanks once again for taking the time to conduct CHOW!

[Adam Schumpert]

Ok First off Thanks to everyone for your comments, crits, and help along the way. This week was great fun, and I feel like I learned a whole lot about the media and about my strengths and weaknesses as an artist. The experience has been invaluable. Thank you all very much.

Now its been a while for me since I actually had a serious critique with other artists so I'm a bit rusty but lets give it a go.

Andyowlsoak - The face of your countess, her expression, and her bloody hand are nice. Her day dreamy almost excited look makes me think she is really looking forward to her bath, which makes the blood smear/transfer from her hand that much more creepy. However, I think that you might have over worked your final a bit. Your WIP shot is wonderful. The amount of movement and emotion along with the relaxed more natural pose of your subject really portrays the enjoyment and excitement she has anticipating her nice warm bath. My wife would say I make the same face when I get ready to take a nap, minus the blood and virgin killing of coarse.... mmmmm naps :confident anyway. I think you may have fallen into a common trap many artist do (myself included) and that is feeling like you have to render the subject as tight as possible. You captured such a great feel in you WIP which is vital to any piece the trick is to render the picture without losing that raw energy, and knowing when to stop, stand back, and ask yourself; Am I finished, have I pushed to far or not far enough?

Anarky - Your countess is nicely rendered especially her lower leg. The shadow contours, skin tones, and the subtle reflections from the pool of blood are very well done. However, your countess' proportions need a little work. Her head is to large, that coupled with her breast size make her seem extremely top heavy giving her torso more of a V shape which makes her silhouette a little manly from the waist up. In your line art her curves seem a bit more voluptuous and her hip width and midriff seem to better fit her large bust. I think in your attempt to make her look more fit and to bring out the contour of her hip bones you lost the more natural curves in her core. I know a common trend in the PoP ideal of beauty is rail skinny women with huge boobs, but those "ideals" usually only exist with human intervention, and I think you will find that women (both drawn and real) are more beautiful to more people if their physic looks more natural. If you haven't checked them out yet I would highly recommend looking over Phuzion's, JessiBean's, and Poshspice's sketchbooks. The three of them nail feminine beauty better than almost anyone I've ever seen.

Adam Schumpert - God I wouldn't have enough room to type all the problems I have with my own work. I think my major downfall as far as this piece goes however is two fold. 1) I think that somewhere along the way in my creative process my focus shifted from the character I was wanting to portray to the scene I ended up creating. Which hurt the rendering of the character, my composition, and the point of the over all piece. Don't get me wrong I do like my little details and the symbolism of some of the bg pieces, but they overtook the picture I was trying to create and made it a muddied pile with no real focus. 2)I tried something funky with my light sources (one problem being I used to many in the first place :P ) which was a complete failure. The main light source is actually meant to be coming from a 3 candle sconce out of frame page right almost parallel to the viewer, which I tried to show in the reflection of the mirror. However since the viewer can't see into my twisted mind to understand what I was thinking, its just a confusing mess which makes my tub and countess overly and oddly illuminated. Anyway, to answer your question The Whistler, I didn't use a reference for the countess's face, but now that you mention it I can see the resemblance. Overall I chalk this one up as a piece that was a lot of fun to work on and a great learning experience, but there is no feeling worse I think, than walking away feeling like I could have done better.

Adele - I love the style you choose for this piece, fun and playful yet dark, grim, and disturbing. As stated before it is very Burtonesque. The madness of your countess just radiates. I think it might have been a fun challenge to see if you could match that lvl of madness in a slightly more realistic rendering. Any real crits I would have would be to nit picky to bother with. I like where you took this piece and I think it was a wise decision to return her eyes back to the viewer, keeping your viewer more involved with the grim evil insanity of the countess.

Arthemis IX - Something about your countess' face and the bg elements you used definitely give this a more oriental feel, which is kind of neat. I think the strong outlines you used on some of the elements of this piece are fighting the depth you create with your rendering flattening out your image. I love the idea of seeing the girls under her robe. I think that this effect would have been better if you had left them as ghostly images without the outlines. Similar to how they appeared in your next to last WIP. Then again if you wanted them to appear as maybe the bodies are becoming a pattern on the robe rather than just bodies underneath it, then maybe there should be a transition of how bold the outlines of the girls are. From no outline at the bottom to a darker bold more graphic print-like design at the top? Maybe? I dunno...

Hungryan - I like the more traditional portrait approach you decided to go with. Also creating a painting of this character without the blood and gore she is remembered for was a bold move. (I know that the truth of her innocence or guilt may never be found out but either way she will always be famous for the crimes she was accused of) It is hard to portray a character like this in this way. While I think you did a nice job with the portrait there is nothing to really distinguish her from any other noble woman of her time and nothing that we associate with her now.

JessiBean - The composition is great and the attention to the small subtle details is phenomenal. The patterns on the rugs and her coat, the bloody hand coming out from under her gown, and even the attention to detail on how the stones of the wall in the bg are stacked, are all awesome. This picture is the sort of thing that makes part of me want to burn my sketchbook and stick my head in the oven, and another part of me strive and hunger to reach that lvl of skill. The only thing I could say about this piece is that the light is a little confusing. At first I thought it must be coming down from the sealing at a slight angle pointed at her chest from the right side of the picture. (Probably somewhere above where the book is?) Now however I think that maybe what is supposed to be going on is the light from the upper left is reflecting off the book and onto the countess? Overall still an awesome job.

Mimer - The angle of approach on this one is nice, and your countess definitely looks crazy enough to kill 600+ ppl. Her arm that is out of the blood seems odd. The area around her clavicle and upper chest wear her shoulder meets her body seems very flat, also the forearm looks to cylindrical, and it almost seems like her hand disappears as soon as it hits the blood.

Nutter - The spirits or demons or whatever those scary things behind the countess are are cool as hell. Your countess almost (almost but not quite) looks sympathetic to her victim but then its almost like the demons of her cracked mind are behind her convincing her to sacrifice yet another virgin to her blood lust. Very interesting image but I think your women are a bit stiff it would be nice to see the same painterly fluidity in them as you put in those scary spirit things.

Pixeltuner - I like the robe and the expression of almost contempt on your countess's face. Also you did a wonderful job of making your blood so... bloody. especially the trail on the floor that is almost sickening to look at. Her bent leg bothers me a little it looks almost like she is walking with an injured back shuffling across the floor. (which I guess would explain the blood trail as opposed to bloody footprints) With one knee bent and both feet flat on the floor her stance just looks uncomfortable and a little unnatural. I think if you pointed her toe (like she was slipping into her slipper or something) or straightened her knee a bit?

Well crap, I'm going to have to cut this short for now. I'm sorry that I haven't gotten to everone. I promise I will try to come back and finish up the book that I've started here. Thanks again for all the help, crits,and encouragment. This CHOW has been a lot of fun.

Take care,
Adam

[Adam Schumpert]

Ok lets see where was I.... oh yeah chapter 2 :P

The Whistler - The style of this is very nice. I really like the palette you chose for your piece. I like the axe. The brutal strength behind such a weapon, its almost barbaric simplicity, tends to make me think about your countess as the perpetrator of a crime of passion rather than a planned out vile murder. Axes, unlike swords and knives, are weapons we equate with brute force. They are simple, quick, and to the point. This is because axes where a common tool used for many things other than killing. Everyone had one to chop firewood, split boards, ex... So your standard wood-chopping axe was more likely to become a commoners weapon of choice if they needed to fight or defend themselves. However, axes where not as highly regarded as weapons by nobility as a sword which was only made for killing and was more likely to be the weapon of choice for someone who could afford to spend money on a tool they wouldn't use everyday. Also axes lack the finesse and agility which can be achieved with a knife or dagger. So all that being said the fact that your countess is wielding an axe tends to make me think maybe in a fit of rage (maybe someone told her she looked old or something) she grab the nearest implement with which to kill her victim and the bloodstains tell the rest. The expression on her face seems almost confused which lends something I think to the crime of passion. Kind of like she's not exactly sure of what just happened. Overall I like the piece. There are parts especially in her skirt and sleeves that seem almost too soft though which seems to clash with the tighter parts such as her face. Also the blood spatter on her chest doesn't seem to follow the contours of what it is supposed to be on making it look flat like blood spattered on a photo.

Xaya - I like the look you went with on your countess. Her jewels and gown are nice although I liked the longer robe from your first few WIPS better than the shorter one in your final. The expression of your countess is interesting cold callas see doesn't even really seem to be looking at the girl she is about to kill which is kind of creepy. The lower portion of your piece seems unfinished when compared to the upper portion. Also I would check the position of her right elbow. (the one on our left. not the one holding the knife) It seems a bit low to me which makes her right arm seem longer than her left, but then again anatomical proportion is something I know I constantly need to work on myself so like I said you might want to check.

Vaughany_boy - I understand where you were heading with this piece. I totally empathize with your statement about your thought process when approaching this piece. The thing about illustration or character concept is that, even though you may be portraying something that is not your creation or idea, you still must express your thoughts and feelings about the topic through the visual media, just as if you where creating fine art to make some personal statement. Whew! talk about something that is easier said than done! Especially showing something as complicated as ruthlessly maintaining the secret of torturing and killing hundreds of people in a character concept picture. However showing a young looking, beautiful, noble who is also a ruthless psycho murderer on the other hand is still difficult, but obtainable. As far as the picture itself goes I think you are running into some anatomy problems: her head even though she is looking down still looks to long from the eyes up; her neck is very thick coming out almost the full width of her head which can be common in male athletes but not usually young women; the exposed ribs on her right seem odd considering you cannot see them at all on her left side; her left forearm seems to have an odd bend to it like her bones are made of rubber almost, and I maybe wrong but the crease at the top of her left leg makes it seem like her crotch is too high. Also your background is very flat. While your color change gives a slight illusion of space around her there is nothing that tells us what surface she is standing on. With no shadow, no horizon line, and nothing to show a difference between the level of the blood puddle and the floor it almost looks like she is simply floating in a red and blue kind of murky space somewhere.

Timothee - It seems you are going for a stylized approach which is rather interesting. I like the design of her outfit, and your rendering and coloring of her seem to fit very well. She does seem to be a bit off balance something with the angle of her feet maybe? If you are going for a realistic piece then you have a few issues with her anatomy that you might take a look at. Her head size and shoulder width especially.

Alo - Very interesting style you chose, I like it. Looks like you worked very fast and loose almost like you where drawing from your shoulder instead of your forearm or wrist. Its a good example of how much information can be delivered with very little visual output given. Kind of a less is more type thing. For example I love the arm coming out the tub. I can read the form of the arm and hand clearly with just the few strokes you've given and my mind just fills in the rest. Its an interesting style and the expression of guilt is an interesting take on the subject. Almost makes her seem more human than monster to know that she might feel some remorse for what she has done. Of coarse that leads to a whole new level of creepy when you start to be able to empathize with such a frightening character and see her as a more real person with real feelings and emotions. Guilt of doing something you knew was wrong and fear of aging there by eventually dieing are common emotions almost everyone shares at some point. Its scary to think what someone might do to quite their fears or forget their guilt.

Ok wow 14 more to go... but not tonight too tired. I apologize if I have become too psychological or long winded. I also apologize if anything I've said upsets anyone. I would like you all to know that I have the utmost respect for each and every one of you. Anything I've said is simply given to try to help you reflect upon your own work, and maybe somewhere along the way be helpful advice to you as an artist. I apologize if at anytime I come off as arrogant or cruel that is not my intent and more than likely I probably didn't mean whatever I said the way it sounded. In the end all I want to do is help if I can.

I'll be back to finish up as soon as I can.

Take care,
Adam

[Adele]

cooool! I like the feel of Burton you guys are getting from mine...he would have to be one of my favourite directors and when I first started uni years ago I wanted to work on his films in the art department...but for this I was just doing my own thang...hence the cartoonish feel...and yes, I did want her to look as if she was in a serene madness.
On the comment the colours are muddy, you know what, I think my monitors are calibrated wrong! Can ANYONE out there help me with some correct settings for a Samsung SyncMaster 931c and a Wacom Cintiq 12x? Funny because usually my work is so bright and I have to desaturated stuff. But thanks for letting me know how it looks.

I would LOVE to be working on the Tim Burton 'Alice In Wonderland' film...I love Alice and Burton and I always wished he would make the film...I hope its not sing-songy like Chocolate Factory was...i hope there is stop motion in too!