Chow 139 :: Jiao-Long, Velociraptor

[daestwen]

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii293/chowarchive/CHOW-LINES/CHOW-LINES-MEDUSA.jpg

ROUND #139 :: Jiao-Long, Velociraptor

DESCRIPTION

Jiao-Long is no ordinary pet. Found deep in the jungles of a far off land, the all-powerful Emperor had the great beast brought to the Forbidden City as both a prize for China, and as a symbol of greatness to his people.

Jiao-Long is a velociraptor, a vicious predator made half-tame by numerous handlers and a life-time of pampering. He is the last of his kind - a bizarre accident - somehow millions of years from where science expected him to be. He is fed only the freshest food, and the rarest - baboons, tigers, elephant, brought from all over the world. He has presents lavished upon him both by the Emperor himself, as well as all who wish to please the emperor. Though he has been known to kill handlers when he is displeased, he shows a remarkable amount of intelligence and cunning, and the Emperor lists him among his 'most cherished advisers'. Whether this is true, remains to be seen.

He is, however, revered at almost an iconic status - seen as being kin to the dragons of legend and the ultimate symbol of the Ming Dynasty's Power.


Notes on this round:

- A velociraptor
- Ancient China (Think Ming Dynasty, but feel free to fiddle with this as much as you want)
- This is NOT a COW - this is a CHOW. Make sure he has personality!
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DEADLINE
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 2008
Deadline is Sunday, at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5).
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:right: FOLLOW THE TOPIC.

:right: POST YOUR FINAL IN THE FINALS THREAD.

:right: SAVE YOUR FILES IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT. Chow##_Nickname
example: "CHOW#100_Oblio.jpg" ;)

:right: PLACE THE IMAGE IN A FRAME WITH YOUR NAME/TOPIC

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/ChowPics/frame.jpg
(you can add CA logo, etc).


POST YOUR FINALS IN THE FINALS THREAD!
Remember to include your nickname in the file name.

About quality - as general rule: if your shapes and values are not decent - you are out. Watch proportions, perspective etc. we need perfectly readable shapes and coherent, consistent values.

_____________

BE PROFESSIONAL - only finished and good quality entries will be taken to the poll. Oregano and Daestwen (yay!) will make the selection.

[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)


PLEASE NOTE REVISED DEADLINE!

[Relic]

Sorry to interrupt,but in China,"Jiao-Long" refers in particular to hornless dragon who lives in water,and he is the cause of a flood.:)

[grenogs]

Sorry to interrupt,but in China,"Jiao-Long" refers in particular to hornless dragon who lives in water :p

or aquatic dragon, which could also resemble a crocodile or alligator,

[Wiggers]

I know you point this out on your notes but this does sounds more like a COW than a CHOW.

[Elder-Of-The-Earth]

This is definatley a cow and besides that, velociraptor isn't a very creative concept that we have to think about it. Anyone can do that. please, at least put some twist into it.

---
The world is inside of your heart

___________________________
DA webpage Elder-Of-The-Earth.deviantart.com/

[Elder-Of-The-Earth]

I don't know guys. I believe for this chow we have to come up with a very unique artwork because just a velociraptor it's not a big deal. Use your imagination guys. Come up with something extraordinary. If you reconsider it, we can do a lot with this. Maybe this isn't much like a chow but we can do a great cow. Right?

---
The world is inside of your heart

___________________________
DA webpage Elder-Of-The-Earth.deviantart.com/

[yoitisi]

Wiggers, Elder-Of-The-Earth: I'm not sure if you guys are aware of one of the most basic rules of COW, but that is that COW is about a species rather than a single creature. Hence, this for sure is not a COW.

Apart from that, I fail to see how this is an unimaginative topic. Since nobody knows what exactly a velociraptor looks like, you still have a lot of freedom in the design of it already. It's a dinosaur! How can that not be awesome to draw? Add to that the fact that it is a lonely survivor and is the pet of an Ancient Chinese Emperor and you have your character right there.

If you don't think a pet can be a CHOW, you obviously have never watched any Disney movie (or a number of other movies with creatures in a major role that I'm not going to list here - it's pretty much endless). Just look at how some people dress up their dogs or spend money on a simple leash.

I think I might even enter this round now...

[Wiggers]

Very well put yoitisi!

[daestwen]

Sorry to interrupt,but in China,"Jiao-Long" refers in particular to hornless dragon who lives in water,and he is the cause of a flood.:)

Oh, blah. The internet fails me again! Any recommendations to fix it?

As for the COW/CHOW question:

Though Yoi already put it much better than I will probably, I would just like to point out that there have already *been* creature chows (most notably 'Cedartuft the Squirrel Mage' and 'Smaug'). I know I'm asking a lot from you guys since dinosaurs are a bit hard, but there is a lot of room for you guys to play around with this. The trick is to figure out how to get across a creature's individual personality and character, even with something iconic as a velociraptor.

Think of the jungle book, for example, if you want ideas for how to make animals into characters. Yes, each of those characters certainly looked like the species they belong to, but you wouldn't confuse them with someone else! (Disney actually does this really well in a lot of their movies.) You have your work cut out for you because this is an image and not an animation, but Chow is about challenging yourself and getting better, not just drawing what you know you can already draw!

For this particular CHOW, if you want ideas for how you can make him "not just a dinosaur", I suggest looking at something called "Dinotopia".

[Sorknes]

COW is creating a species where it is utmost important that the creature does in fact not have any individual traits, but can be seen as a representative for the whole species. A ChoW has nothing to do with species, it has to do with inviduality and it is utmost important that we can single out the character from the rest of the species. If you guys are ever going to work with this, (or forbid - already works with it and do not know the difference), this is something you have to learn. Which is what COW and ChoW and all the other weeklies is all about.

Do you just draw "a human" on every single topic that is about a character that happens to be of the species homo sapiens?

If you look at this topic and think just "a velociraptor" when reading it, you fail. Meh. Go rewire yer brains, folks.

[kelly x]

this is awesome... a brutal moody pet?? I want one!!
I've never done CHOW, but this sounds cool, good job Daestwen.

[Claudio Grassi]

Yay Dynazawrs!!!!!! :teeth:

[Asatira]

I've actually started some thumbnails. The challenge would be getting across the attitude and sense of opulence in a killer dinosaur. I like the idea.

[Wiggers]

ok Sorknes i get it, time to step down from your soapbox:)

[Sorknes]

Sowwy, I blame the hormones... :P

I'm actually looking forward to this one, I've been playing with ideas in my head while trying to finish my countess. ^^

[Wiggers]

lol sorkness:)

[Jazz]

daestwen, maybe to fix the issue of the name, it could be something as simple as "mistaken identity" where everyone thought this dinosaur was a dragon or something else! It would sure make Jiao-Long upset if someone or something figured out the truth. lol!

[Elder-Of-The-Earth]

I'm sorry that anyone misunderstood me. I didn't make this up all by myself. In cow's rules it did mentioned no individual or character. It also mentioned that no human like creature and no accessories or clothing. Well this sounds like a velociraptor which all know it’s a famous dinosaur. But I also understood that this is a particular creature. And as Daestwen, no one failed you. It's just a very confusing topic. Don't think that I hate it. I'm in. but still it was better to involve a human character.

Like I said in my last post, it's a difficult concept in order to get it special. Other wise just a velociraptor that we all have seen in Jurassic Park, won't be an artwork. It needs details.

---
The world is inside of your heart

___________________________
DA webpage Elder-Of-The-Earth.deviantart.com/

[alesoun]

An arrogant, cunning, wise advisor to the Emperor who EATS people and has scales?

I missed Smaug; so I'm definitely in on this one!

[Vorace]

Fun topic!!

Will try to get something in time eh!

interesting fact about raptor (from wiki):

Fossils of dromaeosaurids more primitive than Velociraptor are known to have had feathers covering their bodies, and fully-developed, feathered wings.[29] The fact that the ancestors of Velociraptor were feathered and possibly capable of flight long suggested to paleontologists that Velociraptor bore feathers as well, since even flightless birds today retain most of their feathers.

[Artificially Awake]

wow, this one sounds really fun
definitely gonna try and get this one done in time, still mad i missed the last one cause i was too busy to finish it on time
i included my 2 ref images for this as well

critique encouraged, i wanna know what you think of the sketch so far? pose etc
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/prep-executioner/chowwip.jpg

[Moai]

I think this is a very cool topic!
A couple of things to consider. First, like Vorace said, Velociraptors are universally portrayed as feathered nowadays. They are very closely related to the lineage of dinosaurs that gave rise to birds, and several related non-avian dinosaurs have also been discovered with feather impressions. Secondly, Velociraptors are roughly half the size they were in Jurassic Park. Just six feet from snout to tail.

Here's a very nice site for studying the anatomy of dinosaurs: Skeletaldrawing.com (http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/). It even has a page devoted to Velociraptor (http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/velociraptor/dromaeosaurpage.htm)!

[yoitisi]

Started sketching for a bit. Trying to figure out what my raptor will look like but kept it pretty toned down for now. Also did some reading up on Chinese history, but it's pretty complex...

Guess I'll have to do a lot more sketches to figure this one out.

536616

[fionkell]

Sweet mercy! I have to do this one. DINOSAUUUURRRRR :D

Also Yoitisi, looking real nice there. Could be cool if the headfeathers developed into some sort of a crest?

[MJ_Alcazar]

Sounds fun! I should have some time starting Wednesday, so I'll maybe finish this time!

[Relic]

or aquatic dragon, which could also resemble a crocodile or alligator,

Quite right,in some of the antique books,"Jiao long" refers to a totally different aquatic creature,its concept quite like a dragon ,but its not.

But anyway ,it's just a name for a character,no need to fix it.I think it's great to go crazy about it.

[Dan!]

first stage
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q81/DECYPL/llongcopy.jpg

[meganite]

I normally do COWs, so this will give me an opportunity to break with the many rules of COW! Hooray for individual characters! A few notes:
-- A good page: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/saurischia/dromaeosauridae.html
-- Interestingly enough, Velociraptors are one of the many Chinese dinosaurs. Velociraptor mongoliensis is its scientific name, named thus because it was found in Mongolia.
-- Velociraptors are technically much smaller than those you see in Jurassic Park. I imagine they actually modeled their design after the much fiercer, larger, and blockier Deinonychus, which would travel in packs and attack much larger dinosaurs. Velociraptors aren't even as tall as a human. But the ancient chinese don't have to know that. Anyway, individuals might be larger or smaller, perhaps!

The way I'm going about this design is to try to think what could have built up many of the legends the Chinese have about dragons. And, if velociraptors have feathers, perhaps this explains the reason the chinese give their dragons poofy feathery tails and headdresses, and little tufts of feathery things on their limbs?

[matias]

Just a quicky, just trying to figure an arrogant dino-pose then I can starts on the pimp my raptor stage!
http://members.optusnet.com.au/matias.jakku/Linking%20Files/Zao%20Jao%20Raptor%20copy%202.JPG
Dan! awesome dude, I take advice from him!

[Nutter]

That's looking sweet already Matias. No time wasted.

[meganite]

Here are a couple of concept sketches:

A basic layout test:
536937
I realized that he's way too big for a real velociraptor... unless we're going with a different type of dromaeosaur...

Always need a good ortho. I did this to compile my research/ideas about Velociraptor anatomy:
536938

I still need to research Ming dynasty style jewelry and crafts.

[Studio Colrouphobia]

To handle the "water dragon" issue is not really that difficult. Many things can be done to mend that (if mending is needed).
The velociraptor might have been found near water and thus the current situation disregards its state as a "dragon of the water".
Likewise, the velociraptor can be _believed_ to be a "water Dragon"- which either shoes in the image or not. If shown in the image, I would suggest aot of water in the pen, alternatively a chinese garden where Jiao-Long would be held, that has alot of waterfeatures.
Or the dino might just like water enough for you to paint it taking a swim...

Many ways, hinted at or shown in full can make it work even if the velociraptor is more of a bird then a fish...

[grenogs]

since this is a character, would he be classed in the same way as a pet dog, or does he have the inteligence and vocablary of any human due to the millions of years of evolusion. or is this totally open to interpretatation?

[grenogs]

i havent done one of these for a while, but it looks quite interesting, especially with 2 of my most favourite subject, dinosaurs and oriental. Anyway heres a quicky, more of a colour study than anything, still needs a lot of work, especially with that great huge gap to one side.
just reread the brief to this, i think i've gone a little to cutie dinotopia with him, he needs a little more nastyness given to his character

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x279/grenogs/chinesevelos.jpg

[Clochette]

Jurassic park lied! Velociraptors were not big lizards but more big scowling turkeys! Haha thanks wiki! :P
Fun topic, and the ancient China dimension adds challenge! :)

http://www.dinosoria.com/images/veloci_plume.jpg

[daestwen]

since this is a character, would he be classed in the same way as a pet dog, or does he have the inteligence and vocablary of any human due to the millions of years of evolusion. or is this totally open to interpretatation?

I'm going to leave this open to interpretation for the sake of competition (that and I think talking dinosaurs are really funny...), but my personal opinion would put him somewhere in between. As it says in the brief, the Emperor *did* claim that the dinosaur was on staff, but he was probably full of it. :P He is very intelligent, but probably short of actually speaking human language. (Though, it would be interesting if he had an 'interpreter' that would claim to be able to decipher his calls and growls and such into human speech... That person would end up having a lot of power over the emperor and and and... I'm running away with myself. Er.)

[Dan!]

some visual candy - utahraptor- note the awesome walk cycle at ~4:40
JU44I0p5F1g

[Clochette]

Start...

Edit : And update! I have still things to define better...
Thanks Hungryan and Stephan R! :)

[hungryan]

Clochette: I was also thinking of making this in a traditional chinese waterpainting style, but you've got ahead of me, and with this beautiful thing! Eh...
You've already got my vote.

[HareTrinity]

So many ChOWs have been human...

...Humans of specific gender, ethnicity and time period...

And "that's too specific" was never raised...

I think you're getting too put off by its being a non-human.

Pose, colour, skin ('raptors were probably feathered, but scales are used more), markings, other aspects/creatures/people included in the pic; none of these are specified! SIZE even is not touched (don't assume Jurassic Park, it exaggerated a tad).

Is he a wild beast caged, or a reptile happy with his place in life?

Is he dressed? Tattooed? Painted? Are his feathers, if he has them, styled? Does he get pillows or chains? Has he been mutilated in any way to make him safer or more in keeping with dragon legends, maybe some shaving?

If you really want some humans, throw in some servants for him? Or the people paid to keep him from eating the people, whichever your take!

I look forward to the finals!

[DefiledVisions]

this'll be fantabulastic!

[Stephan_R]

Clochette you have a refreshing perspective, I look forward to the final!

[daestwen]

Clochette: You are blowing my mind. I really love it.

[fersteger]

Well, here's my take so far. I plan to basically just put some elaborate costume on the Velociraptor, and figure out some context for the image, like he's sneaking out before dawn to kill babies or something...

Any comments and crits are very welcome!!

[MEMPER]

I do think this falls under COW definitions. Just because its the last raptor doesnt mean its a character. Its still a species. That opinion aside, I think a simple solution would be to make it an intelligent creature with some personality. That would then coincide with the mythology surrounding Jiao-Long being god-like.

[daestwen]

I do think this falls under COW definitions. Just because its the last raptor doesnt mean its a character. Its still a species. That opinion aside, I think a simple solution would be to make it an intelligent creature with some personality. That would then coincide with the mythology surrounding Jiao-Long being god-like.

Uh... did you read the brief?

[Miran]

OK, as far as the story goes it simply needs to be able to communicate... Human language, sign language :running away from the idea of telepathy :) : Whatever.
Unless it communicates, it's a creature.

There's nothing wrong with the raptor character idea.

[DefiledVisions]

Miran all creatures communicate. My cat goes nuts and starts raping my feet when its hungry.. even though I dont understand the poor thing, the suggestions behind his act tells me that he is hungry.
You have to go deeper than only communication to turn an animal into a character :)

Clochette - Love it, just totaly love it!

..heres my wip. The symbols in the back are Death - Dragon and Strength.

[Venger]

DefiledVisions, careful of that lamp, it looks like a thought bubble :)

[DefiledVisions]

DefiledVisions, careful of that lamp, it looks like a thought bubble :)

lol I didnt notice until now :D thanks

[Miran]

Miran all creatures communicate. My cat goes nuts and starts raping my feet when its hungry.. even though I dont understand the poor thing, the suggestions behind his act tells me that he is hungry.
You have to go deeper than only communication to turn an animal into a character :)



Heh, your cat certainly has a weird way of expressing itself :wink:

Seriously, though, what I initially had in mind was talking. I tossed in communication alternative just in case he's mute or something. Whatever the case, I had some more advanced communication skills in mind than rubbing against the Empreror's leg :D

[Sorknes]

What is wrong with you people? Read the brief and the posts after it.

You saying Lassie wasn't a character? Who put the idea into your mind that a creature can't be a character? Or that is has to speak or telepathic abilities to communicate, for that matter?

I'm soon gonna go buy me some plushies of Simba, Timon, Pumba, Lassie, Nemo, Bambi, Dumbo, Winnie-the-Pooh, Rudolf the Reindeer and all the dinos from Dinotopia I can find, and fill them with nails and gravel and throw them around....

I really wanna facepalm, but I'll try to sneak quietly back into the shadows and try not get too riled up instead.










.... Yes, it's one of those days.

[alesoun]

Ah! You're preggorz. You get away with it!

But seriously, nobody whined about Smaug. Is it harder because somebody took the "easy icon" away? You have to invent a character instead of interpreting an established one?

You're never going to have to do that irl, are you?
(edit) Hmmmmmm.... rubbing against the Emperor's leg? Lol! Maybe that's how he became a favoured advisor? ;)

[MJ_Alcazar]

Great starts everyone!

I've done a few sketches. Nothing was working. This is my latest. Going to play around with some more ideas and more research and do some more. :)

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0008-2.jpg

[vandalfish]

Just adding in my two cents on the whole COW vs. CHOW business..
this prompt is for a specific velociraptor, in a specific conditions, with specific traits.
It's a character. If your only reason for thinking it's a cow is that it's a species of animal, then my counter argument would be that humans are just another species of animal. Just because it's not human doesn't make it a COW... after all, COW's require you to create your own species, they don't tell you to draw a creature that already exists/existed.
Also, being able to communicate is not a requirement for something to be considered a character.

All that said, i look forward to working on this one!

[MEMPER]

yes Daestwen I did read the post, and re-read it. It describes a wild beast thats become "half tame". But after reading everyones posts I can now see what the intention is.

[alesoun]

MJ, are you a girl? Last time I looked, I was,too. PM me and join us on pillow fights! ;)

[fersteger]

MJ_Alcazar that looks really good, that raptor pose is awesome!!

[Demo]

u know before comming to CA i had no love for the dinosours, now i think their freiken asowme just goes to show artist make every thing better and cooler.
since im wussing out of EOW i think ill pick up on this one
have a great idea already

[Daniela Blanco]

This is my first time participating here........ hope you like it.........

It's just a sketch yet, but I think generally the idea is there.....
The only thing I'm still not sure if I really like is the armour ......

Critics and comments are welcome....

[MJ_Alcazar]

Hey danielablanco. Welcome to CHOW! Right now, the head looks a bit like a Tyrannasour head to me. Also, maybe look up bird skeletons, they really helped me out to figure out exactly how a raptor would look. and someone posted a really good link to the skeleton of a raptor. Also, try to get a smoother line going also. I know that's a lot to keep in mind, I really hope I didn't give out too much. But, we're all here to improve and help each other. Keep it up!

[¿Dubious?]

daniealablanco Im with you on the armor. I think I would get rid of it mostly because the brief talks quite a bit about how treasured and pampered he is so I dont really think he would need it. Of course you're certainly welcome to go that route anyway, lord knows armor wasnt used exclusively for combat. Just throwing in my opinion hope it helps.

[daestwen]

yes Daestwen I did read the post, and re-read it. It describes a wild beast thats become "half tame". But after reading everyones posts I can now see what the intention is.


I was more referring to this specific line of the brief, since you said the issue could be solved if he was intelligent:

"Though he has been known to kill handlers when he is displeased, he shows a remarkable amount of intelligence and cunning, and the Emperor lists him among his 'most cherished advisers'."

Ususually 'cunning' implies some sort of self-awareness, though in a bit of a malicious sense (aka plotting, etc)...


To Everyone Else:

That being said, I'm getting a little tired of the in-fighting, folks. You're welcome to your opinions, but this is this week's brief, and if you don't like it, you are not required to participate. Thank you.

[Vorace]

my WIP!!

[matias]

Wow, sweet work Vorace! Hes got a real glint in his eye, I would not like to be that dude cos it looks like hes a few word away from being decapped!

Also Clochette thats coming along really nicely cant wait to see it all done cos right now it fantastic!

[Venger]

Think you missed the exclamation of the title Vorace (raptor-jesus!):P

Nice forms (need's bigger claws!)

[Pixeltuner]

here's my lunchbreak take on the subject. Nothing too serious though :p

[zimfin]

Wow, there is some outstanding work already. Well, I might as well jump in too. Might learn something! This is my idea so far.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/zimfin/chow139_zimfinwip1-1.jpg

[vandalrat]

I feel like cancer when posting my stuff here in CA.

Anyway, thanks to a combination between artistic license and poor rendering skills I made a samurai parakeet.

537695

My thougth was, if you have a pet raptor migth as well send him to war.

[Daniela Blanco]

Hey danielablanco. Welcome to CHOW! Right now, the head looks a bit like a Tyrannasour head to me. Also, maybe look up bird skeletons, they really helped me out to figure out exactly how a raptor would look. and someone posted a really good link to the skeleton of a raptor. Also, try to get a smoother line going also. I know that's a lot to keep in mind, I really hope I didn't give out too much. But, we're all here to improve and help each other. Keep it up!


Thank you MJ..... these are realy good help to me..........I'll work more on it......

daniealablanco Im with you on the armor. I think I would get rid of it mostly because the brief talks quite a bit about how treasured and pampered he is so I dont really think he would need it. Of course you're certainly welcome to go that route anyway, lord knows armor wasnt used exclusively for combat. Just throwing in my opinion hope it helps.

Thank for your opinion....... I like the idea of an armour on him........ as you said he doens't need to be in a combat for using it.........but I still don't like this armour...... :[

Vorace.... it's really great.......keep up with that!!

[MarkDN]

Bored pampered pet

537703

Oh go on then, have some feathers. Hell, have a hot chicken harem, see if I care.

537840

More annon.

[Green-eyed demon]

here is my first sketch. Wanted him too be more human like considaring it's a Chow.

537789

[Alex Boy]

W.I.P. Let me know what you think, I tried to keep it simple.

[Clochette]

My crit about many of entries would be that your dino look like t rex... I think to Danielablanco, Pixeltuner, Zimfin, Green eye demon and also Vandalart in a way. Your raptor read very t rex... Maybe a more thin neck, longer mouth? It's a far parent of our birds, he had almost a beak...
Vorace : Hhuhuuh he shows his butt! :P Sweet! And the armor is neat!
MarkDN : He has a very funny expression and lazy pose, a lot of personality. Though his anatomy bugs me off, it looks like he has an alien in his abdomen, like in the movie you know... Or a dino erection? hahaha + with the chicken it really becomes hilarious! xD Dunno what was your point about it...
AlexBoy : Hehe cute! Hope to see more! :)
Defiledvision : Nice touch, but he reads more dragon than raptor now. Keep on!
MJ Alcazar : The pose is great! Add beautiful colors and he will rock! ;)

[zimfin]

Well, making some progress.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/zimfin/chow139_zimfinwip3.jpg
*edit* Sorry but this is not the image that was commented on in the following post by daestwen! I accidentally saved over the old one with this new version. All daestwen's points remain completely valid though!

[daestwen]

zimfin:

It looks like it's coming along, but I'm afraid I'm going to point out something, for a minute. :/

Using ref in Chow is of course allowed, though paintovers are not. Now, I know you're not doing a paintover, but your image *is* very, very close to this one:

537970

It's a little too close to really call it your own work, since you haven't changed the design, and in this case isn't a good idea anyway, since Jurassic Park got velociraptors pretty wrong - this looks a lot more like a utahraptor.

[MarkDN]

MarkDN : He has a very funny expression and lazy pose, a lot of personality. Though his anatomy bugs me off, it looks like he has an alien in his abdomen, like in the movie you know... Or a dino erection? hahaha + with the chicken it really becomes hilarious! xD Dunno what was your point about it...

I know, you're right. I was looking at a picture of a velociraptor fossil and saw that weird pelvic wishbone thing and wondered how on earth it would look laying on it's back with a fat belly. I'll have another think about that. Glad you see the personality, that's exactly what I was going for.

As for the chickens, they're... his chicks. Ya know?

I'd draw you a helpful explanatory picture but this isn't that kind of place.

Alex boy I like! There's a meaningful design and some character in there, keep developing him!

[AndreRuben]

fun topic!

figuring out the raptor..i didnt knew that they are not like in the movies...

also found this picture of a prehistoric bird i guess its the picture that illustrates the best the raptor in my mind.. of course the giant reptile stills influentiates that image a lot... xD

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Jeholornis_BW.jpg

here are some studies from images

[Clochette]

Think it's done! :)
Thanks for the feedback people! ^^

[Dan!]

updated wip on pg1

[kelly x]

this is my virgin chow! You may want to kick this one off... it is what I saw from the description of this pet, and for some reason mine has lots of things growing all over him... thanks and this is what I saw in my head. just a start. :geekg:

[meganite]

I do think this falls under COW definitions. Just because its the last raptor doesnt mean its a character. Its still a species. That opinion aside, I think a simple solution would be to make it an intelligent creature with some personality. That would then coincide with the mythology surrounding Jiao-Long being god-like.

I don't think this falls under COW definitions mainly because the species is already one that exists, whereas in COW you have to design a NEW species. This is an individual out of an entire species, so I don't see how it's NOT a character.

Also consider that the character of the velociraptor reflects the character of the emperor, because of how it's treated/pampered.

Again, the example of disney characters, etc. Many of them aren't human, actually. And even when they can't talk, they have character.

[chaosrocks]

yeesh
If daestwen says its a character, its a character
Make it so

and for goddess sake shut up and get to work

[Moski]

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[zimfin]

zimfin:

It looks like it's coming along, but I'm afraid I'm going to point out something, for a minute. :/

Using ref in Chow is of course allowed, though paintovers are not. Now, I know you're not doing a paintover, but your image *is* very, very close to this one:

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It's a little too close to really call it your own work, since you haven't changed the design, and in this case isn't a good idea anyway, since Jurassic Park got velociraptors pretty wrong - this looks a lot more like a utahraptor.
Damn. I am using 3 different refs for the raptor and since this one showed only the head and part of the hands I thought it was okay to follow closely. I had planned on adding accessories, possibly jewellery, clothing or something which would have one, covered the frame more and two, gave it more character, I just had not decided on what. I could look up more refs I guess, since more than one person seems to think this is not looking enough like a Raptor, (damn Jurassic Park! Lol) and make changes. Maybe elongate the snout, thin the neck a bit, I don't know. If I change the whole posture, it will be a massive pain in the ass.

*edit*
Okay, after checking, (properly!) I see the Jurassic Park refs suck and that the raptor was indeed, a lot more bird like. I have altered my image accordingly. I plan on making it very colourful plumage-wise, possibly with jewellery and hopefully I will have time to make some nice ornamentation in the garden. Maybe jade stonework.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/zimfin/chow139_zimfinwip3.jpg

[Artofinca]

meh wip

[Alex Boy]

Kinda finished, was a lot of fun to do.

[zimfin]

Good stuff guys. Some really nice characters I think.
I still have a lot of detailing to add to the pic, mostly on the building, but this is pretty much how it is going to look in the end.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/zimfin/chow139_zimfinwip4.jpg

[Tommoy]

Some very inspiring stuff here. It makes you want to join the party.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/Tommoy/COW139k.jpg

Update

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t19/Tommoy/COW139kc.jpg

[Vorace]

zimfin : the new one is much better :) good job!!

[HareTrinity]

Nice to see the other artists to join this conversation agree this is an awesome idea!

Meganite: Like the clothing ideas!

Grenogs: I know that's an early sketch, but it'd be nice to see more of him?

Clochette: He looks like Edward Gorey's The Doubtful Guest! Very cute so far, and I like the oriental hint in the style.

Festeger: It looks good, but very small... Hard to see anything of his face?

DefiledVisions: Aww... But I don't think they could move their tails that well...

MJ_Alcazar: Looking good but again the tail looks a little too twisted...

Danielablanco: Like the armour idea (if you're going to have a symbolic pet you went to all that trouble to get, might as well have him dressed up and looking worth it)! But like the others said, his anatomy looks off... Maybe Google "velociraptor attack" (http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=velociraptor+attack&btnG=Search+Images&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2)and have a look through those? I don't mean copy them, but use them to get an idea of the look/feel. No one else seems to be doing an attacking dino so far, so originality points!

Vorace: Obviously looking gorgeous, though personally I don't favour underbites, and I don't think their skeletons support the idea either... But hey, that's me being anal. I do like his general attitude to his servant there.

Pixeltuner: Awesome.

Zimfin: Ooh, basic lineart. Looks nice, the tail looks a bit off.

I'm under the impression the long-tailed dinosaurs made use of them for balancing their weight? Like they were a see-saw and the legs were the pivot, so for his head that high up his tail would be far down. I know it's not quite what kangaroos do, but velociraptors had the weight combined with the light skeleton (semi-hollow like a bird's, I think), and didn't use their "ankles" like a kangaroo does.

So I'd imagine 'raptors tried to keep a pretty horizontal spine parallel with the ground for the most part. But then, they're extinct, what would I know?

Vandalrat: Aww, cartoony!

MarkDN: Your chicken harem cracks me up! I know what you mean with the pelvic bone... Maybe if you have time to redraw him on his side it'd be less prominent? Go cartoony and lose it or be all "f-you perverts, no way am I folding away a skeleton to aid your confusion!" and leave it in!

Green-eyed_demon: I knew furries (scalies) would appear in here somewhere.

Alex_boy: Heehee, and I keep thinking he's on a DDR mat... Keep it cartoony, why not? But get the snout accurate and it'll look like a velociraptor no prob.

Got to go eat, see you! Sorry if I'm repeating stuff already said!

[Zimfin new thing: Om-nom-nom!]

[MJ_Alcazar]

Haretrinity - thanks. Yeah, I did have a question about that. I'm not sure if they could twist their tails or not. Hmmmm. What you said does make sense though. So, I think I'm going to go with that, and straighten the tail. :)

[hungryan]

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Some early sketches, and 2 WIP versions, 1 with twistable tail and one with not twistable. I kinda like the version which is more close to a dragon, the elongated picture format one with the twisted tail, what do you guys think?
I'v chosen to go with a japanese woodcut style (or something like that) instead of watercolor stuff. By the way, Clochette, is your picture purely Photoshop, or traditional media, or what?

[LORD M]

Nice going guys. You got some really great paintings going on.


I thought I would just post this, showing the real size of a velociraptor - showing that it's totally different then the size of the ones in Jurassic Park. :)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Vraptor-scale.svg/800px-Vraptor-scale.svg.png

[Timmy the Turtle]

Here's my shamefully crappy wip... hope it gets better :) great stuff, guys! :)

[Daniela Blanco]

Greta stuff here........a lot of inspiration and learning.....

Well........after a lot of tries and some constructive critics of you guys (thanks for that).............here is what I've got so far.......

The idea was to makethe velociraptor seems really comfortable in an human eviroment.............opening the door..........with the throne behind.....
And maybe talking to someone behind............:p........it's open for interpretations.....

Hope you like it.........
Now I need to put some color on it........

[Clochette]

By the way, Clochette, is your picture purely Photoshop, or traditional media, or what?

100% Photoshop! :)

[ozzymaru]

hey all, looks like i'm doing it this week too! just hope to get enough time to finish it off by sunday. got a quick sketch to show but need some c&c definitely.

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[corspufo]

Hey guys, good stuff. Vorace your WIP is awesome, love the detail and attitude. After see all the ref images people are putting up it's becoming more clear that the velociraptor wouldn't really be capable of killing a human on it's own. A pack of raptors is a different matter. Though with Daestwen's brief it seems more in line that the Raptor to be of the Jurassic Park/Utahraptor scale. Any opinions on this?

I'm probably not going to finish this round, but I started sketching the other night and here's what I've got.

[MJ_Alcazar]

Ran into trouble with the tail. I had to add a piece of paper to add the tail. Unfortunately, my scanner can only take 9X11 pieces. Not a problem normally, except that when I added the piece of paper it became too big. Plus, it looks really crappy because the line is highlighted. I was going to color this in traditional media, (color pencils). Both the pencil and the color pencils will probably not show up when I take a picture with my cheap digital camera.
Any suggestions?

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/scan0010-4.jpg

[daestwen]

Though with Daestwen's brief it seems more in line that the Raptor to be of the Jurassic Park/Utahraptor scale. Any opinions on this?

If dogs smaller than that can kill human beings, I am very willing to believe that a dinosaur with razor-sharp claws is capable of it, even at that size.

[HareTrinity]

MJ_Alcazar: Would it work if you got his tail to go straight to the left, like his body was making a slight U-shape from above? Thinking so that, in the 3D sense, it goes out behind him, obscuring most of it, and then curves around so that the tip would be viewed above his head.

Might need to adjust his hips for that though, and I don't want to see too many edits, it's a great pic so far!

Probably best to wait and see what other artists suggest (I'm just a hobby artist in my spare time and my action poses are poor, plus I don't use traditional media much).

I guess there's always the option of not including the whole tail, but I do understand the lack of appeal in that.

[¿Dubious?]

In my opinion, and keep in mind that this is only my opinion, but I think everyone is getting a little to preoccupied with scientific accuracy. I mean remember that this is a dinosaur so most if not all of our research on it is pretty theoretical. Anyway all Im saying is that in my opinion we should feel pretty free to take artistic license with this one. That said here's what Ive got so far.

[Moski]

2~
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[Venger]

Damn it!
I didn't mean to start this - I've got work to do :)
Ah well its a way of loosening up!

I owe some inspiration to DefiledVisions, it was his lanterns that gave me the idea.
- Since he can't speak he communicates with bells - each bell has a different word on it - eat, death, life etc.
Sadly The Emperor usually asks about a prisoners fate, it's sealed with the ring of a bell!

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[¿Dubious?]

MJ I dont know why I didnt think of this earlier but why dont you do whatever you are going to do in traditional media then just scan each piece of paper digitally and stitch them together in photoshop. Seems like a pretty simple solution to your problem.
Venger love the bells. Sweet concept.

[Vulgar`]

Moski - His body could be a little less dark so his armor is more visible. Other than that, very nice.

[midknight523]

wow beautiful work all around!!

i was hoping someone would have drawn a raptor in an opium den lol

[Adele]

Clochette: beautiful!

Alex boy: very cute!

Tommoy: he looks so relaxed and sure of his position and security...he just looks happily taken care of...cant wait to see it done!

some other great ones in there too, but no one has drawn jeff goldblum with a raptors head yet?! :D

[Wiggers]

that's nice Des!

[zimfin]

HareTrinity: Thanks for the feedback, I have adjusted the angle of the tail as much as possible without it leading the eye off screen too much! Detailing the raptor's feathers and stuff now.

[MarkDN]

*listened to HareTrinity and Clochette*
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Hmm! And eee.

[ozzymaru]

ok here's more...

but i can't decide between a sleazy scheming politician or a lazy cunning general (the one with the armor)

btw, loads of cool stuff from everybody. really enjoyed watching everyone's progress.

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[meganite]

Wow, it's looking great, everyone!

MJ Alcazar - you might try simply scanning it so one side is right, then scan it so the other side is right, then overlap them in Photoshop and blend them together, so then all edges show up right. Not sure if I explained it that well, but hopefully you get the picture.

Hungryan - I love the style!! Can't wait to see the finished pic!

Venger - I like the way it's going! Also, the contrast of hue is great. He's looking very velociraptor-y =) I notice you're adding armor and stuff to make him look chinese dragon-y too. Looking cool!

Ozzymaru - wow, he certainly has character. I like the scheming politician attire...

Moski - Great detail! Though, he's looking a little bovine to me, from the way he's sitting.

Well, that's all the crits I have time for... Also, sorry everyone, I'm going to have to bug out on this one... my family is dragging me off on vacation and I just don't have time to flesh out the idea =( Sorry!!! Good luck everyone!

[Claudio Grassi]

Hi Guys...and Gals :)
Just started work on mine..but Im having trouble with it, so I dont know if I will have anything nice for the final but here it is....Im going for a bird-type Velociraptor with fleshy-bits which may or may not have existed :teeth:
I will explain it better by finals...the concept I mean. Still WIP-in' pretty bad.

Very cool designs..but I have to agree with whomever mentioned that they seem a bit off as far as a Velociraptor goes..I think Venger's is most like one...structurally, at least..It's true, most of what we "know" about their appearance is conjecture, but we DO have skeleton remains..which give us a basis for their look.

Anyhow...here's my abortion..
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[corspufo]

Ozzymaru: I understand you taking liberty with the look of the character, but you should really remember to keep the main characteristics of the raptor. Mainly the large curved claw is missing from your feet. Aside from it's hunting habits, that claw is what makes the Deinonychid family so distinct. Right now your raptor looks like a mix of Alligator meets Skeksis. BTW, I prefer the politician look. I think it falls more in line of adviser than the general.

Moski: I like the way you've painted this image. I also like the lighting a lot. But it's the hands on the raptor that are bothering me. They're too big, too thick really. Raptors had slighter fingers and arms. It was the legs that did all the damage for the kill. The arms were mainly for balance and holding on, while their hind legs lacerated their prey.

Venger: I love the head. I think you've done a great job. I'd really love to see this make it all the way to the end. Good work and keep it up!

[zimfin]

Well, I am almost done. If anyone see any faults I need to fix, shout out.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/zimfin/chow139_zimfinfinal.jpg

[Venger]

It was the legs that did all the damage for the kill. The arms were mainly for balance and holding on, while their hind legs lacerated their prey.



Actually, they reckon that they just used the claw to hold on while the teeth did the work.
They don't have enough power in their legs to lacerate their prey. It was more likely to puncture it's victim, but it wasn't a fatal puncture.

They made a robotic version of a Velociraptors leg and tested it on pork and crocodile (hardly punctured the crocodile at all). When they upped the pressure to see if it could lacerate the claw snapped off!

[Claudio Grassi]

They made a robotic version of a Velociraptors leg and tested it on pork and crocodile (hardly punctured the crocodile at all). When they upped the pressure to see if it could lacerate the claw snapped off!

oooOOOOOOOh! got a video link of that to share????? :teeth:

[Venger]

Sadly, most of them have been taken down.
The program was called 'The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs' Ep.2 is the one with the Velociraptors and the leg test.
Though I couldn't find the leg test there was a few videos of them using the claw to puncture arteries in the neck (animation)(sadly it's in French)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hNAe0X01psc&feature=related

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2005/oct/news_6867.html

[MarkDN]

WIP #the next.

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[ozzymaru]

Mainly the large curved claw is missing from your feet. Aside from it's hunting habits, that claw is what makes the Deinonychid family so distinct.

Thanks corspufo for pointing that out. I was a little off with the leg i guess. will fix that up soon.

Venger> I love the concept of the bells!

MJ - You can scan the picture in two parts and then touch it up in photoshop later. BTW, I feel that the little tree on the far right corner is getting a little confused with the end of the tail. (just my 2cents)

Moski - great job in the paint style. I wish I could do that. grrrrr... <slapping my hand silly>

[MJ_Alcazar]

Thanks Ozzy, I'll fix that up. And thank you guys for the suggestion, I'll do that.

So, that leaves me with, Daestwen - do I have enough WIPS to go to the Finals Thread with? Or should I scan some of my early ideas in there with my finished piece? I think It'll be too much if I tried to do scan that way every few minutes. :)

[daestwen]

Yah, MJ, go ahead. It would be cool if you scanned some of your early stuff, though, always good to see.

[Daniela Blanco]

MJ_Alcazar: Great character you have there.............he certainly has personality.........I'm anxious to see it in colors.....it will be great...

Moski: I was already envying the first sketch........now I'm dying here.....:rolleyes: ................the character is really great and the painting style is even better.... But I do have a critic to do........his paws are too large in comparison with the rest of the body.... . but it's just my opinion

Venger: The idea of the bells is really awsome........ It gaves him a great concept..... The style is great too....

MarkDN: It's much better now.......He's so lazy in that position that it makes the character really believable....... And the sceanrio behind gave it a great mood.....

And here is my WIP...........I don't know if I'm liking it........but at least I'm trying....:p

[corspufo]

Venger: That's cool I hadn't realized they'd done those. I actually saw something similar with Great Whites and the power of their jaws, and made me reaffraid of sharks again. The Deinonychus which happens to be the largest in this family, I wonder if the same rules apply? The Deinonychus could reach heights equal to average humans, implying that they could take down larger prey. So I'm wondering if this creature would have it's claw ripped off as well? God I love dinosaurs.

MarkDN: I like where you're going with it. The lazy attitude and and way you've painted the head. I like it, can't wait to see it finished.

DanielaBlanco: Your raptor looks like it's wearing a sweater or a fuzzy dino-onesie. Perhaps fade the feathers/fuzz into the legs and up the neck. One of the things hurting this image are the grounding shadows. I would suggest removing the background and focus on the raptor. Once you've gotten to a point you're happy with, begin to bring the environment back in. Keep playing with it, I'd like to see you take it further.

[ozzymaru]

well, I think I'm done. dunno...
I guess this is it cos i'm travelling tomorrow..
I couldn't help but feel he would be more comfy in water. i know its scientifically not possible to float like that... but just couldn't resist it.
see ya guys soon. great stuff so far. can't wait to see all of them finished this sunday.

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[Venger]

Venger: That's cool I hadn't realized they'd done those. I actually saw something similar with Great Whites and the power of their jaws, and made me reaffraid of sharks again. The Deinonychus which happens to be the largest in this family, I wonder if the same rules apply? The Deinonychus could reach heights equal to average humans, implying that they could take down larger prey. So I'm wondering if this creature would have it's claw ripped off as well? God I love dinosaurs.



Actually the Utahraptor was the biggest :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utahraptor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinonychus

Not that I'm saying wiki is always right!

[corspufo]

d'oh! I forgot about the Utahraptor. The Utahraptor is a relatively new discovery though, it's easy to forget. I wish I could discover a dinosaur, I'd name him Awesomosaurus Rex, Awesome Lizard King!

[kelly x]

Jiao-Long, Velociraptor
I don't think I'll make this on time, still trying Dash!! I am very slow these days and/or everyone else is fast??..

Everyone's look really great and this is a fun subject, you make brain work...

[Clochette]

Kelly, remember that we have to show the main part of the character body. :/ I don't know but I think we don't see enough of the raptor to understand his design... and it's a character design after all! ^^

[MarkDN]

corspufo - thanks. I'm not actually too sure where to go with it though, in the time remaining. I can't spend that much more time on it.

I mean, I know the background could use (a lot of) work and the anatomy and lighting isn't great, but it's the character's dress I'm worried about (ie he's mostly naked). I might vary his plumage a bit too actually.

Also, for what it's worth, I did these;

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Hmm.

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____________
[Edit - and again]

Here he is with his his first consort...
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[daestwen]

Guys, just a reminder to post your wips in the winners thread! Or at least a link to them! :)

[zimfin]

Guys, just a reminder to post your wips in the winners thread! Or at least a link to them! :)
Phew! Thanks for that! I missed out on that info before when I read up on the guidelines. Posted them now.

[hungryan]

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Just another WIP before finishing it. Am I right that I have around 20 more hours for that?

[daestwen]

Just another WIP before finishing it. Am I right that I have around 20 more hours for that?

You actually have well over a day. Sunday, a minute to midnight, at GMT -5 (so think England time, but five hours behind that).

[MJ_Alcazar]

Tying it together wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I might start redoing some things. I'm afraid that I'll do too much if I go into it too much.

I went to a friends funeral today, so I'm dedicating this entry to him.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/Seloh_Eft/jiao-long.jpg

[MJ_Alcazar]

MarkDN - really liking his pose. I think the plummage is just fine, but if you wanted to add more, maybe add plumage around his back legs, like the short, downy looking stuff on a birds legs. It would also work to give him the appearance of wearing pants. Just a suggestion though. Like it the way it is.

danielablanco - I agree with another poster that the raptor looks like he was plucked or is wearing a sweater. Maybe add some longer feathers and have the feathers you have now fade into the other parts that are featherless right now. Keep pushing it!

[MarkDN]

MJ_Alcazar, that's some gorgeous plumage you've got going on there, mine looks like a ruddy sparrow by comparison. I think my dude has feather envy.

[MarkDN - really liking his pose. I think the plummage is just fine, but if you wanted to add more, maybe add plumage around his back legs, like the short, downy looking stuff on a birds legs. It would also work to give him the appearance of wearing pants. Just a suggestion though. Like it the way it is.
Rgr that RE: the downy ass/pants feathers, cool idea, will do if I have time between now and then. Also, I'm thinking tail ribbons and some extra bling. Ornithology, perchance opulence and ostentation. Totally, erm, orthentic? Oh yes.

Also; what does anyone think Jiao-Long's chicken consort and their lil chicktor?

[Venger]

MarkDN Actually I loved the little crossbreed chick :) I thought it a nice touch.

[capnpyro]

Hi all, some great work here. I think this is my first post, and my first attempt at one of the activity posts here. My idea for the raptor is he was a gift to the emperor's spoiled daughter. Being domesticated he takes care of the spoiled princess and sees her like his owner, she's dressed the raptor in a mocking of her father's emperor bobbles, along with a bell collar to let everyone know when the raptor's coming. I wanted to keep him looking as aggressive as I could to contrast with her.

wip
http://tylerendicott.com/raptorwip.jpg

Any suggestions are welcome, I'm very new to concept art and have alot, lot to learn

[ianthegeek]

This is my first "of the week" and it's pretty obvious i wont get it finished by the deadline. Haven't painted consistently in a long time and pretty new to digital painting but excusses aside heres a quick wip. Be brutal but constructive if you like. It's the only way i'm likely to learn... Right?...

[MarkDN]

Man, I am FREEZING. Argh, seriously. Cannot give this another minute, my fingers will drop off.

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[Venger]

All done, though I messed up, thought I'd saved it before I turned it into a collapsed jpg - D'oh!

I have an older version of it, I guess I could copy and paste and then tidy up (though it'll be a lot of work) :(
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[daestwen]

New Round is Up! (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=144346)

You have at least an hour still on this round, though, and probably a little more than that as I'm a little busy.

[daestwen]

Poll is Up! (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=143995)