Chow 161 :: VOTING :: The CITY

[Aly Fell]

FINALS ONLY
-=ROUND 161=-
-=The CITY=-

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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 #161 :: The CITY

DESCRIPTION

No it's not Environment of the week! ;) Thanks to Zaxser (http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1910752#post1910752) for this suggestion.

This week we want you to take a city, anywhere in the world, your own, or another, and visualise it as a character. Present a city as a human personality, male or female it’s up to you. If possible try to avoid national costumes, and instead imagine how the city would look as a person.

Zaxser’s suggestions:

London is crying. It's just one of those days.

Paris is such a tease.

New York is a huge .

People think of Miami as a party girl, but she keeps her secrets well with an abyss of hidden depths.

Tokyo is incredibly obese, writhing and feeding. No one knows where she ends and her sisters begin.

Some people say everything is bigger in Dallas. Some people lie.

Since the flood, New Orleans just hasn't been the same.

New Amsterdam is the normal one in the family. What's their problem?

People keep saying a character can be a plant, an animal, an object, a place. All it needs is personality. Prove it. Present a city as a character.

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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.


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)
-------------------------
: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 REMEMBER TO WRITE YOUR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION UNDER THE IMAGE IN THE FINAL BURNING THREAD SO I DON'T HAVE TO HUNT YOU DOWN LATER!

---

Quick Check: Have You Submitted Your Chow Properly?

- is it named correctly? (ie, "CHOW#100_Oregano.jpg")
- has it been uploaded using the attachment editor?
- have you also uploaded or linked to your wips?
- have you followed the brief?

Good luck!

[Rabies]

Since Babylon is just ruins now, i had to base my entry on symbolism and describtions from wikipedia lol.

Babylon lies in the region Sumer, which was said to be the cradle of civilization. Thats why i pictured Babylon as pregnant, which at the same time decided that Babylon was a "she". The Hanging Gardens is represented by her hair. The halo represents the strong religion there was in the city. The mask symbolises the mystique; we will never know what it was like or what they knew, all we can see is the shell which is what we can find in the dust. The scrolls is for their great knowledge. The snake represents the city god Marduk and the left leg thats breaking apart represents the babel tower and the violant fall of the city.

[Nadiamoon]

Moscow:

690280

690281

[lkjhgfdsa]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a134/jonoy/Speedpaint/lkjhgfdsaCITY_1.jpg

[courtyard]

Las Vegas...as eager to tease as she is to please, and my on-again/ off-again home for the past 20 years. She's one of the youngest major cities in America but likes to pretend that she's as old as the pyramids. Vegas Baby piles on all the identities her frame can carry, and then she'll add one more to make sure she has your full attention. And just when you think you have a handle on who this Roman-Egyptian-Parisian Flamingo Pirate is, she'll detonate that part of herself...just to keep you guessing.

690708

WIPs:

690858

And a key... ;)

690711

Courtyard, concept art, characters, urban, GIMP

[Cosmitron]

©Gérald Parel - Cosmitron -- concept art \ character \ other \ Photoshop


Challenging concept. So many great entries! I've decided to picture the romantic side of it. :)

[darkrain]

While I totally don't deserve to win, not having posted a single C&C and deserve every cold shoulder/sniff of disdain I get. Still I thought I should post it, having slaved over it in my nonexistent free time

I chose New Delhi, as you know, represented as a Transsexual Prostitute (as in a 'Hijra'). Holding all the hallmarks of Delhi subculture in her many arms: a spicy Butter Chicken Curry, A Sale shopping bag, a model of the Jantar Mantar monument and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Whiskey!!!

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb70/shonarain/CHOW161thecityFINAL.jpg

The WIPS showing some radical changes of approach:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb70/shonarain/WIPSCHOW161.jpg

The face before I erased all the sketched lines:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb70/shonarain/CHOW161thecitycloseup.jpg

[Clochette]

Aurélie Neyret 2009 / concept art / character / other (?) / Photoshop

My take on Sarajevo. it was an interesting topic! :)

690796

690797

690798

[pahavasa]

Pahavasa - concept art \ character \ other \ Photoshop

Helsinki is very keen to appear as an international metropolis to others. Thus he's smoking three cigarettes at a time and wearing a coat way too big for his thin frame. The design of the coat is loosely based on the clock tower of the Helsinki railway station. The "3T" in his belt buckle symbolizes that Helsinki is the only city in Finland that has trams and a subway system. 3T is the number of the popular tourist tram that goes around the city in circles.

The Finnish spitz puppy at his feet resembles his true self: no matter how much he tries to hide it, Helsinki still is a part of Finland, and therefore is doomed to be referred as "the place where people fight with polar bears" and "the country whose president looks like Conan O'Brien".

And yes, it always snows here and we all born with blue eyes and blond hair.

[Cup_of_Tea?]

Here is my Glasgow.
Working Class, Hardworking, Friendly and Cheeky, A bit rough, a bit unhealthy.

Sorry, I dont have much in the way of wips, this was done in one sitting.

[emerging]

My take on Vegas. Glamorous, seductive and rich. Calling you and showing you the money. But don't be fooled by his charismatic ways. Look deeper into his eyes and that "player" smirk...

Copyright info: Dimitri Sirenko - Concept Art - Characters - Urban - Photoshop

[crimson_shape]

Beijing:
Being at the center of Government, she is a control addict; decadent, lavish and rich beyond measures. She is extremely proud to be part of the hip crowd, yet she is not able to completely strip off the traditions. A try-hard modernist who exploits the working class ,which cannot resist her even though it is fully aware of her deleterious presence, to progress faster than anyone else.


http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5607/chow161crimsonshape.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9514/11536130.gifhttp://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1108/94474064.gifhttp://img211.imageshack.us/img211/1066/25040610.gifhttp://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7656/82818473.gif

[darklogik]

City - Denver, Attitude - Competitive Gladiator, Consumed with Pride for teams and competition.

[Martheart]

FINAL:
Amsterdam, a relaxed and somewhat trashy city of which the rich historical and cultural background is often overlooked.

[Ghostbrush]

CHOW 161 - The City

I have chosen to represent Hiroshima, She is a young city with a tragic past, but moving ever forward , growing and healing as time passes.

Her hair flows in a shape reminiscent of a mushroom cloud, depicting her history.
she is a young girl to represent the rebirth and growth of the city since 1945.
The light she is heading towards is the future, hopeful and promising.

Her costume has the shapes and forms of the Ginkgo Biloba flower, the first plant that grew after the atom bomb explosion, a symbol of hope for the city.
(thanks Clochette XD)

Alex Heath/concept art/characters/photoshop

Awesome round, loved participating and seeing everyones take on the brief. :yayca:

[Tommoy]

Berlin, fascism, communism, capitalism, Lili Marlene.

[ArtbyWard]

Hiroshima: a city that will always be remembered for one terrible event. The lower part of her dress resembles that event, but she has risen through it, like a Phoenix arising from it's ashes.

[hunchback]

Tokyo

Michael Berube aka hunchback -concept art/ characters/ other/ photoshop

[Felida]

Katharina Netolitzky aka Felida -concept art/ characters/ other/ photoshop

Munich: a pretty, really snobbish lady, sitting on a mountain of pillows like the princess on the pea. She's rich, sexy and she loves beer ;)

[dadoalmeida]

São Paulo | Brasil

[kingkostas]

Ok here my final
Good luck everyone

kingkostas-conceptart/characters/other/photoshop

Edessa(greece)-city of waters

[Gavage]

I have tried to depict Pripyat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prypiat,_Ukraine) as a figure struck by tragedy just as she began to bloom. Dormant, restrained, alone and slowly fading away; nature versus technology. A crumbling Sleeping Beauty with staggering levels of radioactivity in her blood.

The colour of the hair is based on the Red Forest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_forest), the clothing is based mostly on more extreme 1980s fashion, the coat partially constructed along similar lines to the ferris wheel that still stands in Pripyat; the torn parts following the style of the weeds that slip through the concrete floors and hang from the pipes in the ceilings. The mask is a combination of gas mask and Greek theatre - inspired by the statue of Prometheus that once stood in the city.

Jay Howell / ConceptArt / Characters / Other... / Photoshop

[Reymus]

Istanbul

The eastern end of the Roman empire, then the heart of the Byzantine Empire, then the capitol of the Ottoman Empire, today Istanbul is a city that is literally sitting on top of the ancient world. As it's size threatens it's stability, the crumbling history that holds it up is threatened by the weight of population.

D.Orbey/Concept Art/Characters/Other/Painter

[t i m]

Chicago

or

"Shhh-KaH-GOO!" as Ernie Grabowski likes to put it. Ernie is a large, outspoken, hardworking, hard drinking, BEAR of a man. A proud member of the Local 597 Pipe Fitter's Union, as he likes to tell it, "if it weren't for me and da boys that skyline ain't so famous." On the weekend you can catch Ernie grilling up some Maxwell St. Polish's, drinking an Old Style, and telling anyone in earshot just how great Michael Jordan really was... You tell em Ernie.

[rinjii]

awesome round- i definitely learned a lot with the helpful crits, so thanks for that, everyone :)

i now present Lady Amsterdam- the beautiful harlot who wistfully remembers her Golden Days and her sense of grace, royalty and city pride.

i transformed the infamous 'red lights' of the red light district into the bracelets and chokers that she's wearing. she smokes a joint but doesn't enjoy it, instead choosing to remember better days [her expression, the laurel wreath of tulips]- and shows off her pride by adorning the city's flag- for her own purposes, of course ;)

Copyright info: rinjii/concept art/characters/photoshop

[mojokingbee]

Lady London...

[Ronpower]

My entry is Rome:

[LogicINK]

Hey all! I've been watching these things forever and never had the courage or time (or both) to submit one. So this is my first. I hope I followed all the rules and the like.

Ran out of time with the painting, so I'm just submitting my lineart which I ended up being rather pleased with.

My take on Praha/Prague is that its a gorgeous seductive city that draws you in despite the often raged and dirty corners. There's a sort of "hiding in plain sight"/just around the corner feeling to the underbelly/dark side of the city. And yet, you can't take your eyes away from her....

I've become really concerned recently with character acting in my illustrations (one of my many weaknesses), so I tried to really push myself to use her expression and body language to communicate the character.

Crits are always appreciated :)

Great work by all on here this week! I loved this topic!

Thanks and Cheers!

[Matt Smith]

San Diego. For the most part I think its self descriptive, but I think that a lot of people that live here tend to be more free spirited or do what they want. So I gave the wing style tattoo and celestial tats or spiritedness if that is a word. Of course a sexy body cause everyone out here is in shape. There are many types of people that live out here, so I tried to capture something from everyone. I envisioned the city as a spirit or god type of entity so I had to give him a teched out super surf board that can hover and fly.

[JessiBean]

Jessica Oyhenart
Concept Art/Characters/Other/Photoshop

Austin, Texas

692682 692212

[no_name_brand]

San Salvador is a place desperate to be a modern city, despite it's immense poverty. A city wounded from civil war, a city that carries over 300 years of violent history. Despite all of this, it is a friendly upbeat and proud City. Ready to walk into the 21st century with it's head held high.

Awesome round every one and thanks for all the comments.

[PixelFish]

San Francisco: A laid-back city where you can remove the masks you wear. Kind of a techno-pagan. She's got a long history and a history of activism and culture. She's friendly to artists and crazy people. She's environmentally friendly (and while you can't tell, her clothes are probably made of all-natural hemp.) Of course, every so often she throws a tantrum, and you end up with a major earthquake, but most of the time, she's just chilling, making her own beat.

Annotations to the symbols: gold dust (for the gold rush), heart-in-a-cage tattoo (double duty for Alcatraz and "I Left My Heart In San Francisco"), goggles (technologically inclined), marijuana leaf border on her tank top, sash turning to fog, djembes (Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park), rainbow peeps (gay pride), Chinatown, the railroad (railroad barons built SF), the Golden Gate bridge, cracked ground (earthquakes), portrait of Emperor Norton (the most famous craaaazy person in SF history), Chinese coin, and a parrot from Telegraph Hill.

Copyright Info: Lis Mitchell: Concept Art/Characters/Other/Photoshop

[AhChu]

Here is IBIZA....ahhhh good times :)

[CKLamb]

Corey Lamb
Concept Art/Characters/Other/Photoshop

Austin, Texas


692249

692250

[Ranarh]

Gwanggyo will be a city south of Seoul, South Korea. (http://www.dbz.de/artikel/artikel_60722.html)

692305

692303

[NicHolS]

Stalingrad USSR - Dedicated to all those who lost their lives in the most determined battle in history. RIP.

[~baxter]

Finally done with this sucker.

I did Pittsburgh Pa, aka The Steel City. An industrious city, known for its steel industry in the past. Went with an old meets new take, meshing a tough old time steel worker with a some sci-fi robotics, as robotics is one of Pittsburgh's leading industries today.

The "Golden Triangle" is the nickname for the downtown area of Pittsburgh, and is show with the golden triangle motif.

Copyright Info: Erik Dolphin/ Concept Art/ Character/Other/ Photoshop

[mantoe]

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/mantoe/chow161_mantoe.jpg

Savannah, GA USA The jewel in the swamp. She has two faces.... The one the tourists see and the shadow one, where I live. Oldest city in Georgia, USA beautiful architecture, but nature is always encroaching and taking back what is her's. A city built on a swamp, there are no right angles on any of the buildings they are constantly sinking and shifting on the ground. Spooky and haunted it is a nexus of otherworldly power. Can you ride the wave?

W.I.P.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/mantoe/chow161_WIP.jpg

once I visualize the drawing in my head it is pretty much done. The only problem remaining is getting my hands to interpret the image properly. =)

[Carnifex]

ps keeps crashing,so here's my final...hope it's not too sketchy.

Istanbul.
(C) Carnifex - conceptart/characters/urban/photoshop.

[Hideyoshi]

Shanghai

[xgabo]

Rio de Janeiro - Skanky, Sweaty, Sexy and Dangerous.

[Sekino]

Iqaluit, the very old and very new city of 'many fish'.

692514

692517

Celeste Agnes/Concept Art/Characters/Stylized/Ink-Photoshop

[Phaethon]

Saint Louis

Mississippi River blues and the Gateway Arch.

[ThaDeus]

Here's my finished piece !
692583

WIPs :
692589

[openanewworld]

my city is Hong Kong it is a modern city but have so much old culture in it, most people think Hong Kong is a shopping heaven because its free trade system, it develops so fast also very crowd, and feel cold in heart when you stand surrounded by so many huge concrete buildings

[Jefita]

This is such an interesting round. I love all the descriptions and interpretations.

I chose to go with my home town for this one. I grew up in a small town in rural Oklahoma (middle of the U.S.), so no one will know where it is (kudos to you if you know where Kellyville is). Hopefully smaller cities are ok to do. I care a lot for my hometown, but I also find her sad and depressing. Plain and motherly, she is friendly and comforting on the surface. If you've been there all your life, you can see the wear and the depression. You can't keep any secrets from her. She cares for her children, but she's broken hearted because them at the same time, so she does it sort of wrong. She fetters your ambitions with comfort and familiarity, so it's hard to leave. I feel like this could apply to a lot of small towns.

As much as I'm glad I left my hometown, I do still have a soft spot for her, and this made me sort of homesick.

Copyright info: Amy Goodman (Jefita)/Concept Art/Characters/Other/Photoshop

[lennon]

About Buenos Aires:

Buenos Aires (wich means “good airs¨) once was the the head of the Spanish conquest in south america, it actually helds the La Plata river ("silver river") that stands in the name "Virreinato del río de la plata". Through that river spanish ships entered and went taking all the goods of the region.
Buenos Aires was also head of the independence but it has been falling every single time into the same destiny. As the cult city that was, full of foreign influence, and provaided with it´s own public univesity (that means free!), it has been the target for every dicator that every existed in Argentina (notably Rosas and a few military dictatorships).
Now it´s time to be held in chains again.

About my drawing:
-->I represented it as a proud and refine lady that is enslaved and beign sold to the higher bidder (always foreing contries). The sexual aspect of beign raped is also important as it show that it´s not beign sold for anything good or productive either. I tried to made some sort of stoic look in her face as she endures yet another of this humilliating tortures.
This is no laughing matter, and I didn´t enjoy much the harsh subject (watch throw my SB and see that it´s not common for me to draw this stuff), but I couldn´t represent this in any other way.

[Aly Fell]

ALERT! An hour and 15 minutes before choppy chop chop time! :)

[IndigoSummers]

Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah looks stunning by the light of day, and the image she presents to those who do not know her well is of purity, beauty, and wealth. But there is a great duality to this Southern Belle. Light and dark, rich and poor, safety and danger, morality and sin are all her bedfellows. She'd have you believe she is a cultured Lady, but she'd just as soon slit your throat as serve you tea.

[Pixeltuner]

Just in time for the choppy chop chop :yayca:
I'm considering this a bit of a failed experiment, but I 'kinda' like it as well.
Nice job everyone! (as usual)

[Max Martelli]

Boston.

Old, weathered, and always happy to get right back up when they get hit by a pitch.

Whenever things seem hopeless and times are tough, spirits are always high and there is always enthusiasm and the will to fight.

Plus, in my opinion at least, you can't have Boston without baseball.

(Max Martelli/Conceptart/Characters/Other/Painter)

[NickTrip]

NickTrip>ConceptArt>Characters>Horror>Other...

I hope I'm not too late.

Here's my entry: Philadelphia.

He is the instigator. An ever proponent of change, whether it be for good or bad, there must always be a change of hands, and overturning of power. Ancient, He witnessed the formation of lands, the coming and going of many peoples. Once He called himself Shackamaxon and nutured a great tribe. But calling for those winds of change, brought forth a new people to rebuild His image through poverty and strife. Yet again He brought revolution and bloody warfare and grew through corruption, violence and progress. Yet again He will use men as his minions of change, but for now He calls himself Philadelphia.

So the idea I'm pusing here is that the city isn't really so much a collection of buildings, but instead a place that manipulates men to reshape them and existed before the city itself.

[Aly Fell]

OK! No cuts, although those sitting in the naughty corner for naming conventions are:

Darkrain, Nadiamoon, Lkjhgfdsa, Tim, Xgabo, Cosmitron, Sekino and one I missed first time, Rabies.

Sigh... shakes head etc.

[Supervlieg]

One vote this time: Cosmitron. Youre on a different planet. Now can we please get a high res version?

[Ghostbrush]

put in many votes, some great entries.
Cant tell you how much help it is seeing everyones WIPS, very interesting, learning a lot.

Alex

[NickTrip]

I voted for:

Baxter - Great mood and I love the tech design. His hard working character comes through well.
Missle - I really like the design you came up with this time. Its really well composed and dynamic.
Cosmitron - Outstanding!
JessiBean - Amazing!

[Gavage]

Some really fascinating entires. I love how diverse this round has been! Quite interesting how many cities have been depicted as sinister or perverse.

Going to try and make some comments... trying very hard to give something more useful/interesting than 'zomg cool!' although most sink into that area. At least trying to say why I like each picture in most cases... anyway, here goes.

Courtyard: I like how there's such a clash of various cultures going on here yet it works and looks stylised rather than over the top. The kid playing dress-up idea works very well.
Lennon: This is quite haunting and grotesque. I love it. The corn around it almost seems phallic in combination with the figure. Even though the image is quite sexual, it feels cold and sterile - very 'business'.
Hunchback: Beautiful use of colour.
IceMoon: I love the phoenix tone to this.
Jefita: A little disappointed you removed the chain from the final image, but it still works. The piece looks very American, sort of 'wholesome town' to a suffocating degree. Subtly eerie despite being so bright and colourful.
Cosmitron: I love the fading colours, and (from seeing the WIPS), very unique use of the Paris city map.
JessiBean: Cute picture!
ArthemisIX: I like the use of the windows and buildings within the dress, the pose, and so on... great piece.
Emerging: Just the right amount of smarmy and endearing. Nice colours too!
Xgabo: Excellent work - the background is particularly impressive. Gives a very strong impression of a battlefield mentality.
NickTrip: Liking the reflective lighting. Clever image. Only concern is that the shading and colours are a little too subtle - it's difficult to tell whether the hands are supposed to be black or if that's how they're shaded.
Darkrain: Smart idea! The shading could do with being a little stronger, and the way the hands are gripping the various items is a little unrealistic - it might be to fit it to a more statue/carving type aspect, but it doesn't translate so well into a more realistic kind of image. I do like the stubble though.
Reymus: The perspective is a bit confusing but an otherwise good image!
Indigosummers: Love the whole conflicting southern belle idea and the design is great - the way she is sitting on thin air is slightly distracting though! I like the heavy use of crosses and the mixtures of black and white.
Rinjii: Nice work. The anatomy and shading could do with a little more focus. I really suggest just going mad and using very dark colours for shadows, even quite dark use tends to look surprisingly more realistic than lighter pieces.
Ghostbrush: Very beautiful piece - nice use of colours.

[KonnA]

I voted:

Cosmitron, Paris.

And Nichols, Stalingrad.

Really awesome pieces guys.

[Sekino]

This was such a great topic that I'm actually sad that it's over and we don't get to see more awesome cities...

And thank you again Poshspice for letting my mishap slide. I was really hoping to see your entry this time around.

My votes (but it was a very tough call):

No_Name_Brand- This one is my favorite. It fully conveys the history, culture and spirit of the city as a three-dimensional character. Beautiful work.

Pahavasa- I love the image. It's hard to explain why, but it has an iciness and eccentricity about it and I just feel it fits Helsinki quite nicely.

Clochette- It is so simple yet it fits Sarajevo beautifully. Less is more.

Jessibean- I don't know much about Austin so I'm trusting you on the symbolic. But the image is so gorgeous- and the colours so lucious- I just want to eat it (and I want that cruiser bike).

Missile- I think you nailed the feeling of "arrested development" of the suddenly abandoned city. She looks sickly yet young and somewhat in denial.

Ghostbrush- Gorgeous piece. I liked it more and more as it progressed. I think it has a sense of peace and grace and suits the resilience and recovery of Hiroshima despite horrific events.

[Cartogriffi]

I've lurked on the CHOW and COW forums for a while now, but this thread finally got me to register so I could vote and respond.

Clochette, this is stunning, the pose and expression are wonderful.

Sekino, I love how playful you made your character

I love most of the ones here, but these two stood out the most.

[emerging]

i thought stalingrad piece was absolutely the best and looked most PRO.. props

[dragon4lunch]

I thought deadline means as long as it is 8th of June anywhere in the world, you're fine. I just was unpleasantly surprised to see that the poll is already up and it said in the small print 5 pm EST.

PLEASE ADD MY ENTRY. Please :yayca:

My city is... TOKYO

[Razorleaf]

I voted for Sekino .... I dunno, maybe its a Canadian thing but I instantly knew this one without even having to read the heading. Nicely rendered! :)

[lennon]

I vote for adding dragon4lunch's image, he's right with the timezone problem, I didn't knew either at what time was it. It was 18hrs here when I posted and it was closing time there.
Cool work by the way.

[SunRoamer]

Really nice round :) I haven't been on for a few days (therefore I also didn't work on my pic anymore) because, well... Aion-Beta... *cough*how could I do anything else but play it? so no time for the drawz*cough*

I haven't decided on whom to vote for just yet but I already have set my eyes on some "favourites" which I'll further consider...

[Aly Fell]

I've already told Dragon4lunch he can't be included in the poll as much as we'd like to. It is very clear the time for submitting is 5pm EST, which is 10 GMT. We are maxed out at 50 entries as it is. There is always a little leeway whilst one of the ChOW organisers sorts out the poll, eg: NickTrip who made it in after the deadline as it is.

[Pixeltuner]

Voted for Cosmitron & Clochette. Both images ooze atmosphere. :) I liked Stalingrad as well but I thought it was too obvious and had way to much 'forced' symbolism.

[NickTrip]

Thanks, Posh. I feel kind of bad that I made it in the poll and dragon4lunch's awesome piece didn't.

[NicHolS]

hey all! just wanted to say thanks to everyone for such a great round, wasnt as jam packed as the past few weeks but the quality is definately lifting in the last few ive participated in!

some feedback for those who made poll:

darkrain - insane idea, lots of thought clearly went into this piece.

`baxter - love the vibe, his angle is making him read a little weird and hides his body a lot but thats a small thing

openanewworld - great image herman! the shoes are very nifty! i love the image but shrunk down the hong kong elements dont read that well to me... i had similar issues with mine though :(

felida - great composition and graphic quality. i really expected a few more votes for yours. and im glad you didnt overplay the sex apeal too :D

C K Lamb - that hair and the mo! priceless! i love the vibe, kinda regret not voting for yours now that i revisit these, i do feel yours deserved more votes too in general

Th@ Deu$ - great idea, i feel you left way too much dead space though as the character felt too small in the final composition for a character design. the initial sketch was really impressive too

Ron Power - the image worked for me but needed a lot more time and thought put into it, the pose and BG had a lot of potential but to me felt like you ran out of time (?)

Reymus - haha i was watching yours eagerly to see how it turned out. i think the city giant idea is always a classic image and im a huge shadow of the colossus and god of war fan so this really was up my alley... i felt the red lighting was a bit too strong though and with the blue of the water reads a little too contrasty (im making up words now lol)

Ranarh - great colors but this one didnt really feel obvious as to which city it was to me. the blues and greens were a striking color combo though!

Missile - yours really changed a lot, i quite like the thought you put into yours, it showed you werent afraid to change your direction and didnt just pick a pose and render it. awesome : )

Matt smith - rendered and this wouldve probably been one of the top this week but it really needed the color, its the only reason i didnt vote for this but i really love your style and attention to detail, very impressive mate!

Lennon - i mean wow i always cringed looking at this one... and viewing this at work makes it even weirder! love it haha :D i did feel to punch her out it needed a spot light or cast light down across her, perhaps a diagonal shadow or something? like a dungeon? otherwise loved it!

Hideyoshi - as soon as you posted your first layout i was impressed! i did feel it had a few competing focal points though... wasnt sure where to rest my eyes or look first

Darklogic - like damn, lots of thought went into yours! you really pushed it this week, i wish some of the others did as much as you!

dadoalmedida - same as Ron Power, i felt yours needed a few more hours and ideas overlayed

Cup of Tea - yours was very different for a chow but felt a little too much like a life drawing and less like potential character design. great pose though, the background felt a little too loose for me too.

courtyard - i honestly thought you would do really well as your design was laden with ideas... it did feel a little right heavy in the composition though now that i see it again

arthemis IX - the character was great, lots of ideas... i really seeyours being one of the best this week! her dress is great... you always do such great clothing designs!

Indigosummers - colored this wouldve blown people away but like Matt smith it really didnt jump off the page in black and white.

Max Martelli - great details as per usual mate! his face was giving me some grief though, and a slight gradient to a darker shade at the top of the green wouldve made him feel a lot more grounded in a scene.

rinji - i really like your design but the green distracts the character, green on red is always a very hard color line to walk... (i did it this week too :X )

xgabo - i cant help but look at her crutch, and i know its not just me haha sorry, i had to say it... i love the pose and angle though and colored this would rock! i sure hope you color this one up

LogicINK - i really struggled to see the city in yours, it really was hard to read being linework and couldve really worked well in color (like many others this week)

Cosmitron - firstly wow love the pose! youve clearly got this chow thing in the bag mate! on a more critical note i did striggle to see paris in her and she felt a bit too much like a life drawing to me but your illustration and drawing skills are 2nd to none mate! also the contrast really made this image a bit muddy... i think posh said something along the same lines during the week?

Ghostbrush - I honestly love your design. the focal point is bold and colors are great. it really made me think a lot deeper then anyone elses this week... great job...

Rabies - great idea, youve given it a lot of thought this one but i felt it needed a little more polish to make her jump out of the page!

IceMoon - like serious wtf you were my fav this week, that dress is awesome... the background couldve used some more attention but as a character of the week you nailed this one! :D

Phaethon - haha great! im glad some people are trying different styles, far too often people do the same style week in, week out... yours really stood out for me!

Kingkostas - Again yours was one i think people shouldve given way more votes to! i love your design... sometimes i think people are voting for the render level and polish and not the idea behind it : /

LKJHGFDSA - wtf crazy idea but the background detracted from the character as it was very detailed and busy... scaling up the character wouldve also drawn more focus on it/them

IBIZA - haha love the screen projection but the character felt a little too simple. also be careful of the 3/4 rule! kinda walking the line with torso shots!@ :P

Nadiamoon - again another i really liked which didnt get any where near as many votes as id expect, i actually didnt see yours in my poll but am pissed to see i skipped you! sorry, my apologies! : (

Sekino - yours was a standout, i love that you didnt just make a typical person and tried something new... definately an inspiration for me to try something new next time! :P

Tommoy - as usual i loved yours mate, and thought youd get a few more votes... great design, hat really stands out with the cane! love the stockings too :P

Jefita - great to se someone try something different, the homely feel of yours really worked for me!

Hunchback - as soon as i saw it i liked it... but im not sure i see tokyo... regardless i think i voted so you got my vote :P

JessiBean - yet again you blow me away, you deserve full props for your perfect execution of a whats refered to as a "chow." great idea, great render!

pahavasa - love his pose and proportions! the coat really rocks!

pixelfish - love the details and masks, perhaps having her facing the viewer more to address the viewer more and make her more alluring? i didnt feel the focus was on the character enough as the bongos were so well painted!

Carnifex - great character in this one, i did feel a little too sketchy and unfinished though

Clochette - i love your style but apart from the mask i felt this one couldve been a lot better. the text in the bg i thought felt a little simple and detracted from the overall style.

emerging - great design, the layout was wicked too... you definately deserve way more votes!

mantoe - loved the simplicity of yours but the image felt a little too flat with the lighting on the bg...

mojokingbee - love the angle, the perspective and her hips kinda threw me though

no_name_brand - great design, simple character shot but i thought this was one of the best this week. it proves you dont need a fancy angle or pose to do a great chow. great job!

tim. - love the comical style~! again its good to see someone try a different style in the chows!

crimson-shape - im not sure i read into your character enough... but the pose is cool

pixelturner - love the colors! is she meant to be like a toy? her feet feel like shese a toy figurine? (which is cool :P)

Nick Trip - Love the darkness in yours! im not sure i know whats in his right hand though? the symetry in his body made him read a little flat... maybe try tilting his head or something small to give that bit of asymetry? great idea tho

Wow that was a lot of people to reply to haha it took ages! all in all i felt a lot of people are voting more on style and polish then idea and execution... to me the ones which stood out weren't the ones who are leading in the votes... although those did tend to be the most polished and artistically impressive. i guess theres been a lot of talk about the whole character concept very character illustration lately so i wont say any more but i do tend to agree.

great round folks!
adam

[Carnifex]

yeah,i made the mistake of working on a low resolution most of the time...didn't really feel the whole thing either.
thanks for all the votes and comments,still! :)
edit: clochette,for some reason,i liked the sketch better than the finished one. maybe you added too many things distracting later.

[Ghostbrush]

NicHolS honestly thank you very much, I enjoyed making that piece.

[NickTrip]

Thanks, NicHolS. Its actually an American flag in his right hand. It was supposed to have a circle of starts in the corner, but I didn't get to finish it (plus the stripes are wrong and there's no color). I appreciate the crit though, I'll keep clarity and symmetry in mind. :)

[rinjii]

thank you nichols! i can see what you mean about the green now, haha- i couldn't think anything else to use! i'll probably tweak the colors later.

and thanks to you too missile- i'll definitely keep that in mind the next time i tackle skintones in particular- i was totally experimenting with this one and just hoping it worked out, lol.


i really love these entries and this topic. and once again i'm totally honored to have my meager entry put up with all of these stellar entries- and people! totally does wonders for the self esteem :)

tomorrow i'll try my best to give my feedback on everyone as well as vote :)

[Matt Smith]

Thanks Nichols. Your piece came out great. Its funny thought that people see pencil as not finished. I probably spent as much time on mine as anyone else did. My next piece wont be colored either, but it will have an interesting look and I think people will like it. I hope one of these times though I will be able to pull off a finished illustration like what a lot of you guys do.

[Reymus]

In no particular order.

NicholS - Thanks! :), Hindsights 20/20 (w/e it is), I see tons of mistakes almost right after I turn these in, but live and learn. I thought yours was, as usual, extremely well done, but it was like Pixeltuner said, a little too "I'M STALINGRAD, GET IT?!", I think you could've done a generic Soviet soldier with the bodies,wounded, limping maybe, and it would've been just as strong.

Cosmitron - I wish this was a promotional poster, it should be.

Darkrain - It's cloudy looking to me, when I think of New Delhi, and India in general, it's first very bright greens, yellows, etc. She/He(?) would pop out a lot more.

Baxter - Go Pens!

Darklogic - I think you incorporated almost everything from Denver into him,just his face bothers me a little bit.

Ghostbrush - Every week is better than the last! Both Hiroshima pieces are really strong.

Kingkostas - The only superhero/city here! Awesome.

And about the character concept vs illustration, for me personally, I'm a sculptor first, and painter/illustrator a distant, distant second. Chow especially is more towards illustration, from how I've seen it evolve, than straight orthographic character design, more storytelling, environments, interactions of the characters have come out than straight up characters, and 90% of the time, I think it makes them stronger images.

That's my 2 lira anyway.

P.S. Nick Trip- I live in Philadelphia, and I think that's pretty dead on, Gun, skull, flag.

[Phaethon]

Cool round this time. Some interesting city picks and takes on said picks.

Here's comments for everyone, as I was pretty much absent from the main thread this week.

Rabies: I like the 'hanging gardens' hair. I would have worked more on your figure's proportions and less on rendering, particularly with the shoulders and feet.

Nadiamoon: Nice costume design - I really like the Kremlin Pauldron. He gets somewhat lost in the background. Perhaps the warm and cool colored background areas need to be switched?

lkjhgfdsa: Cool and slightly unsettling image, but what city is this? Also - really nitpicky - but the graphic designer in me is crying at your squished type.

courtyard: Substantially less creepy than before! The props and the Vegas sparkles are nice.

Cosmitron: Maybe I'm just dense, but I cannot tell what she is lying on for the life of me, and it's completely distracting. Beautiful figure rendering, though. 'Eh' on your type choices.

darkrain: Decidedly unsettling! The textures and the way the props integrate with the figure are not working for me at all, but the ideas are sort of interesting.

Clochette: I can't really think of anything to say about this - sorry. It's nice.

pahavasa : I get a good sense of the character in yours. Cool design with the clocktower coat.

Cup_of_Tea?: The figure looks good, particularly the pants. There's some weirdness going on in his face around his right cheek and his eyes.

emerging: Awesome! I love his greasy, cocky come-hither. The cards as a frame is cute, though not 100% necessary. You've got my vote, though!

crimson_shape: Interesting concept. Her arms are sort of under-rendered, though.

darklogik: This one's got a lot of 'pop'. Great job matching symbols and costume elements.

Arthemis IX: She's simultaneously trashy and classy - not an easy feat! I get a pretty good sense of her personality, but what clinches it is the window dress. You've got my vote!

Ghostbrush: The mushroom cloud form is a nice idea, and this is, for the most part, a beautiful piece. It still bugs me how 'European fantasy' her dress looks, regardless of the ginkgo imagery.

Tommoy: Cute - kind of Rocky Horror totalitarianism. Watch her face - it's slightly flat.

IceMoon: Nice rendering, but my first thought is 'How does she walk in that?'

hunchback: This has a great feel to it - there's something about those background lights that support your character perfectly. You've got my vote!

Felida: There's something strange about the perspective here, but I can't put my finger on it. I think your first WIP may have actually been more successful.

dadoalmeida: I know the legs are supposed to be distorted, but it's not working for me with the rest of the character. I like the 'wings' best.

kingkostas: Neat costume design. I'm not a huge fan of the colors, but that's just personal preference.

It's late here, so I'm going to have to call it quits and pick up commenting tomorrow.

[Max Martelli]

NicHolS: Thank you very much. I really don't like the head myself. I've been working on it since I've submitted the "final". Also I know what you mean about grounding him and I thought about the same thing you were saying with the gradient. Right now I have a gradient that goes lighter towards he top and I'm fooling with more shadow in the face as well as shrinking his head which, in my opinion got rather big. I'll post the revised version in my sketchbook in the next day or so (if im satisfied with it by then) for anyone is interested in how it might look after my changes. Also, Stalingrad has to be my favorite one this round. So daunting, imposing. Beautiful. Great job.

[PixelFish]

Its funny thought that people see pencil as not finished. I probably spent as much time on mine as anyone else did. My next piece wont be colored either, but it will have an interesting look and I think people will like it. I hope one of these times though I will be able to pull off a finished illustration like what a lot of you guys do.

Historically, people tended to view pencil, pastels and even watercolour as sketch media, suitable for studies and foundation work. I remember one of my art history professors noting that if people regarded a work as unfinished if they could see the paper or the canvas. Folks sometimes referred to watercolours as tinted drawings. And in oil painting, Impressionists were derided for their brush strokes, and critics would call their paintings "unfinished." (Note: I say historically, because I think that attitudes largely changed during the last century and a half.) But basically, there's a lot of media and styles which people seem to have misunderstood or had to recategorise over the years.

Anyway, you could always do more with it, IF you wanted, Matt. But what you had seemed very deliberately crafted, and you had a nice touch with values and texture for the most part. It seemed finished enough to me.

[Rist]

I personally think Ghostbush should have won this with his depiction of Hiroshima. We need a 'new' CHOW winner and I think this deserves the honour.

[rinjii]

this one was rough to critique everyone. my votes go to courtyard, indigosummers, xgabo and sekino for awesome combos of interpretations, techniques and overall appeal. and an extra nod to arthemis ix- besides the fact that hers looks awesome, i give her kudos for problem-solving where i couldn't on my entry about combining the two sides of amsterdam.

oddly enough, some of the more popular ones didn't strike me as hard as some of the others >.> for instance, while i LOVE cosmitron's lineart [especially the girl!], the background really doesn't do it for me- i would've loved to have seen a little less of that.
with jessibean's- same kind of issue- i really loved the lineart and her overall style, but after that... nothing else really grabbed me about it. sure the coloring is good, and the symbolism is decent, but not enough to make me say WOW. but that's just me.

[Phaethon]

The rest of the comments, as promised!

Missile: Nice design, but the rendering seems strangely flat to me.

Reymus: This is really interesting - I love the layered buildings. The perspective, however, is totally unconvincing.

t i m: You'd actually do a lot better without a background, in my opinion. The face is my favorite part.

rinjii: There are some major issues with the relative sizes and arrangement of her facial features, but the figure is decent. Some good progress since the first version I saw.

mojokingbee: She looks like she's about to murder me - but don't worry, that's a good thing. The hands need some work, especially her left.

Ronpower: She's very elegant - you could have emphasized that more by not going so heavy on the linework. Nice character overall, though.

LogicINK: That nice black and white line drawing would work outrageously better without the green text and border! Watch the perspective on your walls - they don't line up. Cool pose.

Matt Smith: Great musculature rendering and a solid drawing. Not sure what to make of those dreds, though.

JessiBean: This is probably my favorite. Love the hippie-cowboy character design, and I'm a total sucker for your painting style. Great color palette. You got my vote.

no_name_brand: I love the shape of his head. I can't quite decide if the background figures are more interesting or more distracting.

PixelFish: Interesting symbolism. The designs on the drums are a really nice touch.

AhChu: That texture on her dress is not working for me at all. It seems totally separate from the rest of the image. The holographic turntable is cool, though I don't get the reference.

CKLamb: I get a good sense of this character just from his hair and mustache. Cool design.

Ranarh: I am completely unsure what to make of this one. It seems cool, but there's so much stuff going on, and I have no idea what it's for.

NicHolS: Amazing, pretty much. The 'feel' and the symbolism are spot-on. It can be appreciated at a glance, but really rewards close viewing. You got a vote from me!

~baxter: Dunno about that glow around the character. The guy himself looks good, and I get the symbolic dichotomy going on now.

mantoe: Creepy! The background elements don't seem to integrate with the character, though.

Carnifex: The building shoulders/hat are nice, but he's too rough around the edges for my taste. Just a personal opinion.

Hideyoshi: Stylish and nicely rendered, but what are those things she's holding? And which direction are her legs facing?

xgabo: Cool character! The value relationships don't seem consistent on all parts of her body, though. Her face compared to her legs, for example.

Sekino: There's something very charming about this. I like your initial pencil sketch just a little bit better than the final.

ThaDeus: Cool. The character comes close to being lost against the background, but she manages to pull through. Good design.

openanewworld: I like this a lot, but something about her face and upper torso bug me. Not sure what. Cool character, overall.

Jefita: There is something kind of unsettling about that smiling woman. I like the symbolism, though.

lennon: Just plain disturbing, but kudos for not changing your idea to something more "acceptable". The big corn in the front is totally distracting.

IndigoSummers: Nice drawing, nice design. It's a bit weird that's she's just floating.

Pixeltuner: The character itself is pretty cool, but those tentacle/tech things don't integrate at all. They were working slightly better in the black-and-white draft.

Max Martelli: Strangely cute. I find the very lower body (and to a lesser extent upper body) kind of disconcerting compared to his face.

NickTrip: Cool character, partially because it's so unexpected. Though there was that David Ives play...

dragon4lunch: Sorry about the deadline business. It's a solid piece! The twist of her ankles is a bit weird, but the rest of the design and rendering is great.

[CKLamb]

So, this was my very first CHoW. 5 votes....ouch.

Thanks for the feedback Phaethon and Nichols. I'll definitely try to do a full critique for everyone that participated.

I think I was working way to large. This is a clip of my piece viewed at 100%.

[courtyard]

Hi CKLamb--I really liked yours...the only reason I didn't vote for it was that it didn't look like you had time to finish it (his legs and especially his feet). His head and torso are really strong, and the background is fantastic. The proportions are crazy, but I actually thought they worked with the character choices you had made. Can't wait to see what you do next time...

[NickTrip]

Reymus - I'm glad you think it fits. Philly can sometimes be a scary place! What part of Philly are you from? I'm out in the suburbs.

Phaethon - I just looked up the play, and sometimes I feel like I've fallen into a "Philadelphia". ;)

[CKLamb]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for reasons. I've got pretty thick skin. I'll just try harder on the next ones.

[rinjii]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for reasons. I've got pretty thick skin. I'll just try harder on the next ones.

hehe don't sweat it too much dude- this is my third ChOW and second time to the poll, but each poll has me at one vote each ;P
you would've had my vote too, but courtyard's critique would've been the same as mine; some parts felt less complete than others, although i do like your style a lot and i got a good sense of the personality of your city.
we just gotta keep trucking at it- take the advice to heart and bust some ass at our next attempt :)

[Hideyoshi]

argh forgot to add a vote for Nichols ><. Posh, if that's possible for you to fix, please do so, thanks. If not, Nichols, you know I missed it :)

[CKLamb]

I've pulled him into proper proportions. Having some distance now from the image, the lower torso got a bit out of hand. I'll definitely pull it over to the critique forums and work with it until it is a polished finished piece. Portfolios don't just happen.

[NicHolS]

argh forgot to add a vote for Nichols ><. Posh, if that's possible for you to fix, please do so, thanks. If not, Nichols, you know I missed it :)

I appreciate it mate, dont worry Im pretty sure a vote wont matter :)

Congrats to Cos! he/she definately has it in the bag! amazing work this week peps! Im happy to see such a heated and close round, the last few have tended to be kinda 1 way but this weeks was nice and compedative!

[Verehin]

Cosmitron
its fuc#$%in AWESOME!

[lennon]

I can't no longer see who voted for who.

[Aly Fell]

I can't no longer see who voted for who.
Lennon - click on one of the 'number of votes', thats underlined.

[Droid]

JessieBean
Cosmitron
Indigo Summers
Truly inspiring stuff, but Cosmitron got my vote for his use of colour.

Keep it up guys.

;)

[JailHouseRock2]

Voted for-

openanewworld-

MattSmith-

Courtyard-

Nichols-

jessibean-

And Clochette!

Great work all round!
matt

[blackcherry]

I voted for more than my usual three favourites this round as there were quite a few entries I liked for their design and representation of the chosen city.

~ Baxter: I really like the colours and overall style and appearance of the character and I think you've captured the city well. I also like how you've outlined him too so he stands out from the background.

IceMoon: I'm not too sure about some of the colours in this but I don't think it takes anything away from the overall look of the piece. I think it's a really good character design to go along with the city. I particularly like the whole explosion effect at her feet with her rising from it.

Cosmitron: A really detailed and appealing image as a whole. It's a shame you can't see it clearly in the poll picture. I pretty much like everything about this one; pose, style colours. Great design! I also like the black and white version in the WIP shots.

Ghostbrush: I really liked your depiction of Hiroshima too. I thought it had a good use of symbolism which wasn't too glaringly obvious and was well incorporated into the design. Nice colours and I love the hair too!