C.O.W. #152 Half a Pound of Evil -- VOTING

[Michael Jaecks]

C.O.W. #152 Half a Pound of Evil! -- VOTING!!

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ROUND #152 VOTING

Topic: Half a Pound of Evil!


Deadline for the voting: Sunday 30 Aug 2009

Posting thread (closed): http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=166098.


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OK - before voting/posting read this!!!

1. Please give c&c or a reason why you voted for the image!

2. Feel free to comment on any or all entries, the artists will appreciate it!

[.Elec7ro]

Artist: .Elec7ro

Concept: Darkzilla
your-description
Darkzilla is a creature darkness that brings the chaos, he/she comes from hell :mod:

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k426/E7art/LPs/Sinttulo-3yt46.png

[Jerik]

Artist: Jerik

Concept: Bluffbird of Avernus
One of the many monstrosities that populate the 9 levels of hell... However this is one of the smallest inhabitants of the magma filled realm of Avernus, the first level. Swarming the skies alike to the servants of Pazuzu in the abyssal realms. These evil less-than-pint-sized hellspawn are in actual fact a demonic drake like creature, only appearing from afar to be innocent sparrow sized avians.
Other names of these small deadly nuisances are blade sparrows, Jet PseudoCrows and Chameleonic Pygmy Drakes.

[Gumish]

Artist: Gumish

Concept: Black ardor lizard


They are not big. They don't attack someone directly. If you meet them deep in the forests they will probably escape. But the NIOF (the National Institute of Our Forests) blames them for thousands of square kilometers which yearly fall sacrifice of wildfires set by them. Every year during July males attract females by setting fires. This naturalism behavior must be coordinated by some unknown pheromones which they smelt over kilometers. Setting on fires starts and continuous according the chart in left top corner. Thanks to this strategy many animals which don't smelt the smoke are caught in their fiery trap. Thousands of animals burn off. And this is the second intention of that whole ritual. Burned corpses of animals are the best feed for these lizards. They can easily consume roasted animals which they will not ever directly attack due their size. Burned corpses are slowly buried in their dens and after some months they feed little natal lizards.

http://www.wydle.eu/stuff/COW_152.jpg

[evolvingeye]

Artist: evolvingeye

Concept: Hamsters of the End Times
Thousands of years ago, for the crime of running away before he could become the tenth plague of Egypt, a humble hamster was accursed by man and God alike, and cast out into the desert. Slyly and subtly, Lucifer came to speak with the hamster, and offered him power -- if only he would agree, he would become the Demon Prince of Hamsters, with the ability to create countless offspring! The hamster agreed. (And bit Lucifer.) Since then, the Prince's demonic, venomous, and blood-thirsty offspring have roamed the land unseen, but ever present, awaiting the End Times when they can unleash their full ferocity upon the earth.

[darkly]

Artist: darkly

Concept: Ankle Biter

Amongst the giants of Rigel 7 there is one creature that pound for pound (or half a pound should I say) far surpasses any other for their vicious blood lust and pure tenacity. The Ankle Biter, as the early settlers began calling them due to their tendency to attack at the ankles of careless passersby, isn't too dangerous by its lonesome. Unfortunately for too many settlers they are rarely ever alone. They live in group communitys under ground and have been known to hunt smaller prey in packs. It is believed that The Ankle Biter is actually an external parasite of many of the larger animals, but have come to seemingly enjoy hunting humans. They've been known to wipe out an entire settlement overnight. I'm afraid unless we were to totally eradicate the entire species we may end up leaving Rigel 7 to those pint size evil beasties.
Jonathan Long Cawdlle (Settler)

755858

[JakkaS]

Artist: JakkaS

Concept: Oie's monsters!


It think it happened fifteen years ago. I was trying to create, a species of small intelligent creatures. I had few minor problems, but when I was close to finally solving them, one of my students has "accidentally" borrowed my notes. What was his name? Ahh... Oie! Yeah, poor kid. He was trying to make the same experiment. And he died trying. It was a nasty ...and probably a painful death. Let's say... students still can't use his room... hihi...anyway...what was I taking about... ohhh... yes. He was trying to make the same experiment, but as far I know he couldn't get all ingredients. So he used just half of them. And he accidentally created creature that looks like being born in the middle of the chaos. A twisted, evil looking creature with random body parts, one hand, eye, tentacle etc. They were small and they looked like they were half of something. They have turned against their creator. But I must say... in one way he was right....adding half of the ingredients has given him half of the success! But you have to have, half of the brain to try it! Hihihi!

Uliamo Mowowela
Alchemy teacher
Lanuhihea University

[dwinbotp]

Artist: dwinbotp

Concept: Sogeez
3rd cousin of the gelatinous Cube twice removed. Experimented on to provide a reusable "guinea pig" for wizards and mages, it has eventually evolved into a stinking pile of hate and malcontent. Able to take in huge amounts of
abuse, it is very difficult to get rid of, much like a freeloading friend over during the weekends and ending up taking up space for over a year.

[lkjhgfdsa]

Artist: lkjhgfdsa

Concept: 8 ounce nightmare
If you hear the jingle of a tiny bell while you are falling asleep, maybe not a good time to do so- fall asleep that is.
8oz. may be scampering about under your amoire, bounding about under your bed, even sitting on your headboard, patiently waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Cursed by Bast- the spirit of the dwelling- with a bell attached to its tail from birth, your only warning.
::Jingle jingle::...

[Einen]

Artist: Einen

Concept: Krakatoan Nukling


758542

[The Searle]

Artist: The Searle

Concept: Mad Cap
The rare Mad Cap mushroom is deciduous to meadows in the heart of England. Research suggests that this species has a tendency to follow the Middle Classes around, often disturbing activities such as fox hunting and drinking buck's fizz.
It sits lonely in fields screaming at the top of its gills in a language not yet translated, sounding like what can only be described as a mix between the Tasmanian Devil and Pee-Wee Herman.
Many ancient recipes suggest that the Mad Cap makes the best omelette known to man, although no-one in living memory has managed to overcome its ghastly stare and cry to pick one.

[Lee]

Artist: Lee

Concept: the Mocaw

757096

[Arbinn]

Artist: Arbinn

Concept: Silverbane

Studies have shown absolutely no reason for this creature's actions. We named it silverbane for the colour of its chin and hair. We've seen that the critters perform similiar routine every time they come across chickens. They somehow scare off the hens and then proceed to kill and maim the small chickens. What makes it disturbing is that the silverbanes don't eat their victims and even make the effort to find out whether there is a chicken inside an egg or not. Chickenless eggs of the supervised farms were merely smashed but every egg that had a living chicken in it was carefully broken from the top and ripped of the unborn chickens and fetuses which were then mutilated like the rest of the offspring.

Most of the baby chickens die quickly in the hands of these pests but many are left bleeding and dying in pain. I've never felt as sorry for chickens as I did when I first saw dying and suffering little ones crawling and moaning on the bloody hay...

- Zoologist Lamia Johnson

[Verehin]

Artist: Maxim Verehin

Concept: Graven

Graven- is a favourite pet of gods of evil

[scorge]

Artist: Scorge

Concept: The Devil's Bird
Not actually a bird, this half pound beasty has a taste for flesh and a serious attitude. On its head, what appears to be a beak is actually a vicious plunger loaded with venom ten times more potent than the ringed octopus and box jellyfish combined. Why so toxic? Why not? Fast and silent, ambushing then embedding its head into its victim, the Devil's Bird's poison goes to work slowly dissolving the innards and rendering the prey totally insane with pain. Then, in a cruel and evil twist of evolution, this creature's reproductive organs have been replaced with a twisted and savagely gnashing orifice which will later than sooner devour the unsuspecting victim. The bloodier the kill, the better for our half pint flightless friend.

[NickTrip]

Artist: NickTrip

Concept: Body Nester
The Body Nester is a bird with a very peculiar specialization. Rather than nesting in the usual manner, this bird has developed a very large and sharp ovipositor and will actually lay her eggs into the flesh of other creatures. The host then incubates the eggs and serves as a food source when the new born birds hatch. A parasitoid species, the newborn birds kill their host, much like some species of wasp. It is not uncommon for these birds to attack and infect human beings.

[jrbarker]

Artist: jrbarker

Concept: The Pernicious Yeww

Feisty little carnivores that dwell in the dark dimension. Often summoned in groups by sorcerers to be hurled at opposing armies.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/3841218145_9c8b0ed025_o.jpg

[Syhn]

Artist: Syhn

Concept: Corpse-Herding Spider
The Corpse-Herding Spider is a rare species of arachnid usually found in rural farmlands. They have earned their name from the venom in their bite, known to cause Post-Necrotic-Disorder, or Zombi-ism as it's more commonly known.
In ancient China a Corpse-Herder would reanimate corpses using a Ju-fu (A talisman placed on the dead body's forehead) and lead the walking dead to their homeland for proper burial. The patterns on the back of the Corpse-Herding spider can sometimes resemble the structured written command on a Ju-Fu, though its resemblance stops there, as it will likely leave you to lumber aimlessly about.
Although rare, they are best killed on sight.

757838

[GoldenSerpent]

Artist: GoldenSerpent

Concept: Tongarian Devil

Scientific Name: Demipondus pravus
Common Name: Tongarian Devil
Planet of Origin: Tongar 10
Environment: Numerous Locations

These creatures were first discovered when colonists started mining Tongar 10. The Tongarian Devils lived in a series of caves buried deep bellow the surface. When the colonists accidentally unearthed these horrid creatures they swarmed the surface, devastated the ecosystem and killed many innocent lives. Although only half a pound, and small enough to hold in one’s hand the Tongarian Devils are dangerous because they attack in large numbers. A pack of twenty can consume a human in less than ten minutes Their powerful jaws and teeth not only allowed them to easily chew through bone but also to gnaw through walls, doors, and pipes to get to terrified colonists. Only a handful of colonists could be rescued from these pint-sized terrors, and since then Tongar 10 has been designated a restricted planet. Although some may argue that these creatures were merely acting according to instinct and as such are not truly evil the survivors of the horrible incident, and those who lost family members to the Tongarian Devils will tell you differently.

757904

[PowleyMan]

Artist: PowleyMan

Concept: The Blasphemer


Bang Bang Bang! The god damn Inquisitors where at the door. He was nearly done, one last ingredient. Poof! smoke billowed into his face he nearly puked from the smell. Let those bastards do what they will, his revenge would be complete.

The Blasphemer was let loose and multiplied. Soon after the churches great library's where ravaged, all their holy text was now little pellets of feces. Revenge is sweet...

[jouste]

Artist: jouste

Concept: the black-tongue burrower


black-tongue burrowers are malicious creatures that are used by sadistic magicians to torture the hell out of people. they secrete a noxious black ooze out their mouths and pores that make any orifice entry sickeningly easy.

the black slime also stimulates pain receptors in the victims body and basically over clocks their agony all while keeping them fully alert and conscious. they tend to favor the mouth but some will enter through back-doors in order to get the proper screams out of the recipient.

burrowers will tear, bite, and slime their way through whoever they manage to crawl into for days on end. the damage is atrocious but rarely fatal. the writhing and screaming is enjoyed by the burrower so they tend to stray further away from the more vital organs in order to keep their playtime going on for longer.

some may argue that the burrowers aren't truly evil, that they are just acting instinctively; but that was all before some biologists discovered that they are vegetarians and eviscerate people purely to quench their evil desires!

757935

[feralcoconut]

Artist: feralcoconut

Concept: necktialus carnivorous
flourishes in modern, heavily-populated cities. a propensity to take up in small office cubicles with fluorescent lighting, where they attach themselves to human hosts. they offer what is widely referred to as "the slow death."

[Pierropod]

Artist: Pierropod

Concept: Evil's teeth


Evil's teeth it's a new kind of diet. Put this little monster in your fridge and I promise that you're gonna have to be very hungry to open your fridge (if it still has some food in it)

758025

[kimliatach]

Little bugger will take your toe off as soon as look at ya.
Trust me you don't want to see it mate.

will add a WIP to the WIP thread too.

[Steve Somers]

Artist: Steve Somers

Concept: Brainscrambler

BRAINSCRAMBLER

If you're wondering whether or not the Brainscrambler has ground up this person's brain, wonder no more. The brain, sinus cavity, optic nerves, and soft pallette have all been pulverized into a viscous mush within this man's punctured head. But the trauma he has undergone should not distract us from the exquisite efficiency with which the Brainscrambler has utterly mutilated him. By using it's coiling feelers to propel itself in a screw like motion for up to 12 meters, the Brainscrambler launches directly into the neck, just below the thyroid cartilage of it's victim, boring a hole upwards through the windpipe, puncturing the maxillary sinus and burrowing inside the brain cavity. Once inside the skull, the Brainscrambler begins knotting itself in hyperactive spasms which grind the brain up. This instinctive act provides both food and shelter for the animal. It will lay inside of the head of it's deceased victims up to 2 days, eating brains and awaiting the next potential meal.

[Steve Marworthy]

Despite it's small size the Soscley has a reputation for its ferocity and has been known to attack animals over 10 times its size. It is not the Soscley's abilty to kill that is feared the most, but rather his preference to keep it's prey alive, stripped of a healthy portion of the surface flesh. The Soscley's strong leaping legs and locking jaw make for a formidable opponent of larger animals walking overhead.

[Mike D]

Artist: Mike D

Concept: Boogie-rat
Boogie-rats enjoy nothing more than torment and pain. Be it a human or even other animals it makes no difference, they just live to cause terror and pain.

If traveling alone near a sewer it's best to keep a watchful eye, and ear to anything unusual. They tend to work in small packs, and will follow the victim for as long as it takes to get them alone....scared and in as much terror as possible. The more frightened the victim, the happier they seem to get.

[MikeBurns]

Artist:MikeBurns

Concept:Zygapophysial Leech
This Zygapophysial Leech is a parasite that hangs from tree branches using it's caterpillar-like suction cups, waiting for a suitable host to pass below. When this happens it latches onto the zygapophysial joints in of the host's spine with it's huge jaws. It then injects a hallucinogenic venom that causes it's host to visualize frightening images such as: an attack by an animal that preys upon the host animal and being at the edge of an extremely high cliff, though the mere fact of having a foreign creature attached to it's back is enough to get the host worked up. The Zyga-Leech's goal is to make the host release adrenaline for it to feed on using it's two proboscis. After the Zyga-Leech has sucked it's host dry of adrenaline it ejects itself and leaves the host very vulnerable to attack because it has no adrenaline left for reacting to a potential threat.

[Crustibian]

Artist: Crustibian

Concept: Whisper demons are supernatural creatures that are often kept as familiars by the “witch doctors” of the deepest jungles of Africa. They are vicious little monsters and are used to carry out the witch doctors’ curses. Their method of attack is to whisper in their victim’s ear as he/she sleeps. It is not known what exactly they say, but it causes the victim to scream and tear their own face and throat apart. There is no record of any survivor of a whisper demon attack.

[abyssopus]

Artist: abyssopus

Concept: Abaddonian Quietus Mosquito

Brought here via a galactic freighter carrying Krec Ambrosia from Abaddon 7 in the Apollion quadrant, these vicious little devils escaped quarantine and have proliferated across the entire planet in less than two years. A sting from a single quietus mosquito results in hours of physical and mental torment, followed by homicidal mania and eventually death. The global government is proceeding with plans to introduce Abaddonian Slaying Adders, a known predator to these menacing little creatures, before any swarms cause catastrophe.

758740

[alive]

artist: alive

Concept: tentaclaw
I choose you evil tentaclaw!

[wanwan]

Artist: wanwan

Concept: Kroumpah
Kroumpah, creator of pestilence. Lurking in the dark he lives amongst rats, and at a glance he appears to be one of them. His wretched insides smell of rotting flesh and the noxious gasses glowing within to keep an army of flies at his beckon call. Through magical powers he is the creator and the destroyer, spawning swarms of flies which he consumes as they return from eating rotten carcases and animal excrement.

[Michael Jaecks]

All righty. Poll is up. There were a few of these I could have cut, but I am trying to work quickly here to get everything I need done done today. What I wouldn't give for a 27 hour day instead of 24.

Personally I voted for JakkaS. Sexy, Lovecraftian type evil on a small scale, and even a bit of humor thrown in with that great fin on the second one that looks grafted on from a sickly pink koi. He's got such an amazing way with fleshy, ambiguous, slighty naughty shapes and protrusions. The blacks are slick and the whole rendering downright loverly.

All righty, I'll get the next round up in a few minutes here. Plus, I've been contacted by yoitisi about doing a possible Team COW activity much in the same way they do Team CHOW. What does everyone think of that? Should be fun.

[wanwan]

I voted Arbinn as out of all of them, the little guy seems like pure evil. Some great entries, although I am not sure they seem evil enough. (mine included)

[Steve Marworthy]

Great work everyone! This one was a lot of fun.

[wanwan]

it was, produced my best painting to date imho!

[acb]

i voted for Arbinn cuz i think you can tell right from the pic that were talking about an evill small thing here cuz seeing it in action really brings out the evillness of it ^_^
and i think that jakass made a really great looking pic with some cool crits in it but they look cool\angry rather then evil on my point of view :D

[evolvingeye]

Was really hard to vote on just one, there were too many great ones. I think GoldenSerpent's just stood out. Like the way you can see them in action and get a sense of the interaction between them. Was fun participating in my first c.o.w.!

[MikeBurns]

I voted for jouste. When I first saw the design I thought that it looked really awesome, then I read the description and thought it was a great interpretation of "evil". Then I looked at the design again and saw just how painful he'd be squirming around inside of someone. It's so though voting though because there are really a LOT of awesome designs and then others that have really awesome back stories. So I went with one I thought was strong in both categories.

[wanwan]

*feels an epic fail coming on*

[Arbinn]

.Elec7ro You could have worked your creature a bit more. Black and red colour choice is good for creating evil mood and there is potential for a stylish piece here. Keep it up.

Jerik Overall nice picture but it reminds me too much of just an ordinary bird though you did a good job with the jagged edges. I think the creature is too smooth compared to the rougher smoke coming out of it and the slight grey outline separates them (smoke & the bird) even more.

Gumish Charmanders! \o/ Cool concept and nice sense of depth with the creatures and background. The hands and legs could have used more work.

evolvingeye Nice composition and idea of swarming critters. They look too much like evil hamsters for my liking whether it was your intention or not. :)

darkly Nice one. There's nothing wrong with the picture but it's just missing something that'd really make it stand out.

JakkaS I already praised your creatures in the WIP- thread. :) Awesome. They don't look that bad as creatures either anymore. Guess I'm starting to like them or then the subconscious peer pressure tells me to like them more. :D

dwinbotp Quality work. Looks like it could be an illustration in some book.

lkjhgfdsa Very detailed and nice but there are some things that bug me. The spherical tip on which the creature is sitting on has too hard shadow which eats away the illusion of a round object. The hands don't seem to follow that round surface as well as they could which ruins the illusion even more. :S Apart from that the 8 ounce nightmare looks very good. I like the eyes. :)

Einen Heh. Cute and dangerous at the same time. I'm really liking the crown/armor thing and piranha face.

The Searle Mushrooms aren't count as plants so I think it'll pass. :D Cartoony style. The cap could be rounder and the proportions seem weird. There is a smaller mushroom and a flower next to the creature yet the grass looks very high.

Lee Cool! Very stylish and good. I think it'd be better with stronger shadows. Currently it's almost floating on the tablet. :o

Verehin One of my favourites. Awesome details and colours. I almost voted for it but it looks too much like a normal bird.

scorge I think yours is the best of this week's COW *vote*. Fantastic execution and great concept.

NickTrip Your picture really has a distinctive style. :)

jrbarker Your creature has a nice pose and the right hand looks pretty good. The legs and the other hand could have used more work though.

Syhn Good colours. I like the long arms.

GoldenSerpent Amazing picture! Can't really criticize. Good job! :)

PowleyMan Good concept but the creature needs texture and details. The legs also need to follow the book's surface better. It looks better with lower saturation than the WIP. :)

jouste Very stylish. Awesome background story too! I don't really see anything that needs to be improved though I think that long black line on the middle of the hand has no purpose and needs to go. :P

feralcoconut The most original idea of them all. :D Execution is fine too though I'm missing some depth.

Pierropod The teeth look painful. The coca cola can gives good perspective.

kimliatach It doesn't look very evil but the antlers are a good idea.

Steve Somers Now that's a nasty baddie! ;D Very good job!

Steve Marworthy Funny and interesting looking creature with amazing rendering! The legs could be better though.

Mike D The creature is too bright imo and the legs look too static and still. Decent use of different colour spots here and there though.

MikeBurns Interesting idea of a hanging creature. I think it'd be better if it was hanging instead of floating like it's doing now. I like the purple/yellow colours and the mark on the back.

Crustibian This one looks pretty evil and nasty. Good job on the concept and texture on the back legs of the creature. The front legs are too thin imo.

abyssopus Great concept of a snake/octopusslike creature.

alive Looks very nice but reminds me more of a robot than a creature. :P

wanwan I'm liking it. The colours, lighting, concept... The face - and to some extend the back - of the creature could have used some details. Not too much. Just a little bit to break the smooth colours. The transparent area (the surface, not the guts) would look better with brighter and preciser highlights imo. The hands and the fly in them are totally kickass! The shadows are awesome too. :) I don't care how you feel about this but I think this is closer to an epic win than a fail. :)

[MikeBurns]

Arbinn, you're the man for taking the time to go through all of that evaluating and typing :P I feel like I should do the same because after I voted I felt bad that I couldn't vote for all of the other really awesome ones as well. Yours was one of the ones that stood out actually, the colors you used are awesome and it's a really disturbing looking creature! I really enjoyed the overall concept as well :)

[kimliatach]

Jakkas got my vote this week.
Dude pulls out the most phenomenal stuff week after week.
Superb work all round as usual.

[M!CK]

voting jakkas, wikid rendering.

[AhkNemet]

This is the first time I've tried to comment on more than just my favourite three - I'm sorry if I've missed anyone, I'm still unpacking ;)

There's some people post in here that I've never seen post work before - so its great to see - so many different styles :) (thumbsup)

Darkly
I loved your creature - had a great little story and was amazingly coloured - love the bits of spittle lol Favourite part is the little story board at the bottom - shows scale wonderfully and adds to the overall design to see how it works.

JakkaS
Wonderfully... moist lol great render - and I like your creation story too - just lacking a sense of scale I think.

dwintbop
your advertorial is cool - and those evil Beady eyes! lol

lkjhgfdsa
I alwatys thought I should be looking at yours in one of those "portents, signs and symbols" books lol It's a nasty piece of work and very very scary - could totally see it in a supernatural horror novel somewhere.

Einen
Oh I love how you comic'd it in the right hand side lol It made me laugh out loud when I first saw it. Great glow effect for the main picture ;)

Arbinn
I've been watching yours changing in the WIP thread, and those buggy eyes - your finished result is great - just a small comment about his horns... they seem to have less depth and detail than some of the other things around him - they're doing crazy things to my eyes as they keep getting inverted and then popping back out lol Definitely lookin evil though, great work :)

GoldenSerpent
Great composition and nicely worked in for scale too (even though you provided a scale diagram too) - love the little hairs sticking out everywhere and that tiny little whip hair for the tail is great :)

Jouste
Lovin that style - its genius :) and the picture shape looks great too

feralcoconut
Your background loses the focus from the main picture - since you have such spidery little legs on it, my eyes are really hating how they're having to fight to find your main creature among all the little things in the back - I would suggest a plainer background would have shown your creature off better.
I do like your concept though - those legs give me the creeps lol

Steve Somers
The first thing I said when I saw this was.. "Oh eww!" lol so I guess you did a good job ;) The detail shot is really freaky and I really love/hate/is grossed out most by lol that thing sticking out through his throat. Would expect to see this in sci fi somewhere for sure - great job ;) and actually - I decided to give you my vote, since it got the most reaction from me lol and it does look pretty evil :P

[PowleyMan]

Voted Arbinn Out of all the creatures yours was one of the few that had a really evil feel to it. The ears could have had a little more work done to them, they did look like horns at first glance, but good job all around with the creature and the gruesome scene. thanks for the crit btw.

[Steve Marworthy]

Hi everyone, I did as many reviews as I could. Sorry if I missed you – just let me know if you want any help.

Wanwan – original style and cool lighting. Your creature looks a bit flat in the body.

Alive – I like your color and detailing. A bit more complexity in the form would have pushed it a bit further.

Abyssopus – lots of crazy curves! I think the mix of sharp and blurred linework is a bit jarring. Try adding a film of solid color to distant objects instead of the blurring or keep the blurring very subtle and gradual.

Steve Somers – Cool creature. Your man’s neck is a bit thick – but then again, maybe mine would be too if a half pound of evil worked its way through it!

Jouste – Cool style once again. Overall a great piece, but I would have liked more focus/detail on the creature itself.

PowleyMan – Try toning your palette to bring your colors closer together.

GoldenSerpant – Great work – the most vicious creatures this round. I love the interaction between the two lower creatures. A little more color depth and this would have been a contender for me.

NickTrip – Creepy bird. I’d like to see more color ‘thickness’. The picture looks a bit washed out. If you’re working in Photoshop (or Gimp), perhaps a layer of color on top of everything would help. Just mess around with the blending modes.

Scorge – Awesome work. I love the detail and rendering. The variance in the skin textures is great. I felt the wing placement and the mouth on the belly a bit awkward.

Verehin – Your second pass at the color was a great improvement. I am feeling the depth in the feathers now. Cool stuff!

Arbinn – Nice slime and dramatic composition. The misaligned eyes make him crazy. I found the groundwork a bit distracting and I was sure if those were ears or horns. Thanks for your comments. How would you improve the legs on my creature?

Lee- Cool creature. Nice touch with the tablet – something many of us can relate to. I felt the perspective was a bit off, but I did enjoy your rendering.

Einen – Nice glow. Your colors work well together despite the wide spectrum. Nice job.

Lkjhgfdsa – Cool concept, nice detail and I like his tail. I find your colours clash a bit, particularly the border. Warm and desaturate this green and it will help a lot.

JakkaS – You received my vote for a excellent rendering, unique design, and perfect colouring. I felt your creature looked too large for ½ pound and the pink bubble on the arm makes it look like the elbow is backwards.

Jerik – Cool design, nice linework, but your form looks flat.

If anyone would like further comments/detailed explanations just ask. Please have a look at mine and tear it apart – I am here to grow! Any suggestions are great, but some specific areas I would like help on: 1)creating shadows for organic forms 2)rendering details in 3D more quickly – I don’t want to flatten everything with a texture 3)where to add direct warm lighting vs cooler atmospheric lighting 4) how to paint dark colored areas in light and light colored areas in shadow without ruining the form. Thanks!!

P.S. Paintovers are welcome too :)

[xbert]

voted for lkjhgfdsa - creature looks so evil and weird.

[wanwan]

wanwan I'm liking it. The colours, lighting, concept... The face - and to some extend the back - of the creature could have used some details. Not too much. Just a little bit to break the smooth colours. The transparent area (the surface, not the guts) would look better with brighter and preciser highlights imo. The hands and the fly in them are totally kickass! The shadows are awesome too. :) I don't care how you feel about this but I think this is closer to an epic win than a fail. :)

Thank you! I agree about the face and the body but I was already a bit late in the submission. I'd got it into my head the sub was sunday and when I checked I panicked!

I might revisit it at some point when I get a quiet moment :)

[Icecold]

Jakkas, great as always.

Tak trzymaj! :>

[Anthis]

Michael Jaecks; Team COW sounds awesome. Also, I think doing a combined Cow/Eow, Cow/IDW or Cow/Chow would work. For example a character and his riding creature, or a creature and its environment. I believe there have been quite some crossovers in the past.
But back to you - yea Team COW sounds awesome.

Didn't finish my entry unfortunately. Great stuff all!

[TomCardin]

Much as I would love to vote for so many fine entry's this round, my vote goes to JaKKaS

I can't get over the definition and texture and color. I don't think I have seen such rich blacks. Your design and write up is also just marvelous. You raised the bar yet again.

Thank you JaKKaS, your work inspires me to be a better artist.

Scorge - Through the roof! Very nicely designed. Lighting and colors seem to have gotten muted since earlier wips, lost some zing.

Arbinn - very sweet, but your creature is lost behind the chicken and detail dissappears in the dark areas...what we CAN see kicks ass though.

Team Cow! FTW

[Steve Somers]

It's too bad there isn't a monthly publication associated with all the stuff on CA, I would definitely subscribe. Or just a magazine of Creatures would do it for me.

Darkly - Very trippy coloring on your beast, and I like the watercolor look. The 4 panel breakdown is well done, other entries could've used that addition.

Jakkas - I'm learning as I watch you work on your creatures, this time I learned the dodge tool adds some nice final highlights. But when I see that subtle reflected light, the greyed out colors underlapping the froeground pieces, I see I still have much to learn. Amazing, amazing work. You understand these different textures as well as Alma Tadema understood marble. But the evil?

DwinbotP - I like the critic reviews on there. Psychologists will say people need to know how other people feel before deciding how they feel sometimes, and I think the quotes help me "feel" how I should about this poopmonster. Beautifully rendered too.

lkjhgfdsa - good thing he's got the six pentagrams on there, otherwise I might've mistaken him for a helper monkey :) That's badass though, I think you did an awesome job on that. That weird shit growing out of his back was an interesting development, definitely adds weirdness to it.

Einen - Great rendering on your creature, and the simple explanation panels are useful because I think it's hard to know just from the nuke symbol on his back

Lee - Your crabmonster is most impressive, particularly like the face area..

Arbinn - That came together nicely, and like your last one it just got progressively better at each stage. Lots of nice suprises with the yolk and eye details.

Verehin - That is frightening, and the coloring was a real suprise. Looks very very evil. Ilike that it's consistent with your other characters, I see a whole frightening world developing there...

Scorge - Voted for yours....It was a struggle between yours, Jakkas' and Verehin's bird, but yours won out because it just feels a few degrees more evil and it's just a great piece of artwork.

NickTrip - A most ominous and spooky bird. Turned out well, and your pencil style is unique -

Golden Serpent - Those are some vicious little bastards you cooked up this time. Whaddya think about throwing some chewed bones and random veins and tissue hanging out of that hand?

Steve Marworthy - Wow, yours was a suprise. Excellent rendering on that head, holy crap.

[Mike D]

Thanks for the critique Arbinn

I hear you loud and clear, I'm in the process of re-training my brain to not think so much in terms of what looks good in a comic book. It's a learning process since my mind still does not grasp what I should be doing, instead it keeps floating back to old and bad habits.

I would give critiques if I felt I was close to being qualified. I'm so out of the loop on painting, color processes and just about everything else I don't feel I could give a proper C&C.

For my vote, I voted for Scorge. Definitely right up my alley in terms of style and subject matter. Rendering is amazing.

Everyone else did an amazing job, and as usual I will use your pieces and WIPs to aid me in my own studies=)

[JakkaS]

Voted for darkly - I like the design and vivid colors he used!
But I also like Steve Somers's entry (nicely painted and the head of the creature reminds me this creature http://www.obrazky.pl/obrazky/kretoszczur-663-OBRAZKY.PL.jpg - probably your inspiration :)) I also like
scorge's (crazy design), Verehin's, Lee's, Einen's (dig that sick idea :)) and dwinbotp's funny little creature.

----
Steve Somers - Evil? Look at the goblins and orcs. They are evil in almost all fantasy worlds but they are not so creepy. Same with the humans,... dogs etc... they could be both...good or evil. I know what you mean, and why you think that my creatures are not so evil looking, but I think they are evil enough. But it's just me :) Still thanks for the c&c.
TomCardin - Thanks man!
Icecold - Thanks!! :D
Steve Marworthy - Thanks you :) Btw, look at this one: http://www.alk-abello.com/DE/Presse/Bildarchiv/Milben/Lists/milben/milbe3.jpg He look like a huge creature but it's very small. I think I have made a mistake cause I haven't paint anything to show the real scale.
AhkNemet - Thanks... and I know I whould add something
M!CK - thanks!
kimliatach - Thank you, I am trying put as much time and effort as I can in every COW!
Arbinn - hehe..thanks!
Michael Jaecks - Thank you MJ. I must say, usually I don't like my works after finishing. But this one is different, and still I can look at it, without thoughts about deleting it :) hehe

Thanks for all c&c

[Steve Marworthy]

So true JakkaS. Typically a larger head and facial features give it away, but there are defintely exceptions :P

[Crustibian]

The talent up here can be really intimidating but also inspiring. Great job everybody! I voted for lkjhgfdsa. That thing is creepy as hell. I also really love JakkaS (of course!) and Steve Somers entries. Both really fit this week's concept description.

[Steve Somers]

Jakkas - Yes, I would agree, the Fantasy definition of evil is more like sinister or cranky than evil - I guess I'm thinkning in Sci-fi / horror terms. And yes, rufus the naked mole rat was my inspiration - I promised my friend I'd put her molerat in the picture - they are cute yet horrific.

Akhnemet - Thank you, I was really trying to focus on the evil aspect.

Steve Marworthy - Yeah, the neck developed some thickness to it and the chin just sorta sank in, but I liked the deflated look.

[scorge]

Time for some long overdue comments! First I want to say great job to everyone and I'm really impressed with the turnout for this one.
.Elec7ro:Not bad but still resembles a sketch. I like the use of red and black(always evil), but the form and compo could use a lot of work. Hard to determine what the creature actually looks like.
Jerik: I really enjoyed your story and the various names on this little creepy dude. The rendering looks great and the silhouette is awesome. A little too close to a bird for me but overall presentation kicks ass.
Gumish:For some reason, can't see your entry. Sounds like a pretty evil little bastard though.
evolvingeye: Hilarious! Not so sure about using hamsters but what the hell, it made the story that much more funny! Well rendered and definitely evil. Great job.
Darkly: One of my favorites man. Great colors, design, creepiness and storyboard to boot. The pink borders on too much but I think the blue reigns it back in. Awesome work my friend. Two thumbs up.
Jakkas: Looks like a two for one special on amazing! Once again you have created something(s) so intangible and made it breathe with a life all its own. After doing the cow for a few years now it still blows my mind at your skill. I humbly bow to your talent and still hope to be as good as you someday. (I'm working on it.) And you got my vote.:D
Dwinbotp: When I first saw this one I wasn't sure what to make of it. But the more and more I look, the more I can't look away. Hilarious story and funny little details made me laugh. A little rough in some spots and the design is a bit too simple especially compared to what I've seen you do in the past, but overall very nicely done.
lkjhgfdsa:Another favorite. I especially appreciate the simplicity of your image. Sometimes I get lost in all the details of your work and lose track of the the main focus. Excellent job on the evil design, textures, eyes and teeth look phenomenal. Feet look a little small but you definitely nailed this one. Kudos buddy, big kudos.
Einen:I meant it when I said you were my hero. Your lively style and storytelling ability are incredible and the colors are out of this world. Always looking forward to what you'll come up with and you never disappoint. Glad to have you here in the COW.
The Searle: Very interesting style you have going here. Has a very surreal look to it. I do think the design aspect could have been pushed a lot harder, maybe using a mushroom as inspiration but not final design. Colors look pretty good.
Lee:Awesome rendering. Great job on making the evil little face the focal point. There could have been a bit more of a connection between the blood and the creature as it's difficult to tell where it came from(the blood). Also would have liked to read a description.
Arbinn:This one turned out great! Im not sure what you're worried about with your skills as they are developing quite nicely. There are some slight issues with outlines and lighting but everything else looks awesome. I love the eyes and the pose. You did a very good job of convincing us that this little beast is actually quite evil, and he doesn't care if we know it. Thanks for the kind words and vote!:D
Verehin: This guy makes my creature look like a pussycat! Lovely dark work! Beautiful job on the feathers and textures. You always do a great job with the evil and this is no exception. A little weak in description but the rendering makes up for it.
NickTrip:Textures look very nice. The angle of the beak compared to the eye looks a little awkward. I like how you have the subtle hints of orange in the bird but it looks like there should be more of it to make him really pop.
jrbarker:Wow, I'm glad I scrapped the whole coke can idea. You actually did a very nice job with it. As for the creature, the stance is very cramped and doesn't really seem to go with the background. It's hard to tell where the light is coming from due to a lack of shadow. Design-wise, it's pretty cool and I like the veins and musculature. You do have to be careful with the green and red combo though. A little blue probably would have balanced it nicely.
Syhn:While I really dig your story, the creature design IMHO too closely resembles a whip scorpion or cave spider. The body looks good and I really like the spines on the joints, there could have been more attention paid to the details of the eyes and mouth parts.
GoldenSerpent: A very welcome addition to the COW. Everything from your sketches to your final are badass. Some areas look flat on the edges but the compo is great and the action well defined. Creature design rocks as well. Looking forward to more of your talent.
PowleyMan:This little guy has a lot of potential. Could have pushed the values a lot harder. Digging the tail!
jouste:Killer style! Pretty awesome rendering. Nuff said.
feralcoconut: Great idea! Background is really distracting and its hard to tell whats going on with the anatomy. I think presented in a different way this one could really kick ass.
Pierropod:Cool lighting and great slobbery goodness. Looks kind of top heavy. Nice job on the highlights.
kimliatach:Love your style and colors. Not really convinced that it's evil though. Too cute.
Steve Somers:Beautiful job man. Great story, great rendering. I do think the close up could have been beefed up but overall this is one killer entry.
Steve Marworthy: Some parts of this are so realistic i feel as if I can reach out and touch them(mouth, horn, tail) then others kind of leave me hanging, especially in the legs. Those drops of saliva on the mouth look fantastic!
Mike D:Original desgin. Colors are way over saturated. Like the hairs. Nice touch.
Mike Burns: Cool design. Good use of the yellow and purple. I think some more concentrated highlights and definition in some areas (tree branch, eyes)would give this guy the pop that he needs to really jump off the page.
Crustibian:Nice concept. I definitely get an evil vibe from this one. Texture looks good. If you soften the edges a little bit it will help tie the creature to the background a little better.
Abyssopus:Craziness. I like your technique and textures. Drop shadow would help this guy to really stand out.
Alive:Creature looks killer. I love the different details. Could have filled the page more and had more of a description.
wanwan:I just realized I forgot the whiskers on my rats! This turned out nicely. Good job on the translucent body and use of orange to highlight the face. Flies look pretty real but at the same time they make the face look a bit too stylized. Maybe some texture to help tie them together.

If I missed you I apologize. Well done all! See you in the next I hope.

[Oritey]

Einen - although your krakatoan looks not to evil - i very like that idea of little nucklear creature)) i wish to have one in my cabinet) awesome idea!
I see many evil masterpieces - but i am afraid to vote for them - too scary!! :rocker:

[Syhn]

Thank you Arbinn and Scorge! I'll keep that in mind next time and try to push my design more :) I appreciate the feedback!

[Arbinn]

scorge Thank you scorge!

I'm "worried" about my skills because I'm a perfectionist and compare myself to the best artists and artwork I know. It might not do good for my mental health and motivation right now but at least it's pushing me forward (apparently) pretty fast. :)

[GoldenSerpent]

.Elec7ro: Your entry is very rough and could overall use some more refinement.

Jerik: Cool creature, I especially like it’s jagged thorny wings.

Gumish: I really like the concept of these guys. The little diagram of the trapped animals and the way the flames spread is a nice touch. The picture its self could use some stronger highlights and shadows in relation to the fire. Overall good.

Evolvingeye: Cute description, and the picture works well, but the evil hamster’s designs could have been pushed a little further.

Darkly: Amazing critter, its a very intimidating creature despite size and a rather joyful and bright color pallet. I especially like its strange compound eyes and little bug-like legs. The little black and white scenario at the bottom is definitely the icing on the cake. Great work! :)

JakkaS: Total eye-candy, the textures on the tentacles are beautiful and small details like the oozing mini- mouth on the creature to the left and the small hairs on the creature to the right are great. I also like the idea you had of the creatures themselves being halved, but that also sort of leads me to feel more sympathy for them, than an evil sort of vibe.
And congratz, you completely dominated this weeks round! :D

Dwinbotp: A wonderfully disgusting and evil little blob you have there! Nice humorous approach to this topic it certainly gave me a chuckle. :)

lkjhgfdsa: I like the built in jingle bell on its tail and the pentagrams are a nice touch. Something about the creature’s pose seems a bit stiff to me though, other than that great work.

Einen: You’ve got a really nice art style; the colors and little speckles of light are great. I also like the subtle radioactive symbol and the diagram to the side is very well done.

The Searle: It’s not bad but it doesn’t really feel evil to me :/

Lee: Awesome work, I like how you used a wacom tablet to show your creature’s size, very creative. I like everything except the shadow underneath the creature. It doesn’t seem to line up with all of it’s legs and it makes the tablet surface appear more textured than it should be.

Arbinn: Really good work the creature’s head is nicely done and the motion of it pulling out that chick feels very fluid. The yolk looks great as well. Since most parts of the picture no longer have the black outline it started out with it’s a bit distracting to still have some outline’s showing, and I think the dead chick in the background seems a bit to bright. I like the addition of a traumatized and still living, for now, chick in the background.

Verehn: Nice creature, and really well done feathers, the positioning of its legs bother me though; it looks like a very unnatural position.

Scorge: I really like that lower mouth; the little upturn of its lip gives it personality. The textures especially on the skin of the creature is also great.

NickTrip: First off I love the name, and giving a bird-like creature behavior similar to a parasitic wasp is cool. It looks pretty creepy, but I think the design could have been pushed a bit further. Go completely crazy with your design in the beginning and then scale it back down.

Jrbarker: Pretty good, a bit to humanoid for my taste. I’m not sure but it looks like you used the Photoshop fur brush for the hair on its body. It’ll take a bit more time, but if you zoom in and draw in the hair yourself with a small brush you’ll get much more natural looking results.

Syhn: Cool creature, I like the coarse hair/spikes congregating around its joints.

PowleyMan: Nice concept, it could use some harsher shadows and highlights and the line of the jaw showing through the saliva doesn’t work too well. Try just erasing out that line, or replacing it with a value change instead.

Jouste: Really great critter, it has a nice sense of weight to it’s dangling, and that hand is very nicely detailed as well. Also nice touch to the description about it actually being a herbivore.

Feralcoconut: I like your rather humorous concept and your creature looks interesting, but that background sort of obscures it. A different color other than that yellowish-tan that blends in with your creature’s yellowish stripes would work. Otherwise he gets a bit lost.

Pierropod: I’m not really sure of the description but the creature is pretty good. I like it’s skull structure and the little antennas on its head. The teeth seem a bit to exaggerated to me though, it’d be awful hard to actually open and close it’s mouth with such chompers, maybe if they were a little shorter and skinnier.

Kimliatach: Nice design but it doesn’t look evil to me :/

Steve Somers: Fantastic! The squiggly naked-mole rat, serpentine pink thing of doom is beyond despicable! Which of course means its great :) The Brainscrambler’s victim really helps sell the piece too, and I actually like how his throat looks bloated and a bit liquefied, not to mention that extra tendril popping out. The whole thing gives me a bit of a grungy horror flick, I can just imagine someone walking into a room and finding this guy sitting on the couch watching tv. White noise blaring away on the screen and as the protagonist grows closer, and then suddenly the bloody reveal that the man is really dead and the Brainscrambler is whipping it’s tendrils around violently, ready for it’s next meal! Great, great stuff! :D

Steve Marworthy: I really like the feathery hair on your creature, it’s very interesting, and I also like all the details you put into the texture. The small cracks in its head crest and beak, and the leathery hide on it’s body. It ends up having a sort of hyper-realistic feel that’s really nice. I think the muscles on the upper legs could use some work though, they aren’t bad, but they do look a bit off. Trying to compare and contrast your picture with a diagram of bird or human leg musculature would probably really help.

MikeD: Try using less black for your shadows, the hair also looks a bit odd, I can’t quite tell if you used a brush tool for it or not, but zooming in and carefully placing the hair with a small hard round brush can do wonders. Nice detail on the ears though, they’re something a lot of people neglect and yours turned out very nice.

Mike Burns: The pattern on this guy’s back is pretty cool, and all the green venom is nicely done as well. Some highlights on the branch will make it integrate better into the picture. Your Leech’s pose is a bit stiff too, try letting its whole body arch in a nice curve instead of just its tail.

Crustibian: I really like your concept, very creepy and definitely evil. Your picture is pretty freaky too, the texture over your creature’s body is interesting, especially around the pelvis area where it sort of looks dried up and stretched thinly over the bones. There’s a significant amount of disconnect between the creature and the background though, maybe having its toes clutching the wall would help.

abyssopus: Pretty cool, I like his large pincers and his multi-eyed head. Overall he doesn’t feel very small though; putting something in for size comparison would probably take care of that though.

alive: Nice touch with the pokeball. I think this is a really cool design my only problem is that it looks a bit to machine like with the square panels and metallic sheen.

wanwan: You have some nicely depicted vermin in this picture, the flies especially are well done. The shadow of your creature in the top right looks really nice, but the shadows underneath it on the ground don’t quite match up.

The two I struggled to decide between in the end were Darkly and Steve Somers. I love that Darkly’s little critter gives off an evil vibe while being pink with blue spots, definitely not the classic evil design specks and that panel at the bottom is great as well. In the end though, Steve Somers gets my vote for this one, with his freaky brainscrambler. : )

[redehlert]

Nice work all! Vote went to dwinbotp - fun critter, great rendering and zany quotes to sell the story. Top notch.
Cheers,
D

[zenichi]

my vote goes to Arbinn for successfully conveying the evil act and giving the sense of scale for size and weight at the same time!!

JakkaS come as a close second

[abyssopus]

Sorry I didn't make it back in time to vote, but this looks like a landslide anyhow. great job JakkaS. I wanted to try to give some feedback to everyone though.

.Elec7ro - Looks like you could have something interesting here, it just needs to be taken to the next level.
Jerik - Cool idea. I think the top ortho silouette is more interesting to look at because we get more of an idea that this isn't just a crow/raven and perhaps if rendered from a similar perspective would make this a much stronger piece.
Gumish - I like the back story and the way you've placed them in the food chain. the rendering and contrast on the male head is fantastic, but the rest seems to flatten out.
evolvingeye - Hamsters south of Heaven. Too funny. Digg the whole concept. My only crit is that the image looks washed out to me as a whole. A simple levels adjustment might fix that easy enough though.
darkly - Dude, I love this design and your rendering. The color choice is the only thing I question. Great job!
JakkaS - You rock! I know exactly what these things would feel like if I was holding one from their texture. Great descriptive excerpt, too.
dwinbotp - That's one evil little turd! And I know about those kinds of friends, aka couch villains. Great piece of art.
lkjhgfdsa - Twisted. Absolutely twisted. The only weak part for me is the hands. They don't have near the same volume that the rest of the piece does. Good use of background elements in the comp to lead the eye. Does this fall into the "human-like" category though?
Einen - This is cool little design. I think it wold be stronger without the radioactive symbol, but I understand the tone you're going for as well. It just seems to detract from the overall design (which is very strong) for me.
The Searle - I really like your style. It has the feel of cut paper. I can't say that you're really pushing the envelope concept-wise, but that aside I think this is a great looking piece.
Lee - This guy looks viscous, and truly looks small. And though scale references help in that regard, I'd says it the fact that the viewer's perspective is looking down on the Mocaw that really adds to its diminutive stature. Awesome work!
Arbinn - This one hit close to home, living on a farm and all. I love the lunatic look and I can just hear the slurping and sopping as in licks it chops. Good use of point-of-view here as well, Arbin. My only qualms are that its feet don't seem planted on the ground and I don't like the use of black to define the edges on the "fleshy" arms and feet. Thanks for the feedback.
Verehin - Your concept has a very mythological air to it that I verily appreciate. This is the sort of evil that sits and watches you, unflinching and aware of you more than yourself. Beautiful work.
scorge - No sir, I believe the craziness goes to you. This is truly one disgusting little SOB. I can imagine getting sick just at the sight of it. Nice palette and all around composition. Thanks for the feedback. A couple minutes on a drop shadow would make a lot of difference. Hopefully in the future I can have an actual setting.
NickTrip - Cool style. Would like to see the concept pushed farther. Technically speaking, I think you should drop the value of the background a little more and that guy would pop right off the page. What are you working in btw?
jrbarker - I like your mark-making, the "stringiness" of the musculature. your could get more volume out of areas like the fully visible leg if you would run your marks perpendicular to the way they are now; around the leg (think cylinders) as opposed to down it. Keep up the good work!
Syhn - Those front two appendages really pop of the page with dimensionality. The body, even though I realize is fairly "pancaked," does have near the volume as these though. Good thought to use atmospheric haze to to give a sense of depth but maybe let it grow more gradually, each segment of the creature being more "faded." And I think I would have left the floor from the front elbows forward the lighter blue, save for the drop shadows.
GoldenSerpent - Not the hand,man. That's my livelihood! These are sick. The most evil vermin I've ever seen. Like a 'possum on meth. Great rendering. I like how your "simpler" areas still convey the necessary info. Killer job! Thanks for the input. I here what you're saying about scale on mine. Some sort of reference at least would help.
Powleyman - Nice design. Good coloring/markings to the GD Blasphemer. Just really needs darker values in the foreground image and stronger shadows where it meets the the surface to really anchor it to that book of lies.
jouste - Big fan of your style. And I'm mean beyond the line art, but more to the style of your line art, if that makes any sense. Cool little beatsie and back story. Keep 'em coming.
feralcoconut - Very witty and unique. Solid rendering, but the background is overkill. It's really distracting. Look forward to seeing more from you.
Pierropod - I love the head on this thing. Body seems a little small for it but... Goos use of light and shadow to create volume.
limliatach - Neat design but definitely cute, not evil.
Steve Somers - This is an awesome piece of work, but I'm afraid the great job on the corpse might take away from the creature. i even dig your touches on the type. Kick ass, man.
Steve Marworthy - This is really looking good. just think the legs fall behind the rest of it as far as having a sense of volume goes. Thanks for the comments. I'll try your suggestions for sure.
Mike D - Some sickly looking coloring. Like some little hairless sabertooth. You might try to get away from using black when painting. Traditionally it's generally frowned upon. Hope to see more.
MikeBurns - Really cool design. I like to coloring and markings a lot. I little more work on that limb would help it feel like it's actually hanging from it. Even if only right around the tail itself. Nice work.
Crustibian - Nasty bugger. I believe someone suggested softening the edges of it to help it blend to the background better and I agree.
alive - Cool biomech feel. Solid work. Think I'd like to see some "eviler" eyes, but that's just me.
wanwan - Very interesting style. Design seems a bit haphazard to me. Great rendering though.

Sorry if these got a bit brief towards the end. Time is not my friend.

[evolvingeye]

haha thanks for the crit abyssopus! For some reason I can never get enough contrast in my paintings. I think its that I paint in greyscale first then color it. I should just start with base colors.

[Steve Marworthy]

GoldenSerpant, Abyssopus, Thanks for the crits! I'll get those legs right next time :)

[Mike D]

Scorge wroteMike D:Original desgin. Colors are way over saturated. Like the hairs. Nice touch. I'm having issues with learning color values. Been trying to see my errors, but I keep falling back into the "bright is good" thought process. Thank you for your C&C!

GolderSerpent wroteMikeD: Try using less black for your shadows, the hair also looks a bit odd, I can’t quite tell if you used a brush tool for it or not, but zooming in and carefully placing the hair with a small hard round brush can do wonders. Nice detail on the ears though, they’re something a lot of people neglect and yours turned out very nice. I think my black issue is related to trying to figure out how to color glaze properly. I have been experimenting with coloring techniques, and right now I'm attempting to learn to color by using black and white and using a color brush over the top. Maybe I'm doing it horribly wrong, lol.

Hmm maybe my hairs just didn't work out well. I did use a small hard brush and did create them one at a time, but I probably just need to work on my hair skills a bit more.

Thank you for the C&C and my rat ears =)

Abyssopus wroteMike D - Some sickly looking coloring. Like some little hairless sabertooth. You might try to get away from using black when painting. Traditionally it's generally frowned upon. Hope to see more. I hear you loud and clear about the blacks. I'm thinking that I might not be doing the color glazing technique correctly. I've been working black and white first and then coloring over the top. I think maybe I should just go back to using color to work with instead of black, white and grayscale.

Thank you for the honest C&C!

[lkjhgfdsa]

Opossums, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, possums, etc, etc,... are they too 'human-like'?
Your point is still valid abyssopus, I am just having a laugh :)

[NickTrip]

Ok, finally got some crits done, sorry for taking so long to do it. I didn't go through and read all of the crits everyone else gave so these might be a little repetitive, but I hope its at least a little bit helpful. I did respond to crits recieved here too. Thanks everyone!

.Elec7ro - I like the red and black color comabination and the glow you've given the piece, but the image is way too dark and it's hard to make out the creature.

Jerik - Good creation. I like the style and the story, it all has a good feel to it, I just wish you had worked some other colors into the bird. Even if all of the creature is to be black, you can still cram a bunch of color into it.

Gumish - Nice image and explanation of how they hunt. Their arms look a little stiff, though.

evolvingeye - I like the back story for these little guys. I would say that you should try to work additional colors into them though. Maybe try variating the color for each segment of light (highlight, light side, midtone, dark side, reflected, cast shadow: each being a different color across the same form)

darkly - Your image is iconic and well done. Good job! Everything is well done, I find the edge of the cloud behind him a little sharp and distracting though.

JakkaS - Great job! Everything is designed and executed really well! Its hard to give any suggestions for improvement, but I would say that the creature on the left, his right hand, the fingers seem little thin compared to the rest of his body. Nitpicking though.

dwinbotp - Really amusing piece, well thought out and well done. I think he use a little bit more sharpness around his eyes, like to the degree that his teeth are rendered. Good work!

lkjhgfdsa - That little guy looks mean! I like all the rendering and textures. I would just say to give him a little more color variety.

Einen - Great idea and I love the nice soft rendering and glow you've got going. It would be kinda cool to see some more details pulled out on it's face.

The Searle - I like the style and the traditional feel you've added to it, but some of the forms start to fall out, especially his tongue.

Lee - Great creature design and I really like how you brought the tablet into it! I would just say that the whole image is a little bit too gray though and could use some more color on the creature. It seems like that blue light is the most saturated spot in the image.

Arbinn - Great job with everything! You've got a great idea and all the textures and forms are reading well. I think you've put the dark shadow a little too low on your monster's face though.
I'm glad my style is distinctive. I just have to work on making it good! hehe

Maxim Verehin - I like the design and rendering of your creature, but it would be nice to see a few brilliant highlights pulled out on it a little bit.

Scorge - Great job with the scene! Your creature is really creepy and well rendering. Your image seems to get a little muddy in the darker areas though. Good job!
Thanks for the crit. Sometimes my drawing gets little sloppy and I fail to notice the weird things going on. I'll definitely try to double check things in the future.

jrbarker - Cool looking guy you've got going. I like the soda can in the bg for size reference and your color choices. His hands and feet could use some refinement though.

Syhn - Nice design and textures, I think it could be a little brighter though.

GoldenSerpent - Nice job! I wouldn't want to run into those things. You've got a really great style for these guys. It looks like the jaws on the left-most and right-most devils are quite matching in their shape.
Thanks for the crit! I need to work on my drawing and design skills a little bit. I'll try to kick it up a notch.

PowleyMan - I like the colors for your creature and you did a great job with the bg. You should put some cast shadows in and it would help your creature to look like its standing on the book.

jouste - Excellent style and composition. Your creature looks like its really ready to dig in. I kinda wish his tattoo were a closer representation to the creature he's holding. Right now it looks like something else entirely, which doesn't really make sense. Unless I'm missing something.

feralcoconut - That's messed up. Its a cool idea and you're tie monster looks cool. The bg is a little distracting though.

Pierropod - I like the design and the size reference, I feel like he could use some more details, especially on his teeth where the viewer's eye is most attracted. Nice job with the gesture and sense of movement though.

kimliatach - Nice idea and design. It's pretty disturbing. I think you have have made it a little more expressive though. Especially the "hands" and "feet".

Steve Somers - Really nice painting! Its a great idea and you carried it out really well. It looks like overall, the creature is about the same color as the man though, which isn't necessarily bad, but it could pop a little more if they were a little more different.
Thanks for the compliments. I used to try to make paintings for the weeklies, but I couldn't get them done quickly enough. This seems like a good comprimise.

Steve Marworthy - You did a great job with this, I like all the details you put into it. I feel that the hair on his back is a little less detailed than everything else but it looks good!
I'll think I know what you mean and I'll try to figure out a solution. It could be the contrast, or the arrangement of color. Thanks for the crit.

Mike D - It has a good expression and feel to it, but the forms seem to be a little bit too round and not all that natural.

MikeBurns I like the new design and that slime looks really cool. The image overall looks a little dark though.

Crustibian - Cool idea and design. The color is a little bland and your darks seem little too punchy. But the effect the creature brings is nice. I like the style of your last one a little bit more than this.

abyssopus I like the design and execution, but it looks more like a giant creature than a small one. Also, watch that your marks on his body follow the form, it gets a little loose in places.
Thanks for the crit! I'll try to keep the overall view in mind a little more in the future. These are charcoal drawings colorized in photoshop.

alive - I really like your style and the colors you chose for your piece. And the pokeball is a nice touch. The creature seems a little angular though. I kind of like that, but at the same time I'm wondering what more natural forms painted by you look like.

wanwan - Nicely done. It was fun to watch you work on this live. I really like the mood you've got going in this piece. The only thing I would say is that in the darker parts it's a little hard to see what's going on.

[abyssopus]

Opossums, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, possums, etc, etc,... are they too 'human-like'?
Your point is still valid abyssopus, I am just having a laugh :)

Oh, I'm with you. Mostly I'm asking for my own understanding of the rule. I'm pretty much a noob here and am just trying to figure out what flies what doesn't.:harbl:

[BlkCelebration]

This was a great round, sorry I couldn't finish mine (I got about 60% done, I'll try to finish it).

A few favorites:
Scorge: Love the scene you painted and the disgusting appearance of your creature.
GoldenSerpent: I like the hand you added, the creatures look vicious and definitely evil (like little rat t-rex's).
Steve Somers: Great addition by having the creature come out of the head, looks gross!(in a good way)

I voted yet again for JakkaS (I promise he does not pay me to vote for him every time!) Creature looks awesome I stared at it for a long time trying to see what kind of brush strokes you used and how you got that fleshy "fish-out-of-water" look. He is kind of adorable in a sick way. Cheers!