C.O.W. #153 -- Lean, Green and Mean -- VOTING

[Michael Jaecks]

C.O.W. #153 Lean, Green and Mean -- VOTING!!

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ROUND #153 VOTING

Topic: Lean, Green and Mean !


Deadline for the voting: Saturday 12 September 2009

Posting thread (closed): http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=167039.


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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!

[Lander]

Artist: Lander

Concept: The Nepturian runner Cursitare Colidi
Living on the endless plains of Nepturian 6 these creatures feast on the grazing herds of slow Mobawatuu. Once they pick up speed they easily fall into a killing frenzy and can kill off en entire herd of Mobawatuu. 'beep! beep!
They are solitary creatures that like to cuddle for hours prior to reproduction.

[Arbinn]

Artist: Arbinn

Concept: Sugarsnake


Lying in wait in front of most candy shops, the sugarsnake is dreaded by children all over the world. The creature has never been seen eating the candies it steals from kids but it is supposed to get exhilarated by sad screams and weeping children.

The stolen goods, most often lollipops, can sometimes be found on the ground next to the lamp-post the sugarsnake was coiled around.

[PowleyMan]

Artist: PowleyMan

Concept: Leaping Gotanga
Prowling high above in the trees of Fu'tan 7 the Leaping Gotanga ambush their prey, often cleaving the skull of the victim with it's razor sharp tipped jaw. The males retain their dorsal fin from its early stages of life, it would seem, for the purpose of attracting females. During its mating dance it displays a beautiful light show through the bioluminescence produced along it's neck. Truly a wonder to behold. Though at the point of consummation, the male is often killed and eatin. Hence the nickname for Lucy "The Gotanga" Mcbrill, renown man slaughterer on station Belu-6.

[Ironhead]

Artist: Ironhead

Concept: The mean blade of grass
My creature is a little monster who looks like a blade of grass.
So it is easier for it to catch all the little sweet vermins

[Yor]

Artist: Yor

Concept: Alien SoaB
A mean little fella you don't want to encounter, it would dismember you without any hesitation,and suck your brains out like tomatojuice.

[lkjhgfdsa]

Artist: lkjhgfdsa

Concept: HappyMoments
colloquially called happymoments by the locals of North Queensland, the insipidious gudinea is a parasitic fish of shallow water ecology.
It has a fantastic sense of smell that allows it to uneringly locate the fecal trail of it's prefered prey; the dugong.
The parasite then enters the anus and begins feeding from the major arteries passing by the inner lining of the large intestine.
HappyMoments

[Jerik]

Artist: Jerik

Concept: Stygian Mandrake

The Mandrake, the plant which wished to be human. Commonly a creature that developes into a child like form, helpless and malformed, ultimately doomed. However, some Mandrakes grow with influence into the human world, this initially not only results in a strange misinformed shape of the human body, a bizarre creature of Masculine and Feminine form. But sees a world of truth, the horrors of human capability, developing into a beast of malice and anger.

[kimliatach]

Wow, some superb work here this week.

This little fella is a predatory arthropod leaf mimic.

Pen & Pencil on A4 Cartridge

[evolvingeye]

Artist: evolvingeye

Concept: Green Terror

It was five years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. We were all just sitting around the fire, telling stories, drinking, having a great time. Next thing we know something grabs Curt and pulls him straight up into the trees. We shined our flashlights up there and saw it.. this green.. thing.. I don't even know how to describe it. It was pulling Curt's arm off! I don't even remember running away or how we got home, I guess I was in shock. I still see it and hear Curt's screams every time I close my eyes.

[StreetBehemoth]

Artist: Streetbehemoth

Concept: Bardir Bird
A rustle in the distance. The small Mappipat sits unaware of the approaching villain. A Lean, green, and mean predator, is ready for a snack.

[mobius-9]

Artist: Mobius-9

Concept: Yellow-Headed Canopy Lurker
Lean, green and mean... yup, sounds about right

[alive]

ah , accidently posted a comment in final thread...

[dwinbotp]

Artist: dwinbotp

Concept: Root Hounds
Mother Gaea created the Root Hounds solely to guard Her Inner Sanctuary against all those who would trespass and disrupt the peaceful haven reserved only for people seeking respite and pay tribute to her glorious creations. The Root Hounds are also the Gardeners of the Inner Sanctum, They are the embodiment of all things green. They move as fast as the wind and just as ill-natured of that of any force of nature.

[Mr--Jack]

Artist: Mr--Jack

Concept: Viridian Skreecher


Large, fast and highly aggressive, Skreechers are gregarious beasts that live and hunt in small packs. Their diet mainly consists of rodents and other small animals but they will not hesitate to tackle animals larger than themselves, working together and using their wickedly sharp claws to slash and disembowel their prey.
Much of their time while not hunting is spent in hierarchical fights, using their heavy necks and hips to butt one another off-balance. While often seemingly brutal these challenges rarely result in injury, as the whole pack relies on each other when hunting, and serve merely to keep the complex family structure in balance.

[ATAnderson]

Artist: ATAnderson

Concept: Moss Lion

Cousin to BattleCat.

[Crustibian]

Artist: Crustibian

Concept:
The man was executed for the rape and murder of thirteen women. His wife had stood by him throughout the trial.
Now she was afraid and alone. She remained on their small farm but the work proved to be too much for the poor old woman so she tried to sell off her animals.

No one was interested in these”cursed” animals and they quickly began to die off. Finally all that was left was a plump healthy hen.
It had remained so fat by eating the other animals as they died. Now the old woman brought the hen into the house and shared her bed with it.

On the anniversary of her husband’s execution, the hen began pushing out egg after egg. As it came to the thirteenth egg,
the hen squawked and squealed. The egg it was trying to push out was enormous. It screamed like a woman. The old woman was terrified.

Finally, the egg emerged. It was gigantic- the size of a man’s head. It was green and brownish pink and covered in lumpy black warts.
It bore the image of her husband’s head. The chicken,
which had nearly split in two, looked the old woman in the eyes and died.

The egg immediately began to roll and shake. It built in momentum and slammed into the bedroom wall. The “basilisk” emerged.
The tiny creature began to grow. It ate the old woman.

The whole story is a bunch of rubbish, of course. The creature was clearly a common cockatrice.

blog: http://www.denverwagner.blogspot.com

[Verehin]

Artist: Verehin

Concept: Vagima


This small lovely creation lives on trees. By the smelly outgrowths on a head allures the victims. A pink stomach - an excellent way to show that you the loveliest and harmless being on the Earth. But it not absolutely so ;)

[FAST ART]

Artist: Fast Art

Concept: Simbalaba

Its living in the deep blue-diamond-djungel and the natives adore the simbalaba as the god of the blue hill.
Every midsummer night they immolate a newborn to calm the hill..

[Steve Somers]

Artist: Steve Somers
Concept: Uda Faro, the Frogstork

That which the stork bringeth, the Frogstork taketh away ...and eateth.
- Book of Proverbs, unedited edition

The Uda Faro - or Greater Frogstork, also known coloquially as; "undertaker", "babytaker", "stalker of night" and "eater of babies".

Much larger than their amphibian cousins, but slightly smaller in size than their winged relative, the Uda Faro has been long regarded as nightmare incarnate in it's native land of Wisconsin. Largely because of it's taste for, and expert capture of, human infants. But also because of the hideous shrieking croak it produces as it devours the pink, fleshy, crying newborns. Placed on the endangered species list in 1972, few Uda Faros are to be found in the wild nowadays, and those that are have typically been hunted until killed. However a preserve has been established in the small hamlet of Oak Creek, Wisconsin which boasts a record population of 385 Uda Faros.

Current legislation to protect endangered species stipulates the animals must "at all costs" be preserved in their native habitat and "left to live as nature intended". The DNR reports that no substitute for the creature's chosen food source has been discovered. The legal feeding of unwanted babies to the Uda Faros has in recent years become a popular alternative to adoption for those who don't want the children themselves, but don't want anyone else to have them either.

[Dulcahn]

Artist: Dulcahn

Concept: Night-Scourge
Said to be one of the most feared creatures in the forests of Ulahn the night stalker feeds off anything that can be dragged up to his treetop perch with its sticky tongue.
Lightning reflexes along with his infra red vision makes it deadly to anything within 60 yards.

[NickTrip]

Artist: NickTrip

Concept: Giant Highland Creeper
While most of the time these gigantic reptilian beasts spend their time in the hills feeding on sheep, cows, and elephants, they occasionally travel down through the valley to search for dolphins, whales and fishing boats along the shore line. Unfortunately there is always a city or small village between them and their goal. They are very attracted to the multitude of lights but luckily they can be detected early and a black-out instituted so they may find their way safely to the ocean. Occasionally, though, they can become lost within the city borders and begin their feeding frenzy in the midst of human population....

[MikeBurns]

Artist: MikeBurns

Concept: Gopple Gremlin

The very wealthy adventurer Glenn Gopple absolutely loves animals. He made his fortune traveling the world as a searching for animals thought to be extinct and/or non-existent. Some of his greatest discoveries are the Cupacabra, Bigfoot and tooth fairies. Glenn found the Gopple Gremlin all alone in a desolate cave and decided to take it home as a pet, naming him Gopp. Gopp immediately grew fond of Glenn because he was not used to having so much attention. When Gopp came home and realized he had to share his new master with other pets he grew very jealous and he spends most of his time tormenting and scaring away the other pets and causing a mess in the house so he can take the blame when his master comes home. Even if it is just to be scolded, Gopp will do whatever it takes to have the attention of his master.

[darkly]

Artist: darkly

Concept: Grahl Hound

Native to the third moon of Leleng' the Grahl Hound is one of the most interesting animals in that sector. Not having eyes it hunts by sense of smell and we believe by a sort of a heat signature recognition. Although the Grahl are not known for attacking humans there have been a few cases of such violent proportions that they've picked up the nick name Mean Greens.

767075

[GoldenSerpent]

Artist: GoldenSerpent

Concept: Viridescent Screechers

Scientific Name: Druas viridescent
Common Name: Viridescent Screechers
Planet of Origin: Glauko
Environment: Numerous Locations

Viridescent Screechers, Green Howlers, Tree Banshees, all are names for the same creature, Druas viridescent. This species owes its nicknames to the female’s ferocious disposition. During the brood season she will claim a rotting log that is soft enough she can easily insert her long ovipositor. Once her eggs have been lain inside she will defend the rotting stump from all manner of other creatures even those much bigger than herself. Females first let out a horrible screeching yell at whatever is bothering them, then if that doesn’t work they will chase, bit, scratch and harass whomever or whatever they have deemed a threat until it goes away. After mating they will even chase males away form their perches, although some young males naively hope to stay around and help raise their offspring they are inevitably attacked and chased away by the belligerent females.

767347

[GentlemanCrow]

Artist: GentlemanCrow

Concept: Barkskin Stalker


The Barkskin stalker is a large predator that stands from 8-10 feet tall. The Stalker uses its natural camouflage to follow and stalk its prey while it is unaware of its presence. Once it makes it's move it is quick and agile, and the stalker does not go directly for the killing blow unless it feels threatened, for most animals and some humans they know the cruelty of a slow and painful death that the stalker gives it's prey, much like that of a cat playing with its catch before finishing the job.

The Stalker has earned many names due to its appearance and behavior, the most common being 'The Guardian' or 'Nature's Guardian'. It has this title due to two reasons, its natural appearance with its mane of leafy moss and its bark-like natural armor. Secondly its intensively aggressive territorial nature, once a stalker chooses its home and hunting grounds it will defend it and kill any intruder. most human victims are local or traveling hunters, trappers, or explorers. The Stalkers live mostly in large forests and often will leave onto the plains to hunt, but almost never are they seen far from the forests they call home.

The Stalker is a well adapted hunter. its large lean body is ideal for a its environment. The Stalker eats mostly medium to small sized animals including but not limited to Deer, wolves, jungle cats, and rabbits. The Stalker is equipped with venomous tendrils that extend from around its maw, the venom inside is used to immobilize its prey and also to make consumption easier. It also has a unique final vertebrae at the end of its tail that forms into a flat blade that is not sharp but still a very effective killing tool, usually used to fend off larger predators or to inflict small-medium wounds upon its victims. Another major hunting tool is its armored front legs, with lean and powerful muscles powering its unique exoskeletal legs it uses them to stomp or kick out at victims inflicting massive blunt trauma. Lastly the Stalker also uses its tendrils to pull the victim's flesh to its small razor toothed mouth and devour it slowly, often while the victim is merely immobilized but fully conscious.

"'The Guardians' looks have lead many men to believe that they were made by the gods to protect the forests, but those men who see their true nature and feel their wrath know that they are not a creation of the gods but a twisted and cruel parody of nature." -Taal the Luckless, Barkskin Stalker attack survivor and healer in a small logging village

[jsn]

Artist: jsn

Concept: Phukitstaringatus
Currently no data on this creature, except that it's well over 7 feet tall, very fast, freakin deadly accurate, has some kind of sucking tentacles that ripped our super professional one of a kind field scientist's face right off,.....it kills, and then let's the family feast on what's left,.....we're standing by,......ah, aaahhhhh!


That was fun! Let's do it again!

[BlkCelebration]

Artist: BlkCelebration
Concept: Coyoacan-"wing eater"
The Coyoacan or "wing eater" as it is widely known, has a distinctive coloration that attracts birds from above and a smell that draws them near.

What makes this carnivore a bird's worst enemy is that the Coyoacan has a strict diet of bird wings, that and nothing else. As soon as they get within its jumping range, the wing eater jumps several feet in the air and catches his prey by the wing. You can imagine what happens next...


767981

[Izer]

Artist: Izer

Concept: Four-Tail Gourigh
The four tailed Gourigh, these clever and menacing creatures inhabit the vast darkness plains like a sea of lights. Using their highly fluorescence and enticing tails as a lures, leaving them to dance among the grasses innocently in the drafty darkness, their prey has little chance just casually passing by without wanting to take a closer look. Wanderer quote: ''Anything left in the darkness long enough will begin to hunger, even the darkness itself is said to bite back...''.

[alive]

Artist: alive

Concept: trapper
locks on its prey ,wont let go

[The Searle]

Artist: The Searle

Concept: The Berwick-upon-Tweed Dragon
At night whe the wee ones wer' a'kip. Thee Dragon came doon and gave us lip.
With temper mickle and wings a muckle. The flames did pour the bridge did buckle.
The high-street soured a mighty flame. Ah hadnee not a soul to blame.
But merry sir was on said haal. A wizard sacrificed it aal.
The magic man he cast a spell, but we aal nah the dragon is wiel.
Now upon the Tweed their lies a curse which spoken of is in this verse.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Searledesign/dragoon-1.jpg

[Lege1]

Artist: Lege1

Concept: Acropede

[/B]The Acropopede is a sinister forest dweller with an attitude and creative anatomy. It lurks amongst the forest blending in with the shadows of dusk and dawn during it's feeding time stalking all the forestland has to offer. No animal can survive against this predator as it's god of it's terrain. The Acropopede has a unique anatomy that allows it to manuever around the complicated labyrinth of trees in the the forest that it considers home. This creature contains a venomous and most paralyzing bite as it rips its prey to shreds and devours them similar to some of our favorite dinosaurs.:yayca:

[Mike D]

Artist: Mike D

Concept: Thraxus
The Thraxus is commonly used for sport hunting by members of the Zu-tuoa race located within the solar system T-23456.0. Originally used as guard dogs of a sort for the local miners due to there toughness and aggression. But now widely used in games of life and death by local high stake gambling circuits. There almost evil like cunning and pure enjoyment of the hunt has made them extremely popular among betters and odds-makers alike.

[wanwan]

it would seem i've missed this wan, oh well.

[scorge]

Artist: Scorge

Concept: Bitter Bug
Not since man has a more loathsome and devilish creature roamed the earth than the Bitter Bug. Frustrated at its inability to fly and said to be green with envy at its imperfections, this meany wreaks havoc on every living thing unfortunate enough to cross its path. With a permanent scowl and murder on its tiny mind, the bug scours the land in search of victims in order to unload its primitive and childish fury.

[yoitisi]

Artist: yoitisi

Concept: Swampdog
This cold-blooded creature lives in the tropical swamps of the planet Ghordunji. It has a mean temper and despite it's lizard like body system it's very quick on it's three feet. The fourth limp has grown into a weird kind of fin, that it uses to swim.

769413

[jrbarker]

Artist: J.R. Barker

Concept: Fissk


Nocturnal and elusive jungle carnivore.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/3888965800_253e3c7878_o.jpg

[Michael Jaecks]

New round is up!

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=168135

[evolvingeye]

Great entries all around. I voted for Fast Art. This piece just drew my attention with the lighting, the composition, and the creature looks awesome. I really liked Scorge's, Lander's, Mobius-9's, and Mr--Jack's. Great round!

[Droid]

I voted ATAnderson, love it, looks so realistic, and somehow melancholy.

I also like Mr--Jack's colours, Alive's armour-like skin, and Lander's animal owning that poor, slightly surprised-looking Mobawatuu.

Great work all round guys, keep it up.

;)

[Lander]

I'd say this was a fantastic round. I don't think I have ever seen som many cool critters.
Will next round be the revenge of the bunnies?

I voted for Verehin but there were several that came close second. I hope to get the time to write something about the entries but I have a load of kids to care for so now is not the time.
See you hanging

[Dulcahn]

Hey great round here, had too decide between a few but GoldenSerpent gets my vote! The piece seems seems so alive with emotion for me and I love the style.

[MikeBurns]

I hate only being able to vote once! :( though it makes sense to only allow one vote per person.

It was tough to pick just one but I had to go with GoldenSerpent. The pose, the design, the composition, it all just took a hold of me. The description really enhances the image too, I can almost hear it screeching! I felt this one excelled on so many levels that I had to pick it.

There were a lot of other tremendous entries too. Some personal favorites include: Arbinn, Ironhead, Jerik, dwinbotp, Mr--Jack, ATAnderson, Verehin, darkly, BlkCelebration, and scorge. I'll try and specify more later. Nice round everyone!

[lkjhgfdsa]

I voted for goldenserpent as it actually looks lean, green and mean...

[jrbarker]

I voted for ATAnderson. Great design, composition, silhouette and color scheme. I love the style, not too overworked but also perfectly defined and solid. But there were so many great entries. It was a tough choice.

[Izer]

My vote went to Arbinn and the Sugarsnake, just a interesting take on the topic, a different kind of mean.. Awesome work to all that participated.

[NickTrip]

This was a really awesome round with a ton of killer artwork! Everyone did a fantastic job. Here's some crits I've put together. I hope these are useful...


Lander - That's a really cool idea and I like the design of the creature. I think your image could have used a little more polish

Arbinn - Your's is funny. I especially like that its sticking out its tongue at the kid. You did a good job with the color and details. I think you could soften up some of your edges, everything is really hard edged at the moment.

PowleyMan - I like the way you've textured it's skin as well as the overall storybook feel to the artwork. I would say that you might want to tighten up the drawing a little bit more and also, the lightning bugs seem to be a little to bright and distract from the creature a bit.

Ironhead - Nice design, your creature has a nice style and feel to it and I like they way you handled the color in this piece. Everything is bright and smooth. You might be trying to do a perspective thing here, but I think it's eye would look better if they were the same size.

Yor - Very cool piece. It has a sort of ben templesmith, dead space feel to it. The upside-down arrangement of its features is cool, but what are the red slits on its head? They look cool but they're a little confusing.

lkjhgfdsa - You've got a cool sea dragon-esq design going here. I like how you've coated it's head in blood. It looks like the thickness of it's body between the two fins gets a little weird though. Good work!

Jerik - Very cool idea, it would have been nice to see some more mandrake in the final design. The style is great though!

Kimliatach - I like how you have the legs double as a stem, but the bug looks a little too much like an ordinary leaf bug.

evolvingeye - Poor Curt! I like that you've used red for the sky instead of the standard blue, I think it just needs to be a little brighter. Also the hands of the monster look like they could use a little more work. But overall you've come up with a pretty cool piece.

StreetBehemoth - I really like the style and the POV. It seems like the piece could use a little bit more color.

mobius-9 - Awesome work! The composition is great as is the painterly style. Some of the scribbles bug me a little bit, I think maybe they get a little too loose here and there, but overall you did a really fine job!

dwinbotp - Another awesome picture! You have a great sense of motion and form on both the creature and the figure. The only thing I would say is that the ground is a little plain. But the creature looks great!

Mr--Jack - I really like all the detail you've included in your creature, it's plates are really cool looking. I agree though that its a little hard to read the structure on the far side of it's mouth..

ATAnderson - Really great style and painterly approach. Your creature seems solid and well designed. I would say maybe you should add a touch of bright color here or there. Great work!

Crustibian - Your story has that weird messed up classic fairy tale feel to it. I like it. I like the way your piece feels and the way you've textured it, but overall the image seems a little bit too dark.

Verehin - I voted for this one! I really like the textures to everything, your style, and the wicked design! Great work! I would have liked to see some more of those textures and details on it's stomach.

FAST ART - Your creature is awesome. I also really like the apparent angle of the artwork. It does get a little too dark in places though. Now these people sacrifice one baby per day? They must be very busy!

Steve Somers - I like how you put your creature to practical use! You did a good job with the oil paints, the style is really nice. The water in the bg seems to be tilting forward rather than receeding back into space.

Dulcahn - I like the idea and action of your piece, but the creature looks like a cameleon with wings.

MikeBurns - Gopp sounds a lot like my dog... Your creature is creative and unique! I think you just need to crisp up some details on it.

darkly - Very nice. Your creatures are nice looking with a cool style and I love your approach for the bg. The only thing is that the grass seems a little fluffly and lacks the same lighting as the creatures.

GoldenSerpent - Again you've made a sylish and thoughtful design. Great work! The bg is a little bit loose but overall the artwork is great!

GentlemanCrow - I like all the thought you put into the backstory for your creature. The design of the creature is cool, but I think

overall the image could be a little lighter.

jsn - I like the multilegged design, but I think he's a little crammed into the side of the composition. Move it away from the edge a little.

BlkCelebration - You did a really great job with the colors and the overall design of your beastie is great. I think the brushes you've used in the background have a little to much detail compared to the level of detail in your creature.

Izer - Great job with the texturing and overall feel of the piece. The glowing effects are working really well. The only complaint I have is that the creatures face is a little too human-like.

alive - I really like your style. Your mark making, use of color and forms are really nice. I like how it has arms on its arms. I think you're trying to use perspective, having the further parts of its body smaller than the nearer stuff, but its making it look a little off balance. I would say try having all the symmetrical parts be the same size.

The Searle - You have an interesting style and it seems like there could be some nice things happening with color and texture, but your image is too small and too dark to be easily read.

Lege1 - I think you said you had some trouble in your personal life, and couldn't finish, but I actually thought this was already done. You did a great job with the design and drawing and the whole image has a really great misty forest feel to it. Great work! The bear could use some work but overall the image is nicely done.

Mike D - Really cool, I like all the details you've added. It could use a little more color variation.

scorge - Wow, really well done. You did an outstanding job designing this alien creature. The amount of detail is stunning. The only improvement to this that I could suggest is that the bg is a little unresolved.

yoitisi - Really dynamic drawing. Everything is very well done I would just like to see some more colors.

jrbarker - It's got a cool expression and you've done a good job with the rendering. I think it looks a little bit too much like a werewolf though.

Great job everybody!

[Ragnj]

I actually cried a bit looking at those poor rabbits gettin massacred scorge, heartless brute!

dwinbot and mobius stuff were also crasy along with a couple of others.

[Niva.]

Hey guys,
Sorry I haven't commented or anything but I've watched this COW evolve and it kind of motivated me to make the following critter. I'm not sure he would've even been acceptable as a submission but here he is:

http://www.eternalseven.com/images/2009/drake/20090902-Drake-Rider-1000.jpg

Here's the WIP:

http://www.eternalseven.com/images/2009/drake/drake-wip.gif

I started this when your topic opened up but I was too busy with team CHOW stuff and work. Sorry I couldn't participate. Comments to people who did participate:

Scorge: Wtf do you have against bunnies! That's brutal, I love it!

Lege1: That's a real cool creature but doesn't look very lean to me...

Lander: There's lots of motion in that work, like it very much. I think you should've selectively saturated the color in some parts of the image though. Right now it seems over saturated. I think you nailed the brief though... and poor cows, they're so tasty!

Ironhead: That is a very strange snail-like thing... I think it works.

Yor: Careful, looks on the border of being a CHOW. Very humanoid looking.

Mobius-9: Wicked looking, made me stare at it for a while. Good job!

Dwinbotp: Creature neat, plenty of motion in the picture. The runner doesn't work for me though, can't even say why... sorry. Great work either way!

Mr-Jack: That might be a winner, very good concept.

AT. Anderson: That's real well done painting too, congrats!

Verehin: Amazing work, yours is the one that really stands out for me in this challenge. The only part I'm worried is meeting the "lean" criteria. Imma vote for you!

Sorry I didn't comment on everyone's work. Looks like you guys had fun though, cheers!

[meganite]

Comments? Comments.

I voted for Darkly's, as I think the image best conveyed the concept. They look like greyhounds, and have very mean angles and spikes. Lots of nice rainbow colors all around guys. Very interesting designs, well done pics. So, you probably want to hear some crits maybe. Just maybe. Well it's late, but I have time for a few. I will comment on the ones I was thinking of voting for, for a time.

Ironhead: nice concept. Cool lookin beast, bright Miami-like lighting.

Jerik: ooooh superdetailed... not quite lean though... at least not what I envision.

Mobius-9: I REALLY like the snake part of it. The lighting on that is superb, and I was going to vote for it just for that reason. The rest of the creature is a bit strangely put together though, for a minute I thought the furry thing was part of it 0_o . So, it gets a little muddled in other parts, I think because some things are hidden by the trees.

Fast art - woah, awesome ground and environment, especially that front paw, but the rest of him kind of gets lost. Dramatic and striking image though.

BLKCelebration - The colors are magnificent. The creature itself is rather ugly though, and it's not very lean. Beautiful lighting though.

And everyone voted for Mr. Jack because he is the god of COW. What can I say.

[Steve Somers]

Crits!

Lander - Nice work and I'm especially fond of seeing Falkor the luck dragon being disemboweled.
Arbinn - Taking candy from a baby, now that's just plain mean. Even though I can see this one didn't get the same time as some of your other creatures, I think the concept is strong, and it communicates instantaneously.
Powley Man - That turned out nice, even though you ditched the head I liked. But the lighting adds a nice tough, with the reflected light from the fireflys.
Ironhead - I was suprised and impressed to see how far you took your piece. It's a very strange and unique idea, that wouldn't be nearly as effective without the attention to rendering you gave it.
Yor- I like the upside down head and shaky walk, a nervous little fella like that could really unnerve someone.
lkjhgfdsa - It enters the anus? Like it wasn't gruesome enough, now I have to picture it swimming up my ass, great. Your work always has that nice markmaking, with a lot of consecutive small lines, really gives you a signature style. Always love seeing your pieces.
Jerik - Love the style of your Stygian Mandrake, the linework is very confident, fluid and descriptive, somewhere between knotted wood and ornate metalwork.
kimliatach _ that's a very scientific approach, like a naturalists' drawing.
Evolvong Eye - I like the concept of your beast because it evokes images of werewolves and arthurian dragons, so it feels like a creature from 1000 years ago, plus the gore is just good fun.
Street behemoth - the humor and animated quality of yours make it unique, the type of design that begs for animation, plus your background is really quite nice.
Mobius 9 - Yours is one of my favorites this time around, i like the design of the creature combining snakelike qualities with some alien and dragon like touches. This would've worked for the "canopy grazer" COW too.
dwinbotp - Your root hound is a unique blend of plant and monster. The teeth becoming like roots, and the flowers on it's back give it a surreal feeling. Your running elf dude is well done too, particularly good knee.
Mr. Jack - I checked out some of the other creatures you've made. All I can say is WOW.. the screecher here is just another example of how good you are at creating gnarly beasts. I think perhaps the reason you tend to run with your first idea is the same reason you don't have to lay out perspective lines when you draw - because you can see it in 3 dimensions before you even begin.
AT Anderson - Your moss lion feels huge and ominous, almost like a dinosaur because you place the viewpoint low, and grey out your colors as it recedes. I think Battle Cat would shit a brick upon seeing him.
Crustibian - Nice backstory, weird and morbid -- but the part about giving birth 13 times and the final birth being most diffiicult has mythic resonance. I think if you start with storytelling, and build your creatures from there you may open up a whole new world of ideas.
Verehin - I think I had a nightmare about your creature this weekend, it's superbly disturbing. A true venereal horror. The strange anatomy and upside down / sideways twists, contrasted against that soothing background make it all the more unsettling and real. I was transfixed in it's gaze.
Fast Art - Very well rendered, frightening beast. The environment is especially well done.
Dulcahn - That's a scary chameleon if I ever saw one. You don't see many dragon sized lizards with the chameleon legs and eyes, but maybe there should be.
Nick Trip - The feeling of this monster rushing at me is very potent. I think you're right about my background tilting up, it is confusing.
Mike Burns - Cool, I like the way that turned out. Adding the dog and broken stuff helps communicate the creature's intent better. Reminds me of my siamese cat.
Darkly - I like that impressionistic background you added. The creatures feel very predatory, and having them hunt by olfactory sense alone is a unique concept.
Golden Serpent - There's something really balanced and sinuous about the marks and shapes to comprise your creature this time. I don't know if that comes from it starting as an actual physical drawing or not. It has an almost oriental, decorative feel to it, which seperates it stylewise from your last two, but it still has that completeness of intent the others had. Plus I really enjoy that this is another solitary and somewhat hostile, female. The Ovipositor proboscis coming out the rear reinforces it's expendable and dominant relationship over the males.
Gentleman Crow- I really enjoyed the story that accompanied your Barkskin Stalker, I could picture a discovery channel special about him. He has very regal pose as though he has total claim to his territory.
jsn - Cool to see a more abstact, loose, and impulsive approach to this. Looks like it was fun to draw.
blkcelebration - So it eats their wings off? Yeesh.. that's horrible, but a solid idea. The bright colors on such a vicious creature are a clever juxtaposition.
Izer - I liked the various stages of this, had a nice ornamental feel. You may want to try saving the final as different file type, looks like your gif? lost a little in the export.
Alive - I'd like to see a set of stickers with your beasts on them, I think kids would love 'em. The repetition of the 3 circles with rectangular slots is a nice motif.
The Searle - I'm glad you contribute to this just because your style is so different from everyone else's. It's more playful and colorful with an emphasis on texture.
Lege1 - well in spite of any perspective issues you had going on, there's a lot that works really well in yours, the shapes desaturating as they recede, and the unique anatomy of the creature overall. The texture overlay gets a bit distracting in some areas for me.
Mike D - I see some alien, some dinosaur and even a little giraffe going on there. Nicely rendered. There's some symmetry issues and the cast shadow seems to contradict your light source, but a mean lil bastard none the less.
Scorge - Awesome, so glad you got this in. When you were posting your wips I was wondering what all the extra limbs were for, and the bunnies were a brilliant touch. The green to purple exo-shell on him is so nicely done, and his face is freaky-scary. The background coloring is a bit odd for me, but the ground texture is working, it recedes well.
Yoitsi - the fourth limb evolving into that fin is a very cool concept, nicely drawn piece.
JR Barker - That's a big furry fissk you've got there. I like the proportions, big paws, long ears. The back legs look a bit out of perspective with the rest.
and n1va - you should've entered that, it's a great piece and it fits the description. I like the animated gif WIP too, cool.

[kimliatach]

Jerik got my vote, though I too wish we could do the -no doubt complicated- multivote thing they do in CHOW as I really like quite a few of these. Most notably: Yoitisi, Golden Serpent, Darkly & Mr. Jack, Jrbarker, Lander, lkjhgfdsa & Mobius9.
Thanks for the Crit's peoples.

[Mike D]

Thank you for the C&C Nicktrip and Steve Somers!

[cosmicbeanbag]

My vote went to Ironhead. Really liked your take on it, and a nice rendering as well.

Fast Art, Verenin, and Mr--Jack. Beautifully painted!

Kimiliatch-Liked your concept. Would have liked to have seen more about the creature though.

Big up to all who participated.

[Kathemo]

This was hard. There were so many great entries!

I'd like to vote for Mr. Jack's Viridian Skreecher~ I thought the design was well executed and it fit the prompt of "lean, green and mean" well enough to communicate it with just itself.

[AhkNemet]

I'm very sorry, I voted and didn't comment - Been a bit snowed under lately and nearly missed the voting entirely lol

I voted for ironhead, cos I loved the simplicity of design and the execution. Your sundew-esque plant captured me from the first time I saw it, and I still like looking at it ;)