ChoW#217 :: The Underground Tribe

[Martheart]

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii293/chowarchive/CHOW_Headerimage/QUEENOFCHOW_logo-1.jpg



ROUND #217 :: The Underground Tribe



DESCRIPTION


The Underground Tribe


Many generations ago, radiation and heat forced the people to live underground. Endless networks of tunnels connect the population of Underearth. Having been deprived of real sunlight has changed their appearance, and their looks have been influenced by the scarce resources found in the deep caverns and tunnels. Even though life is hard, the people of Underearth are a resourceful and optimistic tribe.

Design the Underground Tribe.

- Design at least one character that represents this underground tribe.
- Make him/her believable; how would the environment influence this persons appearance, clothing, posture etc?
- Think of the environment! What resources are found underground, how would people survive there? What equipment would they carry?
- Setting can be anything, but there is no electricity. Feel free to think of ways for them to use more basic technology to survive underground!

Some inspiration:

Underground creatures:

Troglobites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troglobite)
Axolotl people :) (http://www.mute.com/data/8778828.jpg)
Glowworms... (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jhW52aMy8UU/THqg4dKse8I/AAAAAAAAAdk/mwlLHcilBac/s1600/glowWorm.jpg)

Inspiring underground worlds:

Lechuguilla Cave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lechuguilla_Cave)
Caverns (http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/010/cache/lechuguilla-cave_1037_990x742.jpg)

Good luck!


PLEASE NOTE THE RULES AND THE DEADLINE TIME

---------------------------------------------------------
DEADLINE:
SUNDAY, October 10th, 2010


Deadline is Sunday, at 9:00 pm (GMT +1).
Check your timezone (http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/)


---------------------------------------------------------
THE RULES
If you do not stick to these 6 simple rules, you will not be added to the poll.
---------------------------------------------------------

:right: 1) FOLLOW THE TOPIC.
It's about designing the character of the topic. The environment or side characters are far less important.

:right:2) SHOW AT LEAST ¾ OF YOUR DESIGN.
This is not an illustration contest, but a design contest. Show your whole design!

:right:3) POST YOUR FINAL IN THE FINALS THREAD.

:right:4) INCLUDE WIPS WITH YOUR FINAL.
Show your work in progress and post (links to) this in the finals thread!

:right:5) SAVE YOUR FILES IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT. Chow##_Nickname
example: "CHOW#100_Oblio.jpg" ;)
No final.jpgs please!


:right:6) PLACE THE IMAGE IN A FRAME WITH YOUR NAME/TOPIC

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



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

_____________

BE PROFESSIONAL - only finished and good quality entries will be taken to the poll. Icemoon and Arthemis IX will make the selection.
Please review these helpful reminders if you have not done so already.

:right:ON GETTING TO POLL (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1891823&postcount=15)
-------------------------
:right:NEW ROUND RULE: WIPS PLEASE! (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1910999&postcount=27)
-------------------------
:right:SUBMISSION FORMAT REMINDER (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1911002&postcount=28)



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

[Jasper_]

Awesome topic. The 'no electricity' thing will be a challenge to work around but it should produce some interesting designs. Definitely trying to get in on this one!

[Undeadartist]

got myself some ideas will have to try and get in on this one

[BAMeyer]

The environment is lacking if anyone has any pointers feel free to say something otherwise here is a slugrider.

1075334

[hemlock-key]

So pleased I'll have time to do this one. So many ideas...

[Pepperwheel]

Sounds sweet :D I'll have to try and enter this one.

[akacg]

Cool I think ill give this a shot. This will be my first 2d comp and first time painting in photoshop. :)

[Sseal]

I'm in. Got my character. Just need to work out the details.
http://www.seanseal.com/gallery/Underdweller1.jpg

[hemlock-key]

I'm thinking fluorescence. Maybe lantern fishy.

But not fish like.

[Gavin.Gray]

Sounds like a fun topic, can't wait to get started.

[SaintLConcept]

i'm thinking big arm muscles and almost blind so they would use vision aid device?

[Nev87]

Art4all-reminds me of mole from Disney's Atlantis. "DIRT!!" I like the sketch :D just careful with the vision aid device. im thinking either glasses or night vision and the latter would suggest electricity. :)

[tbaldree]

For whatever reason, the thing that sprang to mind is that rodents would have a better time of it than people and would get more juice out of the old leftover remnants of a society from aboveground.

So, bipedal evolved rodentfolk who use the castoffs of people.
Here's a 90 min speedie of what I was thinking.

[Undeadartist]

ok soooo here is a wip test idea, figured they have developed bad posture due to low ceilings and large eyes to lack of light and have developed a better sense of hearing in growing bigger ears, im thinking of making golem like species of humans, still going to play with ideas but oppen for crits and comments

1075488

[lkjhgfdsa]

lkjhgfdsa

[Migsta]

Here's my initial thumbnail....not sure i'm into it...

http://www.miguellleras.com/Chow/Chow217_ML2.jpg

[Pixeltuner]

This might be a good time to watch The Time Machine again. :)

[Sseal]

Hope some people push this really far out there. Last weeks chow was totally wicked. Some of the best work I've seen. Voting will be tough.

[silentkitty]

Did someone say radiation? :D

Don't know if this is what I'm going to go with or not, but it's what my sleep deprived brain was having fun with at 4am.

[arri-att]

my cave man is the smiley

[Nev87]

I love this one :D its like a CoW meets CHoW.

BAMeyer - enjoying the idea of people riding slugs. for the background try looking at lots of pictures of caves and tunnels to get a better idea.
SSeal - I feel like we've seen this guy already. I might be mistaken. Love the character concept though and his face shows the kind of intelligence you would think a race of people would need to live underground.
tbaldree - LOVE IT :D I had a vastly different idea but after seeing yours it completely wiped my mind clean and now I cant get bipedal rodent folk out of my head.
Undeadartist - liking where this is going.
lkjhgfdsa - lovin the tribe. It doesnt really say "been living underground for generations" to me But I guess thats because I saw this challenge as a way to create a new breed of people. This works though :)
Migsta - Im actually enjoying this one. Granted I am sitting here wondering what that thing is having over his head :D
Silentkitty - Feels like a Creature. Not enough intelligence/character in the way it holds itself or its facial expression.

Like I said after seeing tbaldree idea i couldnt get the idea of mammals running through the earths crust out of my head(and it makes sense. when the dinosaurs died out it was the tiny mammals underground that inherited the earth) So here are some sketches getting my ideas down :D

[Ruri]

Great topic, I hope people really go crazy with it!

Here's something for the soundtrack. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciBAMhLiwyQ)

Super rough beginning here. My underground tribe are little bioluminescent primitive jelly dudes. Taking a lot a inspiration from Cave In by Brian Ralph. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cave--Brian-Ralph/dp/0966536339/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286218246&sr=1-10)

[Fallenangel]

here is my try...i don't think that people would get ugly and lose all the technological stuff if there is now electricity, they will just have to come up with a new energy source.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/DDT87/Untitled-410.jpg

[Obstfelder]

BAMeyer: I like the deepwater fish reference. Maybe you could crop the image down too focus more on the character?

Sseal: Nice start with the Goblin. Think I prefer the less clothed version. Maybe you could make him hairy instead of clothed?

Art4all: I like your dwarf like character. He doesn´t strike me as "evolved for the enviroment" though. Maybe you could give him even shorter arms and legs to make him appear to be addapted to cramped spaces?

tbaldre: That rodent is awesome. I´m loving the cutlery/tools, Don´t know about the pilot glasses, What about giving him a helmet or some breathing help/gas mask? Something more setting appropriate.

Undeadartist: I like the Gollum approach, but his face seems a little too closely based on him. Maybe try and develop that bit in a slightly different direction?

lkjhgfdsa: Wow, That´s a lot of characters in one week. Might be overkill, but I think the group shot is looking pretty good so far. Might need something "evolved for underground" about them though. Could be cool if we see the same subtle change in all of them. Don´t know what it would be though.

Migsta: More of an explorer underground than a living underground approach but I like the strangeness of the pose and face.

Silentkitty: This looks promising. The legs could perhaps not be so far appart? It looks a bit stiff like this.

arri-att: Devolved to caveman? I like your thinking, and the sketch. He looks goofy and friendly :)

nev87: Rodent men are in this week :) the top sketch has the most interesting proportions I think.

Ruri: Makes me think of alien hominid from the behemoth. Do you know it?

My WIP 1: I´m doing the moleman thing. I´m liking the composition. Just gotta try and give him some more personality. maybe he should have a costume too, but I´m not sure yet.

[artina]

Hey everyone,

Here's my entry. I had free time this morning so I decided to take it to finish. I will post the wips in the finals thread. Hope you like it.

[Lodin]

My WIP

[Kir Nuyts]

Lol Tbaldree that mice is wicked! hahah
Love those warm colors as well... Great job!!!
Keep it up.. Maybe I will join this as well! I just finished my Chow and IDW so I can join in here as well...

PS: lkjhgfdsa Thats amazing mate!!!!

[jlafuente]

This is what I've so far -- I'm thinking on some kind of amphibian looking.

[hemlock-key]

I'm thinking fluorescent paints for some really vibrant colors.

Glowing moss....

[Sseal]

I'm bailing on my first sketches. I'm going more native. Gonna chase this idea for awhile. Loving the amphibian chick.
http://www.seanseal.com/gallery/Underdweller2.jpg

[lkjhgfdsa]

The Mutation rate over Generations is a very slow process; how much have humans mutated over the last 50,000 years? very little.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutation_rate

I'm going for a look dipicting people of about 12 generations into the future (ave. generation being 20years 240years = 2250 a.d.) of an underground life without electricity (as hard as it is to believe that there would be no wind-up generators, water-wheels, quarts crystal wristwatches, DYNAMOs, static electricity, methane powered generators, chemical batteries... an entire Aspect of Physics would have to somehow dissappear from the universe for there to be NO Electricity; there would need to be no thermodynamics and lets not even bother going there ...).
Either way; I can work with the brief provided.

Changes I will include shall reflect the need for better hearing and visual breakdown due to poor lighting.
Phosphorescent lighting as well as burning torchlight (animal fats etc) would be used as even without electricity humans are very inventive creatures as we can all attest; human history shows us this.

However, without sufficient ventilation of the smoke and grease in the air this would cause mutation rates to rise in a negative direction as well as more immediate skin disorders and diseases/irritations.
Mutations I will try to show will progress towards Bats as we are both mammals- represented in the children in the lineup of characters having large ears and creepy eyes etc.
Less advantageous mutation will be shown within the older generations more clearly as they live through the years of more radical environmental change and unresolved pollution issues.
Increased environmental stress upon humans has been scientifically shown to produce a higher level of mental and physical actuation- the fastest lesson learned is on the edge of life and death. To de-evolve into primitive cavemen seems a little harsh to me but, well, it is a fantastical setting after all...

Hunting with dogs and breeding rodents and fish along with the cultivation of myconids would produce a food supply sufficient to keep small communities fed well and trade of commodities would see any nutrition and equipment shortages filled for the survival minded generations. Also other surface dwelling animals such as bears -for one example of a creature that also inhabits caves- would surely move indoors if the surface became too hot to survive upon.
Many pig farmers keep their pig inside all their lives as well as chicken farmers and the like...
Scavenging of past-world artifacts for re-usage in the 'new world order' would be a lucrative endeavour...
As far as clothing goes; out in my shed there is a Singer Treadle sewing machine (pedal powered). A simple enough machine to replicate that does not rely directly on electricity for the production of clothing and textiles on at least a communal level if not limited mass production. Any petrochemical textiles have fairly long half-lives so all polytextiles would keep for 100's of years after the 'apocalypse'.

I intend to depict a tribe of scavengers; travellers who trade in old-world artifacts between consolidated communities in the underground world of the future... with no electricity...

[Gavin.Gray]

Here's my first WIP. I went with a mutated and evolved human. Also in their tribe whoever has the most "shinnies" is king. The character I'm focusing on is Grundo, King of the underearth tribe.

[Gavin.Gray]

@lkjhgfdsa - You've really have done your homework. The realistic approach is intriguing. As far as humans not changing much in 50,000 years our environment hasn't changed as drastically as the concept calls for either. You might also think about the lack of food in the environment. In most caves you will find bugs, bats and not much else in the way of fatty meat. Some of your characters look a little plump for the living conditions in my opinion. Overall it's coming together great and an interesting take on the topic.

[fdisk]

1076346

I love the realistic approaches so far. Particularly Lodin I'm really digging the evolved (Devolved?) look on your design.

[silentkitty]

Little bit more work done, I think I'll end up giving her something resembling pants as well. :assspank:

[arri-att]

doing colors

[Rhdnor]

Preliminary sketch. I've thought of a bunch of things to say to back up the design but am feeling particularly lazy right now.

[Fallenangel]

Wip part II....


http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/DDT87/Untitled-410a.jpg

[Pixeltuner]

The Mutation rate over Generations is a very slow process; how much have humans mutated over the last 50,000 years? very little.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutation_rate

I'm going for a look dipicting people of about 12 generations into the future (ave. generation being 20years 240years = 2250 a.d.) of an underground life without electricity (as hard as it is to believe that there would be no wind-up generators, water-wheels, quarts crystal wristwatches, DYNAMOs, static electricity, methane powered generators, chemical batteries... an entire Aspect of Physics would have to somehow dissappear from the universe for there to be NO Electricity; there would need to be no thermodynamics and lets not even bother going there ...).
Either way; I can work with the brief provided.

Changes I will include shall reflect the need for better hearing and visual breakdown due to poor lighting.
Phosphorescent lighting as well as burning torchlight (animal fats etc) would be used as even without electricity humans are very inventive creatures as we can all attest; human history shows us this.

However, without sufficient ventilation of the smoke and grease in the air this would cause mutation rates to rise in a negative direction as well as more immediate skin disorders and diseases/irritations.
Mutations I will try to show will progress towards Bats as we are both mammals- represented in the children in the lineup of characters having large ears and creepy eyes etc.
Less advantageous mutation will be shown within the older generations more clearly as they live through the years of more radical environmental change and unresolved pollution issues.
Increased environmental stress upon humans has been scientifically shown to produce a higher level of mental and physical actuation- the fastest lesson learned is on the edge of life and death. To de-evolve into primitive cavemen seems a little harsh to me but, well, it is a fantastical setting after all...

Hunting with dogs and breeding rodents and fish along with the cultivation of myconids would produce a food supply sufficient to keep small communities fed well and trade of commodities would see any nutrition and equipment shortages filled for the survival minded generations. Also other surface dwelling animals such as bears -for one example of a creature that also inhabits caves- would surely move indoors if the surface became too hot to survive upon.
Many pig farmers keep their pig inside all their lives as well as chicken farmers and the like...
Scavenging of past-world artifacts for re-usage in the 'new world order' would be a lucrative endeavour...
As far as clothing goes; out in my shed there is a Singer Treadle sewing machine (pedal powered). A simple enough machine to replicate that does not rely directly on electricity for the production of clothing and textiles on at least a communal level if not limited mass production. Any petrochemical textiles have fairly long half-lives so all polytextiles would keep for 100's of years after the 'apocalypse'.

I intend to depict a tribe of scavengers; travellers who trade in old-world artifacts between consolidated communities in the underground world of the future... with no electricity...

While you indeed did your homework, lack of vitamin-D (which can only
be created by photosyntesis i.e.: Sun or UV-light) would cause people to have all kinds of growth disorders, weak skeletal structures and people just being severely depressed. In combination with bad nutrition (while I do think people will not have fled underground in a hurry and probably have prepared something ;)), 12 generations of living underground would probably be sufficient for people having at least a very pale skin.
I'm actually in favor of the theory of people having a really accelerated evolution while living underground, because they simply need to adapt in order not to go extinct.

[lkjhgfdsa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D
Yes, I totally forgot!
so now I am checking it out! Mushrooms seem to be the only vegan source according to the totally infallable ( heh ) wiki.
Makes me think of all the mushroom crates in metro2033 that line the insides of the living areas.
I am now thinking I may need a set of crutches on someone in the picture!

[Sseal]

I had that same though about the "D". I have to take extra just in the winter.

[Crysse]

The luciferin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luciferin) is the survival for this tribe. The Luceferin fisherman are the heroes of these new times. Dark, chasms, giant rats …and cannibals tribes are the new challenges of these survivors.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5054232572_a3ee07bfe7_b.jpg

[Ranarh]

lkjhgfdsa - Ui! Great work (a little demotivating ;))

Lodin - I like the creature design, especially the face.


I'm almost certain I'll find time to flesh out only one of these concepts. They'll wear lots of plastics. Since those won't rot for the next several centuries, those and soda cans are the clothing of choice - will environmental pollution save our grandchildren? ;)

1076446

[daveneale]

Some really strong designs here already.

Crysse; nice sketch!

Migsta; Really nice design-feel it could be a little more balanced, but I'm sure you'll solve that when you develop it

artina; Love the design, but perhaps the light from the flame could be a little more subtly applied?

Photo (http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://images.beijing2008.cn/20080325/Img214280573.jpg&imgrefurl=http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/ceremonies/greece/news/n214280572.shtml&usg=__u_d3OcISlmEWvzjak8PzrPpggzc=&h=338&w=450&sz=41&hl=en&start=33&zoom=1&tbnid=i1ETmyH5FtGu4M:&tbnh=135&tbnw=168&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dflame-lit%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1408%26bih%3D928%26tbs%3Disch: 10%2C673&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=793&vpy=250&dur=447&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=157&ty=65&ei=FjSrTPD1DJGUjAfCpYzdBw&oei=EDSrTL-8EeiI4gaD56imBw&esq=2&page=2&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:33&biw=1408&bih=928)

If you check out this photo see how the most intense light is caught by his hand, and that it then quickly falls off and is a lot less intense on his t-shirt. Perhaps if you had more of the blue, but not as intense, across his whole torso area, but toned down some of the rim-lighting you may find that the lighting reads better?

where I'm at:

1076465
1076503

*updated

[arri-att]

i am prettey much unaware, which direction i am going with this

[Mordus]

Much respect must be afforded to lkjhgfdsa for his meticulous research and well-plotted design. I can only hope to emulate him in gathering the following references -

Olm - fascinating eyeless amphibian which inhabits only ONE cave system in the entire world. It's darker cousin the Black Olm is even more astonishing when you consider that this entire species lives IN ONE WELL.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/_44369875_olm.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/Olm_tank1.jpg

And now, a Giant Chinese Salamander, worth noting for it's marvellous lumpy build and skin texture.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/080124132336.jpg

And to finish for my references, a mayan mummified corpse for that perfect tranquil madness, skull structure and parched skin.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/mummies_amazon.jpg

Sketches soon.

[Ruri]

Ruri: Makes me think of alien hominid from the behemoth. Do you know it?.

That's a game by the guys who made Castle Crashers right? I like their style.

Little update.

[Mordus]

Some rough, early works.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/IMG_0001-1.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/IMG_0002-1.jpg

[CrookedHorn]

i was thinking that facial hair would turn more into wiskers giving them greater sensory organs for limited light living. also eyes that have evolved for the lack of sun light and yes pale skin.
i was doodling at work on a 2in x 2in pad.

[CrookedHorn]

oh and i was thinking of using bio-luminescent fungus ....i think that would provide fun light source

[Fallenangel]

worked on it a bit more today...way too tired to continue now.
crits/suggestions are always welcomed.

The background story: she's a scavenger hunter for her tribe though people spent few hundred years deep in the earth they still remain civilized and starting to develop a new culture. They send the most brave women and men to the surface to learn about the old ways and to find different useful things.
They use some crystals for light and the heat from the earth as energy.
Rats grew to a size of a dog cause of the radiation and became even more intelligent then they are these days. some tribes cooperate with them and some fighting with them for their lives.


http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/DDT87/Untitled-410b.jpg

[Pepperwheel]

chow entry WIP. I started on this last night :) I'm thinking they would have gone pasty in terms of complexion due to the lack of sunlight, and would have lost some of the colouring in their hair. I was toying with the idea of make their skin glow a bit, maybe they have started to take on the properties of the bioluminescent creatures and plants they have been feeding off ever since they were driven underground?

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/KweenKairi/chow_217_underground_tribe_wip_01_web.jpg

[jlafuente]

Still needs a bit of work, next for the background and theory around her :P

[Mincx]

My first proper attempt at a CHOW so here goes. The character I have chosen to portray is the tribes leader. The scene will be a strong female character riding on a mole rat through the underground tunnels. She is carrying a flaming torch to light the passage. Her headdress will be made out of plant roots, decorated with silk worms.

This is just a quick sketch of what I'm trying to achieve. Will start painting the main piece next.

[silentkitty]

Moving along. :zzz:

[daveneale]

Does anyone have any advice for this one?....I'm not too sure about the saturation/colour on my tribesman, kinda like where it's going, just think there are a few things off I can't put my finger on.

1077005

[SaintLConcept]

BAMeyer:cant say much yet, but nice idea having them riding on a slug :)

Sseal:looked like somekind of alien

tbaldre:Shit! and thats ur speed painting....umm..okay... its gonna be awesome when its done :)

Undeadartist:the body concept is looking nice

lkjhgfdsa:wow! thats just sweet man XD a crowd of the underground tribe !!

Migsta:looked more like a space traveler, but could be good XD

Silentkitty:it looked scary man XD

arri-att:looking good, say cheeseeeeee XD

nev87:actually i havent watched that movie, ...downloading now LOL, cant wait to see ur progress

Ruri:glowing jelly , should be interesting to paint XD

Daveneale:my favourite!! i like how u render it really good, the skin tone is good , maybe adding some secondary object, its like it is looking for something

obstfelder:not really trying something out of the box though lol just some ordinary dwarf guy is something im into now XD, a coustume should be nice but not too much , i like how u paint the expression its like ' rarr,.. me .. hungry!!' XD

Artina:wow ur done!!!, agile and fast looking nice!

lodin:damn , a good one, great concept , i like the costume, the face, and the pose SWEET!

jlafuente:amphibian is good lol XD

hemlock-key:good approach, need to see it coloured :)

pepperwheel:good idea on making their skin glow just make sure its not gonna be too flashy though

fallenangel:i like ur idea make it looked a little steampunk, try fixing ur anatomy a bit more though

gavingray:this is interesting, cant wait to see it coloured

fdisk:all tools to survive lol

rgeorge:she friendly? lol

ranarh:different sketches , not sure where ur going :)

Mordus:that a f**kin cool face man , great zombie looks SWEET!

crysse:luciferin..cool

PHEW!, so many entries lol, hope i didnt miss anyone lol, heres mine ,finished actually just gonna post some wip before the final XD

[Mincx]

Started painting in Photoshop, concentrating on getting the basic skin tones of the character then I'll add the lighting and colours from the flame later. The foot still needs a bit of work as the colouring looks blurry.

[Nev87]

Alright let's get this started.
Page 2 only(I believe I got through most to all of page 1 earlier)
lkjhgfdsa - props on the research. It's coming out brilliant. I agree with whoever it was that said you probably wont find people as well fed as the old guy with the suspenders underground.
Gavin.Gray - he keeps staring at me >.> love the creepy bug eyed look. Lets see where it goes from here
fdisk - looks to clean and those tools look brand spanking new
silentkitty - beautiful painting. keep going.
arri-att - having a hard time reading the front foot. it looks broken
rgeorge - interested to know whats causing the light :) I like where its going though
fallenangel - Interesting. It feels like its lacking something but i couldnt honestly tell you what. Sorry not much help :/
crysse - nice sketch
ranarh - I like the top right but if you go the bottom route that face is looking like it could be dropped a little(nudge the eyes nose mouth down some). got a big chin and no forehead.
daveneale - its BEAUTIFUL. love the colors. The face feels like its lacking a lil contrast.
Ruri - invisible underwear for the win
Mordus -pretty sketch. Bring some Tribe attributes or characteristics to it. This would be at home in a CoW about underground mummified moles.
CrookedHorn - nice sketch. keep going
Pepperwheel - exactly what you would think of if you thought underground tribe person. Try and push it.
jlafuente - great idea. clothing is a little boring
Art4All - looking awesome. cant wait to see this one done.
Mincx - nicely painted. What about this person makes them a survivor? What's protecting this tribe from the underground elements(sharp rocks, freezing temperatures, mutated turtles that know martial arts, etc....)

phew that took awhile. heres afew of my progress

[Fallenangel]

Art4All what do you mean?

worked a lil bit more on the pic....

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/DDT87/Untitled-410c.jpg

[Undeadartist]

ok well update i think i got the pose down and i fixed the face a bit im leaning towards making them blind relying mostly on their sense of hearing (hense the big ears) i made em a bit more rat like. anyways now for crits/comments

Nev87-Like the idea you went with would like to see more but keep at it

Mincx-good idea man like the way your taking it, like the idea of riding on a giant molerat thing

Art4All- Hey thanks for the comment! Great start really love your character design only thing is im a little worried it may be a bit to dwarvish, but other than that i still love the design cant wait to see finished

daveneale- Lol i love this one relly like the colors and everything im not i agree with Art4All but it could be fire from another tribe maybe?, keep up the exelent work though bro

silentkitty- i love the design of your character, keep at it, the right arm though seems a bit off to me though but other than that great design

jlafuente-That is totally bad ass design there man, love the colors and the light, a theory you could try is the whole they live in flooded cave systems or something of that sort? Really love this design though keep it up!

Pepperwheel- Great start really like the idea of taking on properties of the bio luminescence, you could try like their hair is kinda like fiber optics with the glow on the tips like its just now manifesting itself? or you could always go avatar style like the navi anyways good start cant wait to see were it goes!

Fallenangel- good design i like the background as well, it would be cool to see some of the scavanged tech in her suit, or on her person, anyways keep it up great stuff!

CrookedHorn- Great idea man love the idea of the fungus they could carry some around with them or something of the sort, but hope to see what the body looks like of this guy keep at it

Mordus - Hey man great stuff love the creepy and mutated look to him, keep it up!

Ruri- good idea man keep pushing it

arri-att- hey man its alright just keep at it and youll get it you could even try a different design its still early into the competition

Ranarh- Really like the idea of them wearing all the trash as clothing could use plastic bags as shirts and pants keep at it bro good idea!

Crysse- Great concept and design i really dig it, will the lantern have fire/or bio luminescence in it?

rgeorge- Hey man dont worry about it just push through that laziness and keep at it!

fdisk- love this design it just looks almost a bit too "fantasy" but still a great design keep at it.

Gavin.Gray- i love the look on his face lol, and he idea of the most shinnies is king, you should really push that idea with him.

lkjhgfdsa- Really did our homework really love the design cant wait to see how you take it into more towards bats

Sseal- good sketches keep it up man, btw whats the thing in his right hand?

hemlock-key- Hey good idea, keep at it

Lodin- Man i really love this guy the design is really great,cant wait to see finished product!

artina- Great picture man really love the look of this guy and the "torch" made from glow worms is a nice touch

Obstfelder- Hey thanks man yea i noticed that with my guy so hopefully its fixed but like this guy, really like the moleman approach your going for keep pushing it!

Migsta- like this sketch only thing is it seems a bit to hi-tech for them but good initial concept.

wow that took awhile
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[Sseal]

Undeadartist - thanks. I should start refining my ideas a bit now. First one was too much like some anime character and the second is an alien. I think what's tripping me up is I really think this piece needs to go really dark. The brief has one little line I don't like which is the part about being hopeful. That's what's making me keep them from going totally evil. All the scifi I like doesn't have good things happening to people who evolve underground. "The Descent" and "Time Machine" I think give the best descriptions. Someone mentioned about all the bad things that happen to the human body when it has a lack of vitamin D. Their attitude would be pissy at best. Just saying.

[Sseal]

That's his little pet salamander.

[jlafuente]

Art4All - I'm trying to make the amphibian thing work, I'll come up with the theory too.

Nev87 - oh yeah totally agree, the clothing is bothering me to death too, still needs a lot of work.

Undeadartist - thanks! I'm actually doing a cave with a river passing in front of her already, but it's on its early states yet-- I will probably start posting it along with her on my next wip post. Not this one, unfortunately. Didn't get much time today to work on it...

[Capt.RBK]

heres my character. im not really skilled in coloring tho so lets see how it goes.
queston: Can i use a backgroung that is not mine?

EDIT: i will definitely try to redo the color... seriously..i'll probably need a tablet to be successful lol

[fdisk]

Art4All: I love the design and the markings on him; I also like the integration of the crystals his dwarven look.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback and crits! It really pushed me to finish this one instead of just setting it aside.

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[SaintLConcept]

fallenangel, left foot step up from the sewer, right shoulder should be pushed forward a bit with left shoulder pushed back, minor change but i think could make a huge impact on making the char more 'real'

[Sinskin]

Living under the earths surface, you have great potential to come across resources/artifacts and even ancient cities, that are still undiscovered to advanced, surface living societies.

Due to living so far beneath the surface, new resources have allowed for versatile ways of creating light and expanding the tunnel system.

This tribe member is responsible for discovering undiscovered ancient relics and resources, His equipment is very valuable and is in short supply, the lucky few who get to use this equipment are highly regarded by fellow tribesmen and women.



Here are some WIPs:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/quiethoster/explorer_Jutun_WPI_1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/quiethoster/explorer_Jutun_WPI_2.jpg

[nakirush]

My very first ChoW -

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/6928/subterranian.jpg

[Sinskin]

thats some great lighting and anatomy nak (y)

[Nev87]

Capt. RBK - Before you really break into color, the legs feel REALLY tiny(unless he is wearing his pants around his knees). The waiste comes to low in relation to the arms(same remark about pants and knees). About the tablet, I've only ever heard great things from using a tablet and I'm on my 2nd(first was an Intuos3 medium now I have a 4 Large) and loving it. The tablet will only get you so far. Like the mouse it is a tool. It will feel more natural and will certainly speed up your work flow but it will not make you a better painter. try playing with the brushes a bit. Don't rely heavily on the 0% hardness on a round brush in Photoshop. Some of the best blending happens with a harder edge and lower opacity. As for the background, you dont need a background. It is a character challenge :) If you do go the background route I would highly advise against using someone elses background without written permission. Even then It might not fit the style/lighting/palette you've built up and will just be out of place anyways. You've got plenty of time. Its only wednesday. Keep going :)

Nakirush - Is this done? its got the border and everything on it. I feel like if this was in the poll with 50 other entries this would easily be passed up. I'm not saying its bad, it just doesnt leave an impression on me. The character is bland and the surroundings are bland. :/ It's only wednesday :) You can push this much further. What about this character should be interesting? why is the only bit of interesting armor on his far arm basically hidden? It's got aspects about it that I find interesting(like that weapon...tool? what is that?!?!) and then other areas feel lacking(If that arm is armored then why is it the only part of him that is?)

[Shogo]

Heres my card in the deck, decided to kinda attack this as looking at the tribe as a whole, how evolution would change us. generations and generations of extremely foreign conditions would take a toll id imagine.

i have alot of background on these guys and girl. but ill go into more details as the end nears. just leave it at a scout, a queen, and a grunt.

crits/thoughts appreciated!


cheers.

[Sinskin]

hey shogo, the 2 figures on the left i think are the best ones, especially the female carrying the young .. awesome concept, and the foundation lighting is great too, hope to see some more work of them soon

[Sseal]

nakirush-Looks Fantastic! I don't give a rip about the armor :0 I would be careful about tangents. The forward leg with the lighting on it almost become the focal point and my eye bounces back and fourth between it and the head. I think most of the issues I see could be fixed with some simple cast shadows. Soften up that knee just a touch, take out the glowing rocks at bottom that are touching the leg, and most importantly I think you need to ground your figure with some shadow on the ground. Right now he's kind of floating. One last thing Is maybe consider using only the light from the stones to illuminate your figure. Currently looks like some white daylight coming from behind. Whew! I actually just wanted to encourage you because it looks so awesome but I guess Nev87 has a point. Your piece is right on the line of between really nice and "TOTAL FREAKING DOMINATION" Clearly you are too good to settle.

shogo- I'm liking the look of your characters the best I think. They are mutated but still seem tribe like. I like the small heads. I was thinking of going that way myself. Maybe I'll just bask in the glory of others this week. I just can't seem to make a decision. Only thing Is I don't think that big guy could exist down there. I'm pretty sure the first nuclear warhead took out bodybuilding.com's warehouse. Where the heck is he going to get his whey? Just a thought. I wonder what he squats?

Sinskin- I love the way you think with your scribbles. Your thoughts about their social system and culture are nice to.

[Crysse]

My backround… now continue the work for my character.
Luciferin Fisherman, a new cast in the new world of underground tribe ;)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5050840452_b239ecdf60.jpg

[Ranarh]

I desperately tried to decide on just one, but still ended up with both the scavenger and the bug hunter... I guess I'll have to paint that warning sign after all.
If people went underground for protection against heat and pollution, they couldn't be that far down, because it quickly gets hot again. So they have light wells which provide at least some illumination.
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[JanJager]

Ranarh
Very nice details. Looks very promising. I think you should use the colours to make focus on some hot spots.
nakirush
Very nice Only crit. I miss a cast shadow on the floor.
Sinskin
Dynamic sketch.
fdisk
He's great I like his expression.
Undeadartist
Scary tribesman. Looks promising.
Fallenangel
I like her. Perhaps calm down the background a bit.
Mincx
Good start can bee awesome
Art4All
Great character.
daveneale
I think its great.
Crysse
Brilliant
arri-att
Coming good. Keep on render it out.
lkjhgfdsa
Very impressive work. I think you should really focus on their faces and heads. The eye tends to focus on the faces.

Sorry for not criting all. So many great wips.
Still playing with different levels of adaptation and technology.

[Thole]

Hi

This is my first Chow and I could use some help... I'm thinking a humanoid race who have been living underground for a very very long time (as you can see). They are almost totally blind but can still find food with their enhanced smell and hearing senses. They walk on all four because most of their tunnels are very small. The lack of hair on top of the head is due to scraping of the skull in the narrow tunnels :) Not sure I'm perfectly happy with the idea so far, any help and thoughts are welcome!

WIP

http://http://attachments.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1077777&stc=1&d=1286459387

[nakirush]

Cool, I didn't know I could post WIPs. :D Thanks for the great advice! I'll put some more work into it tonight.

[UCT]

waarrg!

[Ruri]

These are all looking awesome!

Here's my guy, think I'm going to start work on the background now.

[Angbryn]

My fisrt ChOW attempt. I do not have much time these days so it's not really finished but I hope I can still join with what I made.
(by the way my host won't display the image with the # in the file's name so I had to remove it)


EDIT: Untouched24 > That's right, thanks. It's corrected.

http://arashi.chan.free.fr/Chow217_Anbryn.jpg

[Nev87]

didn't get much done today. maybe ill get to work on it more later tonight

[Mordus]

Good work from all. I anticipate a hotly contested CHOW.
My latest contribution to this battle of gods - a poorly compressed poorly scanned colour test. (poorly rendered)

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn208/Golly5/IMG_NEW.jpg

[Sseal]

Well, this is it. I really think I've got something here. Just a matter of do I have the skill to turn this into a good painting. Oh. and can I make this character somehow look "Hopeful" We shall see.
http://www.seanseal.com/makethumbnails4.php?s=gallery/UnderDweller3.jpg&h=450&w=700

[Untouched24]

Just some progress.... struggling a lot, and not sure if I'll finish.

Angbyrn: I thought it's worth mentioning that It's a ChoW, COW is reserved for Creature of the week. Looks good though.

[Enomis707]

hey i am new to this website and forum what is CHoW? And are there any online art events?

[hemlock-key]

Putting in some lights and darks at this point.

So many cool designs with this challenge.

[Nev87]

Enomis707 - CHoW is an abbreviation for Character of the Week, a weekly contest to hone your imagination and drawing and painting skills using a brief description determined by the mods(currently Arthemis IX and IceMoon). It starts on sunday and ends on Sunday the next week(usually by 4pm EST). The 50 best that follow the posting directions are placed in a poll to be voted on. Most votes wins the challenge for the week but its all in good fun and really there are no losers :D

[fdisk]

JanJager: Absolutely bloody LOVE that guy in the middle! Superb design, I love everything about him, the white hair, tattered clothes, his yellow teeth and skin color. I could list everything, but there's nothing I don't like about that character. Great entry!

[elanorepenn]

Joining late, but I am still excited for a final piece :]

A simple photo of it for fun. Ball Point pen practice!

[tbaldree]

Finally got a little time to spend working on my CHOW revision -

I took into account several chunks of feedback - the grip was changed to be a bit more natural, I added a thimble 'gasmask' for living underground that straps across to fit across the mouth as part of the goggles/headgear.

I redid the candleflame to look something like a candleflame.

The biggest change was probably in pushing him more toward a ferret-like face - the previous WIP had more canine in it than rodent, and ferrets seem like pretty smart little guys, so it seemed a natural way to tend.

I tried to get in a lot of finish work in case I run short on time before the deadline but still have a few more things I'd like to do.

[Crysse]

Janjager > looking forward to seeing your finished artwork. For the moment it looks powerful realy powerful ! ;)

tbaldree > …fantastic illustration. 1O for me ;)

[jrbarker]

Here's mine so far. I still have a long way to go with the rendering and lighting and detail.

[Mincx]

Nearly there! Just need to add the headdress, clothing, smoke and more intense lighting.

[Hunkulus]

I've not attempted one of these for ages. Been doing some studying to improve my figures..Looks like I'm going to need to practice backgrounds.
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/281/0/0/cave_tribe_concept_by_spungle-d30bkx3.jpg

[Undeadartist]

ok update still have alot to work crits comments MORE than welcome!
Total bad ass entries here guys!

1078501

[UCT]

waarghhh!!

[tbaldree]

Undeadartist - looking cool! I'd love to see some more color giving me an idea of what his flesh really feels like - is it translucent and wormy? - maybe traceries of blue veins that you can see through the skin, or mottling or discoloration where he wades through water - a flush around his cheeks and eyes and lips where the blood is close to the surface, and maybe a difference in the background color to help pop him out a little. Some light maybe shining through the flesh of his ears? A dull yellowed bone color for his claws and teeth would help me to keep from losing them -

He makes me think of the monsters from the Descent - creepy underground vampires!
Keep going!

http://www.best-horror-movies.com/image-files/the-descent-2005-monster.jpg

[Ruri]

Working on the background.

[Mincx]

I think I'm nearly coming to the end with this one, c&c welcome as i'm stumped on what else to do to it!

[Untouched24]

Bleh....

[Capt.RBK]

I didn't like my first sketch so i did another version of the tribe i had in my head.
hope you like it. Tonight... some newbie coloring :(

[Ivansz]

Hello people, this is my first post for a activitie xD well here is my wip, the one drawed is a "worker" for the benefit of the other underground tribe people, when they born they get their legs amputated to reemplace with this iron pick legs. Because of they dig habits, the undergrownd tribe got some big hands xD the workers are choosed when they born if the baby have big hands and good muscles for the job, they also use a helmet like the most of the underground tribe because of the rock falling(fck my english is very limited) andd the skin became very pale because they dont see the sun, for energy they use steam engines. by the way, how you people upload the draws?
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5739/scan1010080001.jpg

[jrbarker]

You guys are all so awesome. I love it!

[Shogo]

Pulled the grunt out after a good comment. Just wouldn't make much sense in a scavenging hive.

So I'm gonna focue on the scout and queen. Bit more work on each and a base color set in.

Crits/comments please!


Cheers!

[Lianti]

Slight evolution here...farming photon-storing crystals as light source. Posting speedpaint sketch I abandoned after seeing a lot of crouching.

[Capt.RBK]

Still lots to do, but i wanted to show it so i can get some feedbacks. Shading isnt done on the skin yet.

[Crysse]

LIanti… one word, sublim !

[Epona Schweer]

First CHOW! Second ever Photoshop sketch! Probably not very impressive that it took me a couple of hours 8P. Eventually, with more practice, I should be faster at this sort of thing!

Critiques are so very welcome - I need a lot of practice!

[Ranarh]

Lianti - my compliments, excellent design. And nice inks :)
tbaldree - really nice. I hope those don't already live in my kitchen.

I don't believe it - my computer ran stable for months, and now, on the CHOW, it starts trashing my pictures again *grumble*
I think something is terribly wrong with the hunter's face - maybe it's that hair strand's shadow? Oh, the turquoise flames are burning copper. Blue bugs/red fire would have been so... normal ;)
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[JanJager]

Some great stuff in here.
Trying to find the tunnel.

[Crysse]

Epona >] …fantastic to be continued !

ranarh > Nice nice lights. So atmospheric. Brilliant work.

Janjager > Great idea and amzing characters. I'm fan. No doubt, you'll find the exit :)

[Sseal]

Here's where I finally landed on this one. After agonizing over the clothing issue I came to the conclusion if ever there was a CHOW that out to be nude it's this dude. If you lived in an environment with little or no light you would evolve to be blind. If you had eyes at all they wouldn't work. So nobody can see you. Except maybe some pesky illustrator. The temperature would never change so I would think after generations of evolution you would be pretty comfortable in it. You're primary focus would be on finding food which you would root up by scratching around in the dirt with your fused fingers and giant uni-nail, or by sitting very still and waiting for some of your blind roommates to bump into you. So the big issue is how to illuminate this poor guy so that he can be completely humiliated on the internet. So here is the story.

In an effort to keep them safe the elders have passed down horror stories about the world above to keep curious boys like my guy Steve (that's his name) from going near the river of souls. It flows through a chamber that leads to the outside world. The river itself is radio active and gives off an erie green light. Kind of like that Chevy Chase movie "Modern Problems". Anyway, Steve's not buying the crap that's being fed to him by "The Man" and he's going for a little adventure topside. I had to sit by that river a long time waiting for old Stevie boy to walk by. Have fun dude!

I'm not quite done with this yet but I like what I've got going on so far.

[Ivansz]

Well here are moar wips :3 just some rough paint and the lineart, i have to ask again how to upload the images please.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5501/undergroundtribeworker2.jpg
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/2679/undergroundtribeworker3.jpg

[Ruri]

Nearly done. Just adding some luminous fungi. I hope the environment dosen't overpower the character too much?

[SunRoamer]

Returned from Japan and Croatia, I wanted to paint something :>

Really tired right now though, tomorrow I'll think a bit more bout the concept and work on the rest of the body before I continue with the face^^

[KyllSwitch]

I like the variety I'm seeing. Went for a basic tribal warrior type. This tribe uses glow leeches for light when traveling. Keeps their hands free for self defense, but they can't wear them for too long without being weakened significantly.

[jrbarker]

Dang, I missed the cutoff. Oh, well. At least I got another piece done.

[Epona Schweer]

Well I didn't make the cut off for this first CHOW attempt, but it's been a freaking AWESOME learning experience anyways! Developing my workflow for the first time. Got as far as blocking in the environment and basic lights as well as midtones and highlights for the character fur (not the clothes sadly). Here's what I've got so far, and while I didn't make it in time for the cutoff I would greatly appreciate critiques!

[Crysse]

Epona love your style… ;)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5056768699_febee65963_b.jpg