ChoW#226 :: Your Muse

[Martheart]

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii293/chowarchive/CHOW_Headerimage/QUEENOFCHOW_logo-2.jpg



ROUND #226 :: Your Muse



DESCRIPTION


Your Muse


The muses are originally Greek goddesses who were the source of knowledge and inspiration for the creation of literature and art. In later times, the muse became the symbol of the person that inspires an artist. A lot of famous artists, singers and designer have muses. Yoko Ono inspired John Lennon, Catherine de Neuve inspired Yves Saint Laurent, Fernande Olivier was one of Picasso’s muses.

What would your muse look like?

Design your muse!


Can be male or female
It must be an original character since this is a design contest, but (s)he can be inspired by someone you know
What kind of style/era/personality inspires you? Put these elements in your character.




Good luck!



PLEASE NOTE THE RULES AND THE DEADLINE TIME

---------------------------------------------------------
DEADLINE:
SUNDAY, December 19th, 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!

[Pixeltuner]

So a dark, futuristic, Capcom styled, music female then.. Sounds good. :p

[MasterStryke]

very vague topic.. hmmm

[zepheenia]

Some sort of Nomura/McCaig fusion styled mermaid with elements of Australian birds, snakes and fish......sounds fantastic!

[BigBadSheep]

Awesome Topic! It reminds me of when I was little, like five six-ish I started drawing... because I was jealous of the most popular girl in class, who was an amazing artist. After I started I found it was a lot of fun! I don't see that girl much anymore (and we became pretty good friends later on), but I'm still drawing, so I'll have to thank her if I meet her again!

[troyzart]

Very awesome topic, the irony for me here is that I draw my muse any time I have artistic block. Looking forward to this!

[fragmentedchimp]

giving it another go.

[jeremygordon89]

This is my very first CHOW, so I'm excited! Here's the first stage, the very rough lines of a schoolgirl holding pencil as my muse

http://i52.tinypic.com/11hq9u9.jpg

[vineris]

1120817

My muse is a nasty little bitch.

[ArtByZak]

Love it, vineris. That sounds about right...

[jeremygordon89]

WIP 2

http://i52.tinypic.com/s0zatv.jpg

[zepheenia]

This is just the rough sketch with colour slapped down for reference....hopefully putting it up here so early will keep me motivated :)

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr155/smeiklej/muse.png

[ryan mcshane]

i might do this one! it's really broad O_O
@zepheenia - queensland? where abouts? wip's looking VERY promising! keep going with it :D
@jeremygordon - id draw the nose in as a plane, not the nostrils, aaand watch yer perspective on the pencil, the tip should look further back in space if shes holding it like taht, keep going with it aaadn block in the lighting early on, i find it helps me at least
@vineris - hah cute! cant wait to see the final :) nice attitude!
@ fragmentedchimp - lookin real cool so far! keep workin it!

[zepheenia]

ryanoir - About 40 mins drive north of Brisbane :) And thanks!!

[Parsakoira]

cant miss any chows @_@ Im just wondering if its allowed to add another character in the picture (me in this case)
http://imgur.com/lPAhu.jpg

[MasterStryke]

@zepheenia:

sweet! I really like it

[troyzart]

wip #1

Really keen for this!

[Martheart]

cant miss any chows @_@ Im just wondering if its allowed to add another character in the picture (me in this case)


Sure, you can add more characters to your drawing as long as your muse is the focal point. It's all about the design of the muse!

[Vulgar`]

Nice topic.

[Zantillia]

Nice topic! This may be the first ChoW I actually enter. Not to mention my first actual contrabution to the site thanks to my incureable laziness from hell. xD *proceeds to throw homework out window*

[Parsakoira]

a new approach! http://imgur.com/wgRI6.jpg

[neutral.]

Here are some images that inspire me :blahblah: perhaps some will inspire you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/sentone/insprtn.jpg

[kiwigarbage]

She's cunning, elusive, and I always have to chase her to figure out what she wants me to do.

[Parsakoira]

imma update the shit out of this piece :3
http://imgur.com/f1IIO.jpg

[Angelsway257]

Hmm...this one sounds interesting, I think I'm gonna have to think about this one. Mine will probably be a girl image. I hope I finish this one!

[Ludic]

Music's my inspiration most of the times, especially death metal, thrash and alternative rock, so it seems fitting.

About 40 minutes in or something.

[AndreRuben]

Parsakoira great feeling on the last piece

here's my main idea. guess this round i'll have enough spare time to finish it

[Carnifex]

oag..i've got too many inspirations to properly combine....drama!
...


...but already as i'm speaking, an image is forming in my mind...i guess i've found one of the muses.

[ValkyriesBard]

I'm influenced the most by the Neoclassical period of French Painting, followed closely by Art Nouveau and some modern comic book painters. Alphonse Mucha, Jaques Louis David, and Ingres are some of my influences.

One of the things I am inspired by when drawing or painting is the act of the creation, the moment when you have that spark and your idea just flows onto the paper. It's like an elusive spirit that only after thinking and scribbling and going brain dead you can see....

Here's my initial sketch. Gonna start tightening and coloring now. :)

[Parsakoira]

oh golly, am i really gonna finish this in the first day?? how the hell am i gonna make it till sunday!!
http://i.imgur.com/V0T5S.jpg

[ArtByManon]

Parsakoira - I LOVE your palette, really bright and joyful.

I can't wait to get going on this after failing miserably to do berserker.

[zepheenia]

Parsakoira - your use of colour always astounds me....you've nailed that elusive iridescence that I can never seem to nail down. This is looking beautiful, though I have to admit, I liked the feel of the first piece even more!

Carnifex and ArtbyManon - I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing what you put up!

[JanJager]

zepheenia
Beatiful start.
Formic Acid
Grate refs
kiwigarbage
Good idea
Parsakoira
Very nice.catching the topic.

[kiwigarbage]

parsakoira Hey, lovely image! I'd say lose that crazy red outer highlight. It's pretty distracting! Otherwise it's very pretty...but I tend to agree with previous posts, I kind of liked the first version better :)

[zepheenia]

parsakoira Hey, lovely image! I'd say lose that crazy red outer highlight.

Aww I disagree, I think the red is fantastic! :)

[Nikola Marinkovic]

Aww I disagree, I think the red is fantastic! :)

yea parsakoira reds are wonderful! lovely image.

[eronzki999]

Everyone's doing great! My muse is the representation of my inspiration and influence. She is the goddess of the beautiful and the ugly side of the world, a goddess of knowledge and perseverance, of faith and war.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5AB-3vTmhmw/TQd77DyCAnI/AAAAAAAAAXo/1_xes5xUELk/s1600/Muse_wip1.jpg

[CreepySnake]

WIP so far. Perhaps if I act casual, no one will notice I'm new, lol.
Comments and critique Please, I'm having a colour crisis!
1121839

[Carnifex]

gonna go with the left one. currently all about weird head shapes and alien babes.
my muse is quite the spontaneous one,and often times she just disappears to be found nowhere. or she blasts a moment of inspiration into my head (trumpet), but that doesn't last too long. also signifies my love for music,and that i constantly have some in my head. i'm thinking her boots may be rocket boots so she can fly off to where i can't grasp her. of course she's an elegant lady,and often comes with somewhat unrealistic expectations.

[kiwigarbage]

Hm...outvoted. But I stand by my opinion. I still suggest a different tone of red or something. It's just soooo strong.

[ValkyriesBard]

WIP, finished coloring the face. :)

[Pixeltuner]

hooray I'm back with a working comp and all. :)
I did some thinking, next to my regular inspirations lately I've been fascinated by and absorbed with creating texture brushes and creating random washes with it on a canvas. In order to pull out an image from pure randomness and asociative thinking really. The happy accidents as it were. (thank you Bob Ross) While things tend to look rock-ish quite quickly it adds a certain feel and charm I guess. So here's my current muse. My goddess of texture and randomness. But always classy, gloomy and reserved.

[Carnifex]

lines for now.
if anything's off,cry out.

[Ludic]

Linework done. Render and stuff tomorrow.

[Pixeltuner]

updaaate! I'm not sure I need to take this much further.

[zepheenia]

Pixeltuner - She's amazing! I love where she's at now, don't think she needs any more rendering at all...a muse is elusive and constantly shifting right? That's how she looks to me at the moment, ethereal and ever changing. I love it!!

[ValkyriesBard]

There are a few more things I want to add, but I think it's going where I want it to.

[Gavage]

Pixeltuner: Loving the textures! I like how the lips stand out too. One suggestion would be to maybe give the hands and feet a similar level of detail to the face, or to exaggerate the style of them a little more. (Sorry if it seems like I've missed the point of what you're going for.)

JanJager: Really digging yours too, especially the swirling parts around the sides of the face.


My muse was born from something between the angry feminism of the riot grrrl movement and the dark perversity of David Lynch's style, the resulting figure being sabotaged beauty, defiant in the face of injury and generally a bit weird and discomforting.

[Carnifex]

pixeltuner - maybe render the hand she's holding up a bit more,otherwise i'd leave it.

flat colours. not sure about the tattoo. input appreciated.

[Andralexis]

Well, hi ya guys. Everyone is making such a great job, it makes me even more nervous. This will be my first CHOW, so, I'll try not to dissapoint you and do my best.
Here it is my first doodle:

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Andralexis/muse_00.jpg

I know it has a lot of issues, I'll work on it in the next few days to improve it.
My main inspiration is reality and what my mind twistes out of it. But I draw inspiration from everything, from music to smells to memories, dunno exactly why.

[Carnifex]

think i'll call this finished. any thoughts?

[Ruri]

Parsakoira: I LOVE your colours!
AndreRuben: Nice composition, lovely style.
Pixeltuner: Looks awesome.
CreepySnake: I think the lines should be cleaner in the final. I dig that chameleon.
Missile: Very interesting imagery.
Andralexis: Looks good for a doodle! Cool eyeballs.
Carnifex: Maybe the colours could be more vibrant?


Here's my muse.

[Dranyer]

lots of awesome stuff so far, i'll post crits after i get some sleep.

...in the mean time, here is what little i've got so far, still trying to get the pose and anatomy nailed down.

[Bonzulac]

Here are some images that inspire me :blahblah: perhaps some will inspire you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/sentone/insprtn.jpg

Who's the girl in the lower right?

[eronzki999]

Update
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5AB-3vTmhmw/TQlDA0cWWYI/AAAAAAAAAX4/SD8dePQdE5M/s1600/Muse_wip2.jpg

[Ruri]

Little update.

[ValkyriesBard]

Parsakoira: I love the idea, painting reality was actually was the first thing that I thought of haha... beautiful beginning can't wait to see the final render.

JanJager: Interesting concept, very different. I'm not sure about the pose, it seems very static. If this is just a character sheet, then please ignore this. :)

eronzki999: I'm really interested in seeing where you are taking this - I like that you are using the monochromatic base like traditional oil painting, and I'm really interested in seeing the color overlay. The pose is very dynamic, the lighting is accentuating the mood very well.

CreepySnake: I'm not really sure what your concept is. I think you should tone down the color however, everything you have is so bright it's starting to clash. The chameleon is a cute touch.

Pixeltuner: Interesting idea, love the use of texture. I would like to see a little more of the character's figure though, she just kind of blends into the background and there is so much more potential to make her pop. Brilliant work.

Ludic: Watch your character's anatomy. There really isn't any structure, he just kind of slumps to the side of the screen. The hand that's holding the guitar has no form, and the arm is way to short. In contrast, his legs are way too long. I'll see if I can upload something for you too reference.

Missile: Not quite sure that you are hitting the mark for your concept. I'm seeing the defiance, but there is still so much more you could do to push this to the next level. I would like to see a bit more of the discomfort that you are aiming to make the viewer feel.

Carnifex: Your pose is very static. There really isn't anything interesting going on with your character and nothing to draw the viewer into caring about her. Look into the stock library on deviantart, there are lots of poses you can reference. Another good tip would be to write down all the key words that you want your idea to convey, like "my muse is... youthful, violent, etc." and then once you have your initial sketch go down the checklist and make sure that you are on target.

Andralexis: Beautiful start. I like the way you have the image set up, good contrast of the foreground and background. I would watch the positioning of the legs once you start to flesh this out, if you are having her sit. Can't wait to see the render of her dress... loving the cobwebs. Very dark and seductive.

Ruri: I like the shape of her face. The way you have her drawn is very static, however, straight on with no depth of field or variation of position. It's a common problem with artists who are still trying to find their style. Reference some anatomy books, or stock images for variants of body positioning. Every nuance of the image needs to convey your idea, from your color pallet to the character's posing. Also, how much of the character you want to show. You have a really good start, now push your concept to the next level!

Dranyer: I love everything about this. Beautiful start. :)



I think I'm pretty much done. Think there is anything else that should be added?

[Carnifex]

don't wanna sound ungrateful,but you could've told me that a lot earlier.

[ValkyriesBard]

Carnifex: There has been many a time that my professors waited to tell me what to fix. There is no way to know where you are going to take something or if you would come to conclusions on your own. Look at it this way: you still have a lot of time left to revise if you wanted to, and now you know how to improve.

Also, my professor told me once, "Draw 100 thumbnails, each idea completely different. Those are all the ideas that everyone else thought of. Now give me 50 more."

Don't be upset that you wasted time, because you haven't. You've learned something. :)

[AndreRuben]

Pixeltuner i am a fan of the "wildness" you pull out in your pieces =)

eronzki999 really nice bw render!

my wip:

[Andralexis]

Here is a kinda small update:
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Andralexis/Original%20Artwork/muse_02.jpg
Everyone is doing great, really. I'm so proud of being here ^o^.
- - - -
@ ValkyriesBard: Yours is so colorful and peaceful. Nice job. It makes me calm and confident just by looking at her. ^^
- - - -
@Carnifex: Good concept. It reminds me of some polynesian tribe. I'd try another pose just for the sake of trying, I feel that you are hiding the more interesting bits of her outfit.
- - - -
@Parsakoira, Eronzki999, Dranyer, Pixeltuner: I envy you guys. Can't wait to see the updates. (Well, in the case of PTuner, I just envy you :P)

*keeps working*

[Jager]

Looking great Andralexis , welcome to chow.
Trying the shape approach for this one, thank you Pixeltuner for the inspiration :)
Not sure where to take it yet, just playing around.

[Dranyer]

Jager really sick, can't wait to see where this goes!
Andralexis great job so far, really aggressive and dynamic.
AndreRuben i really love the energy in your sketch, it i hope it shows through in the final.
ValkyriesBard really nice piece, the nose looks a little off to me in the way that it's rendered... i think it's just too bright on the right side when that side of her face is in shadow.
Ruri good start, i agree with ValkyriesBard about the pose feeling too static.
eronzki999 really cool so far, can't wait to see where you take it from here. her left arm (the robotic on in the front) looks a little to too long to me.
Carnifex i'm liking the costume, but like ValkyriesBard said, i think it would benefit from a more dynamic pose. i particularly like the rocketboots.
Missile neat idea, i think changing up the angle or going with a more distorted pose would really help to sell the discomfort for the viewer.
Pixeltuner really cool idea here, but i think it lost something between the b&w and color versions you posted, adding the second arm down at her side, kinda stagnates the pose, whereas with ought it we're kinda forced to look more at the shape of the silhouette and imagine where the arm is... if that makes any sense?
Ludic he feels off balance, rotating it counterclockwise abit should help with that, on't forget to flip your image periodically to check for anatomy and balance issues.
CreepySnake try adding a unifying wash of solid color on a multiply layer at low opacity to help calm and harmonize your colors. right now the only real point of contrast is between the sack she's holding and her hand making it the focal point, if thats not where you want the focus, then you'll wanna add more value contrast to other important areas.
JanJager lookin good, reminds me of the diva from the fifth element.
Parsakoira pretty sweet, the position of her right leg looks a little off to me. really digging the red rim lighting but i feel like it could be pushed just a little further to really explain the way that the for turns.

[LittleStalin]

My Muse is inspired by my art teacher, I haven't gone into online graphics its currently in sketch book. Im set with a wacom tablet, photoshop etc. I just need some help with coloring and the whole graphic process. I haven't really done any computer work.

[Naphtali]

My heritage is from Scotland and Norway. I have always been inspired by Noris Mythology and the viking culture.

Also along with this is the artist known as Samwise. Ever since i opened the Warcraft 2 box i have fallen in love with that man's art work. So my muse is a mixture of Ymir the father of the Frost giants and Samwise.

[Naphtali]

update

[twentyone]

I call her Autumn!!
1122941

[Lyno]

Really nice work here everyone!

[Aly Fell]

Twentyone - that's lovely, but ChoW needs at least 3/4's of your character to be visible. :)

[twentyone]

Autumn WIP update.
1122991

[twentyone]

Aly Fell- Thank you for your comment Aly and reminder of the 3/4's view, I was working on my 2nd WIP :)

[GEB]

Wow some really great stuff here! Wish I had time to do something

Twentyone: Beautiful, loving the values

Pixeltuner: Awesome as always

Eronzki999: Love it!

Naphtali: Damn you should have entered last weeks chow!

[Naphtali]

My main problem with all of this is... i am horrible at coloring, so all my stuff is in B&W. I am trying to learn but not much luck. I just guess i don't understand how to do it. oh well practice makes perfect. After i get this guy all inked and shaded i will try to color him.

[ryan mcshane]

magic hobo in a poncho and tight denim jeans. oh yeahhh

[Pixeltuner]

Thx for all the comments everyone. :) I gave my piece a rest for a couple of days so I probably can give it a fresh eye tonight.

[Parsakoira]

Mine is finished but im not showing it to you.... YET ;D

[GEB]

Oh go on you tease!

[Carnifex]

although i by no means regret the time spent,it is a bit of a bummer,because you could already see where i was going when i started with colours. not to mention that i might want to work on other pieces by now.
but i think i might actually re-do it. if it doesn't work out,i can still submit this one.

edit: i've decided to put the new one side by side with the old one. first one being the more serious side,and this new one showing more of her playful nature. i hope it comes across. c&c?

[ArtByManon]

I absolutely LOVE Klimt - I recently did a master study of one of his 'judith's and thought I would incorporate some klimt-ness into my muse.

I love images of powerful and sensual women - its a theme I come back to alot in my work. Not a fan of the airy-fairy types... I like my lassies to be well built (like myself!!).

Not sure about the shapes etc yet - but its in ideas stage of course...

[AndreRuben]

Dranyer glad you like it! i'm trying to keep the feeling of the initial sketch somehow =)

twentyone thumbs up for autumn! =)

parsakoira cmon show us xD

my wip

[Parsakoira]

ok here it is :)
http://imgur.com/MvAs0.jpg

[GEB]

Sweet! Awesome colours, wish I could be that brave

[kxu]

Ubber boobs of Glau will always be an expiration

1123167
:lifedrawing:
:lifedrawing:
:lifedrawing:

[LA-Fairy]

oh waaaaa, if only I had seen this earlier! I'll try to enter..I've been sick all week.

[Muscari]

okay, haven't entered here (or drawn for that matter) in at least 1/2 year. seeing as i'm on vacation, i thought it would be a good use of my time to do some chows.

here's my try so far. i've been letting it "flow". i have no idea as to what i wanna end up with and just want to see what comes out.
1123250

[MasterStryke]

Ubber boobs of Glau will always be an expiration



I suggest more ref here! :geekg:

[troyzart]

Critique highly appreciated~

[DHTenshi]

sorry guys, i'm not giving any feedback right now, just submitting my lineart sketch, to start posting wips, as I really want to finish this chow

So, here's my sketchy sketch

I promise to give some feedback, but so far I'm impressed with the wild color palette of Parsakoira, but to me the character doesn't seem complete, maybe it's just me? (personal opinion).

-DHT

[troyzart]

DHTenshi: I can sort of understand what you mean by incomplete. For me, the wings don't seem proportionate to the body, though it really does depend on whether the wings are angelic or faery - if it was my peice I would try adding either more volume to them or adding a smaller second set below - but thats just me & probably means nothing. You might find after you start rendering, it feels much more complete, especially in regards to the shield & the other object she is holding.

& i agree, Parsakoira's pallet is insanely impressive! Parsakoira, Absolutely loving the bright red highlights. The only part i feel you could improve on is the detail in the feet - not to be picky or anything!

[Kir Nuyts]

My muse is medusa, but i made her a bit more girl like in stead of a monster... I v always been inspired by Medusa, I don t know why :s...Guess it s because of the beauty combined with weirdness/ monster/ snakes...

Here s my wip so far

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wR6pSam1n3A/TQq9ApZLOaI/AAAAAAAAAn8/Fmu8UPz885A/MuseFinalGrey.jpg

[Carnifex]

progress...
anything you notice before i move into colour (again)?

[kiwigarbage]

Pretty awesome/diverse stuff thus far! cool.

Kir Nuyts I'd remeasure her torso...and it's looking more comical and unintentional than weird and medusa-like at the moment. I think it's got a lot to do with the pigeon-toedness and her rather benign facial expression. I don't know if she's meant to be threatening at all, but you've given her claw-hands, which tells me she's supposed to be somewhat scary? And while I appreciate the snakes, I think the silhouette is less than impressive...I'd research tribal headdresses (or even Egyptian ones) to see how the head is made grand. I might even suggest a redraw.

Carnifex I'd check the placement of the extended elbow...it looks out of place to me. This one's much more interesting than the other! Is she too skinny though? I don't know...

Here's the color start on my muse...

[troyzart]

Carnifex I'm not sure whether its her elbow or over all arm length - I was looking at it & at first i thought the torso or legs looked awkward, but I think its the arm - standing up I know my hands reach to my thighs, where as her hand is only reaching ehr bottom, maybe that will help!

[~baxter]

Really like a lot of stuff goin' on, as usual. :D

For me, Im inspired mostly by:

Medieval Fantasy
Dungeons and Dragons
Dwarves!
Warhammer/Warhammer 40k
Art by Mike Mignola, Wayne Reynolds and Frank Frazetta.
All things brutal, bloody and badass.

My quick swing into this weeks entry: Dwarven Berserker

I've always been drawn to the boldness of fantasy art, warriors, monsters and whatnot, so this just feels natural. :D Still mulling over ideas for the lower half. Most likely going to have him over some poor chumps body.

[lavit]

Ok, she seems quite cool for the style you are into, though these artifacts above her head seem to spoil the composition, as they claim too much attention. Those also seem quite unpositioned on the space, I cannot figure whether they are just above her head, or quite in front, or if they are spaceships... in any case they dont say anything direct...
on the other hand, it seems quite too brownish, maybe stepping some red on her hair, that blue on the artifacts saturated; and about the comp: some mountains, or reinforcing the myst or sand storm youre selling...

[ryan mcshane]

crits guys? i think i'm calling it done

[Phantaz]

My first Chow. Any and all feedback very much welcomed. I have a significant amount to learn and to develop from this WIP.

My concept is of a giant robot girl from space who loves to play the guitar. I want to stylize it like old 50's low budget sci-fi.

1123518

[lavit]

umm, first time here, although did some things for some old ones but didnt ever posted... begining... just to see... my muse wants to nourish me... how do you see it? :sungod:
1123535

[troyzart]

rynoir This is looking good, I'm not sure if you have done this deliberately but he looks like he has a very long neck - try squaring the shoulders up a bit further. Though, my advice is questionable being that my own work is nothing but mediocre. [edit] nevermind, I just realised he is wearing a green blanket! haha.

Phantaz I'm liking the idea & where you want to go with this. Try googling vintage pin-ups for colour schemes & styles! I really wanna see some mirror reflections coming off that helmet!

lavit this is a solid start & I understand the idea of your muse wanting to nourish you. The arm holding the breast looks a bit awkward - try making her bicep point higher, & give her a bit more forearm. Also her waste seems a little skinnier than it should be, but that could just be me being pedantic. Keep it coming!

[Naphtali]

so after a comment by some one else that my WIP so far looks like it should be int he last CHOW, I went and redid my Guy. Still based in Ymir and Samwise, but with the idea, If Orcs where the Frost Giants of Ragnarok.

[Naphtali]

update

[Naphtali]

here he is inked

[first0]

hi all,

ive been keeping my eye on this site for a coulple of weeks now(I LOVE IT!) and i finally got my tablet this week. so i thoughts id give it a try.

My muse would be a combination of 3 things, as i always had a soft spot for graffiti, robot drawings and big breasted women.

This is my first try to finish a piece in Photoshop, so all tips, C&C are welcome!

and heres my wip:

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x409/first0/muse.jpg

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x409/first0/muse4.jpg

[zepheenia]

My muse so farI would really really really like to get this completed for the deadline, but i don't know when I'm going to find the time, sigh :( It's too late for me to change anything, but critique away so I know better for next time please!

My muse reflects my inspirations - fish, birds, fire, plants (Poison Ivy would be one of my most drawn characters, so I had to throw a little of her in there ;)

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr155/smeiklej/muse2.png

[Carnifex]

Carnifex I'm not sure whether its her elbow or over all arm length - I was looking at it & at first i thought the torso or legs looked awkward, but I think its the arm - standing up I know my hands reach to my thighs, where as her hand is only reaching ehr bottom, maybe that will help!

hm,she's pulling her shoulder up. gotta check that.
edit: think i fixed it. is it more apparent now?

[ArtByManon]

zepheenia i hope you don't mind that my muse has suddenly turned into a mermaid too!! I've always had a thing for watery women... I can honestly say that I was not intending to go in this direction, but wanted her underwater...

[Dranyer]

finally starting to make some progress on this thing, going super slow this week.
got a long way to go on it yet, especially on the face, and that thing in her hand just is not working at all, but anyway here it is so far.

[Carnifex]

flat colours.

[JanJager]

ArtByManon
Beautiful. Only crit. Perhaps the area around the pelvis where the fish part starts breaks the lovely curve of the body.
The form is more sharp there and looks maybe twisted slightly to the right.
zepheenia
Very nice I my opinion just render out a bit more and its great.
first0
Good start. Looks like she´s got a lot of power.
ryanoir
I like the character very much. Maybe you can render it out a bit more. specially the legs and feet's.
kiwigarbage
I like it. form and shapes great. perhaps render out the structure on the skin.
Carnifex
Very nice charterer.
Kir Nuyts
Good Looking classical Greek. The hands annoys me a bit. But I know its a wip.
AndreRuben
Coming very good.
twentyone
Beatiful
Jager
Strong start.Lovely brush strokes.
Dranyer
Very good anatomy and the way the light and shadows work. Great!

[AndreRuben]

Parsakoira the coloring is insane no doubt of that but i think you should spend more time with it.. you still have a couple of days so.. it would be "good medicine" =)


I'm halfway trough with the painting at this point

[lavit]

my impression is that those boots take her to some other part, than to magic, and seductive.... she becomes a warrior, quite hip-hopper... if that's your thing, go on, but i had to say that... the boots also, on composition take to much strenght, being somewhat quite more feminine and ethereal and soft for her to be on tiptoes or levitating... not sure about the green on the skin, id try blue, or ochre... and for the things i like, her sight intriging and cocky, shes like laughing at you, and even when she's quite naked it is like something she does all the time... those are great things, among your line and style
take care

[neutral.]

Starting a bit late. There's something about her anatomy that bothers me, but I just can't put my finger on it... it must be the whole thing!:^^;:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/sentone/CA%20CHOW/Untitled-2copy.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb05RtnxIzk

[Carnifex]

formic acid - i think her ribcage might be too small,squashing the upper body. also her shoulder muscles.

[zepheenia]

ArtByManon - of COURSE I don't mind!! The more mermaids in the world the better :D
She's very lovely, I'm guessing her tail is wrasse inspired?? A few little things - it may be a stylized choice and if so, please disregard but her tail looks a bit long and flimsy to me. I always try and imagine a fish with the same body and if it looks like it wouldn't be able to swim then I change it, fish are actually quite stocky haha! Also if you wanted the integration from skin to tail to be a bit smoother, it could look nice if you just put some subtle red and pink tones from the tail dappled in to her skin, even right up to her breasts on a super low opacity.
However this all depends on what you're going for so please disregard this if you want to :) can't wait to see more!

[kxu]

1123911

WIP 2.0
:lifedrawing::lifedrawing::lifedrawing::lifedrawin g:

[Ruri]

AndreRuben: Really like the muted earthy colours. Maybe do the wings and birds bright and glow-y for a nice contrast?
ryanoir: Awesome character! I think the poncho could use a little bit more definition.
Phantaz: Maybe add some clean, sharp outlines and smoother rendering for a shiny metalic look?
zepheenia: Cool character design, I like the lionfish spikes spikes and the wing. It's cropped kind of weird though. Cutting off her tail there makes the image look incomplete somehow, but maybe that's just me.
ArtByManon: Nice tail!
Dranyer: Really nice lighting and rendering. I think the fireball on her shoulder looks kind of out of place and is kind of distracting. It might look better above the ice(?), or floating above her hand somehow.
JanJager: Reminds me of the opera singer from The Fifth Element! Also is there an African influence there? Be cool to put her in some kind of setting rather than just a character design sheet.
kxu: Looks like there's a pretty serious anatomy issue with her arm. It looks like it attaches to her torso in a very weird way. I think you need to fix that before going much further.

Some progress.

[troyzart]

hm,she's pulling her shoulder up. gotta check that.
edit: think i fixed it. is it more apparent now?

Ah yes, that would make sense!

[ArtByManon]

ArtByManon - of COURSE I don't mind!! The more mermaids in the world the better :D
She's very lovely, I'm guessing her tail is wrasse inspired?? A few little things - it may be a stylized choice and if so, please disregard but her tail looks a bit long and flimsy to me. I always try and imagine a fish with the same body and if it looks like it wouldn't be able to swim then I change it, fish are actually quite stocky haha! Also if you wanted the integration from skin to tail to be a bit smoother, it could look nice if you just put some subtle red and pink tones from the tail dappled in to her skin, even right up to her breasts on a super low opacity.
However this all depends on what you're going for so please disregard this if you want to :) can't wait to see more!

Wooo mermaids!!!

Cool yeah I agree re the tail - but it is definitely a concious decision (love the long lines of klimt) and she's magical so i've gone down the 'would'nt work, but looks nice' route!! and yes.. a wrasse!! I was going to do one of the wrasses i saw in hawaii this year, but found these little fella's in mys earch and loved the spiky fins! SOOO beautiful...

Yup, the merging of the belly to the fish part will be fully blended and integrated with markings on the skin etc :)

I love your choice of fish - lion fish is it?

[Ceinwen Fang]

I seem to be jumping into all of these this week. Can you tell I'm lacking inspiration :) Well, not any more! First time CHOW!
My muse is pretty urban, but with natural roots (hence the horse body!), and definitely inspired by a level of political consciousness, as well as just simply enjoying making lines on walls (or paper, in reality)
Drawn so far in pencil, thinking I'll take it digital now because of need to fix anatomy issues and general urge for tabletty freedom but I'm a bit nervous cause I haven't got the tablet out in about two years. :|

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk249/newniec/sketchbook/december%202010/drawig1sm.jpg

[Supervlieg]

Women, and more specifically, my wife!

[lavit]

its been quite slow... wanted to probe drawing directly on painter... it has some good stuff but you want it all finished all the time...
working on the gesture, seductive, relaxed, impressioning, strong... ill be doing something else on the hair, and drawings all over her body :mod:
11240301124031

[Carnifex]

dare i call this finished? i think i do...
the smile was damn hard to get right.
as always,c&c welcome.
lavit (if that was indeed directed at me), good call on the shadows. looks better.

[bluez3023]

Been a while since I've tried one.

My muse is of course a buxom lady with sci-fi elements, tools of my trade, a hoody of sorts, and a set of monster hands for support

I might not make it in time since I just drew this today, we'll see

[eronzki999]

Thanks for the crits. I see the finished works are great as well as the new entries keep them up! Sorry I can't give comment to all.

Update on my Muse. I'm now adding color tones and extra details. A bit slow and tiring in the hands but I'm liking it so far. Hope I make it on time. But if I can't I'll still finish it.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5AB-3vTmhmw/TQwAumMcAfI/AAAAAAAAAYI/kqOYsqPIm30/s1600/Muse_wip3.jpg

[jeremygordon89]

The entries are looking great so far!

Here's my WIP, should be done tomorrow.

http://i53.tinypic.com/ojhtsx.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/znllox.jpg

[bluez3023]

eronzki999: looking great, the details are really well done.

I'm not a big fan on coloring, but heres my base colors

[zepheenia]

Ruri - Thanks very much :) Oh and don't worry, that's not the crop for the final, I was just showing the parts that I'd worked on instead of showing off her scribbly tail heehee
ArtbyManon - Lovely, sounds fantastic, I'm very excited for the final product! And yes yes to lion fish, they're just so fancy, I love them so
Carnifex - Looking great! I love the way you've coloured her, she almost seems to glow!
eronski999 - Wow. Ahhhmazing. That's all I can say!

[kxu]

Ruri Thks i will make something more easy for the time and for my ability

[hoshicat]

I know I won't finish this (I never do...), but I wanted to post my start anyways. Not everything is set in stone quite yet, but the ideas are getting there.

[matias]

My Muse! Ok, this was a really tricky think for me... I dont really have anything or anyone I would call my muse, but I feel like most of the time inspiration is eluding me so i thought I would make my muse doing just that! Getting away from me, I wanted her to be a bit mean/cold. Originally going to have her coming at you with me in the background but I decided I wanted her getting away from me (and a few other less valid reasons! :P) I wanted her pose to be dramatic, not sure if the foreshortening is working right but I am guilty of alot of static poses so just trying to push my boundries a bit!

[Carnifex]

matias - maybe have her look back over her shoulder as to tease us,atleast so we can immerse better in her character.

as for my own,the only problem i now have is how to present it. i feel that version a fits better as a concept presentation, whereas b is possibly slightly more esthetically pleasing,but seems like two persons instead of one.
help me out here. which one to chose? (or go for something entirely else?)

[Dranyer]

Carnifex i like the bottom layout more, but thats just me. nice work!

another update, really hoping i can get this done by tomorrow.

[Ceinwen Fang]

Beautiful Dranyer! I love how self possessed she looks.

Oh man I am so not getting this done by tonight. I must be insane.

Basic colours in PS done.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk249/newniec/sketchbook/december%202010/musetaurwip1.jpg

[Carnifex]

thanks dranyer. btw,the hand yours is using to support herself is pretty huge. it's as big as her feet.

[Ceinwen Fang]

Got to go and cook now so this may be as far as it goes. This is still too rough for a final right?

Maybe back later to try and get it tighter... would be a shame to not manage to finish my first chow, but so it goes!

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk249/newniec/sketchbook/december%202010/musetaurwip2.jpg

[Carnifex]

you've still got pretty much all day tomorrow. don't stress yourself out. :)

[Partisan]

ok I didnt participated this time because of the exact problem I see right now, I do have to mention it because it does bother me a little. I do see some good attempts here on the theme of a muse ...I mean rather authentic attempts to your personel Muse...but I honestly think that here are a few entries that are "just cool characters/creatures" that are labeled "my Muse" afterwards...

That is the exact reason for me not participating because I thought that I could do it this way but than it wouldnt have any value at all concerning the CHoW. (plus I do think with my skills I couldnt do the topic justice)

So I dont even know exactly my point here but I think its more or less :

What is the point in drawing some cool character/creature for a CHoW entry if you do not stick to the topic? let me explain this: CHoW isnt just about drawing ANY character its about drawing a specific one ( even if Muse could be a wide variety, and dont get me wrong ATM I am not pointing at someone saying " YOU! doing it wrong" what I would like to say is to take stock of yourself and ask you if you really do draw your Muse)

It is about having a set of guidelines and a topic you have to stick to , its NOT just about drawing and by doing so improving your skills ( it is part of that whitout question!) its about working in between specific boundaries by doing so you improve your ability accept them and to produce a piece of art that serves a special purpose and one that could be the right answer to certain task .What I am talking about is the ability to stay focused .

Its easy to create some sort of character in a blank space, but on the other hand its very complicated to create one that is defined by a certain topic . And I am convinced that CHoW is not just about improving you painting technique rather its a way to train your ability to focus ( a much needed skill for an artist )

And again I am not pointing in a specific direction, I just had this feeling about some of the works and tried to convey this.

so long
Seb

P.S. if needed I could list the concerns i had about some work

[Ruri]

kxu: Wish I had a better knowledge of anatomy myself so I could actually be helpful with my crits. All I can say is, use reference dude.

matias: Great concept and dynamic composition.

Carnifex: I'd go with b.

larchist: I know it's getting late in the game, but... is there any way you could extend the legs? They seem too short compared to her upper body to me. Other than that, cool.

Partisan: I think you have a good point. What I've tried to do is squish all the themes and quirks that keep appearing in my drawings/art into one character, and include some references to things that inspire me in a subtle way. Is that a true representation of the concept of a muse? I don't know.

More progress. Getting there.

[Xaya]

Not sure i keep that current concept....

[troyzart]

ok I didnt participated this time because of the exact problem I see right now, I do have to mention it because it does bother me a little. I do see some good attempts here on the theme of a muse ...I mean rather authentic attempts to your personel Muse...but I honestly think that here are a few entries that are "just cool characters/creatures" that are labeled "my Muse" afterwards...

That is the exact reason for me not participating because I thought that I could do it this way but than it wouldnt have any value at all concerning the CHoW. (plus I do think with my skills I couldnt do the topic justice)

So I dont even know exactly my point here but I think its more or less :

What is the point in drawing some cool character/creature for a CHoW entry if you do not stick to the topic? let me explain this: CHoW isnt just about drawing ANY character its about drawing a specific one ( even if Muse could be a wide variety, and dont get me wrong ATM I am not pointing at someone saying " YOU! doing it wrong" what I would like to say is to take stock of yourself and ask you if you really do draw your Muse)

It is about having a set of guidelines and a topic you have to stick to , its NOT just about drawing and by doing so improving your skills ( it is part of that whitout question!) its about working in between specific boundaries by doing so you improve your ability accept them and to produce a piece of art that serves a special purpose and one that could be the right answer to certain task .What I am talking about is the ability to stay focused .

Its easy to create some sort of character in a blank space, but on the other hand its very complicated to create one that is defined by a certain topic . And I am convinced that CHoW is not just about improving you painting technique rather its a way to train your ability to focus ( a much needed skill for an artist )

And again I am not pointing in a specific direction, I just had this feeling about some of the works and tried to convey this.

so long
Seb

P.S. if needed I could list the concerns i had about some work


I understand your point of view completely, but I feel I have to reply because my character may come under the "cool character" category.
My muse was made up of several things, things even conveyed through the background. Things that inspire & fascinate me. Women, futuristic themes, reflections, anime, & to a point, minimalism (which I tried hinting towards in my background. Even icey blue colour which I tried making stand out by restricting its use & contrasting the said elements to the rest of the picture.

I'm sure other people have gone along the same pathway - my point here is so what if it turns out to be just a cool character? If that is their muse, then that is their muse. O:

But agreed, it was a very vague topic, open to much artistic license.

[JSpayde]

I understand your point of view completely, but I feel I have to reply because my character may come under the "cool character" category.
My muse was made up of several things, things even conveyed through the background. Things that inspire & fascinate me. Women, futuristic themes, reflections, anime, & to a point, minimalism (which I tried hinting towards in my background. Even icey blue colour which I tried making stand out by restricting its use & contrasting the said elements to the rest of the picture.

I'm sure other people have gone along the same pathway - my point here is so what if it turns out to be just a cool character? If that is their muse, then that is their muse. O:

But agreed, it was a very vague topic, open to much artistic license.

I agree with you. The topic isn't a strict concept - "Show what inspires you through a character". It really could be anything.

[Ceinwen Fang]

Ruri, cheers for the pointer, I did manage to do so, and it definitely improved the anatomy.

As far as staying on topic goes I think its really up to each individual here to decide what could represent a muse to them, and impossible to know from outside how accomplished that is. Either you like the character or you don't I suppose. Its not possible to define accuracy here, in terms of who got the closest to their muse. I think it can just be good fun, creating a persona for your creativity.

[kxu]

Now I used more references and I'm trying something easier,
I can not possibly finish this Chow, but now I have more time, I
part of all. I really want to one day work with illustration, be
maybe a new Frazetta. LOL



1124631

I was thinking of making the entire skirt made of butterflies, but still do not have that ability.
:lifedrawing:
:lifedrawing:
:lifedrawing:


1124634

I try the thing with butterflys ^^ at last. :lounge:

[neutral.]

Finally started drawing after wasting a whole day on youtube....... :nohope:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/sentone/CA%20CHOW/wipno3847.jpg

[Muscari]

there are some really nice entries in here, such a great level :D

@xaya
she's very pretty, the design is astounding to me and there's a great atmosphere going on.
@dranyer
astounding in my opinion. really good mix of a classical study/figure with abstract forms.
@carnifex
quite a character design. the color choice is bold and attractive. only thing is that i would have like to see another article that complimented the boots around the top, like a heavy necklace of something
@matias
dynamic pose! awesome!
@bluez3023
honestly, my favorite character design in here. want to see how it unravels
@eronzki999
that complexity on her is just baffling :O
@Supervlieg
great use of colors and overall nice composition

don't really know if i'm going to manage to finish this, but i feel it's been worth to finally break my half-year/year drawing hiatus. any crits would be welcome
1124648

[kxu]

1124651

wip4

[Xaya]

ok i changed the color scheme a little ;)

Maybe i change the pose to a more dynamic gesture ala" sailor moon style"

See you tomorrow!

[zepheenia]

I think I'm going to have to call this finished, unless there is something that desperately needs attention. I know she's still nowhere near as polished as she could be, but is she polished enough to be submitted? This is the first time I've had a chance to submit a completed image, so let me know if you see anything I might be able to change....thanks!

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr155/smeiklej/muse4.png

[JanJager]

Great work everybody
larchist
Nice take on the topic.
eronzki999
Very nice. The hand around the harp anyones me a bit. Perhaps just make it a bit smaller.

[Phantaz]

I still have a lot more to do with the character but thought I'd post this WIP.

1124738

[ScottMartin]

Hey everybody,

This is my muse, feeding me inspiration from above, existing in more of an ethereal, mystical forest in my mind. I like the outdoors and find that a walk in the woods is quite grounding.

This is still a work in progress with many areas in need of refinement.

[matias]

Carnifex, yeah I was originally going to have her looking back over her should and changed it to make her more 'elusive', but I think your right, so I've given her not a profile, not looking 100% back, but at least showing her face a bit.

It was strange, I've been trying to put some sort of clothing on her, but when she has some sort of clothing on it just looks like a dodgy upskirt pic, so the ol' completely naked is less sleazy.... hmmm reminds me of art history classes long ago!

EDIT: Ok so, finshed the girl and my hand, but now got to work on the background. Went a bit brighter and warmer scheme, but really not that happy with it! I have a little play around some more, looks a little monochromatic atm!

[AndreRuben]

had to finish this in another computer.. so i lost my palete and didnt want to mess up with the image that much.

This is the way i portrait a friend of mine, not as herself, but as one of the many ways i see her. She is my muse!

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1124988&stc=1&d=1292766435

[ArtByManon]

Partizan I see your point - however, a muse can be different every day!! and if someone is inspired by a 'cool' image then surely that is valid?
I am always drawn to painting powerful women, be it Boudicca, red sonja, or in this case a tempting mermaid. It doesn't really matter what form she takes - its just its inspired at the moment.

I think 'muse' is SO subjective, that you can't think about it as deeply as you have!! its art after all and should be flowing and expressive - if you happen to end up with something kick ass and cool, then why not? None of us can judge on whether its that persons muse or not - since we can't see into each others heads - we can only judge on technical skill and images that attract us when we vote...

[Carnifex]

matias - the new palette definitely works in your favour! she looks slightly pissed off though - intended?

[ArtByManon]

Not going to be able to finish mine in time - bugger.

[sceau]

hello! I am new.
I hope I've done everything correctly.

My muse is Cleveland, it's factories and everything that makes it a rustbelt diamond.

Here are my WIPs.

http://conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2958346&postcount=9

Have I forgotten to do anything?

[twentyone]

1125298
1125302

[app]

Twentyone,

Nice to see your Muse's progression through the Wips.

I know computer issues kept you from finishing Autumn as you'd intended and entering her into the Finals section before the deadline.

Thank You for sharing your Muse. She's lovely =]

~ app

[Orion9282]

Whoops. Look who doesn't know how to use a calendar... This guy. Anyways, probably wouldn't have finished in time.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/Orion9282/2010_12_Muse_web.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/Orion9282/2010_12_Muse_WIP_web.jpg

[app]

Orion9282,

Though you missed the deadline, thanks for posting up your muse as well. =]


~ app