just some elves and violence :)

[TARGETE]

Hey Ca,

Boy alot has happened since my last post, mainly I've made the big switch from freelance illustration which I've been doing for many years to a real job as "senior character concept artist" (that sounds important) :) or does it mean I'm an old fart? he he. Any way I'll be working on high end cinematics at Ncsoft alongside the great Kevin Chen who I'm trying to get to go to SF, he is a busy guy.

Well here are a few latest pieces. The battle scene was done in my sketchbook using the great "Elcoro marker ink style" like the great "Crane or chipmunk style" it's bad-ass, and will kick you on the side of your head if your not watchin, I haven't mastered it like he has though...

anyway here ya go.





http://targeteart.com/JPshit/elvesFINAL.JPG





http://targeteart.com/JPshit/FREAKchic1.JPG


http://targeteart.com/JPshit/FREAKchicbw.JPG




http://targeteart.com/JPshit/BATTLEHELL.JPG





http://targeteart.com/JPshit/BLACKWIZARDSa.JPG



http://targeteart.com/JPshit/DARKWELLCLR1a.jpg


some actual size zooms on the first one:

http://targeteart.com/JPshit/fairfolkzoom.JPG


http://targeteart.com/JPshit/fairfolkzoom1.JPG




one more:

http://targeteart.com/JPshit/ARCANAEVOLVEsOURCE2FINAL.JPG

[I.was.ink]

Cool stuff Mr. Targete (does calling you Mr. make you feel young enough?hehehe ;)). I hope you can get Kevin to come to the workshop cuz besides being a great artist and person, he can teach so damn well its insane!

Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that these are some great pieces you have here, but the one thing that bothers me with the first two are the expressions in their faces. With the first one, they hardly have an expression and they're all looking at us, and I think it could benefit from some interaction between the characters (Im not sure about that, but I think it would help). Also, I think the girls expression/pose could show more of that hero quality that I think you're going for. It feels a tad odd giving you crits, but Ive found that emotion and expression in a piece is just as important as everything else and wanted to point that out.

Hope Ive helped! :)

- ink

[TARGETE]

Hey I was ink,

You sure crit alot for a guy who hardly post in this section :), but thats good but post some final images. You make a great observation especially for the first image, however it was my intent to leave the expressions neutral, the hero character is not actually a hero and is not what I was going for at all, actually all these elves are very "anti-heroes". They are very complex characters and each have their own seperate story, I've done many images with much expression, this one I choose not to, don't look for the obvious when creating an illustration. I'm not slamming your crit just giving you my take.

The 2nd image is just a concept..no expression is needed unless I was doing a character sheet for expressions.

thanks Iwasink..now post some finishes :).

[dCepT]

'sup targete

Here's my two cents (I also need to post more here, though... hehe)
I actually like the fact that they don't have much of an expression. I get the feel that the viewer has blundered into some forbidden realm that he should've stayed way out of.
Very nice pieces!!

peace

d-C

[jetpack42]

I think both of you slackers ought to post more. I like how you used the coro technique in the battle scene. you have alot of colors in there that give texture and forms which are interesting. so sloppy, but controlled well enough.

Now that you're a working stiff, don't be a stranger. Are you in LA? maybe you should head down sometime for sketch nights at Rons...

[Hudson101]

man this stuff is great....i love the dark feel to it.... :confident

[haiku]

Oh boy, i'm not worthy!
cool stuff TARGETE, i was in your site earlier today and I was hoping for some new stuff from you. These made my day a lot sweeter. :)

[Scubasteve]

These are amazing. The one with the best coming up from the pit reminds me of a Jeff Easley piece. Did that inspire you in any way?

[FuT]

dude, these are beautiful. No crits from me, cant wait to see more!!!

[demeter_luna]

I always look forward to seeing your work.
Now the thing I was wondering is what medium you used for these, they looks digital, but then again I read on your website that you only work in oils?
:O

[JoshuaTheJames]

what the hell..I could of swore I posted in this thread.. anyhoo...





I reallly like that mask in the 3rd piece down!!! I want to draw it!


Really fun stuff J.P.!



-Joshua James

[Fozzybar]

Damn...post more all of you, hehe...

As always a pleasure to look through your thread TARGETE (argh...capslock makes you all look so important)...

only crit is the boat on the pic with the castle in the water...it just looks like the perspective isn't right...it looks like viewed from a higher angle...but then again it could be just me...

Good luck for your new job and keep us up to date, man... :confident

[TARGETE]

Thanks as always gents.

dcept-
Thanks for the comments, wanted to make that elf piece a little more colder and darker then what I'm used to as far as fantasy themes.

Jetpack42-
He he thanks man, I've been slacking myself and not posting much :). Yhea dood I'll be in the LA area come end of Nov, whicj Ron are we talking about?

Hudson101-
thanks man, dark is good!

haiku-
Thanks man, I haven't updated the site in a bit, but definately will do so very soon.

Scubasteve-
Thanks for the comments, yes actually I think Easley did a cover for the same book, its a wizards of the coast novel so they just had me do an new version, I liked his as well.

FuT-
Thanks Fut, I'll have to work harder to post more.

demeter_luna-
Thanks demeter, all of these are digital accept the battle scene, yhea I have to update my f.a.q section, I started digital not to long ago, someone said I couldn't do it so I did it.
I really don't fear any medium it must fear me :).

JOSHUATHEJAMES-
What the hell? Josh where did you come from? :) thanks man!

Fozzybar-
Thanks dood, hmm maybe one of you perspective wizards can help me out and correct that boat angle if you have time- thanks Fozz-man.

[Jaku]

Great art as always. I can do anything but praise when i see your art.
But what really caught my attention in this post, has been your comment about moving from freelancing to real job.
I would like to hear your opinion about freelancing, now that you have left it behind. The goods and bads comparing to a regular job.

Maybe this is not the place for this discussion...

[rothgar]

Lots of great action and gesture in that sketchbook piece. I love the atmospheric perspective in this one.

[liquidwerx]

Great post Targete! I love them all.

The first piece is absolutely stunning, I love all the work you put into the flora and fauna.

The fourth and sixth pieces are my favorites, they're both very action-packed and full of motion.

Nicely done. :)

~Malachi

[cateaic]

whew..almost missed this one! The second and thrid one are awesome. You use youre black areas very well, havent seen too many artists pull that off. I like the modd though. Nice compositions on all...I like the focus points.

[Aleksi]

Awesome fantasy character concepts !!
I love when some parts are unfinished or a little more "rough" than usual in your works.
Excellent job Master Targete ! :wink:

[Egets]

Hello Mr Targete, I really like the top image, it has that Targeteish flavour to it=it's recognisable :bashful: and that devil from school years is still there I can see from the fourth from the end, it says the darkwell image, lol !

Now of course you are wondering who I am, I have been stalking you for few years now well not exactly stalking just always checking regularly your website to see what new thing is available, YOU ROCK !

[jetpack42]

Jetpack42-
He he thanks man, I've been slacking myself and not posting much :). Yhea dood I'll be in the LA area come end of Nov, whicj Ron are we talking about?


Ron Lemen aka fredflickstone.

[DRESDEN]

Holy Shit!!! I almost shit myself, when i saw the battle scene. That's really insane for marker work. But you are the master so no suprise's there.
Awesome, really amazing stuff.

[merchan]

I love this work,rich colours and figures with life and flow.
I havn't posted yet either,but I am inspired by your rich style and wish you the best in your full time gig.

Merchan. :)

[bwkeough]

but can the crane and chipmunk style defeat the tu-wing fried chicken combo (with cole slaw!)?

good stuff. I really like how your digital work looks so much like your oil paintings. Will you do more coro-tech marker and gouche images? It's really working for you.

my only crit: I want you to spend some time drawing real lions before you draw another lion-head-warrior-mage. Just because they have animal heads doesn't mean they can't express emotions. Well, unless the story called for the guy on the right to meet up with his evil doppelganger, which would explain the mirror image and stunned thing. I like the flying runes and lighting, though. :D

[Oblio]

Awsome frate!
JP - you can take Kevin in one of your hands - just bring him to SF. :muscle: :bounce:

[Common Terry]

Nice stuff as always Targete. I love the layout and drawing on the battle scene but not hot on the way it's colored. The marker tech seems to add too much buisness for an already busy piece. 2 and 3 are my faves of this bunch.

[MoFra]

man they are really really REALLY nice..!

[el coro]

well, jp, you already know how i feel about these. i just wanted to post up and show some love for my big bro :) cant wait to have you reppin the west coast!-c36

[TARGETE]

Hey thanks as always for the crits and comments you all. I would say that the battle scene is where I'd like to be sometimes..ever feel that way? reminds me of a quote by the lead singer of "Otep", in one of her songs she screams in a devilish voice "ART IS WAR!!",

that quote can read so deeply and to me as an artist/illustrator the war is within, fighting what you have to do to put bread on the table to what you really want to do, If I could sketch in my sketchbook 24-7 and do whatever I want that would be cool. Also trying to improve and pushing ones self to what end?, the violence in battle and the sadness and glory, the friendships of powerful allies the cunning of devious enemies.

Art is my weapon.


Jaku-, Thanks as always for the words, to answer your question I'll be starting my position at the end of the month, however I can tell you that there are some diffrences, I've already experienced already. The first being I wont be along in a studio barred from the world, 2nd I'll be among artist I respect and who will help me expand my knowledge as I will hopefully theres. 3rdly it wont be all about J.P. the illustrator one man circus, I'll be behind the scenes and part of a collective. I will say this being on my own and freelancing really helped me get warmed up..it's taken years but I'm excited about the possibilities.

rothgar-
Thanks man! was fun

liquidwerx-
Always a pleasure to exchange comment with you man and see your work.

cateaic-
Thank you!

Aleksi-
Hey man thanks for stopping in, I agree on the roughness and unfinsihed look. Lately you have been really making leaps and bounds with your paintings, we must chat more.

Egets-
Thanks Eget!

jetpack42-
Cool man definately..thought Ron was in SD though I'll be in LA, WHERE R U?

DRESDEN-
thanks dood but dont soil those under-roos for me bro he he, okay jus a little :)

merchan-
thanks for the kind words, and not to fret I dont post as much as I use to, I was messin with the other guys on that .

bwkeough-
Thanks man!..ha ha the fried chicken technique is funny however your technique must be associated to an animal "not dead or fried" rodkill wont work either so "smashed armadillo technique" is ot the door.

I totally know what your saying about animals but I must disagree that animals dont express facial expressions, perhaps Lions dont as much as dogs but I guarntee you when you see a lion in a nasty fight and the muscles in his face crinkle up and his eyes go wide and his gums are glaring razor sharp teeth, I think you know your ass is dead right? and that he is either having a bad day or your lunch.
This particular assignment dealt with a dopplganger effect and this creature was seeing himself evolved in a mirror image. Its also fantasy dood you can put expression and feelings in a toaster, who's gonna sue ya? :) thanks dood!

Oblio-
Obliiiiiio my little friend :) man I miss you guys will be there in SF DOOD?

Common Terry-
thanks Terry your exactly right! this piece is way to busy and way to out there with the coloring, but thats why I like it, its a sketchbook piece not an illustartion for anyone but me no planning no refrence just sketch and color :). I've controled many of my pantings both in value, color and composition, its always relaxing and fun to break the rules and let go. This piece may seem like a fluke or uncontroled but trust me when I say "I see everything you are seeing,this is what I do for a living..controled imaging, chaos can be controlled" :)

MoFra-
Thanks dood!

el coro-
Dood thanks so much, I'm always thrilled to share my work with you and other great artist, and I'm going to give you a crushing bear hug, nothing homo erotica just..you know. ha ha bro luv ya.

jp

[bafl1]

i love you

[MoFra]

MoFra-
Thanks dood!

your very welcome..but im not a dood :nohope: lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/mofra/moe.jpg

just to let ya know :confident:

[bwkeough]

hey cool, I'm glad I read the doppelganger spell correctly but I think we might be miscommunicating on the animal emotion thing: I want more emotion on the lion's face. like if the hero lion on the right was all like "wtf!" surprised and offended. and the doppelganger was like "F-you! I'm you only more of a bad-ass!" like, y'know?

heh, good stuff none the less. I'm also really enjoying the deep rich colors in the elves painting.

[Pavel Sokov]

wow thats insane, evryone here is so pro..
that battlefield scene is fucking awesome u should draw for warhammer games

[TARGETE]

Thanks,

Bafl1-
Love is all we got

Mofra- my aplogies your are not a dood, thats what I get for assuming, forgiven ?

bwkeough-
HA HA yes I did read that wrong, sure more emotion would have been excellent, I think though this is more of a mirrored image scene rather then two diffrent beings so there expression would be the same, though the poses are slightly diffrent. Thanks for that feedback though and I'll think about it more next time around.

manslauter-
thanks, whats funny, I just got contacted by the publisher of the warhammer books so this may happen.

[Dan.v.D.]

If I could sketch in my sketchbook 24-7 and do whatever I want that would be cool.

that's exactly the position i'm in.
and with every single stroke i'm fighting to get where you are.
getting paid and to be able to make a living of art.

life's a bitch...

err wait!

"life's not a bitch, she's a beautiful woman.
you only call her a bitch cuz she won't let you get that pussy"
aesop rock

keep it up so will i

[Travis_Bourbeau]

Picks Kick a whole lot of ass Big T looking forward to seeing you again in San Fran

[qstom]

Nice work, i prefer your no digital work, but it to look nice ..
THX 4 POST...And GOODLUCK in ya new work¡¡ (i love Kchen, is one of my favourite artist,your work will be hallucinating, I cannot wait to see it ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ :nohope: :}

[dadamafia]

wow. so much talent everywhere. my brains about to explode. you never sieze to amaze.

[behemot5]

:$ ....ouch...

[Oblio]

Aye frate, see you on Terra! :D SF will rock!

[Murlodont]

maybe spice up the facial expressions of those elve-looking folks in the first picture--they look as though they are purposefully posing for the 'camera', unless that was what you were going for.

The second picture, of the girl in red, also has this problem. I know she is probably meant to be looking at something, but it seems like the look is strained--maybe she held it for too long? :P

Other than that, I'm not even fit to critique these pictures--not really good enough to have even said what I did, heh, but the rest are excellent. I could really 'get into' the last piece, the piece with the demon coming out of what I could only imagine to be a portal, and the large battle scene (which really caught my eye). Great stuff, and I can see why you are a senior character design person now ;)--yes, it means you are old :tihi:

Stephen

[MindCandyMan]

awesome jp...sweet stuff man see you soon in san fran. Love the atmosphere in the first pic and the colors you achieved with that ink technique are sweet man...awesome

[mroq]

I wonder what those little warriors will do to this great and 10 times bigger deamon ;]

[hurricane]

great pics, love the way you shade/paint !

its great, i actually remember you from the old Sijun days if your the same guy...

well, great pics !

do more :D

cheers

[liam.c]

damn ive looked at this sevral time and every time all i can say is godamn man ... godamn ....

[Riddick]

Nothing to crit!
All is beautiful and original!

[Egets]

[QUOTE=TARGETE]Hey thanks as always for the crits and comments you all. I would say that the battle scene is where I'd like to be sometimes..ever feel that way? reminds me of a quote by the lead singer of "Otep", in one of her songs she screams in a devilish voice "ART IS WAR!!",

that quote can read so deeply and to me as an artist/illustrator the war is within, fighting what you have to do to put bread on the table to what you really want to do, If I could sketch in my sketchbook 24-7 and do whatever I want that would be cool. Also trying to improve and pushing ones self to what end?, the violence in battle and the sadness and glory, the friendships of powerful allies the cunning of devious enemies.

Art is my weapon.


Amen ! What Im thinking about is how to find a golden middle ground when
you have all this lust and anger and aggressions and then painting beeing
such opposite manner or way of expressing it, Im telling you that its easy
to be a singer because you can just let it out that instant you feel what
you feel, but it requires some special chinese inner strength and harmony
to retain those powerful feelings and desire for life and then "calm down"
to express it exactly the way you feel, LIKE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, dont
you sometimes feel scitsofrenic or something GRRR! Well but I think a fear
of living in the street moneyless is as equally strong driving force to keep
yourself in front the easel :bashful:


I totally know what your saying about animals but I must disagree that animals dont express facial expressions, perhaps Lions dont as much as dogs but I guarntee you when you see a lion in a nasty fight and the muscles in his face crinkle up and his eyes go wide and his gums are glaring razor sharp teeth, I think you know your ass is dead right? and that he is either having a bad day or your lunch.

Amen ! I once saw some tv-program where they captures a lion and I have
like never saw such powerful expression on animal in my life before the
lion was like at the same time emased and surprised that he was captured
and yet extremely scary, the kind of feeling you can get when you come
accross a cat who has let all her hair stand up wow it makes your own
hairs in your body to erect as well and some cold vawes through your
vains, I think that we humans and animals have some strong connections
to each other that such a visual scene can have so big affect on you (even
that its only meant for another cat to scare him or her) No wonder there
is lot of superstitiousness consairning cats and they do have many faces
no only when they are expressing some extreme emotions but all kind of
subtle facial expressions too like prideness, arrogance, "I-could-not-care-less"
curious,consentrated,happy,satisfied etc lol !


just of a recent I saw a boxing game where
there was this huge black guy who easily won the boxing competition after
he had won he jumped to the side of the boxing square declairing his victory
to the audience...now that was another something I have ever met or
experienced in my life before just felt like going inside the tv fall on his feet
and weakly whisper Im your servant master... IM such funny person in
that way, very emotional (too emotional)

is emotional a bad thing like weakness to your own opinion ?