CHOW #41 - VOTING- Arrakthura - The Weapon

[Oblio]

http://www.oreganoproductions.com/chow/chowlines.jpg





Arrakthura - The Weapon
inpired from J Absinthe's post in the suggestion thread. Thx J Absinthe

A weapon hunted by all.
A weappon with a will of it's own, that merges with the true virtues and sins of the one who helds the handle.
Some say it talks.
Some say it can look you in the eye.
Some say it's like a sword others... describe it as a cannon... it has so manny shapes no one can say what's true.
Some say it has God's powers and will.. some say it's forged by devil and only serves the evil.
If you can, noble artist... tell us, SHOW US... Arrakthura...
Now... concept!

______________
Topic elements:
remember, It's a character... not just an object ;)

1 = It's a weapon.
2 = Can be handled by man.

Make sure your picture contains these - you will receive 3 VOTES for each topic covered.
4 extra votes will be offered for the description.


and the winner is: Andrew Ley


POLL RULES
(for the new people)
NOT ALL ENTRIES ARE TAKEN TO THE POLL.
(the selection is based on technical quality criteria)
ENTRIES NOT POLLED WILL RECEIVE C&C
(i really try to do this every time)
IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS - MISTAKES CAN BE MADE
I am trying to set this as a professional demand. I act as the client...
Oblio is always looking for feedback - If Oblio is wrong - tell him so.

[Supervlieg]

http://www.bolman.nl/cgtalk/supervlieg_chow041.jpg

The Arrakthura was bred by biological engineers as a future weapon for the army. It is a selfcontained walking, thinking and most of all, energy ball shooting weapon. The arrakthura can be ridden by man, even if it purely for directional purposes. Once the Arrakthura has locked onto its target the human rider had little to no influence on the walking weapon. Best bet is to get of as soon as possible because the Arrakthure tends to jump right into the heat of a battle. Since its shielding and other parts heal very quickly and because it was engineered to feel no pain the Arrakthura is considered one of the worst foes to meet on the battlefield. The bioframe is enhanced by some mechanical parts. The eyes are fitted with all kinds of extra sensory machines allow it to see in the dark and sense heat. It also has a digital aiming view mounted on its nose/barrel for long distance aiming. The Arrakthura rarely uses this, it prefers to get close on the target and blast away.

[Jska]

Just messing around tonight with the idea - I liked that the weapon could be parasitic in nature, and somewhat organic... I'm messing with the idea of making it a parasitic alien species that transforms itself into weaponry. (Is that cliche??) The final will have an "action shot" and a more elaborate story - not something static like this. :)

http://www.jskaconcepts.com/badaboom/dailysketch/jska-arrackthura.jpg

(edit - and another!)
http://www.jskaconcepts.com/badaboom/dailysketch/091406jska.jpg
(trying to get more of an armor concept out too - plus i bought new pencils today :P)

Here's my story:

Arrackthura (meaning "of the Arrack civilization") is actually a parasitic alien species that landed on earth thousands of years ago. Some say it is the root of most, if not ALL mythological weapon stories, from Brahmastra of Hindu myth, to the Ark of the Covenant itself. The species needs a host body to survive - and the more hosts it consumes, the more its deadly power grows. It calls out to its victim, in a seductive telepathic song that only the chosen can hear. Once Arrackthura has attached itself to its host, the only thing that can seperate them is death.

It feeds off of hunger for power, greed, and violent thought. Although the parasite and host are always connected, once Arrackthura senses an impulse into any of these devious channels, it envelops the host's body immediately with a tough organic armor, which is very much alive and can react to the slightest movements. Because Arrackthura comes from an advanced species, it perceives movement and reacts far faster than humans are capable of - giving it an unfair and devastating advantage over its opponent. At a second's notice, it can turn into whatever will deal the most devastating blow, while fending off attacks on its host as well.

A secretive order has been keeping Arrackthura alive for centuries, for use in their ultimate plan for world domination. They have bred an army of children over time, all engineered to be mentally void of any devious thought. They are nicknamed "The Innocents" and they are charged with being Arrackthura's keeper. Because the parasite cannot use its deadly powers on these children, it simply sucks their bodies into dry shells.

The time has come - Arrackthura has lost its taste for Innocent flesh, and has been contained for too long. It is calling out to feed on what it loves most - the war monger, the killer, the demon.

A little dramatic maybe, but I was bored at work :) More sketches coming soon too...

[Irish_Jim]

http://www.carlyleworkshop.com/images/arrakthura2.jpg


"Arrakthura, the horrible weapon was alive, I tell you. The man who held it had no face; his eyes dim burning holes behind his mask, wielding the great and terrible assembly with one great arm, the other a shattered stump capped by a silver medallion. He had paid greatly for the power he now used to cut a great wide swath through our ranks, as evinced by his flesh's unholy, fetid pallor and the keloid scars dotting his remaining arm. In order to loft the powerful assembly, it had been made enormous, thick and knotted as a tree trunk and flexing in thick bunches as he drove the very steel of hell into man after man, crippling, maiming and killing in single blows. The weapon had grown to his immense fist, veins visibly driven into the mass of flesh at his forearm, puslating with a life not of this world.
There were only a handful of the hundred of us who survived that encounter. None of us could stay with the army from that day forward; even now the sickening swings of the cursed weapon cast a chill over my memories.

-Gustav Antonin Malachek,
His Majesty's Third Infantry, retired"

[VirusArtist]

GAAAAAHR!!!! I seriously need to stop coming here. Everytime I do I feel the urge to participate and everytime I come here, I have a more than full scedule for the coming 2 weeks...

a few times I could resist, but this time I'm giving in-the topic is too good to be true...

I'm in....

CUUUURRRRSSEEE you, oblio!! CUURRRSE you for making me abuse coffee and ignore my need for sleep!!

;)

Etienne



WIP- wish I would have had more time, but work kept me busy...


http://www.virusarts.com/CA/virusartist-chow41.jpg

description:

"arrakthura"- according to the Scryggian dictionary, the term roughly translated means "deadly hand puppet". In fact, it is a powerful biomechanic weapon with a will of its own - a heavily armoured "NORZ"-maggot. A scryggian scientist once enhanced this creature with a unique acid-plasma blaster and several tools to disembowel the enemies of the one who wears it in order to create a biomechanic frontline weapon for the army. The creature killed the scientist in an accidental defense reaction before it could be completed and vanished.

the "NORZ" maggot is known to attach itself to the extremities of other creatures, feasting on hormones and blood until the host dies from exaustion. according to legend, arrakthura is different, creating a perfect symbiosis of host and parasite, following the will of it's wearer. still, the host has to be very strong in order to feed both him and the parasite.

survivors of arrakthura attacks are very few, but those who encountered the parasite and its host, describe it to be rather silly in appearance, a piece of junk with big teeth and dumb eyes looking around for targets. some even claim to have heard something like a gruesome sound ("BLAAAHRRRRGH" to be exact), before the weapon attacked, but this part of the legend can be excluded, since "NORZ"-maggots dont have any organs to articulate themselves.

[Cam Sykes]

Arrakthura WIP (final will look nothing like this :) )
Many have long hunted for the perfect cuppa. Legend has told of a teapot witha will of it's own that will pour the perfect brew determined by the virtues or sins of it's wielder. Many say it talks and will conversate while you sip your tea. It will look you in the eye and tell you it loves you. But all is not what it seems, for when it's beholder is in danger it can take the shape of many weapons depending on what the wielder asks for. It has gods powers but can easily persuade the user to become evil, many say it drives the wielder to the point of suicide, allowing another curious victim to fall under its spell.

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2602/arrakthurawipwl3.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[Blue Severin]

yay! another kickass topic with kickass people drawing it up. I'll take a stab at it.

edit: WIP sketch, procrastination, oh yeah.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/jbrassell/sketch.jpg

edit: Finally finished. Fishspawn said it looked like a moon, and a moon crashing into something is way cooler than a huge explosion, so I went and got some ref at www.rc-astro.com, and made a moon. Logistically, he probably couldn't stand there if a moon were really crashing anywhere within sight, and if a moon were more than halfway in the ground, it would probably kick up more dust, and/or have destroyed itself, but it was fun. Uhm godlike powers maybe?

Description: When I first laid eyes on it, I could feel the power emanating from the armored gauntlet. I had heard the legends, the ones that told of the weapon Arrakthura. I knew that to bear this weapon, one's arm would be consumed to feed its hunger. A small price to pay for the priveleges of a god. I have traveled the universe, always destroying, obliterating, at the urges of Arrakthura. I can barely feel the shriveled husk of what used to be my arm, and when my arm is no more, will Arrakthura abandon me? I deserve no less.

http://community.conceptart.org/gallery/I/2005/01/01/13672.jpg

[Johann de Venecia]

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4662/arrakthura3deveneciaxg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Arrakthura Possession

You are the weapon. Wield responsibly.

[AndrewLey]

The Weapon

Its beautiful forms dance over its surface until it is claimed by anyone brave or foolish enough to attempt to wield it.

Once grasped it can take on the form of almost any weapon the user can imagine.

Gradually the weapon consumes its master growing ever more powerful

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/2091/theweaponad5.jpg

[trevor]

ok
dont take this to the poll
but i did al li could today
finger is almost totally healed so i figured id give it a go
ill finish it in a day or 2 but hope you like it
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/trevorclaxton/TheWeapon.jpg

[Onir]

gaah.. Ley, Lukavi beautiful works guys :)

man I've been wanting to do these CHoWs for a while now and I think I just might have to start up on this one; such a great topic how could I pass up the chance? hehe

alright finished mine up; here's the initial doodle I used

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/jemanjiman/chow_arak_wip.jpg

and here's the final piece

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/jemanjiman/Onir_CHOW41_Arrakthura.jpg

Arrakthura is often mistaken for a great sword or a massive cannon; this is because all who have seen Arrakthura being used have mistaken it for what was in the wielder's hands. The true appearence of Arrakthura is much different than many would expect: it's a beautiful flowing cloth, one which seems to smoothly flow around the user. Moving with the cloth are 7 small lights, which seem to dance with the cloth as it flows. As with all cloth, Arrakthura bends to the will of the one using it. Thus, with the great power bestowed by Arrakthura, deeds of mercy and malice often occur as the cloth travels from owner to owner.

[cesaraguilar]

For mi arrakhatura trasform persons in weapons , transform life for the death ,change your destiny.
oh ...my name..thchx sorry

the weapon transforms, the weapon changes, the weapon is the girl and the cube is all
arrakhatura , does not form .

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/922/chow41bvb7.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[purplerose]

WIPs can be seen in my sketchbook.
Sorry this looks rushed, nearly ran out of time.
Final Image

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/dazzgeist/purplerose_chow41_arrakthuratheweap.jpg

Concept:

Arrakthura, the weapon... no one knows who created it, but it is said to grant immeasurable power to whoever chooses to wield it. The wielder also undergoes a physical transformation in order to handle this great power. Over time, Arrakthura begins to take over the wielder's body by mapping out its energy webs over the wielder's entire body. Arrakthura even goes as far as materializing a Helm of Silence to further control the wielder (now victim). Thus, the victim can not speak of or warn others of the dangers of Arrakthura. The more people that are killed while in this stage, the stronger Arrakthura becomes. Until finally, once the victim's energy is nearly exhausted, they become one Arrakthura. Thus begins the wait for another wielder (or victim). Sometimes when Arrakthura is not being handled, you can hear the screams of those who sought it out for its power, still trapped inside.

[Vyrmillian]

Arakthura, the weapon is an imp from hell imprisoned in the shell of a very nasty weapon. His only desire is to cause mischief and delights in cutting men down and blowing things up.
This weapon is prized for it's effectiveness. When the weilder pleases the imp with a particularly terrible strike, the imp punps opiates into the weilder. This adiction makes the weilder the willing slave of the imp, making his master Mephistopheles proud.
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/6961/arakkthurawipsloyz8.jpg
rakkthuralomn0.jpg[/IMG]http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/7859/vyrmillianchow41arakkthuralomn0.jpg

Sorry low bandwidth/low resolution.Where's the attachment manager?!

[rawwad]

Vyrmillian - Nice idea.

Final

Oil paitning + Paint shop pro 8

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9747/arrakthurarawwadxv3.jpg

Arrakthura, legendary weapon of iron jungle.

[evildisco]

My "may be" entry. Depends.
Work in progress.

Arrakthura, The Martyr Weapon, Herald of the Abyss.

Arrakthura, construct of the Elder ones, a machine fuelled by the pain and suffering of those it hunts. Floating above the battlefield at the end of times, Arrakthura, arbitrarily reaps his victims and feeds on their entrails. What malignant force could possibly conceive such a byzantine horror...the mere sight will drive anyone to madness.

In its wake, silence...as it trumpets grimly the coming of the end.

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2752/arrakhp2.jpg

[Seedling]

I’ve never done one of these before, but it sounds like fun so I started working on this one this morning.. . . eeep!

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m259/SeedlingBMK/Seedling_CHOW41_Arrakthura.jpg

Although emperor Ororis had the very trees uprooted in his search for Arrakthura, he was unaware that the living weapon of legend lay in his own vaults, asleep, waiting for the day that an unassuming scholar would lift the overlooked device from its dusty shelf.

[jackenstein]

Don't give up! I b'leeve in you ! XDYou're entirely too kind. Alas, I have (unless a miracle occurs within the next 24 hours.)

Arrakthura - The Weapon

SKETCH
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b50/Jackyll/CCI00009.jpg
note my aggrevation with trying to realize this project

According to Christian mythology, Saint George slew the plague-ridden dragon of Silene in an effort to both save the city's princess and to convert the townspeople into Christianity. Much of that story, however, was a lie.

Hundreds of years before Christ, in Libya, a warrior came into the town of Silene, where he a bounty was put on a strange dragon-like creature that had been terrorizing the city from the caves and shores of it's great lake. As asked, her slayed it, but unbeknownst to the warrior, or the people of Silene, the creature was a kept one, the idol of the Arrakthurans, a sect devoted to sustaining magicks. Angered by this, they made their way to the city's townsquare, where they and the warrior rejoiced around the slain carcass of Arrakthura. They places a curse on the warrior, forging the great dragon with his lance, Ascalon, as well as trapping him within his own weapon. The Arrakthurans took the sacred lance and kept it by the lake, hidden in one of it's many caves.

3000 years later, while filming a documentary for the BBC, a British Archeologist and his crew make their way into a ghost village of sorts, where ancient buildings lay in ruin, and a once-great lake sits a crater, dry and vapid. Inside one of the many caves, they find among millenia-old ruins, what appears to be a lance of somekind, covered in a scaly film, an eye-like gem at the base of it. The archeologist takes the lance up, only to find out moments later, that this weapon is living, and has laid dormant for this moment for thousands of years...

[Faroresama]

Wow, after reading the thread and seeing all the awesome entries I'm quite intimidated >< But hey, you never know until you try! So here's my entry which I just finished:

Arrakthura
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v611/faroresama/Faroresama_CHOW41_Arrakthuracopy.jpg

Long ago in an unrecorded war, this mind-control device was mass-produced to make soldiers faster, more accurate. The swords and shields that were programmed to respond to the amplified brainwaves of the soldier were said to move at the speed of light, making nearly all attempts to block and attack futile. The opponents conquered them, however, when they created a jamming device that blocked the waves.
That was thousands of years ago. But lately reports of an unarmored woman weilding weapons faster than the eye can see have been coming in. She wears a simple band of gold on her forehead, emotionless. Have the Arrakthura--the "Lightning Knights"--been unearthed?

[mull77]

Well this is my first try at this, so be gentle!

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8122/mull77chow41arrakthurabu6.jpg

The Arrakthura is the name given to the members of the Arrak Shock troopers. These death row criminals are given one last chance to redeem themselves by voluteering to be melded with a bio-mechanical 'collar' that will in essence turn the recipient in to a walking plasma cannon.

Neural blockers and adreneline are injected before implantation (the merging will usually be done en-route to the battlefield) and then the troopers are let loose.

Most of these shock troopers will only be able to loose 5- 10 volleys before they are either cut down, or shredded from the inside by the unimaginable stresses that the collar puts their bodies under. It's worth it though, as the plasma can cut though any known metal or armour.

After the fighting is done, the collars are retrieved, ready to be fitted to the next lucky lawbreakers! :^^:

[Cloister]

Look! I made a dorky dagger with dorky gem-stones! >:|

http://www.brandow.se/Page/bilder/Postas/Cloister_chow41_arrakthura.jpg

Arrakthura – the name of the first assassin – the name of the first killer who ended a life for money. As the universe screamed and Mammon rose in glimmer, the dagger merged with the one who slew the king. Arrakthura, lady of the court, had betrayed the kingdom and her master for a bagful of gold. Little did she know of the royal dagger’s enchantment, and little did she know of her ghastly fate. Immortal now and trapped in gold, she is fed eternally by the blood of victims unnumbered. Her mind, a daggers mind, seeks for little but the sharp and iron taste of murder. In every conceivable way, she has become a weapon.

[Moai]

I wasn't going to enter, but inspiration inconveniently struck this morning. Here's a very rough photoshop sketch. Most likely, this image will be just for my own personal enjoyment, as I probably won't finish by the deadline, unless this round lasts an extra few days like last time.:rendered:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/metalukesurfer/black-weapon.jpg
Basically, the Weapon wraps a coccoon around its chosen host, and the host emerges as some sort of chitonous killing machine.

PS- I'll make it look less like a joint! :P

[vigostar]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/vigostar/ultimateweapon.jpg

Arrakthura- Laurent Stone was obsessed with sexual acts. A person that loved every type of sexual encounter. He loved woman, men, children, elderly, animals just as long as he was able to fulfill his sexual desires it never mattered whom or what got him off. Legend has it that with ever encounter he became more and more obsessed with obtaining the ultimate sexual high that he sold his soul to the gods of lust in order to achieve his greatest weapon the Arrakthura. This legendary weapon is said to give its slave a 24 orgasm thus in ultimate pleasure and pain. It is also assumed to be the orgin of the term "boner" from the Arrakthura's grotesque appearance.

[EtotheRic]

Whoah, cool concepts! Here's mine, inspired in part by the upcoming FF game and the overabundance of rabbits around here.

http://www.ejm.cc/images/conceptart/chow/chow41/EtotheRic_chow41_sm.jpg (http://www.ejm.cc/images/conceptart/chow/chow41/EtotheRic_chow41.jpg)

Arrakthura – Both the wielder and the wielded, in nimble leathers garnered with silk mimicking (or mocking) the fluffiness of her prey, the hunter of rabbits adorns her belt with the feet of the fallen. Her sleek and simple Arrakthura serves both as a rifle from a distance, or as her preferred method, as blade at close range to surprised and unsuspecting bunnies. Do her eyes see them behind the cold mask or are they sensed and heard by the large auditory enhancing ears? Tonight, rabbit stew is on the menu.

[cowboy surfer]

Ok my first chow (about time)!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l319/cowboy-surfer/cowboysurfer-chow41-arrakthura.jpg

In the begining there was chaos. In time order rose from the maelstrom and split into good and evil to bring balance to the multiverse.
But the chaos was not defeated. It has still exherted its mighty force upon people, planets, galaxies and dimensions.
The fallen Angelus has studied long. The fires of rage burning in its heart. The arrogance of righteousness fueling its soul. For millenia, nay eons, it has searched for a way to realise its mad envisions. Practiced the darkest magic, learnt the powers of prayer, perfected war through peace, peace through war, loved with hate and hated with love.
The process has been long, but over time the Angelus has become filled with a chaotic spirit. The power of choas burns in its viens. This primordial power inhabits and eventually merges to become one with the Angelus.
A conduit for chaos its mad delusions become reality, balance is a thing of the past, good and evil are new toys to play with.
The fallen Angelus embraces chaos and finds the power to avenge. To strike back at the God being, to rise above Lucifer.
And thus does the Angelus stride naked through the multiverse wielding its latest creation, the Chaos Blade.
Blade and Angelus become one... Arrakthura!

[cakeypigdog]

heres mine sorry if too late for poll. machine crashed twice last night so i gave up.

description

Arrakthura is a fighting bot. The units were constructed to solve internation disputes in pugilist combat and replaced convenional warfare. Our little fellow here is legendary within the tornament, having never lost a bout.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f87/cakeypigdog/zathura1h-1.jpg

[Oblio]

here's a late WIP... poll comming in few hours.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d105/afantana/Oblio_swordWIP.jpg

[Oblio]

As quite a few entries were NOT taken to the poll due to QUALITY standards, i will try to do my C&C round ASAP.
Please bare with me and before all, try to give your C&C to those pieces.
I am sure the more cirts: the better.
THANK YOU.

[Serpian]

Yay, first voter! My vote goes to Rawwad! It was a close call between him and AndrewLey, but man, Rawwad's really got some athmosphere there!

[mull77]

Andrew Ley for me.....i...almost picked Vigostar, but it makes me feel dirty just looking at it :)

[Johann de Venecia]

My vote went to AndrewLey. This Weapon is creaming for a vote. It might be a lil Eva, but that's not a bad thing, we all draw inspiration from something. It's an awesome entry, concept and execution is solid as usual. Grats dude!

[Onir]

Great work everyone! came down to AndrewLey, Rawwad, Lukavi, and Faroresama for me; great designs and ideas all around but in the end I went with Faroresama. love the color scheme and just the over all feel of the piece. great work once again everyone!

[cakeypigdog]

andrw ley for me too, love lukavis: different from your usual, but ley's is just so very exciting to look at. love the cock handle too!

[Seedling]

Heehe. . . my entry was pretty lame. But it got me painting. :-) Thanks for running the show, Oblio.

[vigostar]

andy rocked it... very cool works.. he got my vote

[Cloister]

Some of these are quite well done. But not a single entry even comes close to what I envisioned upon hearing the description, and that includes my own quick entry. Conceptually, I consider this round a weak one, and I will refrain from voting. I actually think the topic should be re-done at a later occasion, cause it hold a great challange, and I'm sort of interested of what could come out of it. :er:

[Chuck Wadey]

I voted Cloister because I think he best captured the written description.

I want to give a quick shout out to lukavi & AndrewLey for two very cool paintings that I liked looking at but didn't vote for.

[VirusArtist]

tough one to choose... rawwad, andrewley, mull77 and cloister just hit the spot for me

went for cloister.. his pic is just... well, eery! love how he found a line between a classical weapon design and a character. the layout and execution just won me over in the end.

would have loved to see trevor's finished... the wip already looks interesting. oblio's looks awesome too, but it kinda misses the "character" part. same goes for blueseverin, seedling, cesaraguilar and (I admit it) mine.

It obviously was a tough task avoiding a COW- look on the whole thing or making it a prop like IDotW.

anyway... AWESOME round! alot of thoe pics made it into my inspiration folder..

cheers!

Etienne

[cowboy surfer]

Voted for Blue Severin, God like powers win it for me.

On a slightly more selfish note can anyone tell me why my entry didnt make it to the poll. Is it just because its my first? It may not be the best entry but I personally thought it held its own against some. Any feedback welcome.

[jackenstein]

My votes went to AndrewLey and rawwad. Both were similiar but quite different. rawws gets it for me though; Andrew's was still a little to Eva, and it didn't really showcase the power of the weapon, just what it looked like. I would've like to have seen what Andrew's entry could do.

[Blue Severin]

Andrew Ley blew me away with his execution. Freaking skill.

[Faroresama]

I voted for Cloister! I loved the background/origin of it and the design of the weapon was very fitting and creepy.

[Pomale]

I'm going for Faroresama. Though all of the entries are awesome, I think her's stands out the most with vibrant colors as opposed to the dark and menacing feel that comes so obviously with the term "weapon". The backstory is also very original, though I think in terms of absolute originality I'd have to say that vigostar wins on that count with his amazing tale of sex and the word 'boner'.

[Erilaz]

Picked Andrew's because it reads so well. The design looks like it has purpose, but could also be anything, which really fits the spec.

[Jska]

Went with AndrewLey - love it! He has attitude- head cocked to the side, kinda saying "Wanna F*** with this?!" haha, great ergonomical grip on that "handle" ... And technically rendered very well.

C&C for entries tomorrow - as it is crit month ;P

[Simon Boxer]

Voted Andrewley and mull77.

Andrew's piece is exceedingly awesome in every way, and mull77's is a brilliant idea (slightly disturbing, too).

Great work all.

[KaWaii]

Voted: Cloister,

The best match with the theme in my opinion.

[Supervlieg]

Voted Andrewley, Rawwad and Lukavi. Because they made such cool images! Thanks for the votes!