Yeah, was Gimp. I used the Burn tool on 100% opacity (alpha), with the 'shadows' option selected and an exposure of 50. Took about 10 seconds, 7 pixel round brush.
Yeah, was Gimp. I used the Burn tool on 100% opacity (alpha), with the 'shadows' option selected and an exposure of 50. Took about 10 seconds, 7 pixel round brush.
There are a lot of photography purists out there, I can be one about certain things, but sometimes I like to mess about and turn a shot into a real piece of art.
I may get this one printed large and framed. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, especially as 7 curious hens were pecking at my camera bag (which my camera was balanced on) and generally loitering around threateningly at the time!!
A bit of prose, inspired by reading about a BNP ex-minister or some such who said that rape was like force-feeding chocolate cake. Bit of an appropriation on the idea of that as adapted in a blog.
Mango sorbet is wonderful. Or it used to be. I haven't had it in a while. Used to take great pleasure in sharing a cone, or a bowl, with my boyfriend. After we broke up I spent a few evenings eating sorbet with people I knew as acquaintances. It still tasted great, even though the atmosphere was different. Still melted on my tongue and made me coo with pleasure.
Then one night at a party I slipped up. Someone offered me lime sorbet and I turned it down. It's not as good, you see. Not to me anyway. I only said I didn't like lime flavour so I should have been clearer.
I wish I'd been clearer.
A few drinks later I woke up in a room with the Icecream Man and a few of his friends. I can't count how many. One had a scoop out and was smearing mango sorbet over my mouth. The cold made my teeth ache, my brain ache. It wrapped around me like a wet blanket and constricted. They were all so big standing around the bed. I couldn't talk because my lips were frozen. I couldn't tell them I was scared, that it hurt my teeth because it was so cold. Frozen.
One shoved a cone of sorbet into my mouth. It splintered, sharp little edges biting into my gums to make me bleed. He wouldn't stop. I choked on it as the scratches oozed blood. Oh god, oh god. My eyes stung with tears as I fought to breathe past my icy windpipe. It felt like I'd inhaled a whole scoop of sorbet which clung to the inside of my lungs. So cold.
My lips split, one gouged by a further shove of the cone when it was struck by a metal scoop. And struck again as they packed more sorbet into me. I couldn't taste the mango through the blood any more.
The Icecream Man and his friends took turns to force more sorbet into me. It was all I could do to swallow rather than choke. I just wanted them to empty the tub and be done.
I vomited most of it up afterwards, cones, blood and all. I was so ashamed. Why didn't I just say no? Scream it? Fight?
The next day saw me go through an entire tube of toothpaste and half a bottle of mouthwash. It hurt, but it helped. Somewhat. I could still taste the residue no matter how much I scrubbed or garbled and spat. It clung to my teeth like glue, and it felt like my whole head was on fire. It wouldn't go away.
Two years on and I can't stomach mango sorbet. My chest goes tight every time I smell it, or see someone eating it. Please don't feed me again.
Very well written, I must say. The physical setting and action of the whole scenario is very surreal, but still you write the scene with such intensity that the emotions seem both real and extreme.
Hmm… Too much of a good thing can be sickening, I guess. Perhaps it is because when we are used to seeing something as familiar or delicious it suddenly becomes very frightening, when that thing turns on us. You never want to see something or someone friendly turn into a beast, which you describe really well in your scene. It is much more frightening being raped by mango sorbet than, say… Sorry, I can’t finish that sentence with a straight face, but I hope you get me.
One thing that confused me, though, was that she is bleeding quite violently. I associate a cone with a sort of waffle-type cone, but is it plastic, or what? I think it would work better without all the blood; that way you could have this nasty experience just stem from the taste of mango, rather than the blood – just a suggestion.
But still – great story!
A bit of prose, inspired by reading about a BNP ex-minister or some such who said that rape was like force-feeding chocolate cake. Bit of an appropriation on the idea of that as adapted in a blog.
Mango sorbet is wonderful. Or it used to be. I haven't had it in a while. Used to take great pleasure in sharing a cone, or a bowl, with my boyfriend. After we broke up I spent a few evenings eating sorbet with people I knew as acquaintances. It still tasted great, even though the atmosphere was different. Still melted on my tongue and made me coo with pleasure.
Then one night at a party I slipped up. Someone offered me lime sorbet and I turned it down. It's not as good, you see. Not to me anyway. I only said I didn't like lime flavour so I should have been clearer.
I wish I'd been clearer.
A few drinks later I woke up in a room with the Icecream Man and a few of his friends. I can't count how many. One had a scoop out and was smearing mango sorbet over my mouth. The cold made my teeth ache, my brain ache. It wrapped around me like a wet blanket and constricted. They were all so big standing around the bed. I couldn't talk because my lips were frozen. I couldn't tell them I was scared, that it hurt my teeth because it was so cold. Frozen.
One shoved a cone of sorbet into my mouth. It splintered, sharp little edges biting into my gums to make me bleed. He wouldn't stop. I choked on it as the scratches oozed blood. Oh god, oh god. My eyes stung with tears as I fought to breathe past my icy windpipe. It felt like I'd inhaled a whole scoop of sorbet which clung to the inside of my lungs. So cold.
My lips split, one gouged by a further shove of the cone when it was struck by a metal scoop. And struck again as they packed more sorbet into me. I couldn't taste the mango through the blood any more.
The Icecream Man and his friends took turns to force more sorbet into me. It was all I could do to swallow rather than choke. I just wanted them to empty the tub and be done.
I vomited most of it up afterwards, cones, blood and all. I was so ashamed. Why didn't I just say no? Scream it? Fight?
The next day saw me go through an entire tube of toothpaste and half a bottle of mouthwash. It hurt, but it helped. Somewhat. I could still taste the residue no matter how much I scrubbed or garbled and spat. It clung to my teeth like glue, and it felt like my whole head was on fire. It wouldn't go away.
Two years on and I can't stomach mango sorbet. My chest goes tight every time I smell it, or see someone eating it. Please don't feed me again.
Very well written, I must say. The physical setting and action of the whole scenario is very surreal, but still you write the scene with such intensity that the emotions seem both real and extreme.
Hmm… Too much of a good thing can be sickening, I guess. Perhaps it is because when we are used to seeing something as familiar or delicious it suddenly becomes very frightening, when that thing turns on us. You never want to see something or someone friendly turn into a beast, which you describe really well in your scene. It is much more frightening being raped by mango sorbet than, say… Sorry, I can’t finish that sentence with a straight face, but I hope you get me.
One thing that confused me, though, was that she is bleeding quite violently. I associate a cone with a sort of waffle-type cone, but is it plastic, or what? I think it would work better without all the blood; that way you could have this nasty experience just stem from the taste of mango, rather than the blood – just a suggestion.
But still – great story!
About the blood and the cone. Gums and throat tissue is very thin, there are a lot of blood vessels very close to the surface and skin isn't all that tough. It's a lot easier to tear the inside of ones mouth than most people think. Hell, it happens when brushing too vigorously. If someone was violently shoving pieces of a caramelised cone into said thin flesh, it will split and bleed. The same is true when it gets mashed against teeth.
(comments on `anger`, I could not open the others) You have some really good techniques going on with the graphite and your use of shade and tone is very impressive. Some of your basic lines and posistions of some of the facial features are a bit of of balance so they seem a little detached from the overall effect. If you can correct these features, and give the mouth much more depth into the face (a lot harder than it sounds, as I am sure your already know), you can create much more compelling and involving images. Also, even though your shading skills are fantastic, I think you have over-relied on them a little too much and could create a much more dramatic picture by using more highlights in areas (a kind of arrrrg slightly mind-blinding rage) or by darkening the whole thing by at least three shades to make a kind of dark all consuming mind swallowing anger.
This is just my opinion though. You definatly have talent but you should nto ignore your future potential because you have a lot of undiscovered abilities in that drawing.
Just letting you know, my skill and style have developed a lot in the 10 months since that was posted, and in the 2 years since that drawing was done. Thank you for the critique none the less.
'Nother bit of work I inished a few days ago. I don't wanna post it on DeviantART until my friend ViolentlyHappy91 comes back, since he's the one who suggested I draw Sam next:
I really like what you're doing these days. Steering away from your old style may be a good idea for a little while, just because its allowing you to diversify. That's not to say don't do your little round dudes anymore, just, its nice to see you trying new things. I do pose the same question to you as I do to Archemetis(sp?) as well: do you do have any drawings that don't involve people and characters? Its not a bad thing if you don't, I'm just interested to know.
This doesn't have the same compositional strength of the others you've posted, but that's not to say there aren't really strong elements to it. The eyes themselves are wicked. That entire shape is absolutely brilliant, its just that the swirls feel like a bit of an afterthought because something needed to fill the space. I'm really looking forward to seeing more stuff from you, I really like your stuff.
Zemalac said:
Another little piece I did for Tracker-Soul Kesp, in my D&D world. My players haven't met him yet, and I've been drawing him to come up with his personality and whatnot.
I like the potential of this character. I'm also interested to know a bit about the universe you've set the campaign in. Is it a futuristic setting or is it fantasy just with robots also a la some part of Magic the Gathering or arguably the Eberron setting?
Now here lies with my issue with surrealism, is that its such a broad spectrum of concepts that almost anything sort of strange can be pigeon-holed as 'surrealist'. I'm not saying your drawing isn't awesome, because it is. I love the concept and its really well executed (though I do have a bit of problem with the mushrooms, it gives the wrong connotations), I just have some problems with modern surrealism. As for your tree drawing. Really well done, love the concept, just a few of the branches look better than others which is a shame, but I guess not all branches grow equally attractive.
Really well done drawing. The only thing I can say is, if you want to create more tension in the drawing try cropping it so the top of its head is touch the top border. It sounds weird but it will make the drawing a little more gauche, which will actually add to the creepiness rather than take it away. Try it out if you feel like it, if you don't like it, call bullshit on me.
Okay. Now that I feel I've covered some commenting ground (even though I didn't even come close to covering everyone I wanted to) I guess I should post some of my own work.
This is a work in progress so you'll have to forgive some awkwardness in the drawing and some obviously incomplete elements. This is the full scale of the drawing I posted earlier:
The greenish outline will later become a rider complete with flock of ravens and a falcon on his wrist.
I am a writer I have posted a few things on The Escapist.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.119115?page=1
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.130856
Now here lies with my issue with surrealism, is that its such a broad spectrum of concepts that almost anything sort of strange can be pigeon-holed as 'surrealist'. I'm not saying your drawing isn't awesome, because it is. I love the concept and its really well executed (though I do have a bit of problem with the mushrooms, it gives the wrong connotations), I just have some problems with modern surrealism. As for your tree drawing. Really well done, love the concept, just a few of the branches look better than others which is a shame, but I guess not all branches grow equally attractive.
Here's the catch with surrealism that you may not be aware of. There is an artform to surrealism. Those that study art in its many forms can identify it (I'd call the art you're commenting on a surreal face, since it's each part of the face personified). A collage made from magazine snippings made by an 8 year old with no art history? Probably not. A mangled car wreck placed on a pedestal because the wreck looks interesting? I'd say no. Those that do know, can identify. Those that don't, will pigeon hole.
But, art is also subjective, as is enjoyment of it. What is just a car wreck to me, is a beautiful blossom of metal shrapnel to another. My perception of a stick of glue used to paste a series of magazine cutouts to me might seem to be a meaningless jumble of crap, but be a colorful spread of emotional display to a toddler.
Art is lovely in how it is dynamic, but there are ways to study it in its functions. I just thought I'd share.
Its something I'm very aware of, but thanks for sharing. I try and be brief in my responses. As someone whose first inclination when they see an art piece is to critique I can very easily get into a ranty (and extraordinarily pretentious) mindset. See, I happen to be one of those people you mentioned who can and will identify what is part of particular movements. I know the style of surrealism down well, however when critiquing people on here I don't like to get into discussions of what is and what isn't because I have always felt those discussions lead to bad places.
I like what you say about the subjective enjoyment of art, but what I feel is the best enjoyment of aesthetics is to see it in what has not intention of being art in the least. I'm frequently distracted by patterns of light on snow, or the way cracks in the concrete form.
Now back to the original piece. The reason I said what I did: Because technically its not a capital S 'Surrealist' piece in the traditional sense of the movement. On the other hand,is it surreal? Yes. Is it well done and deserves recognition? Yes.
I hope that clears up better what I was trying to mangle together into a brief crit.
Stage one. Initial sketch. I had a stock reference [http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs38/i/2008/323/3/b/Art_nudes___Y___1_by_mjranum_stock.jpg] for the figure which helped a lot.
Stage two. Outline with corrections to figure.
Stage three. Initial colouring.
This looks to be a long project, and my first working from scratch with a computer painting. So far: three hours work with pencil and paper first, then mouse and Gimp. Hooray for not having a tablet.
It's almost a year old! We should have a birthday party for it, or something. People should do birthday submissions.
I think the longevity comes from people liking the ego boosts that they get, liking looking at pretty pictures, and the fact that we're not taking the "Chh, you're not good enough to post" attitude.
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