The Lonely Soldier - Despair

[washka]

Mouahah I'm on it!

[M_Cederstrom]

Bring it Washka. :D Mouahah

[washka]

I feel that M_Cederstorm is in a good mood too today, let's make some investment in nuclear silos...
Big Toe if you pass by here could you change the thread's title "The Lonely Soldier - Despair" by "washka - The Lonely Solider - Grmgrmbl, those Beatles..."
I was thinking it was soldier xD, and even if soldier are maybe solid, I completly changed my subject, I got a funny one.

[M_Cederstrom]

I like the dog. And the man chilling in the back yard. :D

[omegamista]

you sure that old man will survive??? :D

[hulahuga]

Haha, nice concept

[washka]

Yeah he will survive! He got da ammo!
Thanks for comm's, I'll post a new wip soon

[M_Cederstrom]

you know what would be funny if that was Santa Clause and his raindeer, with the gun. :D

[washka]

Don't worry Cederstorm I'll make a Santa Claus version if I've got time, it'll be fun.
Ok so I'll deal with two theme from now here because...It's complicated but I'll explain:
I started the comp thinking the subject was "The lonely soldier", ok, nice one, I started to think about some concept ideas, I wanted to make some kind of vulture-man, recognition squad, you know the lonely flying bird of prey concept, big glasses and oxygen mask...the name is "Despair"
But then when I read the rules again, I see "the lonely solider", I knew (english is not my mother tongue) what's the meaning of solid but not solider. My dictionary helped me then.
So I started another concept, a funny one, see my first picture. The title is "Grmgrmbl, Beatles!", then I asked da Big Toe, he said it was soldier, was just a mistype...
But I like my funny concept so I'll make two entries :D
Here are two splotchsketches (maybe we should said spletch?) for "Despair", some guy of this forum is the investigator of this new painting mode, but I won't tell the name even under torture!!!
The last one has nothing to do with the comp, it's just another wip.

[M_Cederstrom]

Here are two splotchsketches (maybe we should said spletch?) for "Despair", some guy of this forum is the investigator of this new painting mode, but I won't tell the name even under torture!!!


i wonder who that may be. :haha::haha::haha:

I'm really digging the first one, the mood and color look great.

[chris_solo]

It's full of ideas here!
"ça fume dans le chaudron!" comme l'on dit! :)

[M_Cederstrom]

more, more, more. :D

[washka]

It's gonna be smoky! ça va fumer!
I've started to "clean a bit" and when I've got something interesting I'll put my dirt on it again. The old guy will be back soon.

[M_Cederstrom]

I loveing that gas mask on him, Washka. Where are you palning to put the lizard at. :D

[washka]

M_Cederstrom: Lizard won't be there, it's another WIP I just want to show. Maybe you remember where it comes from :D. I'm also working on the "knight", I will post the whole thing when I'm quiet satisfied (It means not in the nearly apocalyptic future).
So here's the old guy, next time "Despair" with some more details, (I should change this despair title, it doesn't fit at all...)

[M_Cederstrom]

Im likeing where this going. You should add some birds.

[Freekybevis]

good idea man :) i like were this is going also.

[M_Cederstrom]

birds, birds, birds. :haha:

[washka]

Sparrow or vultures?

[chris_solo]

franchement le lézard il tue!! je le verrais bien en litho ou une impression sur toîle.
you are a great artist washka!

[washka]

Here comes the birds for M_Cederstrom and Freekybevis, (Yeah it was a good idea, thanks!)
For the old guys's scene, I'm on lightning/colors atm, starting to add details and refining. Still got some work on hands and face...

Merci beaucoup du compliment chris_solo, j'ai encore pas mal de travail à faire dessus avant d'atteindre l'objectif fixé, Il va encore un peu changer, this lizard's not finished yet. Lithogravure? Si jme rappelle bien c'est une technique d'impression?

[M_Cederstrom]

awww that cute, i like this. :D

[washka]

awww that cute, i like this. :D
Thanks for the comment M_Cederstrom, knew you would like it :).
I've taken a little break on the comp, I had some concept in my head and when it's the case, if I don't put it "on paper" soon enough, it just go away...
It's some reminiscence of my tower from last comp, title could have been scarab or alien-spaceship, it's conceptual so..
But enough talk, here you have:

[shanmatte30]

Hi washka....

your concepts are nice...and something different...i want to see your updates...

[washka]

Hi washka....

your concepts are nice...and something different...i want to see your updates...
What you mean different? o_O
:) Thanks for the comment, your mayan warrior is really something. I like the anatomical work of his back.

Here is some update, started to work onto the background's building, there is too much dark, I'll add more light later...
I'll try to rename my thread Firewinter or Winterfire, what's the best? I hope Big-T won't kill me.

[M_Cederstrom]

man you change thread name as much as politician make up his mind. J/K :haha: wow man Washka that looks really good. i must see more my friend. :D

[washka]

I should make some politic then, but those times aren't of any profit for them...

[chris_solo]

ta dernière illustre est terrible!
last one is very nice!

ps: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithographie#Technique

[washka]

chris_solo: Thanks a lot for the comment man! Et merci pour le lien. Aaah, je me rappelle maintenant, j'ai eut un prof de dessin qui nous en a une fois parlé. Faut dire que c'est assez balèze comme technique, c'est bien de séparer les couches de couleurs s'il y en a, et ensuite reproduire chacune d'elles en grattant de la pierre, le problème c'est pas de recopier en grattant, ça ça doit pas être trop compliqué, mais faut bien le faire histoire que ça reste bien plat pour l'impression, on a pas droit à l'erreur et je suppose qu'il faut tout un matos... T'en as déjà fait toi?
(Talking about lithography, I've never tried it)

So here is some referendum, I want to add some "fellow" to my fireman. Maybe you'll ask yourself why I'm doing this? Because this guy should be lonely.
In fact I'm using some kind of psychological trick, really lonely people like to build some imaginary friend to replace the lack, it's some kind of replacement (fake) presence.
The guy still lonely, because the fellow will be a pet or some robot, it's not a real human fellow. What do you think about it? Wich one do you prefer?

[washka]

And any similarity with the number 4 fellow and the avatar of a member of this forum is purely coincidence and nothing intentional!
;P:haha::haha::haha:

[washka]

Update for the old folk, I'm quite satisfied with the scene now I've got to block onto the chara, some more work with the dog, and colors/lightning/details...
Comments are always appreciated, I'm still wondering wich fellow I'll choose for my fireman...

[M_Cederstrom]

go with the monkey, that last one looks great. :D

[noundo]

i like all of them, cool)))))

[washka]

Thanks a lot noundo and M_Cederstrom for the comments, I really needed some, I really appreciated.
Mr_C, you'll be a bet disapointed because I had already chosen the "fellow" of the lonely one (I'll try add some monkey in my next work).
Here is some update, I've got some fixes to work on, especially with the lightning part onto the face and shadows of the snake, maybe a few more details if I've got some times but still got old folk to finish and to add the final touch to the cartoon work. Two entries...
Critical comments are still welcome in the next 11 hours, because after that, it'll be posted as final, but they still welcome you know :), comments are always welcome here, even big negatives ones.
Keep da good mood for your final work guys, don't rush too much, keep calm, and try your best, good luck for you all for the final submission! This comp had a lot of good work, judging part will be hard!
A merry chrismas and an happy new year!

[washka]

Here are my final subs and wips, special thanks to M_Cederstrom and to chris_solo for their support during the comp. Maybe I'll rework a bit more the old guy later, there is still some work there...
So the question is: where is the monkey? :D
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2364/wipwinterfirebywahska.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5243/winterfirebywashka03.jpg
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/1255/onesecondbeforewipbywas.jpg
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/3355/onesecondbeforebywashka.jpg

[chris_solo]

hey washka!
you took the time to my picture so I did the same for yours ;)
I like the first although I find the yellow too far, too saturated and covers three of quarters of the picture ... the fire is too white, some orange would have been appreciated to warm the image, the head of character has good ideas on the design but lacks much details as the rest of the body.
I love the character's hands are really well done and the composition and framing are good. The background lack of clarity but creates some interest.
Your second image is shifted and really interesting, I think we liked the simplicity in style and composition ... I'm pretty split on it, I don't know if I really like it but I find it, original!
good work, bravo for being up to the end and good luck!!!

[washka]

Thanks a lot chris_solo, and I completly agree with your comments, it shows you've got a sharp and experienced eye.
I added too much yellow because the image was really dark.
The outline of the character wasn't clear enough (especially on the back) and I didn't wanted to use a big backlight there.
The fire was attracting too much the eye, you're right about the orange on it, but I wanted it with white, next time I'll try to add more orange.
So was my solution atm was the yellow aura/gas, to get some more balance with the fire, but there is too much now, next time I'll try to find others solutions.
The head has got a lack of detail, and I forgot some projected shadows there too. I could explain it saying "It's because I want people to look at the hands!!!", but it would be half-false, I should have spent more time there and work more onto the head's concept with more sketches.
About the background, you're right too, lack of clarity, but with the armageddon theme, it's some liberty I've taken, I'm not a really good background painter, and I still need to improve my perspective drawing skills. Some more details, work and time would have been good there. I should more rely on multiple startsketch than shifting my compositions during my work, it's a bad habit. And I also think composition could have been better, can't really feel the depth...
The second image, the problem is the colors, lightning, and still need to detail more... So let's say it's not finished :D
Thanks a lot for constructive/critical comments, it helps me a lot, that's how I can improve, I need more comments like yours, I really appreciate!
Maybe sometimes I'll rework "Winterfire" with some corrections.
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7565/winterfiredetail.jpg