Huge sketchdump

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Recently went through various folders on my computer and unearthed a pile of doodles, sketches, and random crack I had semi-forgotten about from both 2011 and this year. If anyone'd like to see something cleaned up and made into an actual drawing (or has suggestions for improvement, etc.), feedback's always welcome. =) All in all, there's a fair few tens of hours of work slapped on these files.



Compiled this specifically for my DA gallery, so people have seen already a lot of its contents, but meh. Again, studies, studies, some odd cartoons, a sketch or two my webserver previously ate, etc. May take a while to load on slower connections.

[Lefdmae Deemalr Effaeldm]

That's a lot of fine artwork)

Maybe you could even guess what was bound to catch my attention immediately)

To start with, I generally like my favorite characters depicted, in any quality even. And I particularly like the quality and skill you apply. But I have a curious question: how come your depiction of Lord Foul has breasts that appear to be larger than those of an average female?) Also I don't really recollect a mention of Lord Foul having fangs and claws in the Chrons, likely because it wasn't there ^^ Though I can admit, I personally could get more comfortable with both of those things than with one not exactly contradictive to the story - the face, features and expression. May be just my impression - doesn't feel like Foul, feels rough and raw. I do understand this is your artistic vision, a sketch, and you carefully added the "proto-" part, so just saying.

And I see you do cartoonish ones) I hope those don't take several days? If so, why don't you use such for the fanfic illustrations? Cartoonish doesn't have to be light-hearted, as I think you know well, from the cartoon you linked for me)

Maybe I'll dwell on some specific ones more later, for now a general conclusion, not like it says anything new, but well, can hardly be unneed: excellent work on everything here

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Thanks!

But I have a curious question: how come your depiction of Lord Foul has breasts that appear to be larger than those of an average female?)

You might want to do a google search on bodybuilder types and see that men's pectorals work that way.

I imagine him like a Greek god in his visible form, and nothing expressly sleek in a bout of fury after becoming foiled, etc. Yet give him a schemy, toothy darklord grin enhanced by a few well-placed shadows and one of those fancy finger steeples, and you might just have that desired impression of a cunning master of Xanatos gambits. Plus some moar imposingly billowing robes.

And I see you do cartoonish ones) I hope those don't take several days? If so, why don't you use such for the fanfic illustrations? Cartoonish doesn't have to be light-hearted, as I think you know well, from the cartoon you linked for me)

Depends a bit on the level of cartoonism and the subject + amount of detail. Generally I can draw such caricatures in a much speedier manner than realistic/comic-style figures. This particular style feels a soupcon too silly, tho, with those huge rounded eyes and Butch Hartman -esque lines. More akin to comic relief and something suited to bear bright, happy colors. Jüri Arrak's almost surrealistic figures fit better upon the bloodied battlegrounds of the Suur Tõll short, and I'm not particularly a fan of that style either.

I just have huge personal difficulties in trying to overcome the very sour taste this whole fanfic business has left in my mouth (and since I'm not doing paid commissions, I really need to be able to enjoy the project to get effectively started with it), and keep returning to the thought of just deleting it for good. Which in some sense could be the best solution, as it might help push the associated insults out of my mind. It does not aid matters that the thread has sat two months as a veritable dialogue now on top of the initial cricketing last year, or that nobody apart from you even responded to the tentative rough sketch post. Which just tells its own story, loud and clear.

On the other hand, the same phenomenon has begun to affect the Gallery. For instance, I had to ask for help several times and do a complete reposting before getting anywhere with this. The aloofness is becoming increasingly frustrating, and it's no wonder artists still active last year have ceased posting altogether.

It's not your fault. You're one of the rare individuals attempting to kick some life back into this board, and much kudos for your enthusiasm. I'm unfortunately just turning rather tired after contributing hundreds of hours of work here and seeing the effort going practically nowhere.

In other circumstances I love fanficcing, and writing/reading has usually been one of the major factors upholding my interest in various fandoms after multiple re-runs and re-perusings of the actual source media. Now this side has effectively been killed, (not to mention I'm way too ashamed to even TRY another time and/or have the energy to through possibly the same circus), and there's nothing to read either.

Sorry, not having a very good day, and probably would be better off in bed with my headache than staring at a flickering computer screen. I really don't know right now how to proceed with that thing. :/ I'd seriously have to get rid of that rotten taste--and have no inkling how--before able to bestow more time on it.


Might be better if also I went offline for a few weeks.

[I'm Murrin]

Just responding to the first thing in the drawings there: Krakens have a beak.

[Morning]

Might be better if also I went offline for a few weeks.

That's normally a dire mistake, in my very oh so humble interpersonal experience. Frontal assault does it better. Drop me a msg if you need to vent, I need to practice my Finnish anyway

[wayfriend]

[Brinn]

Nice work! Thanks for Sharing!

[Blackhawk]

Been away for a while... I love your Giants and the way you have made them look,..the Viking look is just how i have always seen them... The Urviles are great too, particularly the head ..thats a hard creature to create without making the nasal cavity look like eyes...your Urviles look almost exactly how i envisioned them also.

[Lefdmae Deemalr Effaeldm]

Frosty, I know what bodybuilders look like) Not like I think Lord Foul looks.

...
I imagine him like a Greek god in his visible form
...

Now this is much closer, just why doesn't the drawing look like that? Methinks steroids weren't all that popular in Ancient Greece

...
and nothing expressly sleek in a bout of fury after becoming foiled, etc. Yet give him a schemy, toothy darklord grin enhanced by a few well-placed shadows and one of those fancy finger steeples, and you might just have that desired impression of a cunning master of Xanatos gambits. Plus some moar imposingly billowing robes.
...

Cunning masters of Xanatos gambits are many and their looks may have nothing at all to do with their insides, what you described may help, but still looks different. And fury after becoming foiled can look much different - not feral, but venomous and deadly. On the other hand, I understand that depends a lot on what someone imagines, an impression of the character, and your opinion is actually quite close to mine, particularly with this recent "schemy" update) I really tend to pick on the slightest details, if they have to do with the essence of the character I like. I do like this portrayal, and if what you mentioned about making an actual drawings is not much of a problem and something you'd like to do, that's the one I'd like to see most.

As for cartoons, the styles are not limited to this one and that one) That's a topic for a separate long discussion, if you're interested, I could suggest a few dozens to orient on - perhaps you could find some middle ground suitable for you.

It's still somewhat strange for me to hear about the sour/rotten taste you mention. Certainly you need to enjoy... whatever here can forbid that? What insults? I haven't seen any, or do you take the lack of reaction that way? If you meant something from the old deleted thread that existed about a year ago - things on the internet should get forgotten faster, and if anything in particular - please say, maybe I'll be able to reassure you.

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It does not aid matters that the thread has sat two months as a veritable dialogue now on top of the initial cricketing last year, or that nobody apart from you even responded to the tentative rough sketch post. Which just tells its own story, loud and clear.
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Look above this post) Well, I think you've mentioned by the time you read this we're not alone here))

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On the other hand, the same phenomenon has begun to affect the Gallery. For instance, I had to ask for help several times and do a complete reposting before getting anywhere with this. The aloofness is becoming increasingly frustrating, and it's no wonder artists still active last year have ceased posting altogether.
...

It tends to be quiet here at least all the time I'm here it looks so. I didn't receive a single comment for about a week on my possibly finest work "Bonfire" kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21103 - not counting a double-post from myself Still not sure if the figure shows up through the flames on all monitors, though it's there on all I checked myself. And you started to worry about these sketches on the second day.

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It's not your fault.
...

Thanks, maybe I could fail to guess that without you

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I'm unfortunately just turning rather tired after contributing hundreds of hours of work here and seeing the effort going practically nowhere.
...

...
In other circumstances I love fanficcing, and writing/reading has usually been one of the major factors upholding my interest in various fandoms after multiple re-runs and re-perusings of the actual source media. Now this side has effectively been killed, (not to mention I'm way too ashamed to even TRY another time and/or have the energy to through possibly the same circus), and there's nothing to read either.
...

If the time-consuming thing is a problem, of course nobody forces you to do a thing, but if it's a matter of not getting attention - well, people here are quiet. As for reading, oh fine, you really nudged this slow and lazy poster) I'll try something. And have you read all the fanfics on the Watch already? If it's a problem to find them, I may look for them, I've seen a few.

And having a headache can generally worsen nearly any line of thinking. Proceeding or not - because I think your "Guilt" is quite good as it is now - there's no real reason for a rotten taste - really, where should it come from?

...
Might be better if also I went offline for a few weeks.

I went offline not being discouraged or disheartened, I didn't want to be unwelcome, considered harmful. I explained I didn't mean any harm and waited for people to see that and calm down. Being ignored, or seemingly ignored, hardly should bother anyone, people are neck deep in their own concerns, and also they may well see your artworks and stories and just feel like there's nothing really to say)

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Blackhawk! Glad to see you here (And thanks!). Would love to see some new renders from you, but of course if you're busy with RL, that's entirely understandable. Would be wonderful to get more artistic activity here, though, since the gallery in particular has lately felt less lively than a Bronze Age barrow covered with permasnow.

Just responding to the first thing in the drawings there: Krakens have a beak.

Hahaha, that appears as if some ancient Lovecraftian monstrosity hid inside a pudding.

SRD confuses me here. See, he talks about 'kraken jaws' and yet, at least in my vision, doesn't deliver a very beakish impression.

Its massive jaws gaped, blazing with rows of fangs --- Then the tremendous kraken jaws ponced for her head. --- With all of her might, she cut into and through the heavy muscles at one hinge of the creature's jaws.

I'm attempting to figure out a slight improvement to the previous animeish serpent, but he does not precisely aid his readers here. Either he indicates at the mythological sea-beast that in the older folklore can crop up as something like this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafgufa or merely got a wordgasm out of an intriguing dictionary discovery and decided to cram in the expression no matter what.

Hmm, any other inputs on this?

(Thanks, everyone else! )

As for cartoons, the styles are not limited to this one and that one) That's a topic for a separate long discussion, if you're interested, I could suggest a few dozens to orient on - perhaps you could find some middle ground suitable for you.

Thanks; could be interesting. I'm rather more a fan of the Western animation/cartoon style than anime (save for a few examples like Hellsing), however. Commonly the more realistic and detailed, the more time-ravenous the sketching becomes.

It's still somewhat strange for me to hear about the sour/rotten taste you mention. -- please say, maybe I'll be able to reassure you.

And you started to worry about these sketches on the second day.

well, people here are quiet -- just feel like there's nothing really to say)

Albeit frustrating and certainly not aiding the situation at all, it's not the lack of reaction, but something almost inseparably tied to this that got ugly. Don't really want to talk about it and thought I had gotten mostly over it, but apparently the reposting was a very poor idea from my behalf, as it just smashed open a can of mental worms. Thanks anyway for the offer, but I'm not sure how it might make my brain shut up.

Actually meant a different thread altogether, but nevermind. Scarcely worrying over days; but when it becomes an issue of weeks and months and involves oodles of repeated monologuing, then something is wrong, and just feels like deliberate ignoring, even if the matter doesn't stand thus. :/

And there's a huge problem right there... When people frequenting places akin to this more and more often start overlooking posts that obviously have hours and hours of deep thought or work behind them, the contributors will take offense, either inaudible or more straightforward, and at length, lose inspiration and drift away (which, I suspect, has already happened in an alarming scale considering the size of this forum). I've seen a handful of cases elsewhere where this occurred and only later the "audience" began fretting over it. Well, the truth is, that they kinda chased away the more creative members. :/

It's always easy for a non-writer/artist/whoever to say, "Why do you care?", or twiddle their thumbs and look the other way, or start calling people names, but it's hardly that straightforward. Should be noted here that I'm not only addressing personal observations, but opinions from about a dozen other individuals, some from here, others from elsewhere, and extending it to areas like dissections, essays, etc. Wherefore would someone type an elaborate post, if they by default did not want to discuss the subjects within? Besides, how hard responding with a line or two can it be, if a person has taken it upon themselves to actually read through the whole text or whatever, and then they manage to spend minor ages with status updates like the flavor of the morning's cereal. Of course, nobody's obliged to do anything and have their right to ignore whomever and whatever they like, but just saying that a little bit more engagement, or even just common courtesy, might help keep boards like this from fraying apart. Besides, as I've stated before (and delivering the same message from other artists or fan-material contributors I know), we're not after mindless praise but discussion, cooperation, getting other fans inspired enough to create their own contributions, sharing, crits, even compiling character wikis, and so forth. Group effort. Other fandoms, even smaller than this, for instance have fic-a-thons and sketch exchanges as regular events; here even the recent suggestion of GAP dissections was hailed mainly with a feeble "meh" (My problem: don't own the series in printed form. It's a tad difficult to scribble margin notes into audio files.).

people are neck deep in their own concerns,

Same here; stress and stress and stress and my recent back injury hardly aiding matters further. I'm terribly tired right now and trying to boomerang to the Foul draft and other suggestions later.

Now, didn't really intend this thread to turn into ranting and whining, so apologies for that and hopefully no hard feelings with anyone. :/

Frontal assault does it better. Drop me a msg if you need to vent, I need to practice my Finnish anyway.

How DOES one pump more adrenaline into the arteries of this place? Pull an Effoul and post "WE NEED MORE INVOLVEMENT!!!" in every forum in huge red capslock?

I'd say this succinctly summarizes my feelings about a galore of matters right now in Finnish.



(From Humon's SATW.)

[I'm Murrin]

Yeah, that's not a very good choice of words on SRD's part if he was thinking of rows of teeth. Unless it's a beak with teeth? I don't think that makes much sense.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Yeah, that's not a very good choice of words on SRD's part if he was thinking of rows of teeth. Unless it's a beak with teeth? I don't think that makes much sense.

Maybe it can have a separate inner crushing beak. I'm having a mental image of a beak with rows of curved teeth right now, attached to an evil chicken with glowing red eyes. Not a brilliant start for Skurj 2.0.

[I'm Murrin]

Maybe we've got this all wrong. Maybe it's kraken Jaws, the shark with tentacles?

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Requires only lasers now. Dr. Foul's ultimate secret weapon.

[wayfriend]

SRD confuses me here. See, he talks about 'kraken jaws' and yet, at least in my vision, doesn't deliver a very beakish impression. ... Hmm, any other inputs on this?

If it were me, I would disregard the word "kraken" here, on the grounds that it's the odd-ball phrase in the set. Besides, Donaldson, who probably knows meanings and connotations of the word "kraken" that we'd never even heard of, might mean almost anything there. It sure sounds from the narrative that he's referring to kraken-a-huge-monster and not kraken-an-octopus.

Interestingly, he describes the jaws with the same word repeatedly: with the jaws of krakens ... with the crushing jaws of krakens ... haunted by the jaws of kraken ... with kraken jaws ... tremendous kraken maw ... tremendous kraken jaws ... Kraken-jaws gaping hellishly ...

Clearly, he means something very specific by "kraken jaws". To wax opinionated, I think he's referring to the legendary depiction of kraken as having jaws so large as to, when open, be confused with two islands -- like Hafgufa. "But this great fish lets its mouth stand open the while, and the gap is no less wide than that of a great sound or fjord... as soon as its stomach and mouth is full, then it locks together its jaws and has the fish all caught and enclosed".

So I think you could not go wrong to interpret "kraken jaws" as jaws that open very widely and which can swallow very large objects.



Or you can just watch Clash of the Titans. Rows of teeth and everything.

Release the Kraken!

[Lord Foul]

Done something, I think you'll mention.

Requires only lasers now. Dr. Foul's ultimate secret weapon.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Frosty, I know what bodybuilders look like) Not like I think Lord Foul looks.

Methinks steroids weren't all that popular in Ancient Greece

Greek god, not a man. And don't believe Momoa here had implants or steroids; he's certainly sporting an impressive cup size.



A natural effect with large pectorals.

If it were me, I would disregard the word "kraken" here, on the grounds that it's the odd-ball phrase in the set. Besides, Donaldson, who probably knows meanings and connotations of the word "kraken" that we'd never even heard of, might mean almost anything there. -- So I think you could not go wrong to interpret "kraken jaws" as jaws that open very widely and which can swallow very large objects.

Sounds plausible. However, I do possess the Giantish gift of Nordic tongues after years and years of studies and can actually dig into the etymology of 'kraken' quite easily... It has a fair amount of meanings from a cowardly person to a certain kind of wooden anchor to the sound of something breaking, but I guess the most relevant discovery was this:

KRAKE kra³ke², sbst.², m. l. r.; best. -en.
[ av nor. krake; jfr shetl. krekin, tabunamn för valfisk; besläktat med KRAKE, sbst.⁴]

A taboo name for a whale. So, could cognate with whale jaws.

Or you can just watch Clash of the Titans. Rows of teeth and everything.

If this in any manner resembles that recent American Thor movie, well...wouldn't be able to follow it for long without getting the urge to make the scriptwriter read Iliad and Odyssey until they know the bricks by heart, word to word.



Eh...nothing worth cleaning up up there? :/

[Khazduk]

There have been some interesting experiments before with Foul's "eyes like fangs" - but you've nailed it here! I'm not famliar enough with his pecs to comment on those, though.

No time for any type of research right now - but just off the top of my head: krake > kräk > kreatur? (Remember, I'm not an etymologist, just a poor historian trying to get along...)

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Well I found this earlier in the year and utilize it every now and then for etymology/history searches: g3.spraakdata.gu.se/saob/
I guess the main issue here relates to visualizing SRD's slightly odd wording. Kreatur seems to have a Latin root, krake traces itself back to a Germanic origin; another theory is that SRD might've used the meaning 'to break/crack', jaws that clamp heavily together and break anything erring on their path. That would not wash out wf's suggestion.

(Yes I'm very interested in languages and how they work. XD)

Thanks, tho! Foul's on a very prototypical state right now, might change drastically still, but I'm fairly happy with his eyes.

[caamora]

These are awesome drawings! Thanks for posting them.

Have you thought of doing Lord Mhoram's Victory?