Master and Servant 2D Entry: jonny duddle

[eclipson]

nice jungle greenish mood there, the image reminds me of snowhite, when the princess sings and all the animals comes to her, anyway, i like this ones better....looks pretty interesting...:)


goodlux!:thumbsup:

[mack72]

Lonving this latest sketch/composition. This is definately your strongest one so far! I love the way everything is flowing around the page, taking the viewer on a mini journey of their own. Shame you can't attach a wav file of haunting melodies to add even more for us!


The only thing I would suggest would be to reduce the intesnsity of the beam of light going to the right hand side of the image, as it may detract from the little piper! I realise this is still a concept sketch and you probably were going to change that anyway!

Cheers
Mack

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112618698_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112618698_large.jpg)

I've been playing around adding bits of colour to the last thumbnail. Just starting to sort out what i want to do in my head.

The compositon will go through some major tweaks when i start on the proper final image, but i'm getting close to my 'concept' milestone... This is very messy and it'll be much easier to see what's what when i start on something neater (coming next..?)

Thought i'd post it for opinions...

[nebezial]

this composition works much better, and it is still funny:D excelent work man

[calisto-lynn]

very cute, very funny!! i like it a lot!:bounce:

[artjunkie]

will await your 'cleaner' update before making any crits or comments... just do your thang, bro.

Cheers!

[AlyFell]

It may be only a rough, but it got a lot of depth and warmth to it! You have a natural affinity with lighting Jonny! Lovely stuff! :)

[paulwdavidson]

It's great, Jonny.

I can already feel the nice little spot in the middle of the forest where everything is calm and nice. It's that sense that comes from knowing you're the only person who knows about it, and it's your magical secret.

you've created something universal that appeals to the child in all of us......very cool.

And all this from a sketch.......you haven't even started doing the finished piece, yet.


I hope I'm not applying pressure to deliver :)

Keep it going, mate

Paul

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112633508_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112633508_large.jpg)

I think i'm going to call this my 'Final Concept'.

I've fiddled some more since the last one... but it's another 15 minute job so excuse the mess!!

I wasn't happy with the big black hole the bear was making so i've moved him back behind the tree a little... and moved the central tree to one side a bit (it was too central and leaning!). Those two changes have allowed for some more little beasties behind 'Dylan'. But i think i'm going to shift him ever so slighly left so there's a nice diagonal between him and the bear.

It's still too green, but as a concept it'll do for me. I know what i wanna do next with it.

I'm gonna start a more detailed image which will become my 'Line ARt'... so any great suggestions, get 'em in now!!

[eupee]

for some reason i like the earlier concpet art (i think it was anyway), where hes standing ther and you cn see the bear easier... for some reason that one really did it for me, this latest one is however more pappy and action packed... Il let you decide, you seem to know what direction its heading.

[sidchagan]

Interesting concept. I like the pose of the guy in it, and so far the colors seem like they work- just a little too muddy though. Its the concept, so lets see what you have planned.

[BlackDidThis]

...
I think i'm going to call this my 'Final Concept'.
...
I think that would definately be a good idea! :)

The image looks so 'Frankenstein'.. I don't know how you did it.. but all through out you have made an unrelated scene look Frankenstein'ish! I guess it's the pale green tint with it's burnt hue all through out.

And what you have managed to get together in this particular scene is really perfect.

I would love to see you finalising this one!

Black

[walrus]

Ah, this has really moved in a great direction, Jonny! I like the splash of small, contrasting colors in the front now, too. And there's a lot more motion than some of the earlier ones, and the conga-line of animals is much more clear now. Great work! I'm going to toss out just one small idea: A bird flying to the right of the bear's head. Right now there's a big gap in the line what with the width of the bear and the tree there. So maybe another pair of eyes will help with the flow, and a bird could be at any height without blocking the mass of the bear. But it's not all that important.

Oh, hey, one more idea I just got from looking at the sketch: Way in the back right some antlers silhouetteted in that light patch, a moose way in the back of the line. Only 'cause I really liked that moose you drew earlier... :-)

anyhow, great work, keep it coming!

-mike

[chinbig2000]

cool....Picture

And you're cherector design I think.... it's good.And I like fatty bear.

[flyingP]

I see what you mean with the bear, I am just wondering if it may not have been better to have made the tree darker rather than the bear lighter...you seem to have lost some contrast I feel :shrug:

[duddlebug]

eupee: The bear will still be pretty clear on this version... if anything you'll be able to see more of him. But he'll be moving instead of standing still! Remember... this is a very very rough version to show a very very rough composition.

sidchagan: Cheers... The colours are very rough on this version... and will look muddy because it was done little with a big brush and working over and over the old thumbnail. i'll start on the final image today which will hopefully be much 'cleaner'.

BlackDidThis: I'm gonna try and hard as i can to finish this one!! I'll try and get something of the final image (Line art??) posted today or tomorrow... and then it's a case of chipping away for the next 5 or 6 weeks until it's done!! And thanks for your comments!

walrus: Thanks for the comments and suggestions! There's a few things that are still missing form this image. And one of them is most certainly a moose!! And i think i'll go with your idea of having one in the far background, almost silhouetted. i'm also going to have some sort of sparkly trail and butterflies from his flute and along the procession. And there'll be a squirrel clinging to the side of the tree in front of the bear. And possibly a few assorted birds on the bear's back....Phew! Thanks for your input! Greatly appreciated!!

chinbig2000: Thankyou!! And he is a fat bear...

flyingP: Hi Brian... I'll have a good play with the lighting and contrast as i get on with the final image. And there'll be more opportunity to fine tune the position of the boy and the animals. I may yet move the bear back to the left a bit. My main concern was the tree. I thought it was too central, especially with a tree either side. I think in the final composition, i'm going to shift the central tree a teensy bit further to the right. This image was merely to start laying down the elements of the final composition in a colour environment along the lines of the final image. There's loadsa time for fiddling yet!! Thanks again for your regular visits and suggestions!! Dead helpful!!

My next step is to get onto the final composition and image. I'll try and post something resembling Line ARt later today... i'm trying to shake up my working process at the moment and get stuck into photoshop earlier on, so i won't be going back to paper and my Lineart will be an early stage of the final composition with the main elements laid out...

I've got a busy pre-baby day tomorrow... Antenatal classes (??) and a scan to see if our stubborn little baby's ever gonna turn the right way up... with that going on, i might not get chance to do any work on this... SO i will try my best to get something posted today!!

EDiT: Forgot to say... i'm also going to go back to the look of the bear from my second post... real chubby and probably a bit more stylised than the latest version... A consistent look and stylisation for all the animals will probably be the trickiest aspect of the final image. But we'll see how it goes... :)

[Jezzarts]

Cool layout! I like the many pairs of eyes disapearing into the forest. The lighting in this is going to look awsome... should have a real magical feel to it, I like the green also... makes me think of 'troll' a cool movie in the eightees. anyway, coming along great!

[mack72]

Whatever you decide to do will be awesome! Its looking even stronger now. I'm looking forward to seeing the next stages!

Good luck with the scan. We had the same problem with Lois, my daughter. SHe was facing the wrong way, AND didn't want to come out! Little devil!

Cheers
Mack

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112704807_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112704807_large.jpg)

Hmmm... just a few minor tweaks... this really is my last concept sketch. Moved the boy left a bit... fiddled with the bear's face. And put a moose in the background especially for Walrus. (To avoid confusion I DiD NOT put a walrus in the background especially for Moose!)

Now where does 'line art' fit in...? What do i submit if i'm just gonna paint...? Huh? Huh? Erm...?

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112705029_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112705029_large.jpg)

And just to show y'all how rough and messy this rough and messy rough is... here's a close up...

I'm tempted to just paint into this... so what would i upload as Line ARt..? Just my next WiP?

[flyingP]

subtle changes, but they seem to help IMO

and I'd just call this Line Art, that step seems to have become rather redundant

[element5]

Jonny I really like this idea, I am going to enjoy seeing this come together. :)

[Arc80]

what's up dude,

I would just paint on this if i were you. The first line art that i submited was more of a value study and the second one was a fairly clean line drawing with some add on value and lighting study. I don't know, it's up to you. I just hope people who did the same thing that i did, don't get penalize for it. There is line in the pieces that i submitted, hehehe...

Anyway, have you tried cropping this piece for a more zoomed in shot? Just a thought.

cheers,
Archie

[Gamoron]

I love this concept soooo much more. Great little goofy feeling going on here. If you or anyone else has questions we should let Leonard know about it. Seems like many people around here don't do it.

my question is on page 2 at the bottom, Leonards is around the middle on page 3.
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=219957&page=2&pp=15

[BaronImpossible]

Looking superb, like a cross between a dream and a nightmare. Those colourful flowers are a nice touch, but should the basket be more over to the right? I don't know why, maybe not. I look forward to seeing this progress.

[duddlebug]

flyingP: Cheers... they are subtle changes, but i'm much happier with the layout! The earlier version was annoying me because the bear was directly above the boy's head and the line of the tree came from his head too. And the tree was far too central and prominent. I'm bound to make a few more changes as i get stuck into the final image. I'm gonna get on with another WiP and call it 'Line Art'. Cheers!

element5: Thanks Mark!

Arc80: Yup... i'm gonna maybe draw in some more detail and call this Line Art. I checked out Gamoron's link to the Q&A and Leonard pretty much admits it'd be redundant in some peep's working process. I've tried cropping... but i want to get a real feel of the setting. I'm gonna have lots of subtle details in the foreground trees and amongst the grass and flowers hopefully. I need to ensure that 'Dylan' is large enough and the main focal point, but i want a lot of details in the shadows. So the viewer can look at the image and see straight off what the main theme and action involves... and can then continue looking and see a whole load more. It might be tricky... and time-consuming... but that's what i'd like to do... :)

Gamoron: Thanks for that! Glad someone's 'thinking outta the box'!! ;) In the machineflesh challenge i went with a coloured line drawing for 'Monkey Girl'... and although i'm still relying on paper in the intial stages, i'm trying to gradually change the way i work and get stuck into 'colouring in' earlier. Using a pooter to create art gives that much freedom to change and muck around with an image that i'm not surprised that the Line Art milestone is becoming redundant. Hopefully they'll drop it or change the name to 'Layout' or something...

Baron Impossible: Thankyou Simon!! And that'd probably be a good idea. If i moved them over to the right of the stick basket they'd form a nice curve with the other two baskets. watch this space! I might move 'em and call it 'Line Art'!! :scream:

[Enayla]

I try to leave useful comments when I leave comments. But I have nothing to say - except: ARRRGHGH!! SO SWEET!!

(I love your style: it's sort of cute and dark and wonderful all at once. It doesn't actually remind me of Tim Burton, but somehow it still does (Tim Burton being my favourite artist, that is fully intended as a compliment))

[bonestudio]

I know that I'm coming a bit late, but I wasn't able to connect for a week....

I think that your composition could be better, If you accentuate the perspective of the picture and put the musician more on the foreground.

In this way we will have a better comprehension that the animals follow him I think... By placing the viewer closer to the scene...

Anyway I know you're so skilled that I'm sure that you'll do a great piece !!! Can't wait to see some details birds and bunnies :)

[Claireabella]

It's looking good Jonny. :applause: Claireabella

[duddlebug]

Enayla: Thanks Linda! I'm sure you could've said something... there's so much that needs tweaking! ;) I'm a fan of Tim Burton too. He's done some fab films and "The Melancholy Death of the Oyster Boy" is hilarious. I'll have to dig it out and read it again... it must be a few years since i last read it!

bonestudio: I'm inclined to agree with you... someone else had suggested a lower camera angle and i might go that and a slight zoom in. Although i think there's sometimes quite a difference between an image on screen and an image in print. Particularly for a large print image on a (relatively) small screen. And there's going to be a good amount of stylisation because i've decided to definitely work it into a kids' book, and do another couple of images to submit the book idea to some publishers over the summer. I want the viewer to soak up the environment as well as the boy and the animals... i can have a good fiddle as i get on with the final image. Hopefully it'll come out right. I will defintely bear your comments in mind as i get on with my final image. Thanks!!

Claireabella: Thank :) you!

[paperclip]

I think the musician's fine where he is, the foreground is dark and it leads up into him in the light... very effective depth.
Other than that, great stuff. Very funny! What's the expression on the bear going to be like?

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112950205_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1112950205_large.jpg)

I've had a busy few days with baby stuff... scans on wednesday and burning chinese moxa herbs near Jane's feet every day to try and get the little blighter to turn around (my house smells like a dope den!!?)... SO i've not had chance to work on my entry. SO MAck72, did your little Lois turn around in the end??

I did sketch this though. Another idea i had while i was lying in the bath. I'm gonna stick with the flute idea, but i had to sketch this out and show y'all... i had this idea of all these little kids in ancient greece and their teacher's asked them to bring in their pets. So they turn up with Minotaurs and Krakens and Demons and stuff. Quite like the idea, but, like i said, i'll stick with Frankenflute...

[andreasrocha]

Great idea, great sketch...pets to school. Hilarious!

Anyway...good luck with Frankenflute...but the ancient Greece idea would rock, too!

[BlackDidThis]

I WAS going to react as to say.. "What are you doing?!" But well feel better after reading the post.

Actually it would have been a very good idea had you gone for it. But my heart is really set on the flute idea.
I really like the new angle and the newly introduced characters by the way. the composition looks really great!

Good luck!


Black

[nebezial]

you jerk, now ill be laughing during classes, this one is absolutely fantastic and the concept is so frickin great!!:bounce:

[mack72]

Hey Duddlebug,

Love this new concept (I could see this a massive, epic piece, with all the kids standing in line with their 'pets'!) . Definately finish frankenflute, I still love that image!

BTW, I'm afraid Lois didn't turn around in the end. Helena, my girlfriend had to have a c-section in the end (but don't worry, Helena wouldn't have been able to have her naturally and way her hips are too narrow, and Lois was a BIG little girl, 9lb 7oz!)

Hope that hasn't scared you too much! Tell your good lady we are all thinking of her!
Good luck

ps. sorry for drifting off topc!
Mack

[duddlebug]

Cheers Mack! I'm gonna stick with the flute idea, and maybe do the minotaur after the challenge. Hmmm... We're looking at a c-section in the next ten days or so if the baby stays breech!! And we were all lined up for a water birth... ho hum... whatever's safest is good though.

nebezial: Thanks!! Glad you like it... but it'll have to wait for me to exorcise the flute ideas!

BlackDidThis: Haha... and thanks! I'll try and get a 'Line ARt' image uploaded today or tomorrow.

andreasrocha: Thanks... i'll have to ignore my other ideas, or i'll end up confusing myself!

[Zephyri]

OH MY GOD. That minataur concept is utter geeenius. I'm ecstatic to hear you'll still be doing it after the challenge. The frankenflute is still a wonderful concept, but I LOVE that minotaur (except for the fact I am drawn to his nether regions, where I can't quite figure out whats going on). The frankenflute is coming along nicely, the lighting and composition ares nicely settled now. Only thing... are they (the animals) follwing him down a hill? I ask only as the bear seems placed quite high. But then I may well be looking at it wrong and its a minor consideration. Eagerly waiting to see how it comes together with all the detail!

[duddlebug]

Hahaha... it was a quick sketch... i'd just got out of the bath... i can never quite figure out what's going on... :) (I think it'd be safer if the nether regions would be quite dark and subdued if i coloured it!)

The animals are kinda coming down a hill in the background and then up and over a hump around the tree. I want the hump as a device for getting the bear and other little animals into view. It'll be more obvious (if i keep it) when i get into the details and make the ground, grass, flowers and tree edges clearer.

[Arc80]

Dude, i thought you were going to change your piece again... (heart attack, hehe). Anyway, that sketch looks cool and i also like the idea. But with everyone here, i'm still with the frankenstein flute play kid. Nice to see you post something again dude. Hope everything is going well for you and your family.

cheers,
Archie

[Eterna2]

I love Tim Burton too! (I mean his works) Can't wait for Corpse's Bride to hit the screen :)

haha how about combine both the minotaur idea and ur flute together... a minotaur hiding in the undergrowth, wearing a rat costume... hahaha...

[THE Wizard]

I'll just say this --


I LOVE IT!!

[birdybear]

I like your new idea. It reminds me of something I'm doing at work now...

I'm so impressed by everything you are doing. You are inspiring me to do a great job! Can't wait to see the finished product.

[Squibbit]

yech, the last thing i wanted to see just before
preparing little something to eat was dangling
minotaur thingies ..arg

[grafik]

cool sketch!!! "bring your pet to school day" eh eh this promises! cant wait to see more

my MASTER & SLAVE:
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?p=2138465 (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?p=2138465)

[bonestudio]

Keep it going !!! Can't wait to see your next update

[sgw]

HA! This piece is awsome! I'll be watching this one.

[duddlebug]

Cheers for the replies...

I've had a busy weekend covered in paint trying to get the house decorated before the baby, and unfortunately haven't had chance to do anything on my challenge entry. I'm hoping to grab some time in the next couple of days to get my 'line art' submitted. Sorry for the lack of new stuff...

Arc80: Haha... nope... i'm not changing my mind. I just had to upload that piccie because i liked it and i thought of it when i was thinking 'Master and Servant'. I've written up the story for the flute idea and done very very very rough thumbnail layouts for a whole kid's book, so i wanna make sure i get this image done.

Eterna2: Yup... 'Corpse's Bride' should be cool. It'll be nice to see more animation. I think the Minotaur may be a little OTT for this little woodland... :)

THE Wizard: Thanks!

birdybear: Thankyou... I like it too and i'll hopefully do an image after the challenge with this idea. But it'll be back to Fraken-flute today or tomorrow...

Squibbit: Hahaha... sorry matey... bull's testicles for dinner?

grafik: Ta... but i'm heading back to my Flute story. Maybe i'll try and get both done in time? But i'll be entering the flute image...

bonestudio: Thanks... me neither!!

Dissipation: Thanks...

Once again... i'm not sure if it was a little too distracting, posting the Minotaur sketch. I'll post something on the Flute idea tomorrow. i won't have any time today... off to the doctor's this afternoon for baby things... and then i've gotta finish painting the bathroom!!

I'm gagging to get going on this... more tomorrow... promise...

[viag]

yes i really like the flute idea too , i want one of these birds on a tshirt :)

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1113379116_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1113379116_large.jpg)

I thought i'd get this image back online to avoid any confusion...

I've made a few tweaks (moved the flowers over to the right... thanks Baron Impossible!) and played around a bit, but it's another quick job. And i've submitted this as my 'Line Art' milestone. There's a small chance it could undergo drastic changes as i pile into the final image, but i reckon it'll stay fairly similar. I also spent a bit of time over the weekend writing the story. So that's done. It's a very simple picture book story on one side of A4, and is fairly irrelevant to the challenge, but if it gives me the whole story in my head whilst i'm working up the final image, it'll be even more fun for me!! I've done thumbs for all of the book's illustrations too. They're much more elaborate in my head than on the page... but it's a start... i'll post them at some point...

I've not had a lot of time to get online, and I haven't had chance to browse through the other threads. I'm gonna try and have a browse later on today... I've seen some cool stuff i want to comment on. It's all been a bit manic trying to get my house decorated in time for our baby!! Only a week to go!! And our house still looks like a building site!!? And i've had a lot to get done at work over the past couple of weeks (i'd love to show some of it... it is soooooo different to this stuff!)

I'm gonna try and find some time each day to lock myself in my spare room and get on with the final image!!

Thanks again for the interest even when i've not posted in a while...

[0-2]

Still like your work, best of luck to you

[flyingP]

I've done thumbs for all of the book's illustrations too. They're much more elaborate in my head than on the page... but it's a start... i'll post them at some point...

yes please :D

[Arc80]

Good to see you post the frankenstein boy back dude and the colours are coming out great.
I'll be checking back.

cheers,
Archie :)

[ms@zx]

welcome back frankenboy~!lovely piece and the composition rocks !:)

[walrus]

I like the new addition of birds, Jonny - it really adds to the flow of the piece. And I like the moose, too, for no reason other than mooses (meese?) are cool. But geez, I don't know how you're going to finish this with a new kid on the way. (Congratulations on that, by the way!) Anyho0w, good luck... With everything! :)

-mike

[Jezzarts]

Looking forward to seeing the detail emerge from this... should look great!

[duddlebug]

Cheers everybody... sorry i'm a bit hot and cold when it comes to osting. My time's being pulled all over the place at the moment!

Walrus... i dunno how i'm gonna get it done either!! :scream:

I reckon i might get a few hours when Jane and the baby are in hospital... she's gonna be in for at least 5 days, so i'm gonna use my last few quiet evenings for a bit of colourin' in!!

[hdri]

Sweet enviroment and atmosphere! And lovely concept.

[oatz]

Really one of the more charming pieces I've seen thus far. I love how far up his leg is raised. Conveys exactly what kind of walking he's doing and melds with the theme. There is also a lot ot olook at it there. I can see a lot of little treats happening in this one. Didn't even notice hte bear until I had posted.

[flyingP]

I reckon i might get a few hours when Jane and the baby are in hospital...

dream on :D :wise:

[birdybear]

Wow, I didn't expect you to start bringing in those bold colours. I think its a smart move but am wondering what the purpose of a basket of flowers is? Can't wait to see details. Good luck, especially on finding time to finish. I know it can be really hard!

[jugeras]

coming along well. first time ive seen this and kinda liked the style.

rollin.rollin.rollin.

[Dutchman]

Man.... wel... Jonny ;) : your style amazes me every time again.... :buttrock::cry::drool::bowdown:Your work has always such a nice composition, and the style is so veeeery cute... Just really awesome...!

I'll be following you! :) Good luck on working on it :) & have a nice day :applause: ,
Gijs

[duddlebug]

hdri: Cheers... i think the environment will go through some changes over the next few days. I'm gonna try and get out in the woods with my digital camera this weekend, and then work up a new 'Line Art' image. I'm gonna keep the same basic layout but i want some nicely rendered detail... tree roots, mossy rocks... foilage etc.

oatz: Thanks! I wanted him to really look like he was marching along with his animal 'servants' plodding along behind him in a stick-carrying daze... Didn't notiuce the bear?? Be careful if you're ever down the woods.... ;)

flyingP: *sigh*... i know... but i reeeeally reeeeeally want to finish this one...

birdybear: 'Dylan' (the frankenkid) ends up collecting all sorts of woodland produce for his Master. It starts with firewood... but he also collects fruit, mushrooms and flowers!!

jugeras: Thanks!

I know i'm being abit slow, but it's been busy at work the last couple of weeks and decorating the house seems to take twice as long as i expected!!

When i get my reference photos taken this weekend i can really get stuck into the final image...

[eYadNesS]

nice birds, great job :)

[anilduran]

it's going really so good...watching your lines is really funny....
good luck again... :wip:

[cuppacam]

Lookin good and spankin Johnny!!

[BlackDidThis]

Things are looking REALLY good here.
I too hope you will be able to fit it all in before the deadline with your new gift in hand. Congratulations on your little one!


Since you stated that you are going to do a few more changes on the environment, mind I note something that caught my eye?
When you think of the manner the bear is coming down a slope, you would naturally expect a mass under him.. and his full body mass on it. But from where I am looking at it, the light beems on the chamber on the right don't seem as if they should be making it through like that.
Sort of like the bear needs to be climbing a slope/ditch rather than walking down it.


I would truely love to see where you get to with this. It is extremely adorable and humorous in it's own. And the colour spread is fantastic.


Black

[duddlebug]

Once again... i've been distracted and fully occupied with DiY and baby preparation. But this morning i got up at 6am because it was beautiful and sunny and frosty and Jane had woken me up with one of her late pregnancy 'cramp attacks'... And i spent an hour and a half wandering around the woods near my house with my digital camera. So i've got a ton of reference for the woodland details. The only problem is that Buxton is always a few weeks behind the rest of the UK when it comes to spring (it's up in the hilly Peak district) and it wasn't very green... but that got me thinking about the season of the illustration... Would he be out collecting firewood in a summer forest? Or should i go with winter? Or be happy with early spring?

So i am doing something!! Honest!! And i've revised and finished the text for the book that this illustration will become.

eYadNesS: Thanks!! Gonna make 'em look like actual species of bird (Blue tits? Robins?) whilst still keeping the stylised forms, hopefully...

anil6tr: Thanks! Um... funny...?

cuppacam: Thankyou kindly!!

BlackDidThis: I'm hoping so too... although i'm hoping to get some done during my paternity leave. Might be wishful thinking, but hey...?? As far as the bear goes, i'll try and get him right when i sketch out the new environment... It should all make sense then...

The new revised edition will be online in the next day or two... if the reference i took this morning is any good. I'll get it all off my camera tonight and start doodling again.

Thanks again to everyone who's dropped by...

[Vectorius]

It is good work!! environment is really well! animals are really nice for me!! you should obscure the background to contrast more your image..do it a little more dark..I do not know how you still workr..thus counts perhaps that I advance a little by saying you that.

Good luck!!! good job:thumbsup:

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1114001234_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1114001234_large.jpg)

Made a few changes to the colours (added some blues into the background and toned down the green) and added some foreground rocks and roots. I'm gonna try and get some more colours in there as i work up the image. It's all a bit too green at the moment.

This is all still very rough... i'm gonna start tightening up next and adding detail. It should start really taking shape then... i hope...

I've had no time at all on this over the last week or two so i realise these are minor changes. More to come before the end of the week. Promise. And hopefully it'll be more 'substantial' progress!!

[authentic]

Nice work. I like it. I think, about the colors, that you can have a "green picture" if you have some little colors appearing at some place like with the apple. In this way it would be a stylish picture.

Waiting for next step.

[Muttonhead]

What can be said? This is a great idea and a solid composition. It loads of fun and I like the direction that the color is going in. I have a thing with green, I think its a very dynamic color for paintings, but I would never buy a green car.:)

[Nigel-Q]

Hey this is looking great. I like how you've toned down the green and added saturated red spots, it does alot for it. Can't wait to see it tightened up!

[eliza]

:buttrock: now this is one of the few spectacular entries that do not imply the idea of lust, agony, or whatever similar.. great piece man, and touching.. i do not know why but i think im in love with the bear:D

[Atwooki]

Beautiful concept sketches colour work (in particular the colour-depth) Jonny :)

Nothing but praise, and will be following avidly....

Oh, and an interestingly attention holding composition - Nice :thumbsup:

Chris

[duddlebug]

authentic: Thanks... and i know what you mean. I want a strong colour cast, but it needs other colours in the mix. And i gotta work on the style... especially if 'm gonna make it into a kids' book.

Muttonhead: Cheers!! And i know exactly what you mean about cars... Although some old classics look good in British Racing Green. But they usually look better in another colour... :)

Nigel Q: Thanks...glad you like it... i can't wait to see it either!!?

eliza: Cheers... i nearly went with ideas along "lust, agony, or whatever" path... but i wanted to do something a bit different. In love with the bear, eh? Is that legal? ;)

Atwooki: Thanks a lot, Chris. If you're gonna keep looking, I hope i get it all done in time!!

[BlacKeri]

Haha I love this piece! I love it fully, please update with some details soon :)

[Atwooki]

Once again... i've been distracted and fully occupied with DiY and baby preparation.Tell me about it :D Going through just that myself:rolleyes:
Still, doesn't mean your fans should be denied a little update, though Jonny?!

Looking forward to more :)

Chris

[BlackDidThis]

Some of you have them all .. the talents, the fans, the baby's :)

Johny, I love most everything about your image. The colours, the layout, the story, the epic.. everything. It is a tisk though that I still can't get over the dark mass the bear brings into the scene. And how his depth bulk should block some more light rays.
You did mention it to be an early stage, so not going to nag until I see how you deal with it all in your own manner.

Good Luck!


Black

[Arc80]

Hello Jonny,

Man, this is truely one of my favorite style in this challenge and for some good reason i really dig the looseness of the painting. It has a nice detph and the feeling of adventure to it. The only critzs i can say is that i agree with BLACK about the bear's bulkiness. It's also quiet center of the page and the darkest of all object which makes me go there when i squint my eyes.

Anyway, i know it's still in progress. So i'll wait till then. AWESOME piece dude. :thumbsup:

cheers

[Dulshad03]

Love the green hue in it.

great work. It is just gorgeous.http://cgtalk.com/images/smilies/drool.gifhttp://cgtalk.com/images/smilies/wavey.gif

[jeromoo]

Hmm, are you going to finish this piece in time? I hope you will, cuz I really like your painting style and it will make a great addition to the soon-to-come contest book :)

[duddlebug]

Hi peeps! I'm gonna apologise again for the lack of posts... but i've got an excuse!!

My first child Daisy Jane was born on Monday morning!! It's bonkers and i can't stop looking at her... and grinning... and i just haven't had chance to think about anything else since.... Sorry folks...

BlacKeri: I'll try... honestly...

Atwooki: HAha... exciting, isn't it? I'm hoping to post over the weekend. Then i'm gonna try and find the hours to do some work and post again...

BlackDidThis: :) I'm still wondering about that bear. I'll sort something out...

Arc80: Thanks a bunch. I appreciate the comments... and as i said to Atwooki... i'm still thinking about the bear's sahpe and position.

Dulshad03: Thankyou!

jeromoo: I really really hope i'll finish it!!

Once again... i'll try and find some time... i've still got to fit in a drawing of Daisy as a homecoming present for my girlfriend, Jane!!

Thanks for looking in...

[snowkiwi]

Now this one is really awesome. Masterful brush work, toon style, lighting, and coloring.

[kornel]

:thumbsup: Congratulation for a newborn baby!

cheers: Kornél

[flyingP]

My first child Daisy Jane was born on Monday morning!! It's bonkers and i can't stop looking at her... and grinning... and i just haven't had chance to think about anything else since.... Sorry folks...


:thumbsup: they are kinda cute what :D

[paulwdavidson]

Congratulations, mate.


Paul

[AlyFell]

Woohoo! For the Duddle fellah and Daisy and Jane! :thumbsup: Congratulations! This is a bit like Woodstock; how many babies are going to be born during the duration of the competition?

[MikaelPersson]

So happy to hear Jonny! Congratulations!

[Atwooki]

My first child Daisy Jane was born on Monday morning!! It's bonkers and i can't stop looking at her... and grinning... and i just haven't had chance to think about anything else sinceHaha - Congratulations, Jonny :thumbsup:....ours was born this Monday (a little boy called Emmett) so I know exactly how you feel :D

Chris

[Ilikesoup]

Woohoo! For the Duddle fellah and Daisy and Jane! :thumbsup: Congratulations! This is a bit like Woodstock; how many babies are going to be born during the duration of the competition?

If memory serves, he's been talking up this baby since the last competition. :)
Congratulations, Jonny!

[mack72]

CONGRATULATIONS!! I hope mother and baby ( and dad ) are all doing well! When little Lois Hannah was born that's all I did as well. I'm still doing now! Its truly an amazing feeling! Well there goes the competion entry! Nothing else will even cross your mind for the next few....forever!

Congratulations again sir. Hey, maybe we could send Daisy Jane and Lois to art school together!

All the best
Mack

[TeemuR]

Hehe! cute! I like the idea. :) and most of all: :applause: Congrats! :applause:

[Tim Chill]

Yo John, I like your style a lot so I really hope you will be able 2 finish this piece in time. We all know you're really busy with your daughter and all (congrats btw :)) but the deadline aint too far away now, and it would be a shame if you wouldn't be able 2 finish it in time :sad:

So until then, keep up the good work :thumbsup:

Greetz Tim

[O.Martin]

Love the style :) :thumbsup:

[NinjaA55N]

knock knock.. anybody home? :) I hope u'll be able to finish this one. Started so promising! good luck!

[MuratCengiz]

I think it looks good even as mushy as it is now :) I hope you can make it in time because it is a really strong piece I think. Good luck.

[ered dium]

Hi duddle, I really like your image. Nice idea and color, no critics.
Keep going, I can't wait to see more details.

[the-mighty-m]

Colour & lighting are awsome...

[artjunkie]

Hi peeps! I'm gonna apologise again for the lack of posts... but i've got an excuse!!

My first child Daisy Jane was born on Monday morning!! It's bonkers and i can't stop looking at her... and grinning... and i just haven't had chance to think about anything else since.... Sorry folks...

Duuuuude! CONGRATULATIONS on your bouncing bundle of joy :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Don't worry about the contest man... we all know what things in life take priority. Finish this when you get the time, post it and we'll get to enjoy it then.

Again, dude... all the best!

cheers!

[duddlebug]

Blimey... Thanks for all the replies!! And i've not even posted anything!! Just been nappy changing and doing the housework... :)

I'll pass this all on to Daisy...

And then try and find some time to get this finished..??

I'm gonna have a go at getting the image done in time, but it looks kinda unlikely. I'm back at work this week (with catching up to do), my girlfriend is needing quite a bit of support when i'm home and i'm not getting too much sleep at the moment. But i'll see what i can get done...

A few quick replies to peeps...

snowkiwi: Thanks... it'd have been nice to be much further on with it...

kornel, Paul Davidson: Cheers!!

flyingP: Yup... they are reeeeeally cute.... and smelly...?

Poshspice: Haha... but weren't those babies concieved at Woodstock...?

Mikael P.: Hi Mikael! Thanks! Hope stuff's good... you're not another one back at the office in Cheadle are you?

Atwooki: Wow!! On the 25th? I hope he's well and everything's going dandy!! :D

Ilikesoup: Haha... i'm sure you're exaggerating!! But you should've seen the building site we call a home nine months ago!!

mack72: Cheers Mack! I'm hoping she'll enjoy colouring in, that's for sure!! But she'll probably end up getting excited by accountancy or something!!

TeemuR: Thanks! And thanks!!

Tim Chill: Yup yup... the deadline's only days away... i'm gonna have a go at finishing... but it's gonna be a bit tight... :shrug:

O.Martin: Thank you...

NinjaASSN: yeah!! Someone's home!! Changing nappies!! And trying to find five minutes to turn the pooter on!! :scream: I'll see what i can do...

MuratCengiz: Ta! I hope i can find the time too........

ered dium: Thanks... me neither...

the_mighty_m: Cheers!

artjunkie: Thankyou!! If i don't get it done then i'll definitely post it when it is finally finished. Maybe with a few of the other pages that'll make up the book... It'd be nice to get something submitted for the comp though... If only it had been a three month job... *sigh*...

Thanks again for the interest when i've been so quiet and the good wishes for Me, Jane and Daisy Jane...

I'll see what i can get done before next week...

[flyingP]

flyingP: and smelly...?



quite :D

sounds like you've got enough on your plate atm......it gets worse :D

cheers

[MLena]

:) I like the colors and lighting. I have one suggestion: I don't understand Why
they all so sad? They have music, each other, beautiful
forest... they should be happy.

[element5]

Hiya :) Come on you can do it, I have 5 kids, 2cats a rat and 2 jobs...I have faith in ya :thumbsup:

[MikaelPersson]

no need to stress it.. :D
would be fun to see where you go with this anyway. Am very interested in the other pages too..

no, no cheadle for me. Am actually in Runcorn nowadays, as of this week. Just started at Evolution.

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115832290_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115832290_large.jpg)

I've had a little bit of time today to work on the image... i'm still unsure whether i'll find enough time to get it done by the deadline. Little Daisy's too unpredictable!!

I've tweaked the colours a little and played with the tree far left. Tomorrow i'll get stuck into the kid and the bear, and see how it goes. Hmmmm....

Not a huge update... but the vague possibility of getting it done...

[TheMagnetic]

you got this!! if you just cut 2 hours of sleep a day and you ll be set. have no fears this is a wonderful peice and has quite a bit of liveliness to it. I ll love your style! good luck man.

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115832677_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115832677_large.jpg)

Just a close up to show you the current progress of my entry!!

I like to call it 'painterly'... some would call it 'messy'... :)

This is about half resolution.

[AlyFell]

Yay Jonny! Woohoo! Go go Duddle go! Did I already make the 'joke' about the bear behind?

[Squibbit]

I like to call it 'painterly'... some would call it 'messy'... :)


haha , hey nice to see an update, dude

[crowley]

Ha, nice to see you back! I hope you'll finish this one: I really like it :D

[Arc80]

Yeah dude, nice to see your work back on track. Definately can't wait to see you finish. Goodluck buddy :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

cheers

[PascalR]

Excellent ! I love your character pose. Great mood as well!
Pascal

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115886470_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115886470_large.jpg)

Just fiddlin'... and paintin'... and messin'...

Made the middle tree a bit thicker to hide some of the bear's dark bulk and 'straighten' it a little.

And then started on the bear... I'm not gonna tighten him up too much because i want this kind of splodgy, painty feel to run through the book.

I've still got some work to do on the colours and depth and saturation of various areas, but much of that can wait untoil i've pulled out the details in the characters and the foreground.

I'm gonna post a close up of the bear in a little while...

[mack72]

Great to see you back in the competion. I hope little Daisy Jane isn't taking up too much of you time:D !!


I hope you manage to finish it... at least to use as a basis for Daisy Jane's nursery!!!
Cheers
Mack

[paulwdavidson]

Go on lad.......you can do it!


Paul

[flyingP]

Go on lad.......you can do it!


Paul


quoted for agreement :thumbsup:

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115897837_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115897837_large.jpg)

Just a close up of the bear, as promised. I'm not gonna tighten this up too much. I've been thinking about my style and what i enjoy doing and where i'd like to go stylistically with this kind of work, and i'm erring on the side of mess and splodges.

This is at full resolution. The whole image is currently 3800x2288. I might play with the size and proportions a little though.

[duddlebug]

Forgot to say... i'd welcome any crits or suggestions on the image at this stage.

With only a few days left and very little time to work up the image, I might completely ignore them :) or pretend they were never said (hands in ears shouting lalalalalalala!!) but they may well be helpful!!

Ta muchly!!

[paulwdavidson]

Wotcha, mate.

I like where you're going with the technique and style, but like most art you need an area of focus (you're already doing this with you composition....you do this in all of your art very well) what i mean is, if all of the illustration had this technique applies, your eye would wander too much ( I know i'm guessing at what you intend for your new direction) so in certain areas like the main faces, you could tighten up much more and fix the viewers eye just for a few manipulated moments.

Apart from that only concern, you know i'm a fan of your work, and i'm sure with your sensibilities will make the overall image icing to the eye.

Good luck

Paul

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115901394_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115901394_large.jpg)

A bit more detail on Mr.Bear... just wanted to show a fairly comprehensive WiP for y'all to have a laugh at...

Got to get back to my 'proper'work now... There's an updated whole image to come when i have my afternoon tea break!!

[Jezzarts]

Mr Bear looks great, good to see a diferent style! Nice update

[duddlebug]

I like where you're going with the technique and style, but like most art you need an area of focus... what i mean is, if all of the illustration had this technique applies, your eye would wander too much... so in certain areas like the main faces, you could tighten up much more and fix the viewers eye just for a few manipulated moments.

Cheers Paul!!

I came to a simialr conclusion working into the image over my lunch hour. Thanks for reinforcing those concerns. I've done some more drastic colour and saturation tweaks to really knock the background away from the foreground, which helps a little. And i'd agree that picking out detail in the important characters will help. Thanks again!

I actually think i may get this done... :)

[paulwdavidson]

Of course you will.....looks great!

[Rudeone]

Ah great to see you're still in, I hope you're able to finish this.

BTW congratulations on your new job as daddy

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115906982_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115906982_large.jpg)

So here's what i got done in my lunch hour....

I worked up the bear's face (as i posted a bit earlier) and added an adjustment layer to play with the hue and saturation in the background.

I think i'll detail up the frankenkid next...

[Vectorius]

YOP YOP!! :scream: a very good image for a very good style!:thumbsup:
Just a little sugestion..maybe tou should attenuate the ray of lights? They seems too shiny for me.

Good luck and keep keep keep going on..yop yop:)

[duddlebug]

Sorry to post like a loony, when i've hardly posted in ages... but... i've suddenly got a little bit of time... so i wanted to respond to some peeps.

MLena: I dunno why they look so sad. i wanted a kind of all-pervading melancholy. By the end of the book there'll be more smiles. Promise. (and i'm still planning on working it into a book!)

element5: "Come on you can do it, I have 5 kids, 2cats a rat and 2 jobs...I have faith in ya " Blimey Mark!! How do you have time to sleep!!? I'll try my best. You've made me feel positively lazy now...

Mikael P. : Cool... Evolution, eh? Aren't there some other ex-Hogs there...? I'm glad you're following the thread... i'll let you know when i get some more pages done and posted!

TheMagnetic: Haha... but i'm already losing at least two hours sleep a day... but those two hours are spent changing nappies at 4am and singing lullabies. I haven't got the most soothing of singing voices... :)

Poshspice: Nope... you hadn't mentioned 'the bear behind'. I think you should include it in your entry though... ;)

Squibbit, crowley, Arc80, zegritch, Paul Davidson, flyingP, Jezzarts: Thanks!!

mack72: Daisy's taking up a certain amount of my time. But i'm back at work so i'm trying to get in an hour early and using my lunch hour to get stuff done. Other than that, i'm taking Monday off, so i'm hoping to get a few hours on this then... I haven't even thought about Daisy's nursery yet!! She's gonna be in with us for a few months... i'd better get on the case though...

Rudeone: Cheers!! And i'd have more time for this competitionif being a daddy was my only job!!

Fiolka Alexandre: Thanks! And i'm going to do some work on the rays... hopefully they'll be 'right' when i'm finished!!

I'll be posting some more WiP images tomorrow... until then... :p

[MikaelPersson]

me like. The tidied closeups look very nice. I think you have found the right amount of looseness. Don't do more.
I hope you will be able to make it! And while you are at moving things around, wouldn't the composition look better if you moved the boy and rays ever so slightly to the left? Or is the fact that he is little off that makes the composition work?

yeah, there are actually a few of us ex Warthogers there at Evo now. About six of us.

[THECLYKE]

DO YOU DO COMIC BOOKS?







LINK TO MY M&S ENRTY THREAD
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=239415&page=3&pp=15
MY OUTDATED WEBSITE
http://www.freewebs.com/calvin_clyke_2004

[duddlebug]

Mikael: Thanks... Yup... i'm kinda set on keeping that amount of looseness in the characters. The boy will probably be a bit tighter. And he's where he is to allow for the curve of animals behind him running to the bear. The shafts of light will probably be a little less 'in-yer-face' when i'm done...

THE CLYKE: Nope... occassionally for fun. But my day job is as a concept artist in the games industry.

[kornel]

I hope you can finish the paint before the close...! This is one of my favourite... :thumbsup:

I wish you more time and power for it!

cheers: Kornél

(sorry for my poor english)

[arLutiK]

Jonny,

looking really nice, I really love your style

[duddlebug]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115975143_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/8/5794/5794_1115975143_large.jpg)

I've made a pretty drastic change to the composition... any feedback would be greatly appreciated...

I wasn't happy with the setting. I liked the feel of the earlier mood concept, where there was a darker aura to the trees and more of a feeling of 'place'. So i wanted to beef up the setting... so i've zoomed out a bit and made more of a feature of the forest.

It's got a bit rougher again and the colours are a bit boswonk... but i wanted to try it out quickly and post it. I think i prefer this one. I like shapes the trees make.

Whaddya reckon...?

[mack72]

Morning sir! I really like this composition, it makes you feel almost as if you are ther watching them. It almost feels a bit like the Maurice Sendak,'Where the wild things are' in its scale (which I love by the way!).

You could try making the roots from the foreground trees more curly, spilling out of the ground a bit more, to make it look more fantastical ( if a frankenkid playing a magic flute to a forrest full of animals isn't fantastical enough!..you know what I mean!)

But then again, I'm still painting satin. What do I know!

Awesome anyway..GET IT DONE!

Cheers
Mack

[Arc80]

Hey Jonny. Just wanted to drop by before i go to sleep, hehe. It's 6:30 here in New York.

Anyway, this composition is much, much better than the last post. The way you change the shape of the trees in a more straight up post gives your piece a very strong composition. You know where everything and it's a lot clearer. It also gives a nice contrast in shapes between the animals and franky boy. Now you can see more movements and gestures are much visible.

The only thing i could really suggest is maybe add a foreground flowers (just a couple) on the right side of your piece. It'll strenghten the depth more and can make the viewers eyes lead to franky boy if pointed in such direction.

Lovely and very awesome piece. Great style bro. will be waiting for the final piece.

cheers :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :applause:

[Zephyri]

Hey Jonny, I haven't been to this thread in a while, its looking good. The second compositin is definitely stronger, with more of a sense of depth to the forest, and that main tree doesn't draw attention away from the characters as much as it did before. However, I really liked the off vertical lines of the trees in the first version, it made the forest seem more magical and higgeldy piggeldy, which suited your style of characters, perhaps when you fill the details on the trees in, you could break up the stright lines a bit with some knarly branches and knots and the like. But it's still such a great piece, I'd love to see how it comes if you do turn it into a book. Best of luck to you!

[duddlebug]

Cheers for the replies!! That's three 'positives' for the composition tweaks... good stuff.

mack72: I love 'Where the Wild Things are'... i'm going to work into the roots more. I took a bunch of photos in the woods behind my house for adding detail. I want to keep it loose whilst adding in a bunch of flowers and gnarled roots and little details. I also might paint in some twisted branches up in the top of the image. So they echo the roots below. Thanks!

Arc80: Blimey! What are you doing up at 6.30am!? I'm glad you like the new trees and the clarity they hopefully bring to the scene. I'm gonna add quite a few more flowers in the foreground. And more birds and little creatures. it depends a little on the time left, but i should be able get as much as it needs added in before wednesday. Thanks for the post!

Zepyhri: Hi Zepyhri! Thankyou! I want to keep the strong uprights, i think. I think i can add the 'higgledypiggeldy-ness' with the roots and branches (and "some knarly branches and knots and the like"). I think... I hope... I'll have to think carefully about the colours and layout when i develop it into the book, and this image may well get radically changed again! I'm trying to concentrate on the competition but i've gotta admit i'm getting distracted by the book and vice-versa. I'm findng it a little tricky to be faithful to the style and look of where i see the book going... by the competition and other entries!! Hopefully it all turn out just dandy in the end!! :)

Thanks again.. it looks like the new layout (which to some may not look radically different, but too me was a big jump!) is the way to go...

I'll hopefully get a few hours on this over the weekend... although we're off to wales to introduce Daisy to her great grandmother!!

[AdrielaSakamoto]

I like this a lot. I can see myself just looking at it for a long time, as more and more elements show themselves. I love the little "things" atop the bear. And the owl, though its eyes seem ufinished, are just great. I like them, but I'm wierd. The only thing I might suggest, and perhaps this is premature, is that the intensity of the basket/food grouping pulls the eye from the pied piper too abruptly. Consider damping that down if you aren't going to already..? Otherwise, there is a nice circular flow to the whole composition, constantly bringing us round and through the image.


best of luck with the challenge...
Adri

[eliza]

im sorry that i keep repeating myself but this piece of your is fantastic! and you've made the bear more detailed,aww:D

[E.T]

i was wondering where you went...
I prefer this last one, although something about the right part of the image makes it "lean" a bit. Might be the roof the trees form might be my eyes are slanted. :D

anyway, i hope youll be able to finish it on time, really like it.

[RichTee]

You've got a great style to your work
This is a fun image and i love looking for all the incidental detail
Look forward to seeing the final piece, well done !

[Velinov]

Love those bear, man!!! You've made some composition changes. It seems that it is for good. Good luck and mentioned that there is 5 days left.


Cheers

[birdybear]

Hello!

I liked the last composition better because the trees looked more fantastical. It lead your eye in a more organic way toward the boy.

I really love your style. It's beautiful and very different from anyone else on CGtalk. I wish you luck and hope you get enough time to finish! :thumbsup:

[flyingP]

Good luck and mentioned that there is 5 days left.


he'll manage ...... he's good :bounce: :D

[duddlebug]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

AdrielaSakamoto: Thanks! Hopefully there'll be lots more to look at by wednesday... little creatures in the shadows and more animals in the procession. There's a lot of work to do with light and shadow and the saturation of the piece... and damping the baskets down is on the list... The owl also needs quite a bit of work... eyes, feathers, ears etc.... Thanks for the suggestions!

eliza: Thanks... there's not gonna be a lot more detail in the bear... although i might make him a little bigger...?

E.T: Haha... I'm back!! And hopefully i'll get it done in time... I know what you mean about the canopy. I've not really started finishing that area though, it's very quickly blocked in!! Glad you like it so far...

bumphluff: Thanks!! I'm just hoping i get it done in time... I was gonna spend a couple of hours this morning but had to take Daisy for a pram ride in the park while Mummy got more sleep... maybe i'll get a couple of hours in later...?

Velinov: Cheers Svetlin! I know... 5 days... and i've only got one of those available to do any work...hmmmm...

birdybear: Hmmm... do you mean 'the last one' with the tall trees..? Or 'the last one' as in not the current one...? Hope it's the tall trees cause i think that's the one i'm going with!! I'm glad you like the style... And as for "It's beautiful and very different from anyone else on CGtalk", i think we could say the same about your lovely illustrative piece. I think CGtalk can only get better as different styles and subject matter join the forum...

flyingP: Ooooh 'eck... i'm not sure i need that kinda pressure... :eek: I hope i live up to your expectations Brian!! :)

I'm still hoping to find some time over the weekend, but we're off to Wales in a few hours time for Daisy to meet her great grandma, granny and grandad and uncle and auntie... and it's my birthday on Tuesday so i think we're having a boozy family BBQ... so it's not the worst distraction in the world... but i'll have to get loads done in the week... EeeeEEEeeK!!!

[Speaky]

Hi Jonny, just lost a big reply I had written to you... doh. Basically I really love the concept and it's got that great Duddlebug charm and genuine emotion to it. Compositionally I think it works well but you'll have to ensure that the tunnel of trees on the right is subordinate to the main focus which is on the left. Currently it's fine. There is one thing that was nagging me about it and I worked out what it is: the sunbeams coming through the treetops are all at different angles and would converge to a source just above the trees, like a spotlight. The sun is so distant that each shaft of light would be parallel with the others. Is this problematic enough to tackle at this late stage? Maybe it's best just to concentrate on finishing it off! Whatever you decide I wish you the best in the final reckoning, with a bit more polish this will turn out exceptionally well. :thumbsup:

[Belhaven]

youve got a lot of personality in your piece... i like it very much. to be 100% honest, i think your colored version loses a lot of your really good lines. if there were a way to somehow capture your line's qualities in the colored version, it would be abso-frikking-fantastic.

[birdybear]

Jonny:

Thanks so much for the compliment!:love:

I love both of your images (the old and new compositions) but I'm sorry to say I did like the older one a bit better in the sense that the trees had more of an interesting curve to them. However!, I guess I didn't see how much taller they got and yes, I like that aspect better than having the trees short. Perhaps the trees would look a little more "organic" if you brought that slight bend into them when they grow taller? Anyway, I'm sure your image will look really amazing even if the trees don't bend! :)

When I was looking at CGtalk and deciding whether to join or not, you were one of the deciding factors! I saw your entry for the last challenge and thought wow! There are different styles in here, I'm not going to be crazy if I join. From what I can tell this site just keeps on growing and it will only fill more with many different styles. It's been so rewarding entering this challenge!

Can't wait to see your finished piece. Loved your character from the start. PS: cool website.

[am7]

Awesome style man! :) I cant wait to see this finished! Keep it up, 4 days to go!

[Ant4d]

Hey mate. Happy Birthday!:)

I hope you got bit further with this. i love the concept and the feeling of it. please finish it:)

Anton

[xric7]

so cute!!:bounce: :bounce:
love ur style a lot.:thumbsup:
cheers.

[Jezzarts]

Looking good to me mate, cant wait to see this in it's final state... your cutting it close! Same here actually... good luck with it!

[TheMagnetic]

you gonna make it in time?

[TheFirstAngel]

Hey mate, just came to see your progress! make sure you hit the finnishing line in time, cuz your work rocked from the first glance, so keep up the speed!!!:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
best of luck on your final strokes and keep on rocking!

[paulwdavidson]

Come on, mate.....you can do it!


Go-Go-Go!

Paul

[paperclip]

Hey Jonny, how's it going with mini-jonny? Are you enjoying fatherhood?

Picture is coming along really well...keep going....

[franckkobolt]

the latest version is the best, the tree in the miidle of the image is better this way. it fits the composition better and now the ray of light as well as the little boy come out in a more efficient way. Great mood !

Time flies ! keep it up !

Franck

[duddlebug]

Hi Everybody...

I just wanted to let the peeps who've been following my thread know that i'm not going to be getting it finished today. I'm really sorry. That's two challenges in a row i've failed to finish!! :sad:

I feel like i have a pretty good excuse this time. The last few weeks have been full of 'Daisy' time... with DiY, hospitals, and looking after my ladiezz... and although i had a little resurgence last week and thought i'd make it, computer problems at home and baby problems conspired against me and it just isn't gonna happen. At least not to a standard i'd be happy with. My original plan was to get it finished before Daisy arrived but that was scuppered when the doctor's brought the birth forward by two weeks!! :shrug:

So i'd like to say a big thanks to everyone who's been following the story and the erratic submissions!! I'm definitely gonna work this up into a kids' picture book and i'll post a couple of the finished illustrations when it's lookin' how i want it!!

Once again... thanks for lookin' in... :)

[Vahn]

i just wanted to shout " Hoooooraaaaaaaay your are back! " but now u say u wont make it :(

heehee hooooraaay anyway for your daughter and your entry so far ... it looks very cool .. i like the lightning and atmosphere in it... and the last version has a good depth to it ... maybe youll finish this sometime :D

cheers man & i hope ull be there in the next challenge :D :wip::wavey::beer:

[duddlebug]

Speaky: I know what you mean about the shafts of light... i thought the same thing. And then wondered whether you'd get more of a 'spot' effect if the light was coming through a small hole in the canopy...? And i'd have to agree with you about the trail of animals on the right. I think that area could do with toning down... and possibly moving the centre tree a little further to the right so it the background occupies less space..? It's gonna get a lot more polish now... without the pressure of this deadline. I am gonna set myself some fdeadlines though to try and focus my efforts!! Thanks a lot for the suggestions...

Belhaven: Cheers! I know what you mean about the lines but i'm still trying to experiment and 'find' the style i want for this kind of work. That's onw of the reasons i've pulled out... i didn't want to submit something i wasn't particularly happy with. i did that in the 'Machineflesh' challenge and regretted it...

birdybear: It's a pleasure! And thanks for the suggestions. I am planning on adding a whole bunch of twisted roots and branches. And now i should have the time to get it done properly. And I'm very flattered that my scribbles helped you to decide to join in with CGtalk! A range of styles and ideas should be a good thing for CGtalk!!

am7: Ho Hum... sorry for not getting it done... but i'll post it soon... promise!

Ant4d: Thanks! I had a great birthday in the park with my girls. I know that sounds like i neglected the challenge, but i decided that i owed it to Jane and Daisy to spend a big chunk of time away from my pooter on my birthday... :) And i'll finish it soon...

xric7: Thanks!

Jezzarts: Haha... i've cut it so close it ain't gonna happen... :sad:

TheMagnetic: Um... er... nope...

the1st_angel: Sorry to disappoint... but it'll be posted on the 'finished work' forum soon...

Paul Davidson: um...

paperclip: I'm loving fatherhood... and Daisy is doing dandy... but she's buggered up my 'Master and Servant' entry!!

franck kobolt: thankyou!! Time's well and truly flown... bah!!

Vahn: Thanks very much!! I will finish it!! Just not for this competition... And if i enter the next challenge (need to see the theme first!?) then i PROMiSe that i'll finish it!!

Thanks again for everyone's support... it's been fun.

[PeterPuppet]

Ten years later:

Daisy: Daddy, can I get a computer for christmas?

duddlebug: Nope.

Daisy: Why?

duddelbug: Because I said nope.

Daisy: Why did you say nope? All of my friends have a pc, but I don´t. Even those bums on the street do have laptops these days.

duddelbug: You remember the may of 2005? It´s your fault that I couldn´t get the pc I was dreaming of, damn it! Why couldn´t you just stay in your mother two more f***ing months!?

Daisy: Daddy, it´s only your fault. You should have planed in the "cgn-master and servant-challenge" when you met mommy. So you see, that is no excuse. The only thing you achieved with saying this is, that I want my goddamn 20GHz-computer!!! NOW!!!


Get prepared ;)

Greatings to the little Daisy, meet you next time :) I´m looking forward to it, oh and to see this pic finished before that.



peace, pete

[paulwdavidson]

A dad has priorities, mate. That's more important.......there'll be more challenges.........!


Next time.....I wish you and your family all the best.

Paul

[PeterPuppet]

EDIT: I know, I know. I´m pretty paranoid. Nevermind. ;)
sorry Paul:rolleyes:


peace, pete

[duddlebug]

The Peteboy: Hahaha... I'll get over it... And i reckon Daisy will get my second hand pooters over the years!! :) I'll just have to get my act together for the next challenge. And, like you say, finish this off first!!

Paul Davidson: Cheers Paul... that's the way i figured it. I kinda wish i'd sorted some spare time out sooner than this week. But that's life... Hopefully i'll turn it into a book idea that'll interest a publisher...

The Peteboy: I don't think Paul was having a go at you... i think he was just replying to me!!

See ya'll in the next challenge perhaps..?

[paulwdavidson]

The Peteboy: I didn't even read your mail.

I was writing to Duddle.

[PeterPuppet]

Excuse me Paul. I tend to think that people understand me wrong however I do. Sorry again.:rolleyes: :)


duddlebug: hehe, yeah, you were right ;)




peace, pete

[Vectorius]

Hello jonny..A very good picture!:thumbsup: I LOVE IT!! your aniamls look so great..and i like the way you've painted..good environment! hope you get finished..good luck man!!:)

[TheFirstAngel]

Hey Mate, so you do the same i do with my 3d then? lol, i failed my 3d Machineflesh as well, so i feel much with u, and knowing your skills, i think you will bring it to the end it ddeserves. ther's gonna be other books, other challenges and other possebileties to go for a new run, and as long as you're going to finnish it, everthing will gonna be alright. congrats on life's biggest possible award, by the way. you already are a winner. now heads up, don't admit, just enjoy what you done, take a break and then get it done for the finnished work gallery!
best wishes and congrats again! see you soon!

@ peteboy hahahaha, lol!

[NinjaA55N]

Sorry to see u didnt manage it... I wish u all the best with ur familly than :) till next challenge! cya

[Velinov]

I don't Know why you has stoped to manage your thread. All I can say is that this is a big
waste for the contest. :shrug: Se ya on tne next challange!

[Arc80]

Oy, another one of a great thread and piece that didn't get to finish. But it's definately most understandable. Family do comes first. So Jonny, it's been fun seeing your thread and watching its progress. I hope to see your work around the community and see you at the next challenge.

Take care and best of luck and health to you and your family. Congrats again.

cheers bro :)

[Ilikesoup]

Hey, Jonny! Much respect for the work you've done and for choosing what's most important to you. Daisy is a lucky little lady. :thumbsup: I'll be keeping an eye on the Finished Art section for the completed "Adventures of Frankenflute".

[paperclip]

Sad to see you go, Jonny, but so glad that you are enjoying life with your new daughter :thumbsup:
Be back for the next challenge though, you hear!?

[Tim Chill]

then i PROMiSe that i'll finish it!!
:deal: We will all hold you to that promise :)

Anyways I hope the end result of this one is gonna turn out fine anyway :)
Keep up the good work.

[eliza]

even though you didnt finish it, that picture of yours is one of the most beautiful and is worth doing, i trully hope you'll spend some time completing it..please..

[Rudeone]

I'm sorry to see you weren't able to finish this wonderfull piece, well you had more important things to do offcource, c ya in the next challenge ok?

[artjunkie]

Hey, duddle... thought you deserved some kudos for entering and supporting your fellow CGTalkers. Sorry you didn't get to finish this one for the challenge, but you can still post it in the 'finished works' section, right... RIGHT?!

Cheers mate... now go take care of the little one. :D

[THECLYKE]

GREAT JOB MAN GOOD LUCK:thumbsup:

[walrus]

Hey, Jonny, sorry to see you didn't have time to finish this for the challenge, but we're all still here to help out with our dozens of extra eyes when you do find time to work on it and post in in a WIP thread. Good luck, and congrats... on Daisy, of course! :) And happy birthday!

-mike

[duddlebug]

For anyone still subscribed (unlikely i know!), i've posted a finished image in the 2D section! Check it out if you're interested!

Here's a link:

The Firewood Flute (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=263101&page=1&pp=15)

And thanks for all the well wishes when i didn't finish the challenge. daisy's doing really well and getting all chubby! ;)

[PascalR]

Nice to see this piece finished!
Well done and congratulations for your daughter.

Cheers

P.

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.