Strange Behavior (Illustration) Entry: King

[kingjai]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183712902_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183712902_large.jpg)

So this is the initial sketch of my painting. It is a story about love~~ What can I say? I am a sensitive man... Anyhow, there's obviously something very wrong about the odd couple that I have. I want to get the viewer to think about this image, and give them enough to piece together their own story. While drawing this basic setup, I couldn't quite decide on what their expressions should be? I want it to be a little ambigiuous, to go along with the whole ying and yang thing that's happening. Does the mermaid really love the cat? Or is she trying to drown it? does the cat know where he's heading? Is he clueless? or is he forced? or does he have a master plan of having a big fish meal? what's gonna happen? who's pull their full little tube ride?
Anyhow, this is a bit of the thought process that was going through my mind as I gathered my brainstorming ideas....

[mono2k5]

it looks good, though the eyes of the cat are a bid to wide open (i think) further it sounds like a good story, especially the big fish meal ;) good luck

[kingjai]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183714266_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183714266_large.jpg)

So I slapped on some textures and started to rough out her form. I've decided that it was a little bit a tragedy, just cause happiness of this couple is uncertain, so I wanted to keep the colors grey.

I'm not so sure what to do with her skin right now, cause she's looking a little too brown and orange. I think I want her nationality to be ambigiuous. Just like her expression, you could sort of get the sense that she's thinking about something, but you're not quite sure what it is. I've had some ppl critique it earlier today, and I've had mixed interpretation of what the inner emotions and motive is for the 2 characters. Some thought she looked like she's really digging the cat and is more like a nurturing mother, whereas some is saying that she's is playful, and then there are ppl like me who is a little nervous about her, she seems like a bad girl waiting to cause some trouble in the neighborhood. All in all though, it finalized my idea that their expressions should be ambiguous and can swing either way.

Design wise, I've decided to make her tail into more a whale type tail instead of the scaly bright tropical tail that we usually see, and set them in a colder setting. I tried to break away from the conventions a little.

I'm thinking of adding 'just married' to the back of the tube, as well as adding a little more turbulance to the water, and i think i'm gonna try to finish her up to try out for exotique... I wonder if I'll have enough time...

[kingjai]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183714506_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183714506_large.jpg)

I uploaded an earlier one before by accident...
There's approximately 2 hours of procrastination =P
1 hour for drawing and making sense of my idea, and
2 hours of painting at this point

[musi]

Oh, wow! This is beautiful!

Welcome to the challenge, King!
Good luck!

[Quills]

This is cool. Initially I didn't see the 'Just married' on the ring and thought it was a great idea having a mermaid needing a flotation aid. The cat is just even stranger. Nice colouring.

Q

[icedeyes]

she already looks beautiful... the concept is very calm yet strange... love it..

[M477]

Yeah a nice image overall, the concept is very strong and they have good characters


But the cat only wants her for her body. Sorry :D

[Slav]

it works. girls + swim suits... even though its fishy like =good times. :)

i really like how you approached the idea of cat fish relationship, best of luck.

[Kei-Acedera]

oohh i love a little mermaid!

[kingjai]

Thanks for welcoming me with some very positive comments, I like how everyone is catching on to different part of this painting. I especially like the comment about how the cat only wants her body... hahaha that's very funny, and maybe very true. Though I hadn't really thought about it that way...

Any bashing and critiques are continue to be welcomed!

Thanks

[walrus]

Really nice work so far - i like the subdued colors and the texture in your painting. It feels cropped awfully tight to the characters on all sides - have you consinderred opening up the page a bit more by adding some space all around? Just a suggestion... good luck with it!

[iconoplast]

I'm really enjoying the concept here, especially with the number of possible interpretations. Well done! A thought -- if you're concerned about keeping nationality vague, perhaps you could do the piece in black and white (it would certainly add to the feeling of cold). Alternately, you could pick a fish that you'd like to base her on and color her skin in the pattern of the fish's coloring.

[eclipse115]

I like the look of the mermaid and the expression on her face is great. Keep at it

[AxelAlonso]

Hi King, I enjoy your idea a lot, I like the concept of the relationship and the simplicity of the beauty and the strange, best of luck and hope to see more,:thumbsup:

[kingjai]

Walrus: I'm glad you like the colors! and I have felt the same way and got similar reactions from others as well. So I have played with it some more, and I'll have it up in jiffy!

iconoplast: Thank you! Thanks for you suggestions, I think it's a good idea to get some insprirations from some fish coloring, and I have tried actually to make it more like a whale mermaid, instead of a tropical, colorful scaly mermaid. I'll try to bring that out a little more in the next iteration.

eclipse: Thanks a bunch, I'll keep at it, what is the expression on her face like to you?

AxelAlonso: Thank you! I'm glad you like the idea, and I'll get some new stuff up soon!

Thanks everyone!

[kingjai]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183877467_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183877467_large.jpg)

Hi Everyone,
here's an update of my painting. I've spent some time and blocked out everything, though I'm still a little unsure of the background. I played with some mountains and things, but never found anything that particular liked. I was playing with the idea in mind of having a shoreline on the left in order to get a sense of them leaving to shore for something unforeseen... Actually just as I was typing that, I think it's not a bad idea at all.. haha I try that next...

Anyhow, I felt that the background was starting to overcrowd our odd couple, so I have tried some different cropping now, and I think it's working better. Though I'm not sure this is the best one quite yet. This is a few iterations in already. I think I'm near the end of this painting in the sense that I feel I've pushed and worked out the idea through...

so please.. if there's anything that I could improve upon before I try to really finish it off, it would be great appreciated!

[AxelAlonso]

Hi King,
I like the idea of the life saver with the “just married” words, its funny and scandalous haha!! :scream: I like that someone its pulling them makes sence!
For your Back ground maybe the perspective it’s making it a bit difficult to play with, you got lots of time so don’t rush it. And my guess its that your are going for something strange /slash romantic, so maybe some boats with pretty lights, and some sea creatures that are amazed for the behavior or better yet birds? but it just a suggestion of what it play on my mind.

Very nice concept very well performed for the felling it’s going across. Keep such good work coming:thumbsup:

[RoxieQueen]

Good job king!! I love the whole idea of a fish falling in love with a cat.

I think the golden marriage ring that you added gives an extra taste to the entire picture. Good job. Love it.

[icedeyes]

so this is their honeymoon? lol... very nice and good progress too.... keep it up

[kingjai]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183996646_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/19/13423/13423_1183996646_large.jpg)

So what now???

[chrisbeaver]

This is coming along gorgeously, man :) Wish I knew how to paint water like that.

Maybe you could add a couple more seagulls in the top-left region, to enforce the idea of land nearby.

[Vitreous]

This is a good one, its odd and funny and makes me want to know what happens next, i agree with the above posterthat the water looks great.

[cbernardo]

Very nice painting and concept! I really like it!

Cheers,
Carlos

[AxelAlonso]

HI King,

Lovely render of the water, the skin maybe still need more render since its water, you can add some nice reflection here and there...the BG looks very artistic but I am not sure what it's your idea there yet? The hair style it’s very you, but needs also a bit of more contrast but maybe its the style I like with some high lights on dark hair, the cat its really cute but I wish to see better his expression or the eyes on lighting style off curse not in pose, besides that I found the rest ready to go. But it looks pretty already! Very good job:arteest::applause:

[icedeyes]

As for the now what question... i would suggest that you broaden the perspective a lot if you dont want to stop here... something destructive happening all around them (shipwreck, battle etc.) and they stand in the middle in calm waters... that will give it great contrast imo...

[eclipse115]

I liked the idea of a harbor scene with a twilight atmosphere. Ships with twinkling lights around them will give the painting a nice sense of scale. That no matter how big the world is around them they can still make it work.

Her expression to me is of love and soothing.It's almost an against all odds painting and they can really make it work somehow.

And as one commenter said, I wish I could paint water like that :D

[kingjai]

Thanks everyone for your good suggestions and feedback, and yeah the water did turn out pretty cool, kinda taking the thunder away from the characters a bit... As for the bg, I'm not completely sure what I really want I want the focus on the couple, that's kinda why I've opted for a pretty much empty bg... but it seems like there's starting to be a consensus that I should put something there, heh so... maybe I'll try to add something in and have it not steal the show from the couple.

AxelAlonso: I agree with you, my fellow beautiful bc neighbor, adding some reflectoin and wet parts for the tube and the skin is definitely lacking and would pull the painting together that muich more. Also, the hair. I completely agree with u, gotta make that look hotter. and What kind of expression are you getting from the cat? or u just can't see well enough to tell?

RoxyQueen: I'm glad you like it!!! thanks for all your support and encouragement! weeeeee

Icedeyes: Haha is it their honeymoon? I guess they could be just heading into it... What did you mean by broadening the perspective? I do kinda like a destructive background, kinda make it a lot gloomier and the stakes that much higher...

ChrisBeaver: thanks dude, I'm pretty happy with how the water turn out as well, I think I will add some birds to add some depth to it. It is a good idea!

Vitreous: thanks for the comment, a friend described it to me that it feels like a soap opera, just enough to keep u wondering what'll happen next.. haha

DogMan3d: Thanks! I'm glad you really liking it!

Eclipse115: Thanks for your suggestions! I think it's a good idea to give them some scale, I lreally like your positive outlook! haha I like the idea of them going against all odds, and no matter how big the world is, the can still make it work! We need more of you in our world! hehe

[Kei-Acedera]

The kitty is lookin really cute! If I may..maybe a more glamorous, elaborate hair-style? maybe with soft flowers and blossoms, since she just got married?..I really dig the colors you've chose too :)

[eclipse115]

Great idea Kei! It would definitely add to his theme . . . maybe even an XL garter around the mermaid tail :P

[icedeyes]

Sorry King.. I wasn't talking about the perspective:scream: (dont know how i ended up typing that), i meant broadening the frame... Adding mayhem, big waves and clouds all around them while at the same time they stand on calm water, clear sky and light rays casting on them would give amazing contrast to this piece...


Dont get me wrong, I love it as is even for a final piece of artwork but i was under the impression that you were searching for things to add to the image and thus came up with this suggestion...

Have fun,
George

[CyborgJA]

Ahahaha I love this concept !

[W-I-L]

hello kingja you looker you... nice work... realy realy like the concept but i think the composition could do with a little bit more zooming out. could do with a more obvious light souce i guess... cant wait to see how it progresses... the expressions of both chracter are fantastic

[kingjai]

Well it's been a long busy week, and thanks for everyone's suggestions, I hadn't touched it for a week and I'll be getting back to it soon and try out some of the suggestions that ppl has been mentioning about.

Kei: thanks for the suggestion, I agree I should perhaps push the just married aspect of it more instead of leaving it in the title and the writing on the tube. It would defintely add more visual interest as well, though I'll have to be careful that it doesn't begin to overtake everything else.


Eclipse: haha the garter thing might just work... hahaahha

Icedeyes: thanks for the suggestion, I think I'm just gonna have to break out of this painting and do something completely different to gain a new light on it and address these issues with the BG..

CyborgJA: thanks you! I'm glad u like it! btw, ithink ur strange behavior link is broken =P

WIL: Thanks! Yeah I'll perhaps try to define the light source a little more, I struggled with it a little more than I should be, cause compositionally I'd rather the light beams be on the left side.. but yeah, I think a more definite light source will add to atmosphere.. I'll have to definitely play with it a little more.

[jengeng84]

hi, i have something to say, i like the idea, i think that the cat really wants only the mermaid's body not her heart, maybe it only want to fullfill its hunger or lust, just it will definately has purpose at the fishy girl. maybe the mermaid has her own hidden purpose too? strange couple.
i like ur painting style, colors and all that. But, i have a suggestion that the place u put this couple, and the feeling is not right enough, the view can be expanded to see more, or it can be cropped to view more details... by then the pose and angle may changed a lot, rite?
Have fun n good luck.

[brrrhmmm]

I must apologize for having a "dirty" mind but to me the cat appears to be straddling the mermaid.Can you shift the cat so that the mermaid is seen to be cradling the cat in her arms with a look of love rather that the current "karma sutra" position.:)

[sgw]

Great image. I really like your treatment of the water. Very sweet.

[walrus]

brrrhmmm (http://forums.cgsociety.org/member.php?u=196560), you do know what most people do right after they get married, dont you? :twisted:

Kingjai - one random idea: What if the cat were colored more warmly - an orange or a brow or tan - to make it pop off of the cool-colored background more, as the woman does? Just an idea...

[W-I-L]

brrrhmmm (http://forums.cgsociety.org/member.php?u=196560), you do know what most people do right after they get married, dont you? :twisted:

lol i was goign to reply somethign similiar but you beat me too it.. i dont think he looked at the image preoperly.

[killer-instinct93]

I really like the way you've painted the water, however you've done it, it's fantastic.

I don't know if the background is done yet, but it looks very confusing, and maybe something more contrasting to the water would help.

Good work

[Anatomista]

Very beautiful! I specially like the pose of the cat. :) In my opinion, and I know it is early to say that, but maybe you should make the fin a bit up from the water (maybe would be cool to add some drops falling).

It is really nice! I will be watching it!

[kingjai]

Jengeng: Haha, I'm glad u like the idea, and I agree with you. Somehting is preventing this painting to go to the next level, and a different cropping might just do the trick. I have considered cropping it right to the intimacies of them, but then my heart stopped me cause i didn't want to lose all the other elements, but I think i'm gonna try out a bunch of different croppping and see which one ppl like. Thanks for your suggestion!

Ahem: haha no apologies needed! I'm glad you brought this up, cause when I was doing it. I was hoping that different ppl will have different interpretations of what the cat is thinking, and straddling was one of them... haha I was thinking of a pose that is both agressive (straddling, in control), and defensive (scared) at the same time.

Dissipation: Thank you!! I appreciate it!

Walrus: hahah I'm glad u brought this up, now i know what you're thinking! haha just joking, I'm sure ur just one that is brave enough to bring it up. I like your idea of changing the cat's colors. I will try that out and see what sort of feeling it conjures up! thank you!

WIL: haha, I think which ever way you look at it, it's just fine. Since I want the viewer to project their own characters and situation into this painting. So I guess it's 'you see what you want to see'! haha

Killer-instinct93: Thank you! I'm quite happy with how the water turned out as well. I basically just grabbed tons of water pictures off the net and layered a bunch of different paint on, and trying to keep it loose at the same time. Yeah I will start to brain storm some ideas of the bg soon, as it has been brought up many times that it's the weakest part of the painting at the moment.

Anatomista: Thank you! I'm glad u like it. I think ur idea is great, I think if it's done right, it would add to the WOW factor to this painting! I'll definitely work on that some more! thanks!

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