Facehugger Dissection

#1

Ouch! Another image rejected from the CGTalk gallery. That’s my second in a row and I’m a little discouraged at the moment. I’ve been posting here for years with dozens of images and I’ve only now been rejected for my last two.

I’m heartened by the fact that this is a very unusual genre of scifi image to attempt. As a medical illustrator, I find highly technical scientific art quite beautiful. I can certainly accept if it’s not a common taste or doesn’t quite fit in among the other great stuff that’s posted here.

That being said, I thought I’d post it here just to get it out there. I thought it was a pretty cool image and achieved the goals I had set. I’d sincerely like to hear your thoughts and learn if there are any glaring weaknesses that I might not have considered. In the meantime, I’ll keep trying and hope for better luck with my next offering.

Thanks for the support and I hope you like my image.

#2

I work with about 7 medical Illustrators and I must say your work is top shelf. Are you a member of AMI? As for this one, I’m guessing not enough interesting things going on? I mean it’s really well done but maybe putting it in some kind of environment would of helped? Again… just guessing.

#3

Hey thanks very much. Yes, I am an AMI member. It’s a great organization and I actually attained my CMI certification this past year.

Always glad to meet someone familiar with this obscure, but rewarding field. I appreciate your comments and kind words.

#4

totally agree with Jim, … in fact, it’s really cool to see something different … the environment and subject should gel with each other in such a way that the viewer should get a very peculiar feeling …

i like the wet / slippery feel going on near the tail … i think it’s because of the extra light …
further more … looking at the position … it feels like it could be placed in a jar …

if yes, i found these that match your concept … check out the lighting … ingenious! … don’t be afraid to clash colors … experiment and you’ll be amazed with the results … you already achieved that with the lower part of the facehugger …

> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GDa2XGgn1Kg/Siy8IxMm3jI/AAAAAAAAA1E/ncgSzMCfFyE/s400/facehugger2.jpg

> http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a101/xamel1975/Alien%20Queen%20fetus/facehuggerinjars.jpg

> http://www.treksinscifi.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7111.0;attach=22508;image

this is my fav!
> http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PwfNyHzokQo/SSqzsQkb_4I/AAAAAAAAAGg/O5UV-cptypE/s400/DSCF4119.JPG

suppose you want to place it on the operation table … again … lighting is the key …

> http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_tools/breast_cancer_overview_slideshow/photolibrary_rm_photo_of_radiation_for_breast_cancer.jpg

there is lot mood in this one … very interesting …
> http://www.windworksdesign.com/assets/lighting/lights1.jpg

> http://www.myciti.in/editorimage/operation%20theatre%282%29.jpg

found some more … these could serve well for the organs’ look and feel …

> http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-1BBY/alien/gallery/facehugger-1077383.html
> http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltqvktefLz1qa1o5zo1_500.jpg
> http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyu3ed3J1Z1qa1o5zo1_500.jpg

i’m really curious to see where you’ll go with this concept … it’s very interesting!

all the best mate! :beer:

#5

As someone who does mostly science art and some medical illustration (though I’m not certified) for a living, I can’t help liking this. This is nicely rendered. It would look good in a exobiology textbook. :wink: I’d like to see a ‘coffee table’ scifi/fantasy art book geared around the anatomy of otherworldly critters. Hint-hint, Ballistic.

I think the ventral parts of the tail shown could use more detail, to match the dorsal part of the coiled tail. I also think a ventral view of the critter would have shown more interesting structures/details, especially on the left side of the illustration.

I’d really like to see some of your medical illustration work.
By the way, great CG Portfolio. :thumbsup:

#6

As someone who never has done medical illustrations, i agree, cool work - very well done in its own genre as (pseudo-)scientific illustration! :thumbsup: Perhaps some fine lettering could help (like A, B, C at least) to make the type of the work clear to everyone.

Keep it up!

#7

I like the illustration too, and I would have voted for it in the judging panel had I seen it. I’m guessing it was rejected because of the presentation. A subject on a blank background is generally not deemed as having a creative presentation. The judges are often much more accepting of images that has a creative presentation that pushes beyond technical renderings. Works that are emotive, have narratives, or interesting design/presentation where the subject isn’t just on a blank background, will more likely get their votes. If you produced technical illustrations for clients, don’t just submit them as is–makes some changes so it’s more interesting and suitable for the Showcase Gallery.

#8

I forgot to address the rejection aspect. As others have mentioned, I too think the presentation is what shot it down. I think the white background is a problem too, in the case of this image. The thing that caught my attention, that I wasn’t crazy about, is the white silhouette with the shaded ‘outer glow’ against the white bg. It reads as an easy solution, to me. The all around shade of it conflicts with the stylistic logic of the cast shadow from the leg-fingers on the left. To give the image that CGS showcase drama :slight_smile: , I’d go with a dark graded blue-green bg and an x-ray/holographic phantom image on the right, under the guts.

As zokana mentioned, leaders and labels would help. Labels (white or pale green) in a funky scifi font would add a lot to the images technical presentation. The font doesn’t have to read easily, under the circumstance. Maybe pump up the contrast a bit (highlights and shadows) to give it more volume, and add some of that greenish rim light to the organs, as you have on parts of the tail. I’d work up the sheen, making the critter more wet looking and the organs more ‘slimy’.

That said, I get just as giddy (if not more) gawking at the illustrations in a Thieme anatomy atlas on a white page bg as I do a glossy book of the ‘best-of-the-best’ sici/fantasy art.

Here’s a po to basically describe some of what I’m talking about.

#9

This is great work, I would put this on the wall in my bedroom or in the office :). I wouldnt put any background to it, for me it completly ruins the hole feeling of a medical illustration wchich is very intersting in my opinon.

#10

I’ve been having the same problems with my most recent work also, just posted on here about it too “Monk of Telrena - questions” lol. Nothing is getting excepted. Honestly this is a great piece, all your work is. And on the issue of a background I don’t think it should be a problem being as of now there are multiple images in the 2D gallery with no background or just a slight gradient, with the subject matter a bit underwhelming. Not trying to say this example is bad but “Be my demon, Estefanía de Castro” is a scanned in water color… And being it’s a play on a medical illustration the background you have is perfect for it. I can’t understand why work of this quality is getting denied yet much less professional work, in all aspects, gets excepted…

#11

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