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balaa — Smilodon prelim sketch
Published: 2006-02-14 12:27:06 +0000 UTC; Views: 5791; Favourites: 132; Downloads: 551
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Description
this will be colored I think simply because I like the 'feel' of the sketch. The image is done for the totem card project. Naturally I am enthusiastic about the idea of studying the Smilodon Fatalis, aka Saber Toothed tiger and this may well become one of many exploration pieces of the long extinct feline. I am still collecting photos of skulls of both lions and Smilodon, in order to compare structure and anatomy better.But so far I am just having a blast with the idea of interpreting markings and such of an extinct animal. YAY for artistic license. Of course I will keep in mind scientific facts already established about what colors/markings would allow the animal to actually survive in real life.(but that still leaves much room for Balaa play!)
This sketch needs some tweaking before its colored.
advanced critique that can help me improve future work is welcome, please bare in mind I don't like comments like "the muzzle looks wrong" if you think something looks off, please explain why and perhaps offer an idea of how it would look better
. Thats just a lot more helpful than empty critique. Thank yas!
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Comments: 49
you know. I love the sketchy look to it. Such a nice and smooth flow to it. and feels natural. Everything looks awesome to me here.
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I don't see much wrong with it
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Oh, I love! I'm not that fond of the cub, it's arm bothers me for some reason, though I don't see whats off. I adore the elder one though. Quite gorgeous and the marking you came up with are so stunning! I also love the neck and facial expression of the adult, not sure why. Just a random likeing to it I guess. ^-^
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On the adult cat, the head seems at a tilt or angle, until it gets to the canines and chin, where they seem leveled and head-on. That is the only thing that bothers me about this sketch, and I know you will do great things with it.
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This sketch has such a nice feel to it. It's so free and the lines rock. I can't wait to see the finished piece!
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i think this looks awesome and I can't WAIT until I see the finished product. the muzzel seems perfect, the way the teeth come out and everything ^^
you're so awe inspiring!
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I liket his picture a lot; the sketchiness gives the impression of shaggy fur, especially on the older sabertooth. Are you intending to keep it this sketchy when you color it, or is it going to be cleaned up some? It'd look good either way, though, so I suppose it doesn't matter.
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How could it possibly look wrong? I mean, after all this is a creature who hasn't walked on this earth for a very long time. And what is up with Smilodon anyway? Robert wants to do one
Well, I suppose that's not hundreds of artists, but it seems a sudden kind of jump.
But between the two of you I'm getting a good dose of prehistoric goodness. Do what you wish, want, and must do Balaa! We will of course be watching and "oooing" and "ahhhing" over the rich results.
k
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well the saber toothed cat was picked out by the project's managers..so I didn't really have a choice...mind you I have no complaints XD. My other card is to depict a part actually..that one scares me a LOT more than this one 
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Ah! So that's what's going on. *grin* Well, I have every confidence no matter what you portray it will be a stellar depiction when your heart is within it. You do very well.
k
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*parot..apparantly I cannot spell today
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We'll get to see the bottom of that fore paw in the finished piece right? RIGHT? My only tick with it is that, anatomically, the adults teeth seem to be placed differently than the cubs. They seem to be further forward and more in front of the jaw, as opposed to the very to-the-side look of the cubs sabers. They both look quite good (better than I could render either of them frankly) but they look different from one another. If that made any sense (much less useful sense) I hope it helps.
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eheheh so you noticed that too..right on. I actually had some problems with the cubby, I think I rushed him a bit..I see several things that need changings anatomically..so thank ya for painting it out to me. It could be that I dont have the canines spaced far enough apart on the adult either..herm...but the first piece doesnt have to be perfect methinks..its more a way to get a 'feel' for the animal than anything.
again thankies for the helpful critique and of course the comment
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Always a pleasure (and a nice suprise to get a comment back) I think I actually like the way the canines look on the adult, they're a bit narrower than I think they would have been in real life, but I like how they look closer together.
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Ok, I'm guessing that a Smilodon prelim, and I only spelled that right cause of copy and paste, is what the Sabertooth Tiger looking cats are.... Right.... Cause I have mo idea what so ever about what a Smilodon prelim is..... Don't shoot me!!!!!!
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If I may...
the "Sabertooth Tiger" is the common term for a smilodon; "prelim" is just a shortened form for preliminary (meaning, "this is the sketch that comes before the piece").
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HA!! I KNEW that I had heard the word smildon before!! Ha, I'm so stupid... So common in the land of all you smart and talented people...
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Awww I love it so far! I can't wait to see the marking you have in mind and the final product!
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awww. i love it. i love cats of all sizes and breeds ... ^.^ purrrrrr
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It looks amazing so far. Sorry to say that I can't really offer any critiques because it looks really good. I especially like that you included a cub. Your rarely see that in pictures of Saber Tooths. They're always killing/snarling/angry and I like the peacefulness of this pic. Well done.
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Amazing work! I love the feel of the sketch too. ^-^
Since you mention critique there was just one thing that irked me a leetle bit, I wondered if there should be a bit more droopy jowl action going on to house their sabre teeth. I'll try to find something to show you what I mean.. [link] <--- this regular tiger shows it off pretty well. You know way more about cats than me though, could be you intended not to do that.
I'm loving the structure of their heads, and the foreshortening. I can't wait to see the markings you design for this species. ^-^
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thats a thought for certain...It may be that the droopy jowl will show a bit more in the colored piece, as the sketch may yet face some tweaking before coloring
Thank you for the comment and suggestion!
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I think they are brilliant, an amazing interpretation of the extinct saber tooth tiger.
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They really look realistic! Great work 
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This picture looks really great, even if it still is a sketch. Though, it will make an amazing picture once it is done n_n
As always, you know very well that I cannot find any faults in your art ;D
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Enlarge the saber teeth!!! I like them big and exaggerated! hehehaha!! No, seriously, like the ones in Walking with Mammals. Watched that episode of saber-tooths? I just think that you must really show the symbolic feature.
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Wow! Absolutely stunning-- I really love the piercing stare in the adult. And the little one looks so fuzzy and cute!
Just a few nitpicks-- the sabers in the adult are actually more shaped like a knife than the cone-like canines in extant cats. The picture looks absolutely beautiful the way it is, but if you wanted it to be a smidge more accurate, I would suggest thinning the sabers accordingly. And what's really neat is in the cubs the sabers come down mostly straight, and then have a small, but sharp, curve at the tip. Almost as if you heated up a knife and bent the tip.
You really nailed everything else, and it's a wonderful picture! Any chance you'll color it?
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I really like this piece. The cub looks fantastic, but like a previous person commented, the spots on the muzzle of the adult look a little hard. The only other thing that immediately leaps out at me are the canines of the adult. They seem a little too far forward/close together on the upper jaw. I dug around for a frontal shot of a smilodon skull and found this [link] I hope this helps explain what I mean
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I like this overall. I agree that it's nice to see them shown more realistically and less as insane killers as they're usually potrayed. I especially like how you do a mix of spots and stripes in their fur. The spots are especially likely, but the slight stripes shows how easily it could have developed other ways too.
There are only two things that I can think of that may need improvement:
1) I don't see the whiskers. Since these may come later I'm not worried, just pointing out I can't see them there in this version.
2) On the big cat the spots on the muzzle look... odd... almost three dimesnional like they're moles. Especially the one on its left muzzle (right as you view it) that seems to be sticking out a bit over the edge.
Hope this helps.
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they look so scared!
do you know what type of palette you are going to use?
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not yet Im running through the catalogue in my mind and I keep seeing 'early morning' muted soft peaceful tones..BUT I will do some more research before I decide
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woot! cant wait to see what you pick
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I really like the concept, and good luck on doing those markings!
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Looks very good! Peolple often seem to draw those animals as savage beast that only thing about killing, but these look very cute.
I guess the markings would look a bit like lion cubs. With spots, but not very clear.
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They look great! The big one has a ancient look to it, think it's the hard lines on the cheeks, i like it
And the little one is so cute =^_^=
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