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Published: 2007-09-08 06:23:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 3784; Favourites: 95; Downloads: 125
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Ok, here we go, finally.Here is the full color version of the Brooding Town. Watercolor on board over the ink drawing. This thing would've been a heck of a lot easier if it's been a day scene. Getting the shadows right with watercolor was a nightmare.
Okay, I promised you the back story of this little scene when I posted the line work, so here we go. This little town hugs the coast of a warm sea inside a circular island formed by an ancient dormant volcano. In turn this volcanic island resides in the far northern seas of a distant world.
The high mountains and rough roads have kept it relatively isolated for centuries, and thus it has developed a culture far different from the other coastal villages.
During the long centuries of isolation that followed the collapse of the gate system, many planets developed strange and alien cultures, their inhabitants mutated by the extraterrestrial environment in which they were trapped and modified by geneticists to suit their new homes.
Some branches of the human family hardly seem human at all, now.
In this particular town, the locals learned to absorb life from their surrounding environment, from the plants and the animals, blessing them with amazing strength and lifespans stretching into the centuries. But it has come at a cost.
If you've seen my other piece, The Mob, you've seen what they are becoming. With each passing year, their humanity dwindles, and they become more like nature, dark and cruel, and merciless. As their secret becomes harder to hide, they turn ever farther from the rest of humanity, and in the woods, and in the sea, dark things can be heard to howl.
Into this world, stumbles our protagonist.
If you can guess which short story put the germ of this idea in my head, you're awesome. If not, here's a hint:
Ia Ia Cthulhu Ftaghn!
P.S. This is a dark piece. If you can't see it clearly, buy a better monitor.
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Comments: 43
MarsianMoon [2016-12-28 08:24:12 +0000 UTC]
What a beautiful place to live ! Really love it.
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thevizir [2012-05-09 05:13:49 +0000 UTC]
Gorgeous piece, and the Lovecraftian backstory makes it even better... congrats
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to thevizir [2012-06-30 03:52:55 +0000 UTC]
Sorry it took so long to reply, but thank you. I've developed a lot of work based on the seed of an idea in this pic.
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Zguns [2008-06-13 17:52:22 +0000 UTC]
I've been staring at this for the past five minutes and I still can't look away. Wow
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Zguns [2008-06-13 17:55:48 +0000 UTC]
Thanks.
It will soon be hanging on the wall of a gallery in Pensacola, FL if you wanna see it in person.
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Zguns [2008-06-13 18:19:19 +0000 UTC]
Well then you need to buy a plane ticket, don't ya?
But seriously, thanks for the compliment. Those city pics are torture to draw, but the results are always worth it.
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to butterflydawn [2007-11-04 03:17:55 +0000 UTC]
Print it out and use it to cover the actual walls of your house!
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Rzj [2007-10-04 17:20:26 +0000 UTC]
it has been a while that I stopped by, and I regret it! This is really, really cool. The whole story behind it and all the stunning details! Oh and of cours the colours
I had my vacation on Elba (Italy) and this actually reminds me of it in some way
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Rzj [2007-10-04 18:48:45 +0000 UTC]
Lucky you. Ah, but I see you live in Europe. Closest I've been is Ireland.
Wish I could go back.
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Rzj In reply to Benjamin-the-Fox [2007-10-04 19:16:39 +0000 UTC]
Ah I would love to go to ireland some day when I've money! there are a lot of places I would love to go....but I'll just try to save my money and dream about it 'till the moment
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WaroDaBeast [2007-10-01 07:54:20 +0000 UTC]
This style with all these dark shades reminds me of some of my childhood books.
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to WaroDaBeast [2007-10-01 08:45:06 +0000 UTC]
Indeed, I just sent my samples to about 30 different children's illustration agencies, so perhaps one day, some one will be reminded of my work.
Well, I can dream, can't I?
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WaroDaBeast In reply to Benjamin-the-Fox [2007-10-02 11:27:46 +0000 UTC]
Dreams are what make us advance.
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Sausabe [2007-09-11 07:48:50 +0000 UTC]
Your artwork is so very intricate, I find it highly intriguing. Not to mention that it's done in watercolor, which makes it several times more spiffy. It's almost too chaotic, but I like it where it is. Pleasant work! Good show.
I also like how your works so often come with a splendid back story; makes the piece in question not only more understandable, but more interesting and provoking.
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Sausabe [2007-09-11 08:28:36 +0000 UTC]
It's my mind, you see. I don't have sudden flashes of inspiration, I have one idea and slowly begin grinding out other ideas from it, like a mole tunneling out in all directions, until everything is interlaced and intricate.
I suppose that is reflected in the art itself, in that I slowly carve detail into the piece. I almost never splash paint onto the page like you always see artists do on TV. And I never work in a frenzy of creativity (man I hate that cliche).
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Sausabe In reply to Benjamin-the-Fox [2007-09-11 21:49:59 +0000 UTC]
I work in a similar way, but I suck at it.
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GH-MoNGo [2007-09-11 03:53:22 +0000 UTC]
Very Sendak-esque, and that's definitely a good thing. Nice work.
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to GH-MoNGo [2007-09-11 04:08:33 +0000 UTC]
Two Sendak comparisons on the same piece!
You know, that's funny, because people kept comparing Shantytown Skyscraper with Miyazaki, and both Shantytown and Vertical Forest Panorama with Chris Riddel.
Something strange is going on here . . .
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to GH-MoNGo [2007-09-11 05:35:05 +0000 UTC]
But I'd hardly even seen Chris Riddel's stuff before I did any of those pieces. I'd never even cracked open one of his books.
And Sendak was the furthest thing from my mind on this piece.
Out of curiosity, what calls Sendak to mind about it?
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chiepet [2007-09-09 00:59:29 +0000 UTC]
wow!!!
the details are kindof hard too see
sometimes, but overall it looks great.
and good story too (:
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Adoradora [2007-09-09 00:44:42 +0000 UTC]
Stunning, as always. When I saw the linework, I had no inkling that the coloured version would be so marvellously atmospheric. This oozes creepiness -- I love it! I even dusted off my monitor so I could see it better
A++! Man, you don't submit often, but when you do...
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Adoradora [2007-09-09 07:06:27 +0000 UTC]
I always love your comments. They are like poetry, for my ego . . .
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ViVibrato [2007-09-08 22:00:39 +0000 UTC]
Awesome. I especially like the trees and the lights.
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NeoForte [2007-09-08 21:00:41 +0000 UTC]
Wow, you are really good with those water colors. Cool
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whammigobambam [2007-09-08 20:56:55 +0000 UTC]
wow turned out great. you did an excellent job on the lighting.
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ArtbyBeans [2007-09-08 19:24:35 +0000 UTC]
you have a very unique style, Maurice Sendak stories come to mind, i think these would make awesome story illustrations. Great detail and design! Bravo
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Shazbar [2007-09-08 18:11:51 +0000 UTC]
Jesus, you're beastly at using watercolor; it can't be easy with detail like that!
I've never read the book your talking about though... D:
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Benjamin-the-Fox In reply to Shazbar [2007-09-08 18:41:27 +0000 UTC]
Well the story is my own. But it's inspired by a short story I read a few months back.
Somehow this looks better when it's lit up by the monitor. Makes the lights seem actually lit.
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Racknahm [2007-09-08 14:22:30 +0000 UTC]
Looks nice. It gets a little blurry in some areas, but other than that I like it.
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boxdoggie [2007-09-08 11:32:21 +0000 UTC]
I like the way all the lines make the picture look a little messy. Gives it a storybook feel.
As a matter of fact, that's what a lot of your pictures give me, and that's just great
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TriciaS [2007-09-08 08:28:38 +0000 UTC]
Must have taken a long time drawing those tiny houses!Love the story..........
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CindeeRoo [2007-09-08 06:34:27 +0000 UTC]
Back...ok....I LOVE THIS!
Love the colors, the details...love the vines on the house there and all those trees!!! What a great work of art.
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Everything-Nikon [2007-09-08 06:27:36 +0000 UTC]
Whoops...accidentally faved it under my club name
BRB...
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AmazingTrout [2007-09-08 06:26:06 +0000 UTC]
I can't see anything in this picture! It's too dark.
8(
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