HOME | DD
GH-MoNGo — Battle of Nettlebranch Hill
Published: 2008-10-01 15:31:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 5886; Favourites: 105; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
First off I have to thank *ScottPurdy for giving me a lot of pointers about how to approach this painting. It was definitely a challenge for me.When I went to the VCU Graphics Lab to have the original drawing scanned, the manager really liked it and told me that he wanted to see it when it was finished. When I showed it to him today, he said it was "awesome". He's a big fantasy fan himself.
For the original concept I wanted to really emphasize the contrast between the orcs and the gnolls (which is why the orcs are all clean-shaven). I was also aiming to make the whole scene bloody and brutal, but without muddying the composition. It was difficult to gauge the values on the spatters since Naphthamide Maroon (PR171) and Perylene Maroon (PR179) have such significant drying shifts (they dry a lot lighter than they appear when wet).
Ink, watercolour, casein on Twinrocker 200 lb. CP Watercolour Paper.
Related content
Comments: 195
I get a kick out of that one gnoll in the back... He looks like he's trying to find an opening to sneak in a hit or two...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Or someone's fingers to bite.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
No BS, I like this painting. Good job it looks great.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I agree with Mafeo I see a huge improvement in you skill with this one. While your last couple put great depth between the foreground and the background, this one has that and really good depth to each character. I also like how the texture of the paper works with your picture.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks!
Yeah, I like a fair bit of texture in my pieces, just to keep them from looking too flat.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Thanks big guy, glad you like it!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
well, this is about the most epic thing i've seen you do! really well done, sir.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Looking awesome, D! It was a real treat seeing your watercolors in person at the Baltimore Con. The images you post here look really good but seeing them in real life just takes them to that next level.
Keep up the awesomeness, dude.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks man!
That was the first time I took any of my originals with me to a convention.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Sweet. This is your best piece so far, I think. I often think you're sticking too much to the brown-scale, but with the light of the sky and those crisp outlines, I really don't feel that way about this picture. Keep it up!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks!
Yeah I had to slap myself in order to keep myself from turning the sky brown. I do have that tendency!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is really, really good - I love the finish you get on your coloured work and it works really well in this complex scene. Great stuff!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
This is great! The center blade almost appears to be coming right off the paper.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Amazing! That's one heck of an epic battle scene.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Tehee, that's fabulous. I love the linework and atmospheric perspective.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks a bunch!
I haven't heard from you in a while, how is everything going on your end?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow! What a huge improvement, a huge success!!
I know how sucky watercolors can be, you handled them well, bro. Great use of values to keep the eye focused even in this chaotic scene. Your really honing your style. Keeps getting tighter and tighter.
Have to ask.-You have a simplified style that works, what do you feel needs to happen to take it to the marketable level?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks!
Have to ask.-You have a simplified style that works, what do you feel needs to happen to take it to the marketable level?
It's hard to try and predict what will be marketable in the future; trends seem to come and go year after year. Right now is a period of conservative art direction in illustration - tight, detailed realism is in style. By the time I get out of school, though, it might be turned completely on its head. I don't try to worry about those things now. Maybe something will happen between now and then to change the dynamic of what sells and what art directors are looking for.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I completely understand.
Let me rephrase, What do YOU feel needs to improve to make your art marketable in YOUR eyes?
Markets are the most fickle pieces of.....
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
In short, everything. I'm always looking to improve every aspect of my artwork. Some things need more improvement than others, specifically value contrast, anatomy, and colour treatment, but there isn't any one part of my work that I look at and say that it's at the level that I feel it needs to be.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Wowzers. This is *hugely* impressive.
Quite aside from the typically ace linework and colouring, you've done an absolutely terrific job of emphasising the chaotic, gritty brutality of the scene without sacrificing clarity in the slightest. There's a tremendous sense of savage kinetic energy to the whole image, but you can still clearly see what's going on, and the clever background composition uses minimal detail to suggest that the battle is stretching away into the distance for miles.
This is an extremely accomplished piece, and I like it lots. Just so long as the orcs ultimately emerge victorious, natch.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks a bunch, man! It took me a good week to work out how everyone was going to fit into the picture.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Only my pleasure my friend!You are always welcome!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
<= Prev |