HOME | DD
Maiafay — 'Guardian of Paradise'
Published: 2005-08-02 23:49:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 10259; Favourites: 263; Downloads: 1876
Redirect to original
Description
Forest sentinel,protector of lush meadows and emerald glades.
Where the gates of paradise are not wrought in iron and gold,
but with flowers and oak.
She is the warm breeze of summer,
the dew on tender leaves.
Her laughter brings the morning sun,
her anger invites the sudden storm.
She is the keeper of the green, the guardian of nature.
This is her domain,
the last realm of heaven on earth.
Harmony and serenity rule here.
~Carrie Hall 2005
I am so tired of looking at this. I have spent many many hours, that I did not bother to count. I do know it took about 5-6 hours for the flowers in her hair.
I will post detail shots later on in my scraps and then post links to those.
I added a few things, a couple shadows, and made her a bit smaller. Sorry I happen to be kinda a downer right now, I had a bad day.
Enjoy my second clumsy attempt at digital....
I am discouraging critiques from here on out. I am not going to change anything, I like her the way she is. Even her imperfections. I will take what people have said up to this point and implement those suggestions into the next piece. Thanks...
Related content
Comments: 66
This is really beautiful. I especially like her hair and her wings.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
the colours are just wonderful! The amount of detail almost made me topple off my seat. You have amazinh patience that's for sure. She looks a lot like how I picture Lilith although being sweet and keeping the harmony would be completely out of character
The poem is perfect with it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Stunning, as is all your gallery!
Congrats on the DD!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow... This is very well done and I love the detail! The flowers in her hair look really neat as well.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Amazing work. The detail is breathtaking. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is lovely. @_@ The sheer detail and the vibrant colors...It blows me away. I cannot believe I hadn't found your sooner. I really think you did an amaing job with the colors and the soft feel of realism, but not. It is like the word ethereal has been embodied by your piece.
(Thankgod for friends with dA links XD)
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
*gawks* That's amazing
Wow I like the whole magical dreamy scenerey that you decided to capture in this painting.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Beautiful, I love her wings, and the coloring is amazing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
omg this is just gorgeous! all the details...beautiful!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This isn't really critique, because I don't want you to change a thing ... it's more gushing, I think.
I like this painting VERY much. The colors are smooth - as much as I like the brushstroke effect you can get from digital paintings, it's nice to see pure, smooth color sometimes.
Speaking of color, the range of hues and tones in this piece is amazing. The softer "echo wing" behind the first one is perfectly muted, and the shine of her skin is completely believable and well painted.
Love it.
-Phae
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Imperfections!? I can't even begin to see any! This is amazing o.o I love her wings @@ <333 And her hair is beautiful. The detail and depth of the picture is awesome.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The floral hair and the tiny butterflies everywhere are wonderful, and the deep jeweled colors are fabulous.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is so beautiful. The colors are so amazing. I just love this concept, and mostly the movement of this piece. Every detail is just stunning.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
She doesn't seem quite like a guardian, but everyone has his own interpetaion.
I really like the bright use of colors in this picture.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
she is very lovely!! i think that she looks fine. i love the flowers. its a wonderful job ^_^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Well, I think she's beautiful. I love the way you did the light reflections on her skin.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
you're too hard on yourself, then again, so am I, so whatever, right?!
and "clumsy" is not the word for this... "awesome" on the other hand, now that's fitting...
and I don't know about you, but the stuff I try really hard on and love the most get no attention, and the stuff I just throw together and don't really care about (and are generally inferior to other works) get fav's and comments constantly. it seems we never hear good things about the stuff we want to hear good things about. *shrug*
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
you're too hard on yourself, then again, so am I, so whatever, right?!
and "clumsy" is not the word for this... "awesome" on the other hand, now that's fitting...
and I don't know about you, but the stuff I try really hard on and love the most get no attention, and the stuff I just throw together and don't really care about (and are generally inferior to other works) get fav's and comments constantly. it seems we never hear good things about the stuff we want to hear good things about. *shrug*
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
That is definitely not clumsy. It is better than I could have done for sure.
Brilliant job.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I think this is beautiful! The details and the colors are great! I hope your day gets better!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
oh my goddess that is lovely she is so fierce and beautiful.. i honestly believe she would protect paradise
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
o.o How on *earth* you can call this clumsey is beyond me...
The level of detail is astounding. I'd say between the colors and details it makes for a very "rich" piece (didn't know howelse to phrase it). It really is just beautiful...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is stunning, Carrie! I ould greatly enjoy seeing you get a DD for this- better you then some disrespectful- heartless drone that seem to get them all the time -_- :glare:
Anyway! I love it- the butterfly wings- everything! The jewels on her outfit are stunning and the flowery hair- as well as the green outlines around individual strands- makes everything glow! I love her expression and the colors are mind blowing! I simply ADORE what you've done here- and you may feel like it's crummy- but it's possibly my favorite ofyours- other then the black and white sketch of the woman holding the kull... I wonder what that title was again... lol!
Let's see... There are a few things I can see- that might be changable? Maybeh? I trust you not to get pissed at me and flame me if I point things out so here I go:
Her skin on her chest- that's a bit too yellow to the eye- maybe a little too much lighting? For some reason (other then possibly lighting) the skin of her chest looks a little displaced to her face! I think the shading on it is fabulous- the lighting is woderfully done- cept that one thing.
I can sorta see about the face lookin-mask like- but perhaps a little shading under her bangs, and that'd ix the problem....
Let's see- the only things I see have to do with the woman... First, her arms, a bit large- but I only noticed because her body makes too much of a > It's far too small to be realistic- and of all the things I saw, that was the only thing that probably should be mentioned- but i'll continue anyway... She looks like a woman, but that > makes her look scrawny- unhealthily so... (forgive my typing TT____TT) The only other things- other then her arm and back/stomach- would have to be HER left breast, no the one with the poking nipple, but the other!
It looks a little mis- shapen- but not much- it's only after staring- looking for things to possibly help you get better, that i noticed. Let's see- it's not right and I don't know how to explain. The undesride should be more circular- even if it is being tucked in- it's a little, sqaure-like.
... oh man- my hands hurt badly- so I ca't really type any more- i've been movign- and school- and YUCK! I've not been able to read or write- so I'll be seeing your sequal soon!
I do hope your not insulted- because i simply love your works- both art and literature- and would die if you felt negatively towards me- however, I am a little weary of pointing out things nowadays- it has to do largely with some disrespectful- rude- calloused people on DA.... TT____TT
Anyway,
:Hug:
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I am not changing a thing. period...I think I am going to change the setting on this piece. I worked too long and too hard on it, to have it nitpicked to death. I see quite a few other pieces... for one. Her newest piece has many mistakes and still has glowing reviews...and a crap load of faves....geez. THe one breast is not facing the audiance...and is covered in cloth. It folds....I had no reference for that. I did put shading under the hair...any more and her face would be off. The darker shading on her chest was supposed to be from the shadow of the hair. The yellow spots were supposed to be the reflection of the background. Skin is not always so peach....it has many many colors. Maybe I put a bit too much in it....oh well.
I suppose someone will complain about the butterflies next right? I am surprised no one has.
I have had a extremely shitty day...and some of that is coming out here...sorry, but I have seen too many deviations with more mistakes than mine never get a compliant. THat is infuriating to me....
::Sighs::
Thanks for all the pointers, however small....perhaps again, maybe the next piece will be perfect for everyone. Not that is makes a damn bit of difference anyway.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I find that artists are always their own worst critic (me included). Everyone has mistakes, even if it's only really tiny ones. And some things just don't turn out as good sometimes. *shrugs* It's important to also not get too mad at other artists for getting more attention. (Don't forget about all the people who look at your piece and don't comment, they're loving it too.) There are a lot of artists, who aren't as good as others, and they look up to the better artists. They don't neccessarily see all the mistakes, because they're not as experienced, so they comment and fav things that might have a lot of mistakes to people who are more experienced. Anyways, your piece is still beautiful, even if you think it's crappy. And I think the butterflies are all wonderful.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I think this looks so beautiful, and I can't believe you feel that this is a "clumsy" attempt. I'm personally amazed that you were able to create such a beautiful piece of art with only a second attempt at a new medium - Most of us wouldn't be able to create something as wonderful as this with a medium we've used our entire lives!
I really like almost everything in this piece. I think the composition is very unique; even though the focal point is off to the side more than usual, it's very successful because of her lovely wings and all the detail in the background. The colors are also great - The blues and greens really give off a feeling of paradise, and I love the accents of yellow and red.
And like all of your women, she is absolutely gorgeous. She looks nicely proportioned, and I love how her figure is curvy and sensuous, but still enviously realistic. I think her top and hair decorations are stunning, and I love the little bits of yellow that are reflecting off her skin; it makes her look like she's glowing in the pretty environment.
I find your artwork so inspiring, Carrie. When I first saw your work at Elfwood, I actually went out and bought some Prismacolors because I loved your work with them. And if I wasn't a broke college student, I'd probably go out and buy a tablet. 
- Ashley
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I love the light coming through the trees in the background, in a way that reminds me of Maxfield Parish (in a different color palette). All of the colors in her skin are really good too, too many people try to render flesh in only one "peach" color.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
THanks on the compliment about max parish...I like his work as well.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's beautiful and far better than anything I could hope to do in Photoshop!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
She's simply perfect! You're style make me enchanted always!! ^___^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
All that work learning traditional art has given you an edge on learning digital. This is beautiful.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You know I have wondered at that fact...I guess you are probably right. Which is a good thing....3 months ago, I could barely move the pen right on my tablet.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
so gorgeously breath takin, but ove heard it all before im sure
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
so gorgeously breath takin, but ove heard it all before im sure
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
She's beautiful. I love all the colors and the BG. It's so full of detail; especially the flowers in her hair. I really adore her face and her skin as well. I must fav it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
how could u say its clumse? hell go see my site and u'll know ur stuff is heaven on earth..plus its faries so yaaay!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
... clumsy? If this is clumsy, I wonder what you consider excellent. It's incredible, outstripping me with your ease of digital work! I must fave this and stare for hours on end.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
| Next =>