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Published: 2006-10-09 23:51:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 34232; Favourites: 1243; Downloads: 409
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Description
This is the path to Eden.This is the heaven's stair.
Beyond the fleeting veil of glory:
This is the gate of slaughter.
_
She is Ahsdri'ehl, ruler of the Ahn; a mythological figurehead of greed and corruption. It is told that she stands on a ruined staircase beyond the wastelands, enticing men to cross into the storm beyond. She promises wealth, power, glory—but all who follow her find nothing but their own doom.
Sorry for the lull in my output. A lot of stuff has been keeping me busy, and then the past few weeks my insomnia’s reared it’s ugly head again so I’ve been exhausted with a chronic headache. It really slowed me down.
Anyway…I did this concept last year with acrylics, but it looked more like a Snow White takeoff and was really static and boring. So I gave it another try. I’m much, much happier with this version. It was such a challenge to paint…I wanted everything to look very chaotic without being senseless, and the figure was to be static without being boring… it took a lot of thought to work it. The sky is the most complicated sky I’ve ever painted, and it took me ages to figure out how to get the water to look right.
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Comments: 97
mindofka [2006-11-10 13:31:16 +0000 UTC]
Wonderful piece, lovely cut and colour scheme, great work!
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Firstborn [2006-11-04 02:17:46 +0000 UTC]
I think you fulfilled all your requirements for this piece! By far!!
The water rising to the sky is nothing but breathtaking! Not to mention the extraordinary sky!
And sorry for bugging you with questions , but I simply have to ask what kind of brushes you used for painting the sky?
Anyhow, this is one of my biggest favorites yet on DA, and therefore a definite !
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navate In reply to Firstborn [2006-11-04 04:52:55 +0000 UTC]
No problem! I use custom brushes. For skies I mainly use these two:
[link]
[link]
I block in the colors first, then I go in and refine everything with the first brush, set at a very low opacity so I can layer the color. I also use that brush for skin because it blends so easily. Then I create a new layer and use the second brush to carefully overlay texture, also at a very low opacity, erasing bits and relayering more texture until it looks right, then I flatten the layer. I hope that helped!
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Firstborn In reply to navate [2006-11-04 05:14:58 +0000 UTC]
Thank you!
Actually, it helped alot. Gave me an idéa of how you made this soft blending of the colours possible, and how this rich texturing was made.
And thank you a lot for showing the brushes! That was helpful indeed! It makes this custom brush thing much easier to understand when there is something to have a look at. ^^ Very sweet of you!
Hmm... Guess it's time for me to learn how to make custom brushes of my own now. The standard Photoshop brushes just isn't enough.
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navate In reply to Firstborn [2006-11-04 18:17:39 +0000 UTC]
Making custom brushes is easy! You can use the ones I linked, actually. Just open the jpg in Photoshop, and go to Edit>Define Brush, and they'll be added to your brush toolbar.
Here's a tutorial on making your own custom brushes by the lovely Linda Bergkvist: [link]
Click "tutorials" and then "textured burshes". She gives a great walkthrough of how to do it.
In fact, the round brush I showed you before was made by her... she made it as a smudge brush, but I don't use the smudge tool and found it gave me lovely results as a normal painting brush instead.
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Firstborn In reply to navate [2006-11-12 02:38:54 +0000 UTC]
Thank you! That's really generous of you!! I just love the way both your and Linda's brush comes out, and I'm sure to use them!
And now, after reading Linda Bergkvist's walkthrough, I actually made one brush of my own! It's not the greatest one ever made, but I made it! So thanks for the tip!
I've actually been to her web page many times before, but for some reason never paid much attention to the brush tutorial... *Shame on me!* I think I just assumed it would be too hard, since I'm still a beginner when it comes to this digital art things.^^ But you were right, it really IS easy!
And, creative thinking thinking is good thinking!^^ Never mind what it was intended for in the first place. If it works, it works!
You are a great artist! Thanks for taking the time and effort to help a curious deviant.^^
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navate In reply to Firstborn [2006-11-12 15:59:56 +0000 UTC]
Oh, thank you so much. Good luck with everything!
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Dj-Magnum20 In reply to ??? [2006-10-29 08:08:05 +0000 UTC]
I'm glad you put more work up I really love this painting, I agree that it is definitely challenging to make a quiet pose look interesting, but you definitely pulled it off! the drapery and the hair's awesome!
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navate In reply to mrjs [2006-10-23 23:35:10 +0000 UTC]
Thank you. I use Photoshop 7.0 and a Wacom tablet.
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LadyNadja [2006-10-21 08:48:01 +0000 UTC]
This is so magnificent it has to be my Fav of the Year! You capture the darker side of seduction so well. I love the corset, the face and hair, the swirls in her dress, and above all that hand with its beautiful long, pointed nails (don't square tips, suck!). She beckons and what mortal would dare refuse?
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shadowed-angel [2006-10-17 10:15:06 +0000 UTC]
That is incredibly amazing!! The detail is to die for and the whole aura is menacing yet enticing. You have done an incredible job and I am envious of your talent
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strawberrysmiles [2006-10-17 01:11:34 +0000 UTC]
Holy SHIT... Okay Navate I am now admitting you are one of the best digital artists I have ever seen out there, hands down. The face, the thundering waves, the giant rip in the sky, the inviting hand... Aah I love it, I love it all! My newest .
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navate In reply to strawberrysmiles [2006-10-17 01:17:11 +0000 UTC]
Ange... you flatter me.
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OLoboCanta [2006-10-12 22:26:54 +0000 UTC]
i'm in love with this
it's so powerful + amazingly well done
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soys [2006-10-12 00:29:08 +0000 UTC]
Strong, terrifiant and attractive, You painting are awesome
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noneternalfortune [2006-10-11 19:03:46 +0000 UTC]
Wow, that´s really wonderful... Watched the corsett and thought only...: Wow... How did she that? Looks so fantastically truly, like I could touch her!! But all in all is wonderful done, think of many time to sat and worked on it, didn´t you? And her hand!!! Not like drawn, looks like a photo!! And like the sea around her like a thunder coming up out of the water. Really well done, you are so talented and I think a human full of ideas and fantasy ^^
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Sitara-Leota [2006-10-11 03:23:36 +0000 UTC]
VERY well done. I like a lot of the little effects.
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2BORN02B [2006-10-11 01:32:03 +0000 UTC]
This is beautiful - not a trace of static or boring-ness at all. The whole piece seems to swirl with ominous movement. Very stunning. Well worth all of your efforts!
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Fainelloth [2006-10-10 12:48:47 +0000 UTC]
wow, it's just another awesome piece of yours! I've seen the sketch of it over at you CG portfolio and since then I was looking forward to the finished piece.
The mood about the painting is just ... creepy and you did a hell good job on the sky!
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DEADLY-INK [2006-10-10 12:31:21 +0000 UTC]
WOW! She is the wreched wench of my nightmares. Such power, promise and evil. This is a realy beautifully done piece. I think your water came out great. I dig the way you bounced the color from the viens in the stairs. The sky is impressive, the break in the clouds realy helps to show her promise of great things beyond while her face shows only your doom. Incredible job.
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Milui [2006-10-10 12:09:35 +0000 UTC]
Very powerful work! Looks like a god of thunder came down!
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Morinoki [2006-10-10 08:42:31 +0000 UTC]
I love it wholeheartedly.
The picture inspired me so much.
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6Black6Sun6 [2006-10-10 04:57:08 +0000 UTC]
I'm owned by this artwork....amazing details, colours and shading....greate job
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ExquisiteDefect [2006-10-10 03:58:10 +0000 UTC]
There is so much to comment about. I can almost feel this image and hear music going along with it. I love the hair, the stairs with blood, the gown, and the blurs of lining flowing around.
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pInKpUnKsTaR [2006-10-10 02:58:54 +0000 UTC]
Wow Lauren that's amazing. I think this is my all time favorite so far out of all the pieces I've seen by you...You are so extremely talented!
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MagicEyes [2006-10-10 02:04:46 +0000 UTC]
your sea is very beautiful... you are amazing at digital work.
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slickgreekgeo [2006-10-10 01:26:38 +0000 UTC]
Very dark style; I like it. Great composition and lightning.
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gorefaery [2006-10-10 01:15:56 +0000 UTC]
wooow!! i love this!! i couldnt resist to add this to my favourites very good job !!
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ht [2006-10-10 00:57:22 +0000 UTC]
truly amazing navate!
i love all the details... i can tell you worked very hard on this piece :]
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ChristineMarieArt [2006-10-10 00:54:45 +0000 UTC]
WOW! Love it! The water is fantastic, there is so much energy in this piece, great job!
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Wildfire2003 In reply to ??? [2006-10-10 00:03:31 +0000 UTC]
This was well worth the wait! Gorgeous and wicked
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rainbowtohell [2006-10-09 23:57:31 +0000 UTC]
Interesting. I think the style in which you did the hair is my favorite.
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