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pallanoph — Intent
Published: 2011-11-26 09:06:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 9905; Favourites: 497; Downloads: 0
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(EDIT: Altered the color to be a bit brighter. How does he look?)I'm on a colored pencil spree at the moment. Bear with me! (If you'd like.
)My pallanoph assassin character Tjardek has been neglected just a bit in terms of color, especially when it comes to those crazy eyes of his. (The term is heterochromia iridum, and he suffers no loss of function in the pale eye, just for the record.) Given that he is raised alongside his pale eyed brother, Sorstan, in the midst of the amber/brown eyed Teirn tribe, he's regarded as more than a bit unsettling in terms of appearance. He's also considered dangerous, and his temperament can be unpredictable. One would do best not to provoke him at all.
So. Here he is, being his creepy lurker self, no doubt going after a target. I fear for whoever he's looking at.
I'm a little on the fence about how his coat color looks here, as well as the overall lighting/shadows. Guess it's a lesson I'll learn over time. The pale eye looks a bit strange regarding shadows as well. (Also, why did I think it was a good idea to put that branch so close to his eye?) Those are silver fir needles, by the way.
On another note, I think I will enable critiques for this piece. So if you want to leave one in the box, by all means do so, or just leave it as a comment.
I appreciate any feedback you may have.Derwent and Caran d' Ache colored pencils on tobacco Mi-Teintes pastel paper, 9"x4"
Tjardek, pallanoph species, and art © April Schumacher. Please do not utilize. Thank you!
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Comments: 73
I've never worked with colored pencils to any great degree myself, but this is absolutely beautiful! It's truely amazing what some people can do with those things! Excellent work on the fur textures and gradients, looks so real!
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I think that the branch near his blue eye frames it nicely. The attention is drawn around the photo.
As well, I think a black coat with grey/silver highlights would suit him better.But that could just be me :$
I love this<3
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So beautiful! I love the shading and tones! 
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This is just stunning. I'm not one for writing out long-winded, drawn out critiques, and I'm not much of an artist even when it comes to the humble stick figure, but as far as I can see this image is amazing. His eyes draw me into the image, and it's almost as though I'm looking through a small glass window, and he's standing on the other side looking right back at me, his face serious and sombre. He reminds me of a man who knows too much... Or someone who has seen something that really can't be forgotten, no matter how hard they try to defer their thoughts.
I don't know; I sound silly but that is, all in all, what I see.
I hope you will let everybody know when your books are out to be purchased by the public. I know I'll certainly be one of the first few in line. You never know --- I might even camp out if it means that I get to meet the mastermind behind these amazing characters! <3
Pffhaha. Well, this message is longer then planned, but I think I said everything that I had to be said. Please, keep us updated!
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An extremely late reply, so I'll hope you forgive me. That aside, thank you very kindly! 
As soon as any of this comes to fruition, I'll be sure to let you and the rest know. I can only hope I can find the time and energy in life's spare moments to finish. Once again, thank you very much... and I'm sorry it took me so long to say so.
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coloured pencils are my FAVE!!!!!! absolutely OUTSTANDING!!!
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He looks so mysterious and almost sad. Like he has the eyes of a wizened warrior and a thousand lifetimes worth of memories. (Though I suppose if the pictured continued into a big, ear-to-ear grin, he'd look more creepy/psycho haha)
I have such a damned time working with colored pencil, I almost refuse to believe that this gorgeous piece was created in them! Lovely work as always.
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He does probably acquire a pretty worn and world weary sort of look nearer to the end of the novel.
Of course, it really helps if you have awesome colored pencils and use paper with at least some tooth. (Smooth finish is really no good, in my opinion.) I have recently discovered Caran d'Ache colored pencils, and they are gorgeous (though unfortunately, very expensive.)
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I must get my hands on some. I have a box with 160 or so Prismacolor pencils but I'm afraid to touch them x_x
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Those are some beautiful eyes right there!
I love how you illustrate your characters, they really come alive this way
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I love drawing their eyes, but I always think... "One more time, I could do better." 
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Beautiful...Although... It looks like the left eye (viewers left) is a little too high? I know its impossible to fix a pencil drawing at this point, and the pencil drawing itself is amazing, and I LOVE the detail you did on the fur, but you requested critiques, so... Yeah. I can't actually do the critique section I don't think, cause I don't have a paid account, but figured I'd mention it nonetheless...
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It's possible, since I can never quite manage symmetry freehanded. 
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Not sure if they went through before or not. I'm actually amazed that you responded! I really do love your work, its really amazing pencil work! And isn't photoshop amazing?
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And I'm amazed you actually responded to my message x.x Lol, LOVE your work though. The pencil work is amazing ^.^ And isn't photoshop a god? Lol.
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Beautiful and wonderful as ever <3 Sorry I'm too tired to give an proper comment
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Oh, don't you worry... 
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beautiful eyes!I finally find a heterochromic (animal?) that doesn't seem blind
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At it again with the incredible detail! I love the blue shadows and highlights in his eyes. One of the first things I noticed, though, was that all of the values are very similar. Vibrant highlights and darker shadows would create a more defined light source and a more immersive environment, imo! Like bright yellows on the fir needles and on the tips of his fur, for example. If that makes any sense, haha.
And I don't see anything wrong with the stray twig, myself. I didn't notice until you pointed it out. It's easy to get paranoid with asymmetry, though XD
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I have a consistent issue with similar values in virtually all of my works... though the whole thing is usually too light or too dark.
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He's a very handsome lad.
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Looks like my eyes! Well, my blue eye is darker. Gorgeous drawing
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Looks so realistic and fluffy and cuddly and ready to eat me :3
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Whoa! That is gorgeous! Also, Tjardek is my favorite, so that just makes it better!
I'm still figuring out how to match colors, but I'll try to provide some feedback! It looks as though his entire face is in shadow, except for his blue eye, which may be why it seems so light. Maybe you could darken it a bit, and/or outline the edge of the iris so it stands out more against the white of his eye. The blue iris also seems a little less textured than the brown one.
I actually really like how the red of his fur stands out against the green of the fir needles. He blends in enough with the branches to make his eyes even more unsettling (in a good way!).
I hope that was helpful! Great job!
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Thank you! He's one of my favorites, too... (I inconveniently obsess over side characters. Augh!)
It's been nigh impossible for me to depict such a pale blue eye in shadow... (even after googling pictures of huskies and the like!) So it's likely I'll be going back into this to see how the shadows work.
Thank you!
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Somehow your already awesome art looks even better with a liter of JD's Tennessee honey and twenty KFC chicken legs.
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Haha! Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? 
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Of course! I was just surprised it could look better at all. Whiskey is magical that way. 
Also, the branch by the eye was literally a perfect touch. Bushes don't have perfectly pretty little gaps, so there's always gonna be a little oddity like that in there somewhere. Let's just hope he don't sneeze or that blue eye will turn red!
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Why thank you!
I was thinking the same thing... I had to throw off the symmetry, and make it feel more natural. And oooohhhh, I'd hate to see the end result of such a sneeze!
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I love how well pencil crayon works with fur textures. Again I am entranced by his eyelashes... its a little detail easy to forget that just makes him (and the pallanoph species in general) more realistic and believeable.
LOVE the fir brances! They give a sense of place without a background. And I like that one close to his eye... sneaky assassin wouldn't care if there's almost a pointy bit in his eye, he's focusing!
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He and his brother have surprisingly lovely eyelashes... And I hope it's little things like that that can help to distract people from the more unrealistic side of pallanophs.
I think if the branch gets close enough, he'll blink. Or at least, I hope.
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...you know, I never did notice the lack of whiskers.
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Haha, and now it'll bug you!
For whatever reason, I never liked drawing them on the 'nophs. Absolutely no idea why. And now they're almost stuck that way.
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Apes don't. Maybe it's the lack of whiskers that subconsciously suggests human-like intelligence in them...?
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Aha! Yes, that must be it. I'm waiting for someone to ask why such a creature, prone to dwelling in forests and therefore likely to encounter dark spaces in low light could find its way around. And I won't have a very good explanation!
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You know, I really like that answer, and I've been tempted to use that explanation.
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Oooooo I really like that clicking idea! And if they use it among hunting parties, it even has a sort of eerie quality to it as well. *click* Impending doom! *clickclick*
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So maybe it's not the most crazy idea after all...
I've been trying to imagine sounds pallanophs use for vocalization, aside from their own sort of guttural speech. I should study more on animal vocalization, as I'm beginning to wonder if a pallanoph (given its general anatomy) is more likely to shriek or yell than give a full fledged roar. Or perhaps some sort of bellowing call... Uh oh, I'm thinking out loud again.
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It's not crazy at all!
Hmm... what if instead of the typical mammalian larynx (vocal cords) they had something more like an avian syrinx? They could produce any range of sounds, loud or soft, speak, scream, roar, click, purr... everything a parrot or a raven could do.
Dude speak out loud all you want! I love hearing about believable species-building!
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Beautiful! I love the texture, detail and sharpness. Looks great. I hope you'll do more!
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I won't lie, I'd love to do studies of each of my character's eyes, but... ack, so much other work I should be doing! 
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