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Published: 2012-01-25 01:18:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 2268; Favourites: 45; Downloads: 22
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Description
Please download for full view!If anybody would like me to turn my original artworks into prints, please let me know by comment or e-mail (mailshadowfire@gmail.com) and provide the title of the artwork.
Please go to my art site, LightWater [link] to view more art works of mine as well as some downloadable goodies.
I'm not really assuming that people will really use my art, but just in case.
1. You must link back! It would be great if you link back on the page the art is used, but a credit page would do.
2. Do not submit them to any site unless you can personally display a credit link with the art work!
3. You are allowed to make them into graphics (cropping, changing colours, etc) and put them on your site for other people to use as long as you give credit.
4. You are not allowed to use any artworks or goodies for profit!
Basically I just ask for you to give credit if you use them. Don't submit them to sites (especially galleries).... I've seen a lot of nasty forum threads dubbing "Bad fanart" and crap. =_= Don't do that, please.
ANYWAY, here are my comments from 2011!
I don't know how I got the idea of a half eaten mermaid crawlng on the floor, but I've had this idea swimming in my head lolololol pun for over a year now. I finally did the sketch some time in October and started the CG the following month. But because I'm an ass, I kept taking 2 week breaks in between and ended up rushing it so that it'll be done before 2012. (Very evident in the piece of crap background)
There are many different interpretations of this piece, but the main concept behind it is the selfish and monstrous acts of humanity. Humans just do what they please, ignorant or careless of the results of their actions--as long as it benefits man, the hell with everything else. This piece specifically refers to people just taking what they want and leaving the rest to rot, such as cutting off the fins of a live shark than throwing it back in the water. While killing a shark just for its fin is no where close to necessary, all that seems to matter is that it satisfies man's selfishness.
I wanted to draw a classic (or stereotypical mermaid) where the human and fish parts are very clear. The majority of the tail is consumed and the rest that is unwanted is just left there. Another idea is that man justify their actions because humans are the "superior being". So in this case, because the human part is left "undamaged" so nothing wrong was done.
The only thing that was easy in this one was the hair (including the eyebrows and eyelashes). It didn't really prove as a challenge but everything else was hell. I was attempting to make the body as real and anatomically correct as possible so that took about half of the entire time I spent on this. I was kind of worried of how it would look after I drew the iris but I'm actually pleased (and relieved) with the result. This was the first time I attempted at drawing a spine and though I initially thought it was really hard, it turned out pretty well. As for the tail.. well, I was pretty much beat by the time I got there and it was surprisingly tough. Overall, this piece is quite decent in my opinion but didn't turn out as good as I had evisioned it in my head. Ah well, I need to work on more artworks anyway. (This is my first fullbody mermaid, though I don't think I'm going to be doing any in the near future!)
Character © ShadowFire
Art © ShadowFire
Started - 11/11/06
Finished - 11/12/31
Time - 100 hours
Ref Used - Myself, chewed salmon , fish spine , fish spine , dead fish
Related content
Comments: 32
Nocturne-et-Serenade [2012-10-20 18:05:41 +0000 UTC]
I have been quite impressed with the whole idea behind your works. The one based on Ayami Kojima's artworks is also very symbolic.
I love the way you can connect ideas and make such a clever concept behind a stunning piece of art. You were able to gather everything that I treasure in a piece: criticism about humanity, unique design and make everything fit and match perfectly.
It's really nice the way you see stuff and how you turn them into an illustration. I 100% agree with you in the matter that humans are selfish and most of the time, even other animals act more humanly than us. It's really saddening considering that we have all this capacity to think, and we don't actually use it. Humankind has already become blind by greed and selfishness.
Another thing that really ticks me off is when people say "humans are superiors and more evolved than other animals" as you have mentioned. I study Biology, so I must say that this sounds like an offense to me. All living animals are equally evolved, adapted to live in their specific habitat. Just because we can think doesn't make us superior.
Sorry, this went a bit out of topic. I was just glad to find someone who thinks just like me and who can actually put such an emotion and expression in an illustration. Keep up the awesome work!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to Nocturne-et-Serenade [2012-10-27 21:21:25 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much for apprecating my artworks not just for how they look but also for the concepts behind them. I tend to ramble a lot in my descriptions so it always means a lot when people actually take the time and effort to read what I have to say.
I've wanted to tackle topics that are related to/goes further in depth with the issues I've outlined in this illustration since the beginning of the year but just never go around to it. Both (the process of)shark finning and foie gras were among the ideas I wanted to illustrate. I find these acts incredibly ridiculous and cruel because humans literally torture animals for a small portion of their body just so they can create what is considered to be a delicacy.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I, too, am glad to find someone who thinks like me. After reading your comment, I feel much more motivated to carry out my original plans. Thanks so much!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Miloscopy [2012-07-20 02:41:16 +0000 UTC]
Your lighting and the detail on the hands is really great, they look real =O
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to Miloscopy [2012-07-21 02:42:42 +0000 UTC]
wow thank you so much! The hands took a really long time so I'm so glad that you noticed them. ^^ Thanks for taking the time to comment!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Miloscopy In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-07-21 05:10:09 +0000 UTC]
I adore hands, and my eyes were drawn to them right away, so the comment is well deserved ;3
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thefaiye [2012-03-31 16:48:00 +0000 UTC]
Oh so cool! I'm not freaked out at all! I've seen scarier. ^^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to mortalshinobi [2012-03-22 07:18:41 +0000 UTC]
Aww thanks so much for taking the time to comment and fav this!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
mortalshinobi In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-03-22 18:27:08 +0000 UTC]
no problem friend.
I like mermaid works, both the normal and creepy.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
secretSWC [2012-03-14 02:45:57 +0000 UTC]
Omg, she's been eaten alive
This is a lovely drawing, the details on the hands are stunning
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to secretSWC [2012-03-14 03:24:57 +0000 UTC]
Yeeep. Before I thought about adding blood or making it darker & more grungy but ended up not doing so. Might've looked better that way though.
Aww thank so much dear! The hands totally killed me.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
secretSWC In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-03-14 03:28:02 +0000 UTC]
Yeah I think adding some blood would look even better, you should make a version 2 of this if you ever want to add blood.
Your welcome hun, I was looking at them for a while just trying to figure out how you made the hand so fine with details
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to secretSWC [2012-03-14 04:15:32 +0000 UTC]
Took full advantage of photo references.
Lol by this point I think I'm too burned out to go back to the picture. If I do, it'll probably be a couple of years. orz But yes, I would make a second version instead of simply replacing it, thanks for the suggestion!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
secretSWC In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-03-14 10:00:25 +0000 UTC]
its nice to have references to give inspiration
your welcome, I like this painting already, and you put a lot of effort into it. don't want you to start over
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
ShadowFirez In reply to zen-3 [2012-02-14 00:29:45 +0000 UTC]
YES, hahah. I always post my references at the end of my description. Too amateur to do this from my head, so I snapped some pics of myself as reference for the "human" part and a couple for the "fish" part.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
sandcastler [2012-01-26 16:44:17 +0000 UTC]
She looks like she would've been a lovely mermaid before the carnage! I hope you draw another version with her whole.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to sandcastler [2012-01-27 02:45:22 +0000 UTC]
Thank you! That's an idea that I haven't thought about before since I didn't plan to draw a mermaid any time soon. If I do though, I'll remember your suggestion.
Really appreciate your comment and fav!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
sandcastler In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-01-27 04:00:17 +0000 UTC]
That would be great to see. Or another more exotic version with aquatic hints on her upper body like webbing between her fingers!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to sandcastler [2012-01-30 20:52:35 +0000 UTC]
Thank you I have been thinking about doing a mermaid that is much more "fish like" for many years now but never got around doing it. I wanted this one to be the very typical mermaid to create that great contrast. But after doing this one I'm scared of doing scales at the moment LOL.
Thanks so much for the input, we'll see what I manage to come up with in the future
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
CheeseVision [2012-01-25 20:40:14 +0000 UTC]
This is surreal, I like that her arms suggest she's dragging herself away from danger.
Great idea and well executed!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to CheeseVision [2012-01-27 02:43:09 +0000 UTC]
Thank you very much! I'm glad I somehow got the sense of danger across.
Your kind comments are always much appreciated.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
CheeseVision In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-01-27 02:47:25 +0000 UTC]
Yeah it looks great!
No problem, keep it up.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Jeremy-Mendoza [2012-01-25 01:23:32 +0000 UTC]
Brilliant, beautiful, AND frightening! I love it! Awesome work! :3
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ShadowFirez In reply to Jeremy-Mendoza [2012-01-25 01:25:47 +0000 UTC]
Thanks so much man! That really means a lot to me.
Your comment and fav is much appreciated!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Jeremy-Mendoza In reply to ShadowFirez [2012-01-25 01:41:49 +0000 UTC]
Ey, you're welcome, man! :3
👍: 0 ⏩: 0