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SteveArgyle — Guul Draz Vampire
Published: 2009-09-29 15:38:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 154692; Favourites: 4495; Downloads: 9418
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Description
The spider abstractions are so abound in this particular peice as to seriously call into question my capacity for an original thought.Usually, when I'm stuck creatively, I go to the least likely corners of nature for inspiration. Monsters? Hmm... I'll look at some flowers. Angels? I think I'll look up "deep sea monstrosities." Samurai? I'll Google platypus.
That way, I don't quite as often end up with a concept that's been done to death. Even if I am wantonly plagarizing Mother Natures acid-trip inventions.
That's today's lesson to aspiring creatives out there.
On this particular peice, even though they're not so far from typical vampire lore, spiders took over my brainmeats.
Turned out alright though, no?
Copyright WotC, Magic the Gathering.
Art Directed by Jeremy Jarvis.
Digital Spider Wrangling by "Arachniche Solurions and Fast Food Delivery."
Wallpapers, prints, and paraphenalia on my website. [link]
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Comments: 201
I also have to say that I'm very skeptical of the idea that there is such thing as an original thought and that what appears original to some is just indicative of a source that is unrevealed.
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I try soo hard not to comment but i can't help it! Always get me with the details! They're killing me!
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"Mother Natures acid-trip inventions"
Yah, Mother Nature makes some seriously messed up stuff.
Some of my favorites:
Bolo Spider => [link]
Carnivorous Caterpillar => [link]
I find it especially funny that we keep finding cures for diseases in plants and things.
On the pic:
Looks great! The pose reminds me more of a stalking feline than a spider, but after hearing your explanation I see where you got the patterns from.
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as if rendered in 3d , yet artistic 
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Man I love the artistic direction for the Zendikar vampires
She was my first vampire and I really loved the whole stalking look.
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I like the whole silent descent look, plus those little touches of inhumanity her and there - the eyes, the ears, the nails, the elbows. And who wouldn't love that knife? Awesome stuff!
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My favorite detail in this is the horn on her left (our right) elbow, and the way the two light sources bounce off of it. It's really amazing.
Small crit: her right foot looks a bit flat, I think because of the pattern over it, or maybe the shading is just a bit weird.
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This just *might* be my favorite art of the set.
At the very least in my top 5.
So much too love about this
cute girl, tight clothes, very atypical looking vampire.
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That's high praise indeed! Some amazing art this set. Seriously, Magic gets better looking each time.
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Isn't it great?
I can't imagine how stressful that must be for the art guys like to constantly have to one-up yourselves.
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oooo pretty gurl! 
ps i hate spiders but pretty gurls are good
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I have an odd fascination with mixing of creepy and sexy. That seductive lure combined with the signals of immediate danger. I guess it's like a self-contained struggle. Which instinct will overpower the other? Would you risk it? If you don't, will you always wonder?
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haha fun, id probly go for it and die cause you know shes a vampire! xD ill start looking for that in your work tho
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Amazing!I'm planning a stock serie with a similar subject!I love the torsion of the foot.Great
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this would make for an amazing play mat... my favorite art from this set
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It's at the playmat printers, should be ready soon!
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$19.95. You can preorder them on my website now. (Though it'll be a couple of weeks yet.)
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you accept paypal?
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wikkid, soon as i get my new account linked up with paypal i'm getting one of those...
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Interesting pose, for sure. Ya don't see that one every day. I guess after reading your comment that asking if you use any reference would be dumb of me. I dig the final product
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Yes, I often use reference, but I try not to use too much direct reference. Or, if I am, I try to shoot my own photos, and after all the brainstorming and initial sketches. That way I don't short circuit the idea phase.
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Good to know... thanks for replying
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A beautiful piece. The pose is so interesting, especially in that web of branches. I also love the spider with the matching markings in the bottom corner. Shows exactly where the vampire based her body paint on before stalking off into the night, not just where you got the idea.
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I think that's really quite cool. It's painted beautifully, and the stripes along her back lead the eye to her vivid face and then the sweeping dreadlocks and knife. She's more animalistic than human; I wouldn't guess "vampire" from the picture alone, but in my opinion that's a good thing.
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Thanks! I was going for sort of a predator look. Like she's creeping through the dead trees like a black widow, making no sound, with this sort of eerie grace. 'Course you can't really show that in a static image, but I'm glad the animalistic vibe is coming through.
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I just unpacked this card! Damn, the magnificence of this illustration deserved a whole better card, IMO.
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Dang! 
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I did a tutorial a while back, yes. [link]
And I've got timelapses on my youtube site. [link]
I'm planning to do a full-length video tutorial of the whole process. (A series actually, because I use a few different approaches, depending on the subject.) But I just haven't had time to put one together yet.
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Astonishing. Actually, beyond astonishing. This is my desktop WP now. You'll never cease to be an incredible source of inspiration, will you?
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Wow! *stunned*
The colours and the pose are amazing!
I love how you painted her back. Just great!
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This is great. I think the spidery inspiration is sublimed enough into an original image that it's not painfully obvious, just evocative.
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Turned out frickin' awesome, man. Vampires tend to get associated with bats and wolves, but spiders? That's even creepier, 'cause I can see how a spider-vampire would bite you, coccoon you and save you for leftovers later. But what to call them? Vamspider? Spampire? wait, no... they'd just email me useless crap.
Eh, whatever you call her, she'll look pretty damned hot while she's draining you dry.
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Spampire! Spampire! I vote spampire!
That may very well be my new favorite word.
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Maybe spampires suck the life out of you by swamping you with junk mail until you lose the will to live?
Feel free to use it, maybe we can get it popular enough to make it an official part of the English language one day.
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>_<
I can't resist. Go Go Gadget Photoshop!
[link]
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Its lovely hun! Terriffic work! I love the criss cross theme of everything, and I love the spiders! 
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