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MichaelJaecks In reply to ScottPurdy [2010-02-09 11:34:04 +0000 UTC]

Wait. That brown comment was supposed to go on the zombies one. Meh. I shouldn't make comments before coffee.

The blurry yeller stuff. How shud I change it you think? I'm making some tweaks to pieces before I redo my website. Blue maybe? It was the best 'phase' of the many different ideers I tried b4 teh deadline. I sorta like how campy it is. It makes the painting say "Michael Jaecks."

Okay now coffee.

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ScottPurdy In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-10 10:14:58 +0000 UTC]

I like the colour, it's the fact that it's blurry that doesn't work for my weedy eyeballs. I would've liked to have seen it a little more defined. And some more reflective yellow on some of the other surfaces too, rather than just the rim light on the rock edge.

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MichaelJaecks In reply to ScottPurdy [2010-02-10 16:06:57 +0000 UTC]

I think it looks very Disney tinkerbell sparkles for girls. I thought about that a lot as I made it. Then I remembered I did this for free and I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, so I left it. ( I tried a bunch of dumb special effects for the phasing -- half invisible, overlays, blah blah.) So I went with spirally soft sparkles. Maybe it could use a bit more variation in that texture. I agree about reflected light. I still paw around in the darkness when it comes to reflected light. BUT I CAN ALWAYS RELY ON RIM LIGHTING!

(I know, I know. Lose, your edges. >sigh<)

I'm so happy to be defending this piece on two completely different (and I mean different) fronts. I've never felt more compelled to do so before. I'm always Mr. "If You Need Any Changes, Just Let Me Know!" guy with clients. Perhaps I am finally becoming a man!

Love ya!

(I'll think about the edges..I promise. Yer still more manly than me.)

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ScottPurdy In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-11 11:47:07 +0000 UTC]

lol, I shall attack with a rapier next time

All good lazy points, you slacker

lol

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MichaelJaecks In reply to ScottPurdy [2010-02-09 11:29:55 +0000 UTC]

brown brown brown. Everyone loves brown.

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ScottPurdy In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-10 10:12:54 +0000 UTC]

Depends where the brown is coming from

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MichaelJaecks In reply to zypherax [2010-02-08 21:53:32 +0000 UTC]

That's interesting because the version of this creature in the Pathfinder Bestiary is a lot like you describe and I made a conscious choice to take it in a different direction. Merged with the thorax, the head would be a lot smaller and probably not able to turn much left to right. I imagined the thorax segment had a bit of a neck behind the mane, so the head was useful, able to turn like a humanoid head would and the creature's pose was more dynamic.

These critters come from the Ethereal Plane, so I imagined mine to be pretty outlandish. Those legs are ridiculous, but if you come from a Plane that's magical and devoid of gravity, I think you could look pretty crazy.

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zypherax In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-10 03:21:11 +0000 UTC]

haha, that's quite true, I suppose 'anything goes' in a world who's general laws of physics are based on magic... but I was just pointing out that the design looked rather unnatural, while there are a number of other arachnid type creatures in your galerey that I find quite impressive...

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MichaelJaecks In reply to zypherax [2010-02-10 04:15:57 +0000 UTC]

Well, it is unnatural. It's always unnatural no matter how it's integrated. Think about it. A warm blooded, endoskeletal, humanoid (part) attached to an exoskeletal, hard shelled, jelly bellied arachnid. They're completely incompatible forms of life. Driders, for instance. Could never happen. Humanoids and arachnids or insects will never belong together, which is why I find them so wonderful. The whole thing is "anything goes." Fantasy creatures are very different than sci fi creatures and I think that gives them a lot of room for expressiveness. I was looking for something pretty nightmarish. While still rendered well enough to engage the viewer. I'm not always concerned that the viewer should be afraid that they will run into one of my designs in a dark alley or another planet. Sometimes they should be afraid they might run into one in their heads.

Thanks for the comments on both this piece and the others. I enjoy the exchange even if there is a degree of disagreement.

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zypherax In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-10 14:14:58 +0000 UTC]

once again, I must agree, the majority of fantasy creatures in existiance would never be even slightly plausable... I don't know, when I said unnatural, I believe I meant in terms of the astetics of the piece. the head just looks... out of place. I still like the piece as a whole, but perhaps it would have been better in my eyes if at least some of the neck could be seen.

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MichaelJaecks In reply to zypherax [2010-02-10 16:00:15 +0000 UTC]

I spent a lot of time looking and relooking at this piece last night as I wrote. The best I can offer is a tiny sliver of thorax perhaps in the negative space between the first and second leg, given the fact that you're looking up at him. And maybe not even that. The long legs are attached to a small thorax. Take a look at a black widow to see what I mean and exaggerate it further given the expressive and exaggerated aesthetic. But as far as a NECK... no. From the perspective and the fullness of the mane, it would be completely occluded.

One never sees every body part. Which is something I am trying very hard to learn. I am very accustomed to wanting to see 'the whole creature.' Looking at your work, I see much the same, but that's not how vision works. Things block other things, the brain fills in the rest. Again, I can see possibly a bit of the thorax as described, but no neck. None. Sorry. I can't really tell if we are talking about the design or the pose/perspective.

I'm surprised we're not discussing the way his legs would shatter if they bore any weight.

Realism isn't everything. I know its your favorite, I looked at your profile, but its not for everyone. Maybe when you're as ancient as I am your tastes will change. Stranger things have happened.

Thanks for the debate!

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zypherax In reply to MichaelJaecks [2010-02-13 14:33:56 +0000 UTC]

haha, allright, I see your point... and yes, rhe legs certianly would shatter, but for some reason that dosen't quite bother me...

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