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SteveArgyle — Guul Draz Vampire

Published: 2009-09-29 15:38:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 153762; Favourites: 4505; Downloads: 9414
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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

Jade12090 [2010-08-16 22:05:13 +0000 UTC]

Love your work!

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Axxaxxin [2010-08-04 06:25:57 +0000 UTC]

HOLY EXQUISITENESS ...

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ThePockyFox [2010-08-02 18:40:05 +0000 UTC]

wow!! this is awsome!! luv it!!!

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Suez-H3 [2010-07-28 17:04:33 +0000 UTC]

VERY G00D WORK

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BellieBelle In reply to ??? [2010-07-28 16:23:03 +0000 UTC]

love the pose great job

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The1WiTheGun In reply to ??? [2010-07-16 17:32:18 +0000 UTC]

Holy wowzers! Simply eye-popping.

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BeautifulBizarreMag [2010-07-06 03:19:51 +0000 UTC]

Your AMAZING work has been featured in my "Vampires" article [link]

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SteveArgyle In reply to BeautifulBizarreMag [2010-07-28 04:08:04 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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BeautifulBizarreMag In reply to SteveArgyle [2010-08-02 02:50:20 +0000 UTC]

Always a pleasure

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greemu [2010-07-03 01:38:46 +0000 UTC]

great lesson, great artist. just two pages on your gallery and yet...

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Placidus-Sinistra [2010-06-30 07:59:14 +0000 UTC]

This is one of my favourite new cards! Your art is wonderful. I love the pose.

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Nobeone [2010-06-22 07:00:35 +0000 UTC]

I play with this card in my vampire deck. It is quite effective. And the art is beautiful!

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PrincessWolves89 [2010-05-30 22:14:49 +0000 UTC]

cool me love this

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ci3lvi [2010-05-20 04:45:13 +0000 UTC]

Although I don't use her in my current vamp deck, I have used her in the past. Either way, beautiful artwork! I really like the angle/perspective. ^_^

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frenchfox [2010-04-26 18:32:42 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic ! you are very talented !

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Wooddavers [2010-04-23 18:13:04 +0000 UTC]

*Double-take* Whoah, just noticed the shoulders and elbows >__>

Still, I love it. It's not a bad card, either

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VanthMithra [2010-04-04 17:52:46 +0000 UTC]

damn.. I haven't read anything creatively inspiring for such a long time.. this is an excellent tip.. thanks man...

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xplosivemind [2010-03-30 20:05:26 +0000 UTC]

Great image. I like the colors, atmosphere and composition. A very sinister being, yet makes you wonder what she is praying on.

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ChouK-RC [2010-03-30 20:03:11 +0000 UTC]

Superbe !

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papyri [2010-03-30 18:50:47 +0000 UTC]

yay! I have this card in my vamp deck! I love it!

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Gabriellebri [2010-03-30 18:47:26 +0000 UTC]

Wow

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RomaryoPlasentino [2010-03-29 03:15:51 +0000 UTC]

Wooow Woooow Woooow Woooow Woooow Wooow Wooow how amazing

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OmniSt3v3 [2010-03-09 03:28:43 +0000 UTC]

Well. The beauty of the piece aside, (not realyy 'cause it's frickin' awesoeme), I use four of these in my deck so... I like them.

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ashendirge [2010-02-28 21:15:33 +0000 UTC]

This is amazing.

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SlowHand-Solo [2010-02-13 01:40:36 +0000 UTC]

Love the picture, love the quote, "spiders took over my brainmeats".

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Anstellos [2010-01-18 08:27:34 +0000 UTC]

Hi our watchers are asking us to put this picture into our group would you like it?

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hotshadows [2010-01-13 18:55:48 +0000 UTC]

It made me go "oh crap" which is positive

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raven664 [2010-01-05 00:23:10 +0000 UTC]

fantastic! I particularly like the costuming - the leather(?) wrapping most of the body, but some sort of armor on her thighs and waist?

and her blade makes me wonder how it's used... slice and dice? - and she's holding it more like it'd be used as a defensive (or first strike) dagger?

gee, how many years of gymnastics did she have to do to learn to crawl like that...

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Deadly-X-Nightshade In reply to ??? [2009-12-20 23:32:42 +0000 UTC]

Very interesting, I love everything about it. She is absolutetly wicked in every sense of the word, the concept is of the whole piece is amazing and beautifully done

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renata-studio In reply to ??? [2009-12-07 23:33:37 +0000 UTC]

Amazing!!

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kungfuam [2009-12-01 14:34:55 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic! ^_^

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ltyler01 [2009-11-18 20:25:21 +0000 UTC]

Awesome work!

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LittleFoxStudio [2009-11-08 07:17:16 +0000 UTC]

Those have got to be the most terrifying elbows I've ever seen. O.o

Wicked sweet pose and detail.

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SquidGames [2009-11-06 16:44:33 +0000 UTC]

I am stunned! this is really amazing. I could look at it for hours

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Gabriellebri [2009-10-25 21:44:49 +0000 UTC]

Outstanding!!

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SpiffNifty [2009-10-21 23:59:16 +0000 UTC]

You is onetalent'd guy, brodude!!! Ok, that's out of my system and I can now focus on attempting to be be a coherent and intelligent individual. (I know it's only 4:30PM for me right now, but that's extremely late, considering I get up at 8:00PM!)

This exploded off the screen, blasting my glassy vision orbs right out the back of my unworthy noodle. It just literally leaps at the viewer! The amount of attention paid to all the little details completely pushes the picture as a whole.

Obviously, the nature of this vampire is something that I haven't seen much, if any really, in art or other vampires based in other mediums. I think it retains some of the classic sexual overtness that is exemplified in written forms, film, and just general vampire art in general, but is really bending the concept to better illistrate your unique take on the creatures of the night. In a way, her pose is a classic sexual position of the latter 20th century, while doubling as an acrobatic feat of prowess. She also resembles the spider in the lower right corner, by holding the bulk of her weight in the front with her arms and chest, and trailing her legs behind her, which is a nice touch. Moreover, you have a classic hourglass shape to her back tattoos/decorative paint that could be seen as an homage to the black widow, which was sexualised by the darker crowd of folks. (And the spider sort of looks like a black widow!) On closer inspection, it seems her face tatoos/paint is emulating the small design on the back of the spider as well. I like how the bondage style entwining straps which are a central theme for the costuming aspects were used. Bondage of course is almost entirely thought of as a taboo sexual fetish, which vampires are of course accustomed to.

More to the art side, this is rendered unbelievably well. You are someone to aspire to be like. Your lighting, flow of muscles and small details like the folding and transition of skin around the elbow joint to the spikes protruding out is something I really take note of. Big details are usually an interlocking conglomeration of smaller, more intricate ones. Her form is a marvel to look at, but that background is simply dazzling. You've really immersed your character into the world she inhabits so enduringly. I'd like to know if any 3D was used, just cause I'm curious.

Anyway, A+++++++++ and everyone should like I did!

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SteveArgyle In reply to SpiffNifty [2010-07-28 04:22:58 +0000 UTC]

I can't believe I hadn't responded to such a thorough commentary! Sorry! I'd read it, and thought I'd written a reply. Oops.

Thanks so much for your kind, and extremely astute words. You've caught just about everything I'd considered as I was composing this piece.

I do use 3D in some of my work. Though, if I recall correctly, this one didn't have any. Maybe a mannequin to work out the initial weird pose.

Thanks again!

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CyllanPennor [2009-10-20 23:55:48 +0000 UTC]

I fell in love with the Zendikar series because of this particular image. Its breathtaking!
Magnificent job on this

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phantomdotexe [2009-10-20 19:36:39 +0000 UTC]

Clearly evocative of the platypus.

I adore the subtleties in this piece!

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Beschermer [2009-10-08 10:28:24 +0000 UTC]

amazing work bro as always. also she is mighty smexy!

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MoofyKitten [2009-10-05 18:37:57 +0000 UTC]

I was thinking about dressing up as her for Halloween for the costume contest at my card shop. What do you think the front of her outfit looks like?

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williamdabastrd [2009-10-02 01:11:46 +0000 UTC]

I like it very much

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JazylH [2009-10-01 07:26:49 +0000 UTC]

The sense of realism in your artwork is truel;y Fascinating. I can't even begin to comprehend how you do it but everything you've done is great!

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Haterius [2009-10-01 04:55:16 +0000 UTC]

She's beautiful.

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AngelicAdonis [2009-09-30 21:51:26 +0000 UTC]

Pretty sweet man! Great pose!

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VampireProdigy [2009-09-30 07:58:18 +0000 UTC]

I love this card in draft. <3

You did such a wonderful job!

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sawblade [2009-09-30 07:53:23 +0000 UTC]

Spampire

Part of me wants to rewrite the Spiderman song for Spampires.

But I am lazy.

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karantinandazazel [2009-09-30 06:44:12 +0000 UTC]

wow ı can just say this word.

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Komikino In reply to ??? [2009-09-30 05:11:17 +0000 UTC]

Makes for a nice wallpaper!

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LAS-T In reply to ??? [2009-09-30 02:20:28 +0000 UTC]

oh damn

that is impressive!

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