| » Forum Index » The Friday Challenge » Topic: Challenge 974: Heavy metal |
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Posted on 04/10/23 2:56:46 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 2639 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thanks David, his expression is everything in this effort.  |
Posted on 04/10/23 5:13:19 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 4947 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Yes. He's great. But it's the idea that gets me. For me just the single tattoo image would do it fine. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 05/10/23 03:25:37 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2804 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Dennis, I'm having a problem trying to decide which one of your I love the most. Incredible work. It's inspired me to try another version. _________________ Wicked Witch of the West: I'm melting! I'm melting! |
Posted on 05/10/23 03:57:55 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 2828 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
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Posted on 05/10/23 07:25:51 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 4947 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Michael I like the contrast between the photographic environment and the very graphic style of the dragon. The chain is a nice touch. Lot of work gone into this. Maybe it's my imagination but there's something odd about Harry. I only spotted it when fully zoomed in. He seems to have a teenage head on a much younger body. Nice work.. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 05/10/23 10:31:47 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 2828 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thanks David. Yes, this one needed a lot of work to stop the dragon from looking mechanical. After all, who ever heard of a flying mechanical dragon? And one with three heads? Very unlikely. I think dragons are probably ancient memories of tyrannosaurs, or maybe pterodactyls, or similar, which became legend. I can't think of a single animal, bird or fish with more than one head, although, I read, the octopus has nine brains and three hearts. Harry Potter. Yes, to save time I attached a teenage head to a much younger body and hoped no-one would notice. It didn't get past you though David. Oh well, it's not the end of the world! 
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Posted on 05/10/23 12:31:28 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 4947 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Definitely not! _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 05/10/23 11:55:52 PM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1581 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Nice job Mariner - lots of work there. |
Posted on 06/10/23 00:01:34 AM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1581 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Having read the background on the gorilla I decided to try and capture the essence of this fine structure. The riders i incorporated denote that "we are all in for the ride."  |
Posted on 06/10/23 00:04:04 AM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1581 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Another good week folks - lots of fantastic entries. |
Posted on 06/10/23 00:48:04 AM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 2639 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Some gorillas have all the fun... nicely done Frank! |
Posted on 06/10/23 03:06:40 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 2828 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thanks Frank. Love your gorilla! |
Posted on 06/10/23 08:45:26 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 6838 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
First to liberate the dragon this week was lwc, with a convincing animation and a neatly expanding neck. I especially like the way the gorilla breathes. I like the flypast in the maze entry, but that would be a mighty arbor to support the weight of an iron dragon! And is that Mont Saint Michel in the background? The wing flapping is… interesting. More of a shrug, really. Very atmospheric. The Tokyo version (why Tokyo?) replaces, I assume, Godzilla with the dragon – although I can still see what look like lizard legs behind. Not sure about the flames at the front; there too two-dimensional for the scene. The in-your-face vortext is really quite disturbing! I couldn’t look at it for long. But I really liked the kids' TV version, with its dragon-in-space setting: it’s the flight flickering on their heads and feet that really brings this to life. Fabulous work. The off-world scene is splendid, with multiple dragons; the gorilla provides a great mid-distance focal point. And I like the setting in the volcano image, with its truly spectacular eruption – now that’s precisely what your animation program is for. The lighting on the dragon should really match the direction of the volcano behind it, though. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is ingenious! A subterranean setting from DavidMac, complete with damsel in distress. Great lighting, especially the translucent sleeves of the woman and the side lighting on the gorilla. I like the attempt at flight, the legs bent enough to convey the impression. But they look more like they’re bent sideways rather than back. A tricky one. Is that Lady Macbeth? An intriguing moon entry, with the dragon mounted on what looks like a rocket take-off plume. Bending the central head down works very well, and the lighting – of course – is beautiful. Great wing action from michael sinclair, with a neat fire-breathing central dragon. If you used Puppet Warp you’d be able to bend the necks without a visible join – have you tried this? I like the gold recolouring. (“Grillocks?”) Get well soon. An apocalyptic setting from dwindt, and an extraordinary reworking of the dragon: folded wings, rearranged heads, and perfect matching of colour and texture to the background. Very fine work, Dennis, a thoroughly appealing and consistent image. The King Kong image is a truly astonishing piece of work: a complete dismantling and reassembly of the gorilla, perfectly clutching the tower, all seen through the distorting windscreen of a biplane. Really, this is extraordinary: a great idea, immaculately realised. A tremendous galloping action in the Gamma Dragon entry: the rearrangement of the pose is stunning and thoroughly convincing – although I preferred the original to the smoothed version. The Draginvaders image is an interesting one: I’d suggest two changes here. First, the sharpness of the dragon is rather at odds with the relative softness of the craft both behind and in front of it (fixed in the amended version, and better with the flipped head; and second, wouldn’t that flame be more impressive if it engulfed the plane? The view from the Kaiyo Maru is extraordinary, really giving the impression of the dragon flying over a sailing ship. I’m really intrigued by how you managed to make the dragon appear as if viewed from directly below: a lot of work must have gone into this. You’re on tremendous form this week! Many congratulations. Gorilla time from tooquilos, in a swamp but with a burning shoulder. Intriguing! Have to check out the animated version… now that’s a moral tale for our time! The destruction is splendid. And I liked the dragon on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, with its jaunty crown. It reminded me of this chance arrangement of magazines I spotted last week on a market stall: 
A lightning-struck dragon from Ant Snell, with some convincing fire-breathing – has the left dragon run out of fuel? I like the use of a very low skyline, which makes the dragon look that much larger. And very good colouring. Perhaps the feet could bd a little darker to match the ground? Furious action from Frank, with what could be the cover of a sword-and-sorcery novel. The foreground characters add a lot of interest (although perhaps the one on the left could be coloured red rather than pink), but it’s the demon riding the dragon that really makes this image work for me. That, the scythe (?) he’s wielding, and the position of the light behind him. Oh, and the poor creature in the dragon’s mouth. Outstanding composition, Frank, beautifully executed. The global warming entry is perfectly composed, the fog giving a real sense of heat. Perhaps the gorilla should be reddened to match? The crushed cars are perfectly positioned, as are the two riders. A powerful image. A lovingly handmade dragon from Mariner, complete with Harry Potter in a mountain top. David’s right about the head/body issue, of course. The dragon itself is beautifully drawn, but I can’t help feeling it needs some additional texture – perhaps similar to what you’ve put on the wings? – to make it look more real. ______ An outstanding week for the Forum. Many congratulations, everyone. |
Posted on 06/10/23 08:59:59 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 2828 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thanks Steve. I could have added texture but I had aleardy spent six nights on this one and was getting tired of it. |
Posted on 06/10/23 09:34:16 AM |
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dwindt
Realism Realiser Posts: 767 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thank you Steve. A very interesting week with some lovely images. Well done everybody. I really liked this week's challenge. The difference being a few days off and the relaxed state of mind unhindered by the pressures of planning vessels. _________________ The grass is greener on the other side of the fence because there is more $hit there. |
Posted on 06/10/23 10:53:10 AM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 3732 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Unfortunately I couldn’t join in this week but I thought that the standard of work from everyone was really excellent. Well done all _________________  |
Posted on 06/10/23 11:44:09 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 4947 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
I never spotted that until you pointed it out and now I can't un-see it!! I think it's the claws that give it away. If I had re-built them side on I think the legs would work OK. The lady hiding the dagger is not Lady Macbeth. I stumbled on her, complete with dagger, quite by chance while searching for 'mediaeval lady' and thought the dagger added a nice extra frisson. Anyway thanks for your kind comments. This one was my kind of challenge. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 06/10/23 2:02:46 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 2639 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
A fun challenge with few limitations, the kids and TV was my favorite... thanks Steve. |
Posted on 06/10/23 3:48:39 PM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1581 Reply |
Re: Challenge 974: Heavy metal
Thanks so much Steve. Agree the one on left could be a little more red. I did redden the gorilla but decided to cut it back somewhat with a mask to retain more of his original blackness. Thanks again - a fun challenge. |
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