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FleetingEmber β Hydra
#fantasy #mythologicalcreature #mythology
Published: 2012-07-03 21:11:41 +0000 UTC; Views: 36159; Favourites: 1287; Downloads: 0
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Description
Raging through the ocean, this Sea Hydra causes massive waves for miles around in its constant search for unlucky travelers.More from my gallery:
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Comments: 104
Caught my eye on your page as a really good piece of work. I am interested in dragons etc, so I see a lot of this type of thing.
I love the water, it looks photographic. It splashes about so you can almost hear it!
The sky behind the hydra adds to the atmosphere and looks fine for the piece.
The hydra looks menacing; the eyes look seriously mean, glowing wonderfully! The choice of snakes' head shape rather than dragon's head adds originality and the detail of the scales around the mouths are perfect. However, the head on the right hand side seams to be a different shape to the rest. Where the others rise up on either side behind the eyes to create the distinctive snakes- head shape, that one does not and looks more worm-like.
The lighting is very good, but I question some of the highlight directions. If the sun is behind the heads, then I don't see how it would be lit so strongly on the right hand side of the head/neck on the right hand side of the picture. Having said that the shading is generally very good, adding to the 3D effect and I love the change of colour of the light reflected off the sea, although it does look a little bright there for such a dark sky above. I understand that you want to show the shiny reflections off the scales and indeed, you probably wanted to show off that effective change in light colour, but down near the waves probably needed a bit more darkness somewhere, shaded as it would be from the light behind the hydra. In fact, slightly more darkness in the contrasting shades would have added to both the realism of the metallic/shiny look and added a little more to the IMPACT of the picture.
This need for a little more strength of shade, together with rather sketchy scales left the hydra looking rather sketchy overall compared to the sharp, photographic water.
The scales obviously take a hell of a lot of work and I admire your patience in getting that far with them. However, to explain what I mean by sketchy scales- the picture looks good on a lower res, though the eye can sense it just a little bit. However, for a picture to be available on higher res or posters, we can see that you started off with the fine scales going back over the head, but drifted into a multitude of quick curves that cross over each other. This wouldn't notice or matter in the slightest if only you got it right at the point where the small back scales meet the dorsal plates. One should overlap the other with a neat edge- I always draw the back over the front. This edge should show the round scales curve round over the plates on every one. If that edge was right, you would never notice the rest; as it is, the round scales look almost furry.
I understand that the head/neck behind the rest should be more orangy/hazy, but I think the contrast is a little strong, It almost looks like one giant head from another animal far away behind.
Overall, its great. If it wasn't, I wouldn't bother critiquing it.
If you ever feel like drawing the dragon I write about, let me know and I will send you her descriptions from the unpublished books. As author I would have no control of the choice of artist should I get published, but I would love to see the Kiyala Imira brought to life in pictures and your work is more than worthy. Who knows - we might both strike lucky one day!
Go Louise!
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If you particularly need a Critique, contact me. Β I enjoy contemplating your work.
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Thank you so much for such an in depth, and extremely helpful critique. I cannot tell you just how much I appreciate it!!
I agree with everything you've said. This is still a piece I love quite a lot of all the ones I've done, but there is definitely some work that needs doing to it, or things that I would do differently if I were to paint it again.
Again, thank you! And by all means, send me a description! I can't promise when I will get round to doing it, but it's great to have some ideas
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The shading, details and colours are all astounding! Beautiful work
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this work is sick! so much details must've taken a lot of time
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NICE! Really like the details, shading, lighting, colouring and design of each of the heads.
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I normally try to give constructive critique but, well, this is just too good. 
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Amazing! I just love the details and the colours
The raging water looks awesome
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Yikes. I won't go in the ocean for a long time.
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absolutely amazing drawing, but hydras have 7 heads
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Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now that's a terrifying beast.
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now let's see if Hercules can beat THAT.
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Looking freaking amazing. 
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Can you putt It If you want Okay? Just a question If you can putt It as Print? Its so very cool!!! This dragon has always been my fav for a special reason 
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Amazing detail and the atmospheric perspective is amazing!
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Thats is epic, The detail on everything is superb! Incredible work
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Freaking amazing, I love it, hydra's are my favorite type of dragon and this image is just Epic, awesome job! ^,=,^
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What an amazing painting!
I love all the details and colors!
The picture look intense!
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Oh my god you are so talented. This has some of the most amazing detail and texture, the eyes in particular are very haunting if you stare at them long enough!
I've always loved the lore and legend behind the Hydra. To see it brought to life in such an amazing drawing really just makes me so happy.
This is just... ohmygod, so amazing. β₯
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Wow, well, you wouldn't want to get in the way of that, would you? 
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Oh, I love this creature! If only because the design is pretty cool.
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aw, they all look so happy! very, very cool. and the raging sea is excellent as well.
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