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Yakra — The Airship
Published: 2006-06-23 10:31:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 3726; Favourites: 36; Downloads: 111
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Description
I finally finished it!!!! 2 and a half months (or something around that time...)
(And the worst thing is... it doesn't even look like anything impressive... >.> )
Medium: Gouache and watercolor on wasli
It's been so, so long and I've been staring at it everyday for aaaages that I can't even remember what I wanted to say about it any more. @_@ I do remember the madness that inspired me to even make this was induced by that track 'musica machina' (FFV - Dear Friends). Oh... it's an inside of an airship by the way... (not that it looks like one!
)Random background story: In the year 4651 (new calender) the High Priestess of Harmonie requested the Guild of Mechanics to work with the Alchemists to build an airship. Airships, before this, had never ever actually been constructed on the western continent, only the Basonians having the technology. This airship, though, was to be different - rather than running on water and wind for fuel, it used the (mostly stolen) Istalas (orbs of the gods). Needless to say, the mechanics were not one bit pleased being made to work with the 'mad loonies' and the haughty engineers of Basonia.
(Part of a random series that shall never finish or will even look like a series!
)Not one bit of this shows in the actual painting though, neh? The shorty people are dwarves, by the way, before someone complains I have lost all sense of proportion (which I have probably!)
I'd love loads of criticism, since I can't tell what's wrong with this pic anymore! (keep in mind its still a miniature, so all laws of woonkiness and bad lighting can be passed of as ok!
)[Meh God.... I'm out of commenting practice... I need to catch up on all of you guys' work (which I had forced myself to stay away from just to work on this), finish stuffies, gifts, and contest entries (which are probably over!
)]Woo hoo.... how I always have such creative titles!
Oh, and I'd love it if you'd full view (details!), but the size is a bit big, so it's ok if you can't!
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Comments: 50
People do have to download the image to appreciate the details in this.
Your lineart has lots to improve on (proportion particularly)...
However, I can't help but admire the details, the composition, and the colors of the pics in your gallery... O.O
It's something I can't do as good...^_^;
Congrats on the DD btw...
You deserve it.
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Proportion of lineart? Did you by any chance mean there ought to have been more line variation with the thicknessess and weights or just basically that I messed up the people's anatomy?
But er.... just in case you didn't realize (read), some of the super short people are dwarves.
Thank you incredibly though!
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yeah, i forgot to ask if you shortened them intentionally... ^_^;
Nothing wrong with the lineart...
All your illustrations look really good. ^_^
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I like this a lot, actually. It's not that detailed, true, but sometimes simplicity and elegance is the way to go. I love the way you've managed to capture the chaos and bustle of the builders in the sepia background and the way several characters leap out at you from different positions rather than just clustering in the centre keep your eye roving over the picture, picking out all the points of interest. The only things really wrong with it, in my opinion, are the brilliant blue hair - it just looks too thick and cack-handed for the rest of the rather delicate colours, and the elfin guy in the lower right (working on the boiler furnace thingy) - his ear is far too pointu and long - it looks jarringly like a dagger. Perhaps a bit shorter... Still, an impressive piece.
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Woo! I hardly ever recieve such detailed criticism from people! (especially those who aren't really watching me - me watching them back!) XD Thank you! 
As for the elvern ears, once I did think about making their ears smaller and prettier - more Lord of the Rings-ish style. XD But then there barely would have been any difference between theirs', the Spirits' and the Basonian cat people's. So bleh, they're stuck with sharp dagger ears!
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great work miss 
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Ah well... its actually one of the most recent 'comic book miniatures' of mine so ne, nobody from NCA has seen it in real.
Thanks a lot though!
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u are making a comic book when where for whom???
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Ehh... not really a comic book like that.
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nope make s perfect sence just keep up with it lets hope u dont get sick of the air ship ..... i did somthing like this a series of illustrations about one topic got sick of the topic may be it was not something for me to do ..... on the other hand i wish u best of luck on this project of urs
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Holy shit.
I'm pointing a journal entry in your direction.
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er, why? i worship what you did.
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I don't know? Somehow, I always figured you might appriciate my skill but not exactly the topics I choose to draw (which are always very blah and everyday-like [sort of...] and not at all dark).
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Ooh impressive! It's been a while since I've looked at any of your work. Your colrs and detail are amazing! Great job
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[link] .
I know you usually like good long critiques, but I really have nothing to say this time. I am just blown away by this. GOOD LORD WOMAN! HOW MUCH HAVE YOU IMPROVED IN THIS SHORT TIME?!?! *faves instantly*
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It's actually the magic of gouache (or basically just the smoothness you can get in miniature painting, since this is in watercolors...)
But I'm so, so glad you liked this! Thank youuuuu! XD
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Luc looks cranky. I like Lul the most on this pic, mostly because of her pose and occupied expression. And the GUY BEHIND HER XD I love him!
The soft faint coloring on the ...thing (a disc?) Lul is holding is beautiful, it drags my eye to it compared to all those other pretty brightly colored areas. the red toolbox is shaded awesomely too, it's amazing!
The shading and detail and everything about this picture is great - it's just a pity that it doesn't really seem all that interesting or striking, probably because of a lack of movement and just having a more or less static scene. The colors are also pretty limited. That might be what a miniature is about but still... I have to admit I like your other paintings better, as cruel as this might sound. 
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Somehow, I ended up paying a lot of attention to the guy behind Lul even though he's just a nameless mechanic? XD
But yes, I know what you mean. This one is a lot more static than the rest of my paintings, and not so striking. Probably because of the lack of color. maybe even because I took so, so long making it, got bored, lost intrest, that all that transferred itself into the painting? I'm still proud of it though.
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Well there's no reason to not be proud of your pic here, just because it isn't as striking. The way an artist and their 'audience' view a picture differs greatly with most pieces anyways XD I personally would never have nearly enough patience for the pictures you do, so I'd be proud forever if I could make something like this X_X
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....j-jaw drop... O___O wish I had more time to comment >.<
The detail is AMAZING and when I think how small that pic is T.T You crazy crazy girl!!Love the way you draw wood ^.^ and all the gadgets ..and the cog wheels and .. ahh amazing!!And the idea is quite original..I just love all the movement..everyone`s doing something
Luc and Lul are there or my eyes are playing tricks on me? ~_~
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Ah, small comments are ok! I'm usually rushed for time too! >.<
Anyways, thanks!
And yep, that be a Lul and Luc. I swear I am officially exiling them from my next couple of pics! They seem to worm their way into each and every one!
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Your pieces still make my day every time. The worker grabbing the beard tends to scare me with those eyes.
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Aw thanks a lot! 
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Oh my god..... O_O!!
How do you do SO many details? O_____O!!! Really you're quite an inspiration..! XD I really gotta start doing backgrounds and all too >.>!
Really its amazing!! ^__^ Can see a story developing and all~
Gotta love the main characters there (who obviously stand out~) Planning X9 they look sooo cool as always ^_^!!
The background characters...they too look awesome!!!!! ^__^ And certainly still fit in quite well!!
And hmmmmm the machine.... have you ever read 'Death Gate Cycle' ? ^_^ Reminds me of the machine there....
Called the Kicksey Winksey machine or soemthing like that XD!!
Its basically what brings the rain and such ...oo; And like platforms to reach the other lands aor soemthign @_@
Anyways! Aye this is great~! Obviously inspires my own noggin to get to work~ XD
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The Kicksey Winksey machine?! This sounds veeeeeerry intresting! XD These books sound nice! *is going to go on a search for them!*
Heh heh... sadly it was not this machine that inspired this. But remember the deserted floating city in FFV? I hardly remember anything clearly about that game anymore, but the gears and cogs in that part were what inspired me. I loved those airships they had in those old Final Fantasy games!
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Wowness!!!!!
Such an awesome picture...it was worth waiting for!!! ^_^
You're really really REALLY getting good. So much so that it's been hard finding anything to critique...glowing praise comes much easier with this. XD
I suppose there could be a few things, but really slight details on the characters, and as you said it's a miniature, so I'd still be dumbfounded if you only got half that much detail in there....
I guess the only other thing would be that the background seems flat...more 2Dish, especially on the left side. Like, there's really not dimension to the gears and scaffold to tell how far they are from the foreground or wall or whatever. So...um...yeah.
Really though, it's amazing. The wood grain in everything really adds an extra element to the background, and the swirliness of it fits the style of the picture well.
The shading on the clothes and the big boiler/dome thing and the shadows under the table are all really smooth and well done. Actually, all the colors and tones are blended just about perfectly. And the glass around the column where Lul is working - the way it's just slightly foggy is done just right!
I love the forman's uber-big wrench how each of the characters in the background has their own very unique appearance and expression and is still so detailed (especially with the hair)!
But most of all, I love all the colors and the way you did that - bringing just the few significant characters out with colors, and yet they don't stand out too much against the duller background. Stuff like the blueprints or the foreman's boots or the guy with the dull green shirt blends them in to the rest of the scene so it still looks natural.
And...um...yeah. Loved the color scheme especially, but really just love the whole thing.
Thanks again for sharing..... ^___________________^
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I actually did want to make it more 3d-ish, but I was afraid it might not look very much like a 'miniature'. (When I talk of miniatures I mean paintings in those old illuminated manuscripts and ooooold bibles which were very flat and 2d) And sooooo... I kept it a bit delibrately 2d.
Maybe I should have made it more 2d though... (I would have died with all the shades though! x_x )
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I'm too stunned for detailed criticism right now.. the pic looks perfect to me (love the soft colouring), so it's hard to find a concept for criticism. >_> I have no idea what it is that could be bothering you... what do you feel it lacks?
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Actually I have no clue what it lacks, thats why I encourage criticism in this. I'd been staring at it for too, too long, and you know how it all starts to look the same to you...? Welp that's what happened. So I'm kind of afraid even if there is a glaring fault in this, I can't see it because I've seen this too much!
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oh yes, I know perfectly what you mean. x_x; Maybe you should try not to look at it for a week or two... or more... sometimes that helps?
I just had the idea that maybe there's too much open space in the picture. Maybe it need more details... I'm just guessing here, trying to find that something that could be bothering you! XD
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I actually thought that when I was drawing it. But then my hand refused to move and decled 'no more!' XD I've actually calmed down about the pic now. It's been a week or so, I just took the pic out to wrap it and place it in its final resting place and somehow, I didn't mind it so much anymore? I guess I was just sick of it.
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XD ok. I get sick of my pictures pretty fast, too. =/ In my case, that's the reason they always all look a bit rushed in the end. Because I never have the patience to work out all the final touches. o.o
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They never look rushed though! I love your slightly sketchy-type pics. ^.^
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eheh, thank you! 
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It was totally worth it in my opinion, but you're still insane, in a good way... y'know insanity and genius!
Excuse the acute vocabluary shortage and jumbled up repetitive sentences ahead. If you ever have trouble sleeping just start reading this comment and you'll be in dreamland before you know it.
The pardagh, omg... its just 'omg'.. Pardagh is something I'll never ever be able to do, it's totally beyond me ...and here... I cannot believe the amount of work that has gone into this. The lines flow so well and fluidly, be it folds, faces hands, pipes or textures. I'm in love with the lighting, the shadows, there beautiful!
The characters, you've drawn them all so well. I love the dwarves! there so dwarwish, and the guy thoughtfulystroking his beard. He's really well painted, right down to the body hair! Gotta love that arm resting on the crowbar! His boots are so cool! You draw such sexy boots! xD
*Intermission for drooling over Oghma like the sad fangirl she is*
I love those little touches like the hand hammering away behind the cog. The guy hanging upside down to steal a nut from Lul rocks! Lul is beautifully painted and drawn! I love her pose, Nice feeling of volume and weight! Great work on showing the concentration on her face while attaching that Istala in that beautifully painted tubular thing. The transparency is extremely well painted *likes repeating things* Its so glassy. Oh and the Istala does look like it belonged to a God(how do they get away with stealing them XD). The chamber bellow it is very nicely painted as well, especially considering how larger area's are so much difficult(for me atleast) to render or pardagh. Hey, is there a faint reflection of the pipe the dwarves are carrying on that hemispheric chamber thing?
Other details like the scrolls, tools, valves, pipelines look great as well. You didn't lose concentration or interest anywhere, *everything* is painted really well.
Ah teh rambles, but it's not like I get to see miniatures like these everyday!
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Heh heh... it's been a while since I heard the word 'pardagh' (and even then I used to pronounce it wrong! >.< ). We all used to refer to pardagh as tipaie.
I was actually very worried about dwarves. I don't think I make dwarves very well actually. They don't appear to be the traditional 'dwarf' height. Like Fegul? I was just thinking, if he stood up he might be just a bit shorter than Luc (though Luc is short in normal height standards anyways... but still!). Ofcourse, I started thinking this after I had drawn and kalamed it so it was kind of like bah! The transparency was fun to do though! No extra smoothing out since there are 'reflections' and all that blah! XD
Ah and it is a reflection of the pipe on the hemesphiric chamber thingie (I need a name for it! What do you call such stuffs anyways?). Pretty off, neh? By that point I couldn't care though if it looked correct or not! XD (Miniature! One always has weird perspectives! *excuse!* )
Stealing orbs from gods is pretty easy! No god suspects that kindly old men are capable of such stuff! Not all of them were stolen though. Some of them generously donated when asked nicely. ^.^
(Er... I am actually really waiting for the comment 'oooh nice girl' on Oghma by the common masses. Suprisingly, so far everyone has realized he's a guy!) Anyways, you don't bore me! Melikes looong comments! XD
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Anyway! XD
I didn't notice their heights. I doubt anyone will. It is a reflection... that's an awesome touch in my opinion, its so very subtle! I actually got excited when I saw it
Oghma isn't looking girly, heck, if persian minitaure princes can look girly he has the right as well (but he doesn't).
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Awesome pic! I know the contour lines in the wood must have took you a long time to do, but it looks great!
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Heh... somehow I thought that the wood texture might seem the hardest, but that was the easiest bit. It was actually those darks that killed me. But thanks!
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wow! This is really amazing! I love all the detail in it.
... I don't think I could ever work on one picture for two and a half months. It turned out really good.
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I don't think I can work on one anymore either... >.> *feels a thousand years old*
But thanks a lot! Yay, you actually looked at the detail! I'm glad. ^_^ I was afraid people might just give it one glance and go 'pah! no sense of lighting she has!'
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I like the way that you made the characters whit diferente ages and positions. Continue working.
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No problem, continue whit a good work.
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*dies* I'll... I'll comment in detail later...my brain just went numb *visual stimuli overload* I'll forgive this painting for imprisoning you for those two and a half months... this is beyond glorious!
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Okie... that made me actually feel like it was worth making it and I'm not truely insane. XD
...
Ofcourse I still feel like I have no life. XD
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