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Flexible Elf · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2001 10:42 pm

Well I finally broke down and tried Painter. It's a pretty nifty program. I wound up using the Sable brush for most of the picture.
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Tokugawa Hanzo's breakfast of millet is interrupted by a rather pressing matter. A peasant girl on the run from marauders.
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The two things I know that are blaring right now are the (too) dark contrasts on the bandits.. but I kinda did it on purpose to both make them stand out and to make them a bit more mysterious/evil. I eyeballed some poser horses (forgive me), that's all the reference I used. The bandit in front is also moving real slow on purpose, the leader doesn't know what to make of Hanzo, other than he's got a sword over his shoulder.

One funny little thing I found out about the pressure sensitivity bug in Painter Classic is that when it happens.. you can just press the windows key and everything is back to normal. Who'da thunk it? The Windows key is good for something?! Anyway hope ya like.

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

Spooky · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2001 10:55 pm

Samurai stuff! I love it! I'm a big Kurosawa fan and have most of the films on DVD. Anytime I see Samurai art, I usually enjoy it. Your piece is really well done (as all your other pieces!) Keep up the fantastic work! Lone Wolf and Cub next maybe?

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"I have wrought my simple plan, if I give one hour of joy, to the boy who's half a man, or the man who's half a boy."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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EviLToYLeT · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2001 10:59 pm

Its the flexible elf style!

Hehe, still can't tell the difference between this and your regular pshop pics. The styles still the same. Anyway, As I'm looking at this picture I have once again, no idicatio nof movement. From what it seems like, the girl is just looking back and afraid of those big black men on horses. here are a few suggestions that may help you get motion in

Kick of dust coming up. Also, the riders can be hunched over as they tend to to stay on balance when going faster. This may be a bit harder to change, but I find that wakward positions (in the proper motion) convery a great sense of movement. For example, if you showed the girls arm extending towards the man and attempting to grasp his shirt, it would present more of a sense of danger. Also, may be more effective if hanna whoever's face is looking forward not sensing the girl coming up from behind him. All in all, great picture and hope to see more from you flex

(Ps, perspective on horses nose is wrong)

Flexible Elf · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2001 11:28 pm

Spooky> I too like Kurosawa stuff

but my next project won't be exclusively Samurai

EviLToYLeT> You're definitely right. The only thing that's real distinguishable is the sky maybe. Oil-paintish. The sable brush behaves a lot like the photoshop brush. Under all the sable re-touch is hours of smashing, scraping, flooding and smearing trying to figure out what I liked best. I'll just have to force myself to use one or two brushes next time I think. And you're also right about the lack of motion, I added some stuff quick that I hope remedies it a little.

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

Blitz · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2001 11:55 pm

Flex...Whats up man,

Well another painting from another one of my fave forum artists. This is deffenetly one of my fave pics of yours.

I to am working on some stuff that will concentrate on mostly outdoor scenery and such. This realy inspiers me as far as enviromental stuff goes. Very good stuff man.

Glad you like my attemped at the draw club too=)

so anyhoo(how about that comic) Ill catch ya later

Blitz

Hightop · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 12:08 am

It looks great like all you're works...

But one thing i can't understand is that the girl seems to be afraid of the samurai, but still she holds on to him....

or is it just me?

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Hightop

As i turn and look into the sun
the rays burn my eyes
happy happy happy
everybodys happy
now like a turtle the sun looks
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dbl design

twisted · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 1:23 am

Another awesome pic! What spurred you to switch from doing Viking stuff to Samurai? Just felt like doing something different?
One thing I noticed (it could just be me) is that your pieces in Photoshop look a little bit crisper and cleaner than the Painter Classic piece? I guess that could be just the fact that Painter is meant to imitate the paint medium more accurately than Photoshop? I don't know. Does Painter have filters, lighting effects, etc. like Photoshop?

I really like the shadows of the trees unseen projected on the Samurai's and the girl's clothes. It really makes the atmosphere of the morning sun just coming up. Really Awesome!

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"Jim, I think he's dead. You get his tricorder, I'll get his wallet."

Jenn · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 2:33 am

As usual hun I love your work. This is an awesome piece and I would love to see some more painter stuff from you

Hope you are having a good week etc.
Take care!

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DarkChyld
http://asylum.wibble.net

Dives · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 9:12 am

nice

ricebowl makes the picture perfect.

S4Sb · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 9:26 am

Oh man... that's so inspiring! Love it. And love the coloured lighsource. (You took my advice! *proud*

) It makes it look warm and not so cold as your dune pic.
GREAT COLOURING. Really mean that. Forgive my comment bout colouring on the last picture.

Stored!

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Formerly known as El Caseron.
ICQ:26482363

v1510nAry · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 10:29 am

mazing work..
never heard of this kind of "Samurai Art" but I'll be sure to look up this picture for reference

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Flexible Elf · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 2:25 pm

Blitz> Glad you like. The comic will be my next rpoject, I've just been getting sidetracked.

Hightop> Thanks. I suppose it could be taken that way, but she's actually running from the marauders and bumped into the Samurai, frightened and pleading for help.

Twisted> It looks a bit less detailed in Painter because it's less of a pixel-doctory program, doing small details in painter is difficult unless you really blow up the resolution. If I'm just doing stuff for fun (like this) I prefer to work pretty close to final resolution. Painter has all kinds of silly filters but like in photoshop, I shun them.

And the samurai thing is a break. I *really* need to get working on the comic again in some fashion. Be it flash comic or painted strip.

Jenn> Thank ya

I'm sure I have more painter work left in me. It's a pretty nifty program. It's just a little buggy.

Dives> Hehe thanks!

S4Sb/El Caseron> No need to apologize. Your comment really made me strive to try to work a bit more on my colors. My strength never really has been in coloring. It's been in line rendering, which is why I am trying painting. Thanks for the feedback, it's always welcome.

v1510Ary> Thanks. Samurais are a real fun topic to illustrate.

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

RamDac · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 2:27 pm

OOO... Now this is someting that I really dig! Please post some more Asian/Japan-inspierd art if you have! (Quite a big fan of that kind of stuff)

ceenda · member Member # Joined: 27 Jun 2000 Posts: 2030

Flexible Elf: Great stuff here Flex! I really like the way you have the tree shadows on the main character.

Probably my only crit here is that alot of the same colour is used repeatedly. Mind you, there's so much going on here that it probably isn't that important.

Look forward to seeing more!

Flexible Elf · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2001 5:34 pm

RamDac> I just have one other Samurai sketch up on my website.

Ceenda> I did use the yellows and oranges quite a lot

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

Jaymo · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 4:29 am

Very nice picture, flex! I especially like the composition and ambient sunlight.

Two things, though: The sword of the samurai in front appears to be broken behind his neck, the arc does not seem to be continuous. And the yellowish road looks a little odd with the not-color-tinted dust, IMO.

[This message has been edited by Jaymo (edited January 24, 2001).]

Flexible Elf · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 10:01 am

Yeah you're right about the dust, Jaymo. I'll fix it. Thanks

-Flexible Elf

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http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html

LordArioch · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 10:14 am

The piece is very well done, but the costumes look very Westernized. Kimonos don't have close-fitting sleeves, for example (armored samurai sometimes wear cuffs that look like this, but the girl certainly wouldn't wear them), and they don't usually close in the front, but wrap around to the side. And even a peasant girl wouldn't have hair that short (unless she was masquerading as a boy).

zthee · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 3:07 pm

hello.

it's a great picture. and i think almost all the things that can be said is mentioned above.

but one thing.
the japansese long sword, katana (i asume that's what he's holding on his shoulder) was never to be carried cutting edge down, always cutting edge up.

you could bend it abit and say that he is wearing a tachi, worn cutting edge down.. but

(this text is ment as a funny and useless fact, i don't claim it's 100% accurate, and i don't claim myself to be an expert on japanese swords)

MaLoRuM · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 9:54 pm

Damn... I've been busy lately and haven't visted the forums in a while. I saw your name on the forum and I decided to check up on the latest flexible masterpiece! HOT DAMN! its so awesome... you've improved a helluva lot! And then your subject matter of Samurai's....damn.. damn.. its friggin awesome.

Im moving to Japan the begining April, and seeing your picture only teases me that I still have two months left before I leave! Ur art is so awesome keep up the good work!!!

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The Correct Procedure in The Art of the B*tch Slap: *Extend arm* *reel back* *twist torso* *stare opponent in eye* *twist back and release* :) *follow up with something cool to say*

Blitz · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2001 11:20 pm

Hey Flex
Hows it going..
Iv been looking at your pic somemore (Did I mention I like it) and there is one thing that might make it look better. Or maybe not. Remember you probably know a hell of alot more about light than me. I am just a peon.

Anyhoo. It is obvious that the sun is giving off a reall nice yellow light. Would it help to tint part of the sky to a more yellow color. Ever so slightly though.

Maybe Im wrong, Just a thought..

Seeyas around man

Blitz