Author Archives: JR19759

Character Design Challenge ♯156- Maps

Ok guys, for this weeks challenge I want you to create some form of map or chart. The map can show just a city or a country or even a continent, it can be a treasure map or a navigational chart. However, the locations shown on it must be fictional, so don't just grab the world map from the backgrounds section and plot places on it, that's just being lazy. Try to be as detailed as possible because a good map shows more than just "this place is here and that place is there".

As per usual, no limits on the number of entries and the contest will close at midnight Saturday (blog time). Please read the contest rules before entering, have fun and good luck.

Rules for posts, contests, and challenges that I am hosting: Original characters only, no copyrighted characters, no characters based on copyrighted characters, no characters based on RPG’s or other games. The characters must be your own design and not based on any character that might be copyrighted in any way. I have the right to delete any post that I believe crosses this line without warnings. Only post characters that you have either created for this contest specifically or you know for certain have never been entered to a contest before. If you aren’t certain, don’t enter it, because I’m not going to go back through all of the contests and check.

Character Design Challenge ♯155 (Tattoos) Winner

Honourable Mentions: Superfly30- Amun-Apep & Sebastien Bembeneck- Ink Queen

Winner: Melmo44- Sareene

Character Of the Week: Kicktar- Edith

Once again we're dipping into the world of DeviantArt for our character of the week, this time for a pic by Kicktar, who some people may be familiar with already. Either way, just take a look at this picture before I start talking about it.

Ok, so what we have here is a top down perspective of someone lying down on their back, which is a very nice and very simple way of changing the perspective without having to make a painfully complicated custom pose. The main posing has gone into the arms and the legs are slightly rotated as well, which is really all that was needed to give a very relaxed feel. The shading is very subtle but really sets off the picture, especially the hair and the face. Then we have the face in general. I personally love using the slightly smiling mouths with a small rotation as shown in this picture, it is a great way of adding that extra bit of personality to a character. Personally, I would have moved the eyes and nose down a bit in relation to the ears, but that's not really a complaint, more an observation. Costume wise, it's very simple, but it leads on to two interesting points. Firstly, I have to point out the necklace. I didn't really notice it first time I looked at the picture, but I saw it second time out and for some inexplicable reason I just really like it. I like how the cord doesn't seem to have an outline except for the shadow it casts on the characters skin beneath it, that's really cool. Secondly, the colour contrast between the foreground and the background. Tip for any novice 'machiners out there who are thinking of trying backgrounds, make sure the foreground character stands out from the background. The best way to do that is to use different colours, especially different types of colour. Here we have a dull grey set against magenta and it really stands out, or orange against black. It makes the picture pop as much as shading. And finally on this picture, I would like to point out that Kicktar thought to put creases into the blanket to show that the character is actually applying pressure on it by laying there. Details like this are everything and will definitely get you at least an Also Awesome nod from me, but the fact that it just makes the picture look so natural just makes me very happy. You'll probably see more impressive pictures below the jump, but this is my pick for the best of the week because of those details.

Gallery- Kicktar on DeviantArt

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Creators Club Entries NOW CLOSED

Ok guys, submissions for this years Creators Club are now closed. Thanks to everyone who sent stuff in this time out. The poster will be up sometime next week, once Stulte has finished it.

Character Design Challenge ♯155- Tattoos

Fairly simple challenge this week. What you are required to do is to create a character who has one or more tattoos. The basis of this challenge is to test your creativity when it comes to item usage, masking and colour, so don't expect to mask an insignia to an arm and win, I'm looking for intricacy more than anything.

As per usual, no limits on the number of entries and the contest will close at midnight Saturday (blog time). Please read the contest rules before entering, have fun and good luck.

Rules for posts, contests, and challenges that I am hosting: Original characters only, no copyrighted characters, no characters based on copyrighted characters, no characters based on RPG’s or other games. The characters must be your own design and not based on any character that might be copyrighted in any way. I have the right to delete any post that I believe crosses this line without warnings. Only post characters that you have either created for this contest specifically or you know for certain have never been entered to a contest before. If you aren’t certain, don’t enter it, because I’m not going to go back through all of the contests and check.

Character Design Challenge ♯154 (On TV) Winner

Honourable Mentions: Cliff- American Eagle & Brons- Miss Pringles Watches Her Favourite Show

Winner: Melmo44- The Show Must Go On

Character Of The Week: HermanSmellville- Ilwrath (Star Control)

So, this week, we're venturing outside the realms of the forums for our COTW. Whilst he does have a thread on the forums, HermanSmellville is much more active on DeviantArt, and it's quite disappointing that a lot of people don't get to see his work. He's kinda like HerrD or Snail-Male in the fact his stuff is really out there and a bit crazy, but if you look past that his details and item usage are superb and his creativity is amazing (and a bit scary).

Gallery- HermanSmellville on DeviantArt

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Character Design Challenge ♯154- On TV

Ok guys, this weeks challenge is based around one item.If you go to Backgrounds- Furniture, on the last page there is a TV screen. You must use this item in your creations. Also, you must show some sort of TV show on said screen. The show can be anything you want (so long as it's not an actual real TV show, because of copyright reasons), you can do a quiz show, news, sports match, drama etc. I would also like for you to include the room that the TV is in as a background. So, to sum up, you must:

  • Use the TV from the last page of Background- Furniture
  • Include some sort of program being shown on the TV
  • Show the room that the TV is in.

Any entries that don't meet these three requirements won't be counted.

As per usual, no limits on the number of entries and the contest will close at midnight Saturday (blog time). Please read the contest rules before entering, have fun and good luck.

Rules for posts, contests, and challenges that I am hosting: Original characters only, no copyrighted characters, no characters based on copyrighted characters, no characters based on RPG’s or other games. The characters must be your own design and not based on any character that might be copyrighted in any way. I have the right to delete any post that I believe crosses this line without warnings. Only post characters that you have either created for this contest specifically or you know for certain have never been entered to a contest before. If you aren’t certain, don’t enter it, because I’m not going to go back through all of the contests and check.

Creators Club Final Reminder

Hey guys, your friendly neighbourhood Creators Club reminder-man here, just letting you know that you have one more week to get your submissions in for this years poster before the deadline on Feb 1st. You can find the rules and other submission information here.

That is all.

JR out.

Character Design Challenge ♯153 (Buildings) Winner

Honourable Mentions: HerrD- Water Reclamation Station, Cliff- Philanders Bardic College

Winner: Stulte- University Of Kar Sharyk