Crimson CHOW #15 - The Rusalka

[Punk-A-Cat]

based off a figure drawing from quickposes which I cannot for the life of me find (only have the timed sketch I made) and scorpion fish. Don't know I'll get a finished pic done, but this prompt really got me thinking, as did everyones concept sketches :D

[DanialG]

Back in the olden days, there was a river that ran along side the trade route between Kingdoms. A particular spot was famous for merchants, entertainers, and even bandits to stop and rest. One night while a young dancer was washing up, she was attacked from behind by a gang of bandits. Losing her footing she began to fall into the river, but not before being stabbed by one of the thugs. Sinking to the bottom of the river, her body died, and forever slept with the surrounding logs, drift wood, and wildlife.


The stories told of a young girl singing and dancing in the night, but only men of pure-heart can withstand her charm and gaze. For those unlucky few, they're lured into the river, grabbed by the vines, branches, and even her long red hair, and dragged to the bottom of the river to join her.

Anyways, messing around with a sketch.

[Jan Kloidt]

@Amid:
I know! there is going to be a lineart to show the full character alongside with the illustration to go with it! anyway, I imagined her to be like that tentacle thing in LotR before moria :D It's only ever going to show that top part and never leave the puddle, kind of like the tip of an iceberg :D but since it's part of the rules that there needs to be a full body, I'll design that, too :)
My personal goal this week was to produce a full illustration and make it as good as I could. Getting the story across was the main point; - and if I showed her legs the story would have to be completely different. For that to work it was also much easier to design her alongside with the illustration so I could make changes to the design to fit the composition and the story - but don't worry, she's going to get a body :D

[Amit Dutta]

All good, Jan, carry on! :)
Punk I really like that idea...out of the box a bit :)

[lurch]

everyone's work is looking so good! can't wait to see people's finished pieces.

little more progress on mine, painted the girl, struggling with the water.

used ref of course, but tried to use it just as a guide and not copy it exactly, so I changed the lighting and face etc.

thinking I might give her a sort of undead in the moonlight feel, like she'd look normal and seductive until it kicked off, and then switch into this kinda whirlpool ghoul thing.

[Jan Kloidt]

Alright, I think the Illustration is pretty much done! Maybe I'll change some little things before calling it completely finished, but right now I can't think of anything I can improve without starting over. Next up I'll do the design sheet to show the rest of the body!

[VoodooMama]

Great stuff so far!
Really liking your design Punk-A-Cat, I agree it's very different. I like the use of the fish elements

Kept working a bit more on mine, Here's my progress so far,

[Jan Kloidt]

alright, this shows more of the body. I still took the freedom of a more illustrative/narrative approach, it's just something I wanna learn right now. I think this is it for this week, really really need to get back to my fundamental studies

[Punk-A-Cat]

Really not sure this will get finished in time, only just started on it.. got vague colours blocked in - need to tone them down and get light sources sorted etc, but going for the purple and gold scorpion fish look

Everyone's stuff is looking so cool!

[lurch]

cool concept punk-a-cat.

been steadily plugging away at this, lots wrong, especially with the lighting.

originally i tried to light it as though the moonlight was in front of her, to her right slightly, then I thought it would be better if the moon was in the background but I don't have the skill to relight it now!

also spent a lot of time trying different skin colours for her.

if anyone's got feedback I'd appreciate it, although I'm not sure it'll make it into the final image this late in the day!

[Bookend]

This will be my last WIP before I hand in my final.