CGAN Feb 2015 - Letting off Steam - FINALS

I think this was my favorite challenge month so far, had a lot of fun working on my pic, its hard to choose everyone did a freaken awesome job

(1) Domtopia : Great design, excellent metal texture, and lighting. You did a really great job with optimus's texture, captures the lighting and reflections so well, as Valence said the edges are awesome and I like how he looks from head to toe, the metal texture really comes alive. I like the pose and anatomy of optimus a lot also, the kids helmet is great, designed well and brings the piece some humour, which makes it really all come together.

(2) Valence : The story behind your image really makes it more interesting, I appreciate all the time and detail you put into your images, it's always great to have a good backstory, it makes designing a lot easier, I like the addition of the details you put on the right, it really goes perfectly with the foreground. The robot looks awesome and the girl equally so, the traditional feel you created really comes across with the colors and atmoshphere, the perspective of the characters looking down brings a lot of depth and interesting story elements into it.

(3)Cherry: Lovin the map in the background like everyone else, the detail of the ships is outstanding, as well as the texture of the map paper and the old weathered look, the image looks very polished. The girl and parrot are perfect match to each other especially with that parrot hat. The design of her attire and the fabric texture looks really great, like the shading a lot.

Oaktree : It was so hard not to vote for yours, it really is an amazing piece. If not for the couple of unfinished details you would definitely be in the top three. The airship chase is a great idea, and the colors are perfect, I really like the mood you created with the colors and perspective, you did a good job of creating depth in the pic, awesome.

Dave: Too bad you weren't able to get your pic in, but I felt it was finished as it was minus the color, you had so much detail in there it was looking awesome. The bull was really well done, the metal texture, lighting, components and anatomy. Hopefully can finish it soon and will see it in the galary.

Schizo: Your design was looking cool so far, like the design and all the details you started, can just imagine how much you would of put into the final, hope to see you in the next challenge.

Kodabble: Interesting concept with all the firepower, and the idea is pretty cool, was looking forward to seeing yours get done too. What you have so far perspective wise looks great, everything is setup and positioned well from what I can see.

Drrrrrrr..... drumroll
time to vote

1. micro - As I said - I love the idea to do a steampunk Charlie tschuff-tschuff. Your style is unique as always - really well done (And after I'll have finished my recent book I have to read the dark tower again. ^^)

2. Dom - really interesting idea! This is something totally different from the steampunk style I know. I like the calm they both exude. And the metal look is awesome!

3. Val - Wonderful idea with the story you wrote around it. Her face reminds me of the snow white girl last month - just with black hair. ^^

oak: good idea with the fight in the air - the background is a complete other style than the foreground ...it would be good if both could stick together more to build a overall picture.

Schizo & Kodabble & Dave: So sad you didn't have time to complete yours - I think they would have been all very great .... hopefully next time!

Sorry I didn’t get mine done in time for this, it just kept fighting me and wasn’t going the way I wanted it to. Anyway there are great entries so on with the voting:
1 - CherryGraphics: Nice “steam punk” theme as I understand it. The girl has what I take it as the steam look, but it is the background with the airship and map that did it for me.
2 - Valence: Nice night atmospheric image to go with your stroy . Like the steam powered robot, would think it would have been more steamie if the shoulder stacks had white steam and the top hat had the black smoke. Like the use of the signs to add to the story.
3 - microscopi: I like the human/robot concept and it seems to fit the steam punk idea with the complex brass look. One thing I would have liked to have seen is steam coming out of the piston cylinders.


Domtopia: this is a really nice image but I don’t see Optimus Prime fishing as fitting the theme if the challenge. Not a steam punk nor the figurative “letting off steam (pent up energy or anger)”. For that it didn’t make my choice, otherwise it is a really nice picture.
Oaktree: This was close for third. The concept is good and the airship designs appear to be steam punkie, but the overall looks unfinished, with sharp detail in some areas like the rear gun and the brass steam tank, while the balloon and the forward gun and ship motors look like they are still unfinished. I do like the overall color scheme.

Also sorry I didn't finish, but had a blast just the same & appreciate the kind words. ... Not being that familiar with the 'Steam Punk' style itself, is really what got me interested in joining in. Though I agree with Kodabble's definition of letting off steam, (aggression release) which does fit the theme & makes sense. To me, I don't think anyone went this route, including myself. I was thinking more along the lines of trying to get the look, fashion, environment, etc. of being a steam punk image.

1 - Cherry ... Definitely says Steam Punk to me and is nicely painted with a great palette.
2 - Valence ... Again, very Steam Punk. I like both the characters and environmental design too.
3 - Oaktree ... Though I agree it has an unfinished feel, I also like that with this image. I also like the atmosphere.

Dom - Just a fantastic image. Well painted and there's just something so cool about Optimus leisurely enjoying some peaceful fishing with a youngster. Great concept, but agree with Kodabble, it just doesn't say Steam Punk. I honestly thought you were going to add some steam punk elements in the end. Apologies for not being around much to inquire.

Micro - Like others, I really liked the train concept from the start. But I think the surrounding elements and atmosphere you added make me think more of a western, then steam punk. Again, sorry I didn't mention this earlier. With the limited time, I guess I wasn't close enough attention. It's also one of the reasons I don't care to critique work in the finals like this. (This being my first time, I believe?)

Also sorry Schizo & Kodabble didn't finish theirs, and hope they share them when they do. I think both images were coming along quite nice, and seem to fit the theme very well indeed. ... Great challenge everyone.

1. CherryGraphics: Hot redhead, cool zeppelin-boot-ship-thing.
2. microscopi: Cool, freaky train. I like the texture
3. Valence: Can't win 'em all . Ha no, I like the woman (you paint some nice weman!), don't like her hat, don't like the robot.

I didn't have enough time for mine, to bad. I finish it in another life I guess

Way to go Cherry, getting up there!

Well done Cherry. Great final piece and well deserved!!

Now that the voting is over, I just wanted to address my disqualification by a couple of voters for this last challenge. The brief said "Steampunk (or not, if you have other ideas!)", so I went for something different.

My understanding was that letting off steam meant to relax and wind down, not releasing "pent up energy or anger". Fishing, for example, is a very popular way of letting off steam and it doesn't require the fisher to run around the pond, or scream at the fish!

I wanted to wait for the voting to finish before posting my protest, as I didn't want to appear whiny. But, I feel a little hard done by because of the reinterpretation of the brief.

Nonetheless, thanks to everyone who commented and/or voted for my piece. It's a real boost to the confidence to even get 1 vote! So thanks!!

Once again, well done Cherry! Wonderful piece of work there!!

Well Done Cherry! All that hard work doing the map has really paid off.

Dom: Yes that's how I too understand "Letting Off Steam" in the literal sense (I mentioned it in my feedback). Perhaps that's a parochial British interpretation of the phrase. You forget sometimes that this internet's a global thing and that people in other countries have slightly different takes on familiar idioms but it's always fascinating to find these things out.