Hmm, this is a tough one to call this month. I think everyone could have used a bit more time. Perhaps we should start a petition to add some more days in November.
Phoenixdee:
I love the "Roobot" joke at the heart of this pic and it's a really cute design to go with it too. I like the coiled detailing of the tail and the soft shaded colouring creates a blurry vignette that gives it a kind of dreamlike quality that would be perfect as an illustration in a book. And even though there's a light-hearted tone to the idea and design, the sharp eyes still have a more serious, watchful expression as if the robot is fully aware of its responsibilities, which I imagine would contrast with the carefree playfulness of the unseen baby. It makes me want to know more of the story to see what adventures the odd couple of "Baby and Bot" will have together.
DigitalDave:
Like with Phoenixdee's picture, I think that the animal design of robot really suits this theme and I love the over-complexity of all those arms doing so many different things along with the grappling tail swooping around to clear up the mess. The metallic colouring is spot on with just the right amount of specularity to suggest the texture.
The background is nicely done especially with the picture on the wall (I do like the idea of a painting within a painting) although the wall on the left does look a little sparse and leaves the picture a little too open at the edge. My eye wants to drift away when I look there.
One great final addition was the cropped person on the right. There's something really funny about only seeing their hand as they demand a drink and it also makes me empathize a little with the poor robot doing all these chores for the unseen master while retaining his faithful, obedient expression.
Schizo:
Another awesome drawing that's filled with beautiful character details. I particularly like the unsettling way that everyone's staring as us as we're intruding on them. The sculpture, the robot and the grumpy old man all glare at us with the same pose and expression, backed up by the beady eyes of all those photographs. The only exception is the little mouse that looks up at the hulking robot in a terrified way. And with all those aggressive eyes challenging us I feel we can relate to that little mouse.
With time constraints the pic still looks a little sketchy in places and part of me wants the robot's face to have more of a glow to it but perhaps that would have upset the values elsewhere. But none of that matters, it's still a brilliantly expressive image that has a great depth of character to it.
And to choose…
Phoenixdee has the best pun and made me smile the most and Schizo's has the most artistic depth to it (as usual!) but I think I'm gonna go for Dave. The complexity of the design and the vivid animal personality seems the best fit for this theme in capturing the essence of non-humanoid AI and I think he achieved the most in the available time.
One vote for DigitalDave!