I always like to get in early with my votes but everyone seems to have voted before me. I must be getting slow in my old age.
Charlotte:
I have to disagree with you, I think your idea fits the brief very well. Just because something is known as a myth, it doesn't mean that it can't be then discovered as fact and photographed to appear in the book. Also I was unfamiliar with the legend so it was interesting to read up on it too.
The composition is a good one with the tree dividing the foreground and background to create depth in the landscape. The anatomy is good too, as Atto said, it's a very difficult pose to get right but that twist is lovely and sensuous, and it gives us an idea about the personality of the creature. And I love the sinuous, undulating line that describes the top edge of the body, especially that edge of the sharp hip bone. People often forget that little shape, and when I say "people", I do mean me.
The only thing I would have liked more time for is the hollow of the back. It currently looks like a dark patch just stuck on the skin. I think a longer month would have allowed you to integrate it more with the structure body perhaps with a bit of bark texture. So let's blame February for that!
And let me finish with one other thing I love and that is those bright painterly strokes in the background. From a distance (well, zoomed out) it looks exactly like detailed foliage yet on closer inspection they're just simple, single strokes. That kind of thing makes paintings really interesting to look at and makes them satisfying at different scales.
Micro:
Excellent work, sneaking in there at the end, and as usual your pic has so much wonderful texture to it. I love that bit at the elbow where the fur blends neatly into a scaly pattern. It all adds so many layers to the surface of the creature and makes the picture visually interesting wherever you look.
The overall composition looks just like some real wildlife footage, as if we're sneaking about in this world and intruding on its home. And with those big eyes staring right at us it's clear we've been found out and it's time to scarper!
I was enjoying the development of the painting all the way through but that final decision to switch to a nocturnal scene was a brilliant idea! It greatly improves the mood with the moonlit glare through the trees, while also making the creature seem more vulnerable and rare. Also it gives you the chance to finish off with another wonderful concept by creating those shining, headlight eyes. Love it.
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This is a tough one to call, especially with that final change from Micro. On another day I could easily change my mind but today I think I'm going to vote for…. Charlotte. The painterly style appeals to me (and I forgot to mention earlier how much I love the texture of that hair too!) and I think she just about achieved the most in the available time of this foolishly short February.
PS. And yes, Atto, I kinda like those blurry hexagons too but sadly I have to confess that it's just Photoshop's Lens Blur which requires no artistic skill whatsoever.