ElfQuest Fan Art
Elfquest => Art and Elfquest => Topic started by: Maggie on February 01, 2016, 01:39:29 PM
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To calendar or not to calendar...that is the question.
Just wondering how many of you would like to continue with the fan calendar?
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A very just question... I would always try take part, however, considering the waning interest in the calendar and all the work you put into it...
Is it really still worth it? It would be sad to see it go, though...
Still, if you want to do another one, I would be in. :D
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I would definitely participate.
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Personal interest:
I'd be for a calendar. Looking at the crystal ball I can't really determine exactly the amount of spare time in the future. For me it is always a matter of time. Last year was one of the busiest in my life, so I had to keep my fingers calm in regard to art. Well, luckily that is behind me, but my future is somewhat uncertain, got to find a job and so on, that can result in all sorts of outcome.
If I have the time I'd be glad to practise some art.
Possible public lack of interest:
Is that so? Well, the calendar is for sale on redbubble, which is the official EQ merchandis platform now. I don't know if that was the case in the past always. So that's something I'd say.
Some interested people might just have a busy / hard time in life (like me past year).
It does lack a bit the promotion of the central elfquest.com forum, maybe. Of course we can't complain about a lack of interest - unless we promote it a bit here and there. E.g. fathertree holt seems rather well visited. So first give people a little time to see the message here, but we should also promote it on different platforms / places. I have no connection to facebook but I know that a lot of people today are putting their web-related mental focus there. Are there ElfQuest fan groups on DeviantArt, maybe? I know some here have a DA account, too. Other platforms (I think the elfwood is still alive somehow) maybe?
Relatively open topics for a calendar might be attractive to artists that feel a bit uncertain with a very set environment / specifications. Or do some people prefer very clear instructions? I don't know, but maybe there are points that scare people.
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On a personal level, ten years ago I would have been all over the calendar like white on rice. Now? Meh, not so much, although it has made me curious about how they're doing the Final Quest. I mean I was surprised by a few revelations about Teir, Windkin, Kahvi, and Venka.
Publically, well, the EQ Calendar was in my experience at least more widely advertised on the EQ website for years, but since they changed the site, which is a nightmare to navigate now, I haven't seen much of it there if at all.
I only know about it because of the EQFA forums.
Also as for the Calendar, well, I never got involved because my own art I felt was never up to Calendar standard. The past and present ones are just beautiful. Compared to that I make chicken scratch. T___T. Also I am terrible at deadlines, backgrounds are evil, and I'm lazy at colouring.
May the Calendar for EQ live long and prosper!
~ Pyre
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I did see mentions of the calendar on the official FB page. But indeed, AFTER it was already done, so yes, promoting the start for 2017 sounds like a good idea.
I myself prefer themes, rather than assignments. I prefer to have the freedom to choose who I draw, but to be inspired by a few words (theme) to determine a scene in my head.
Pyreite, many have combined efforts in the past. You could draw the characters, and someone else could do the background, or someone else could color. Don't feel limited.
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AMAZING! The calendar is just beautiful - mine was unwrapped and in my greedy little hands today (gift) and the card stock is great quality and the colors are wonderful. Online viewing can not really compare to the depth and detail you see when you can look , touch and examine every little shade and shadow.
Just Wow.
My vote is too continue. I would understand , however, the need to make sure that fans are interested. And that we have enough Artists to step up for the Job.
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P. S. - can we please get the 2016 Calendar to come up when I choose the {Fan Art Calendar} on the site tool bar ?
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I am so in ! I may not be as active as I was but I will ALWAYS dooble for this fan calendar!
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I did see mentions of the calendar on the official FB page. But indeed, AFTER it was already done, so yes, promoting the start for 2017 sounds like a good idea.
I myself prefer themes, rather than assignments. I prefer to have the freedom to choose who I draw, but to be inspired by a few words (theme) to determine a scene in my head.
Pyreite, many have combined efforts in the past. You could draw the characters, and someone else could do the background, or someone else could color. Don't feel limited.
Me limited?
Never.
Nah I'm only just starting to really get into full body illos which is what usually the EQ calendar has. I need more practice in the mean time. Finally catching my stride and confidence too. Prolly depending on the theme for the new calendar, if there is one, I'd volunteer to art. Likely drawing charas rather than backgrounds or colouring. I'm more interested in capturing the form than aesthetics. So the drawing part is pretty damned easy.
Colouring, meh, I'll get there eventually.
~ Pyre
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Oops, I think I might have chosen the wrong wording for my post. What I meant is not public interest, but interest from the artists who should participate. It's getting harder and harder finding enough artists who want to hand something for the calendar.
Whether it is publicly praised or not doesn't matter that much too me. I do it for fun, for the great collaboration going on here and to have all that nice art on my wall.
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Though: More public interest in general (or at least awareness of a calendar) = more potential artists.
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I personally would like to continue with the calendar. I enjoy it and it's one of the main reasons I took over running the site all those years back. I didn't want to see it go by the wayside.
I feel if there's no calendar then there isn't as much point to keeping the site going as there is when we all try to collectively share our love of EQ, even if it just once a year. ;D I feel like that makes up for the fact that we aren't always able to post artwork here on a regular basis.
That being said, I want peoples honest view on this. I am paying to keep the site running, which is fine if there's something to look forward to, like the calendar but not as much if there's little to no interest. ;)
I'm all for going back to themes, I wanted to try assigning months etc. as it seemed to make a bit more sense if only because not as many people participate and I wanted to get a well rounded selection of characters but if themes are preferred we can go back to that.
So, let's discuss a few themes (providing there are at least 12 of you who want in on this).
It would be great to get a few theme ideas that we all like, that way once we've decided on a theme we can all have quite a bit of time to work on entries this year. Which should help those of you with very little time on your hands.
Also, the cover. I know it has almost always been the case that the person organizing the calendar does the cover but I would be just as happy to take a month and let someone else have the honor. But I don't want to put someone on the spot at all, I know doing the cover can be a bit of a task, given that you have to find a way to represent the theme in the best way possible.
Still I think it would be nice to rotate that job but I wanted to see how you feel about it.
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There's the rub isn't it?
Anyone can write about EQ, but not everyone can draw, which is required for the Calendar.
I'll see what comes up in the theme this time around before leaping in.
~ Pyre
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Cover:
Um, well, yes. But then aren't you some kind of arts teacher, Maggie? You know, that makes you automatically the person to do it. :)
Well, seriously, it should maybe somebody with an overview about things, some experience, some art skill AND the skill to get something like this done quickly.
As an alternative one could possibly think of a collaboration (wasn't last December a collab?) but that would probably mean a mix of styles in one image with sharp transitions between them.
Topics for the calendar:
It would probably be good to check what topics we already had in past calendars, just in case we don't want to repeat something.
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We have to do Contrasts. ;)
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Ah, Contrasts. I remember. I probably even voted for that in the past years.
Offers thousands of opportunities.
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I almost feel that since we have voted on contrasts but declined it so often, we need to do it at an anniversary. ;)
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If I am not mistaken it should be 14th anniversary now. Good enough for me. :)
Just think of all the contrasts:
Rayek <-> Cutter
Rayek <-> Ekuar
Rayek <-> Venka
Rayek <-> Rayek (Through the ages of development. Awesome! Rayek double feature! ;) )
Leetah <-> Shenshen
Moonshade <-> Picknose (I think that is some contrast, isn't it?)
Teir <-> Mender (they both share a connection but are also different)
Leetah or Shenshen <-> Clearbrook (dark, tanned, more of the lively kind, full of temper vs. the calm type of Clearbrook (or Venka) and also the phenotypical difference (pale))
Sunstream <-> Ember (same parents but very different in temper)
Kahvi <-> Venka
some wolf-companion <-> Preserver
landscape of the plains <-> blue mountain
and so on.
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Ahh...Contrasts!
I'll tell you what if no one comes up with any other theme ideas we'll go with Contrasts but I'm scared that if we do the world might end...haha. It's been on the list for a heck of a lot of years and we've never done it.
Also @ Pyre - we used to have poetry along with the artwork, if others are open to it we could add it back in.
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Haha, I already have an idea taking shape in my head now. ;D
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I also want to say: contrasts!! :lol
Hopefully, I will be able to come up with something that isn't pure cliché... ;)
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I mean, it would be fun? We always want to do it, so maybe this is it!
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I'm all in for the Calendar! It's the only time of the year that I can be CERTAIN of getting something decent EQ art done, even if it's at the last minute. And I vote for Contrasts, too! :D
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I'm always gonna say "heck yes" to the calendar/no calendar question but I agree, promoting it (on Facebook, DeviantArt, other EQ forums etc) should probably be done more! I feel like I always see folks going "oh I didn't even know this was a thing" when they see the published calendar.
Actually doing Contrasts after all these years would be so weird though :D
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Am hoping to have more time this year ... I'd be interested in 2017 and seeing the calendar continue.
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So who I going to advertise the possibilities of a fan calendar elsewhere? I am not on fb. I know of FTH and posted there. Are there any active DA clubs/holts*? Or anybody having a fan site? Sadly, a lot of these home made websites are gone / abandoned. The internet has changed so much. :/
* (e.g. http://elfquest.deviantart.com/ (http://elfquest.deviantart.com/) last visit 426 weeks ago. That's pretty dead, isn't it?)
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So?
Is it contrasts or does anyone else have any theme ideas? ;D
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To break the awful silence... ;)
Probably everybody is just waiting for you to give a go.
Besides that, did someone try to connect to people on other platforms? I just knew of FTH (and have an account there, so I posted the info).
Just on DA there should be more than 30 artists that do or at least did some EQ related art in the past. (I can compile a list if needed.)
This is unless you say we got enough persons to participate.
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I've been trying to think of something fresh...
I could only come up with challenges so far... and I think that has been suggested before, right?
Furthermore, it will probably feature too many scenes we saw in the calendar a thousand times anyway.
Thank you for looking for opportunities to promote the calendar idea, jaRf!
Facebook comes to mind... the forums the members have swapped to since the official forums closed.
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Well, I don't have FB. Or twitter. G+. Or anything like that.
The list of Elfquest related people on DA I compiled so far (not complete)
http://huskie666.deviantart.com/ (http://huskie666.deviantart.com/) (no longer in service there?)
http://linnpuzzle.deviantart.com/ (http://linnpuzzle.deviantart.com/)
http://slayersyrena.deviantart.com/ (http://slayersyrena.deviantart.com/)
http://kiwi241277.deviantart.com/ (http://kiwi241277.deviantart.com/) (iirc he participated in former calendars)
http://marge-kinson.deviantart.com/ (http://marge-kinson.deviantart.com/) (<- got no clue who that is ;) )
http://xandervanduijvenbode.deviantart.com/ (http://xandervanduijvenbode.deviantart.com/) (iirc. he was that guy with the nice lineart on eq.com forums)
http://kuroriku.deviantart.com/ (http://kuroriku.deviantart.com/)
http://catskind.deviantart.com/ (http://catskind.deviantart.com/)
http://eregyrn.deviantart.com/ (http://eregyrn.deviantart.com/)
http://leela8900.deviantart.com/ (http://leela8900.deviantart.com/)
http://pruzjinka.deviantart.com/ (http://pruzjinka.deviantart.com/)
http://phoenixanna.deviantart.com/ (http://phoenixanna.deviantart.com/)
http://juleselyot.deviantart.com/ (http://juleselyot.deviantart.com/)
http://incredibleran.deviantart.com/ (http://incredibleran.deviantart.com/)
http://jisel.deviantart.com/ (http://jisel.deviantart.com/)
http://yoshusheep.deviantart.com/ (http://yoshusheep.deviantart.com/) (cosplay)
http://rikkis.deviantart.com/ (http://rikkis.deviantart.com/)
http://maryjet.deviantart.com/ (http://maryjet.deviantart.com/)
http://foxeye.deviantart.com/ (http://foxeye.deviantart.com/)
http://elf-in-mirror.deviantart.com/ (http://elf-in-mirror.deviantart.com/)
http://sonion.deviantart.com/ (http://sonion.deviantart.com/) (official artist)
http://yashodoa.deviantart.com/ (http://yashodoa.deviantart.com/)
http://jozef-szekeres.deviantart.com/ (http://jozef-szekeres.deviantart.com/) (connected to Mermaid??)
http://winnowill2.deviantart.com/ (http://winnowill2.deviantart.com/)
http://anyae.deviantart.com/ (http://anyae.deviantart.com/)
http://kalanemi.deviantart.com/ (http://kalanemi.deviantart.com/)
http://kwongbee-arts.deviantart.com/ (http://kwongbee-arts.deviantart.com/)
http://svetlany.deviantart.com/ (http://svetlany.deviantart.com/)
http://damned-selena.deviantart.com/ (http://damned-selena.deviantart.com/)
http://quietharm.deviantart.com/ (http://quietharm.deviantart.com/)
http://incredibleran.deviantart.com/ (http://incredibleran.deviantart.com/)
http://silentleaf82.deviantart.com/ (http://silentleaf82.deviantart.com/)
Some of them should also be here. :) And also participated in calendars before.
Other sources of artists might be on Elfwood and tumblr (some overlap, of course). I do not understand tumblr. To me it seems ... kinda silly, no comments, just reposts and likes and that kind of stuff. Also there have been a couple of people from Russia that did art - not sure how I could re-find them on the net, if not somewhere on DA. A few had websites or were posting on the old elfquest.com forums.
And there might be more holts were people visit. E.g. incredibleran from DA is on one of them (Oakleaf, that holt should be around for some time now).
So this is in case we need more people for the calendar and some are not aware of it yet.
It sucks that the central point of information (spreading) is gone.
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Portraits come to mind ... like the backs of the originals.
Let everyone play and see what they come up with.
Sometimes less structure is more fun anyways. JM2C
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Faerydae, if you look at the 2015th calendar... well, that is quite the portraits calendar I'd say. ;)
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Happy Eastertime everybody who celebrates it these days.
In other news a quarter of a year has passed and we still haven't really started the calendar. I guess for some it's a matter of a week to do something, but at least for me the remaining months to get some art for 2017 finished... is already short. I do have a partially horrible "real life" and I usually need a lot of time. And time is one of my main problems. The earlier I start the many projects this year, the better. So I'd be fond if we had some official announcement.
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I vote Contrasts, it's been on the voting polls for a decade so we should really do it at one point!
Will months get assigned again or are we going back to the old "submissions are open for everyone" way of doing it?
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Ok, I'm giving one last chance to suggest something other than contrasts. If I don't hear anything by Thursday I'm going to officially declare contrasts our theme and post the necessary details so we can start working on the darn thing. :P
I noticed however that a few regular participants haven't said anything, which is why I've been holding out but it's true, I know a lot of you need quite a bit of time to get an entry finished so I want to be able to give you that as well as let everyone have a say about which theme they might like.
Still this thread has been here awhile now, so Thursday is the deadline for ideas, if you want something other than contrasts speak up now.
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I know I am sorta throwing my hat in late (It is an Ill year for me; in luck and health) But I would still be IN.
And . . . with all that is happening in ElfQuest this year I feel I must suggest how fun it would be to do Chiefs - Past, Present and Future ! There is so much variety and ripe pickens there for every ones artistic styles and fan- tingling interests.
I would be willing to do the Hidden-Ones, or Prey-Pacer's tribe or even [of course] 3 or more characters of Tanner's holt. I do maybe suggest multi- characters and tasks or seasonal themes ? if needed ?
Hat. Me.
What do ya all think ?
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Ok, since Tah-Marien came up with an idea for the calendar and I had a few silly and not so silly ideas knocking around in my head I've created a poll so we can vote. Let's see if contrasts can make it this year. ;D
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I'm all for keeping the Calendar (and site) going!
Time and motivation isn't always on our side though,
but me and Rowtiger were up to the almost last minute
challenge last year :)
I do agree off-site advertisements and reminder posts
is a must, to enable more to enjoy the lovely calendars
and for more artists to participate!
Hmmyes, Contrasts.. can be a very wide topic,
could include Chiefs too ;)
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I participated last year.... but failed horrible, due to personal issues and a computer which crashed..... felt awefull for letting everyone down, specially Maggie!
I would still participate if given a second chance, but I understand it when I don't get picked!
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12 months of Ekuar would be really something, huh? :lol
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Heh...mostly a joke but if it won I certainly wouldn't mind 12 variations of Ekuar to look at throughout the year. ;D
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I will happily participate for the 2017 calendar. :)
Deana
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Well, I might try to be in the calendar, but I must admit I have a bit of a problem understanding the dimensions... it's been a problem of mine every time I enter...
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I like the comedy and tragedy idea as well, but totally went for contrasts of course. ;D
Berit, what part is difficult, perhaps we can work it out? I often have troubles with inches; not just because it's different from cm, but also because letter-size is different from A4-size (which I'm used to; it's slightly taller). So I usually just enter the size into a new Photoshop file, give it a border, and print it out, so I can see the actual proportions. That way I'll know within which limits to draw.
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Well... it's actually a bit embarrassing, but what the hell... I have brain injury... thanks to almost suffocating once... and that injury.. well... I can't understand numbers... I just... can't... so heh! modern life is bit of an hell some times... I simply have no idea what the numbers mean... so there... my biggest reason of not getting involved in the calendar stuff that much, I always hit brick wall when I'm given numbers and I ALWAYS get them wrong!.. every darn time I've done a calendar art ià mess things up... I can't remember my age, nor my phone number... not even my address...
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So, if someone is willing to give me hand in the dimensions thing... I'm in!... and just to clarify, I'm not stupid or anything! I just have serious problems with numbers...
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Still think portraits was a good theme, do not see why it can't run more than once, but liking the chiefs one as well!
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Contrasts is a good theme, there a lot to think about.
Ten Chiefs maybe easier, already 12 chiefs in EQ %)
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Hello, I've not been active here but I voted for contrasts and will look up the guidelines and would like to participate for the 2017 calander!
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@Berit, I'll make sure you get the correct dimensions so you can participate. ;)
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You sure? you have so much other stuff to do, I'd hate to shove this on your shoulders as well... and sorry if I mentioned the thing too bluntly... everyone has been asking and I'm tired circling around the subject!... but any help I can get on that part, I will be ever so grateful of it...
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@Berit - Nope happy to help you out, I love your artwork, so I want you to be able to toss some at the calendar this year. ;D As for being blunt, so what? You don't do numbers, that's cool and it's better to let us know what's really going on than to have us wonder why you don't want to participate. ;)
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I participated last year.... but failed horrible, due to personal issues and a computer which crashed..... felt awefull for letting everyone down, specially Maggie!
No worries. Happens to nearly everyone once in a while.
It is called life, by the way. ;) It sometimes sucks.
I could help with crashed computers or give tips to prevent it, if needed. Not sure if I could help health issues and broken hearts or something, though. :( But hopefully that is past now...
So, if someone is willing to give me hand in the dimensions thing... I'm in!... and just to clarify, I'm not stupid or anything! I just have serious problems with numbers...
Oh, well. That's quite something. But I guess that could be helped.
Do you use paper to draw or digital art?
Because for paper we could name the format (in case of A4 we could paint the number 4 and you print it out and compare the signs in the store, but I guess you can still read them) and you could buy it in a store (or give a comparison - e.g. about as long as your underarm). Other than that we could make you an empty image file for the program you are using. E.g. just make the image file the pixel X pixel size large and send you the empty file so you can draw in it. When you finish you can send it back and one of us might do resampling if needed and exporting to JPEG.
Or, if you use paper / scanner we could give some advice or you even send the paper (though it might need folding) to someone to scan. (Though I only have A4 scanners, no A3 (A3 is two A4 papers besides each other, so double size)).
> inch vs. metric system
Do they still use these non-SI units in the United States so much? ::)
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I use a scanner, usually I draw lineart by hand, but color stuff in GIMP... but sometimes I color stuff with markers or wood colors, you name it... it's all up to inspiration! but yeah, all that stuff you just said to me sounds more than a little complicated... I was thinking if I could just draw, (I scan big images so I can fix some issues if something is wrong) so I though that would it be too much of an hassle if someone just re sized it?... all I need to know is if the picture is supposed to be shaped like a square, tall or wide... I think I could manage it then... (best would be if there was some sort of visual reference) I'm sorry to bother people with this thing, but I seriously can't get the hang of it...
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... Or I could try doing fully computer stuff... hahah! it wouldn't be that good looking, but it would be the simplest solution! besides, it would be interesting experiment for me as well!... so if you have any suggestions, I'm always ready to try!...
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I think you should draw with what you are comfortable with, so if it's traditionally on paper, we should work out a way for you to get the right size on paper. I could print a border with the right proportions on an A4, like I do for myself, and send you one? The shape is a landscape oriented rectangle (so wide, rather than tall). If that is enough for you to know, you could always scan your picture extra big, so someone else can crop it to the right size afterwards without quality loss.
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Berit, don't worry about it, we're all happy to help, the Calendar isn't supposed to make anyone feel left out! The resizing thing sounds doable, doing the lineart, sending it to someone for resizing, and then colouring wouldn't be make for much of a difference.
Alternatively a collaboration might be an option? Someone doing the lineart and you colouring (or since it seems that Contrast is winning, each person doing their half of the image) I'm always game for collaborations, so if you want that give me a shout :)
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I'm in for a new calendar:)
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collaboration might be an option
That's an interesting thought. We had this in the past occasionally, but here it might offer new possibilities. The question is how is it done? Someone doing the lineart and the other one colouring (though lineart needed to be done in time, so there is still capacity for colouring). Or each one creates one half of the picture: That would be two different styles in one image - but a contrast as well.
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Here we GO ! Only 24 Members voting ? Well . . . interesting, especially since such wonderful ideas came out at the last minute. Voted.
@Maggie - I could so see a calendar with Ekuar, especially since we know what he and his companions looked like when they tried to enter the castle/home place together. Slowly seeing him loosing body parts in progression, through out the year, might just sadden me though !
@Berit - Don't worry ! We all have hiccups in our make-up. I cannot subtract numbers, no problem with Algebra or any higher Maths, but I cannot subtract unless I ask myself " What plus 5 equals 8. Answer 3." Instead of 8-5; can't do it. (In trade I kick a** at Blackjack/21.) We learn to compensate heh? This Time let some fan mates help you NP.
Thank you to those who have voted. So many more than last year - Yay!
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p s If contrasts wins someone will just have to explain it to me a little further. It seems like opposites on the same page ? and then I read more and it seeems like characters drawn as other tribes ?
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Yes, good to see some action here. :)
For the not unlikely case that the contrasts topic wins I'd explain it as a broad freedom (as I said above). Imagine the possibilities.
You could have, and that is likely, an elf-elf contrast. Since we all love Rayek (We do, don't we?!) e.g.
Rayek vs. Venka (brooding, temper vs. relaxed mood, calm, cool minded)
Rayek vs. Mender (sometimes similar in temper, but different in their appearance / phenotype)
Shenshen vs. Leetah (sisters, but still full of contrast)
Even Rayek early Sorrow's End time vs. Rayek later in the story gives a contrast.
But you could also see a human elf contrast, wolves, preservers. Mix in whatever comes to your mind.
Even landscapes of desert vs. deep green forests would be a contrast (one could merge this in a background).
Or have a collaboration with two different art styles.
I think it really offers vast freedom of choice.
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True, not just characters could be involved in the contrasting part! Thinking of an obvious one; the Wolfriders in the desert, all sunburned because their skin is not used to so much sun.
We did opposite images next to each other before (then and now), but I'd rather not do that. I'd like to search for contrast within one image. A hardened warrior such as Kahvi, gently breastfeeding Venka, for example.
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'Evolution - The Then and Now of EQ' is very interesting theme because it allow us to imagine evolution of elves and their way can reflect our own evolution. It can help us to understand what path to choose.
Maybe it sounds strange but I believe that part of people can live in forests and deny using gadgets and so on. World is changing, new energies are coming and some of us can even collaborate with plants and trees like Redlance. This way of thinking and living should be considered as possible way of our evolution as well.
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One contrast that immediately popped into my mind was Snow country and the Sun village. One colored in warn light and the other in cold light. And Jethel, an elf leading a band of misfit kids.
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Voting is almost over. ;D
I will be posting the guidelines for whichever theme wins sometime tomorrow, so we can all get started on our submissions. Please don't start anything until you've read the "rules", as a few additional guidelines are going to be added this year. ;)
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For those who were looking for an email notification of a change in thread...
look here:
http://www.elfquestfanart.com/index.php?topic=411.0 (http://www.elfquestfanart.com/index.php?topic=411.0)
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Contrasts? :o
Really?
Finally?
No way!
Call me in!
I can't say no after all that time. ;D
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Heh!
Just let me know your characters and your contrast so I can add you to the list Yavia!
Maggie