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katya-h — salva nos
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Published: 2007-02-15 04:50:23 +0000 UTC; Views: 8760; Favourites: 301; Downloads: 134
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Description
Hehe, I've kinda been sitting on this for a few weeks because I didn't really know what to do with it... I was kinda scared to upload it because I'm afraid of lackluster responses
since i spent a long time on it.Long time meaning, I started the sketch of this in summertime, meaning for it to just be a sketch for a possible oil painting, but then after awhile I decided to just finish it as it is, a digital piece, and I would pick at it in between other projects for months at a time. Recently I was at a loss for what to do so I just... wanted to finish it off. It took a LONG time because I nitpicked everything, and I had to paint over Rhys about 6 times before I got it to look remotely right.
The two mainest of the main characters of mine - Solais and her older brother Rhys, for a fantasy story long time in the making, and most likely will be for some time XD
This is meant to be very symbolic, in a way, for them and for the story. Solais's pseudo-holiness and problems dragging Rhys along whether he likes it or not, because he's determined to protect his little sister at all costs. She pulls him along with her, he tries to hold her back to protect her. Water a symbol of birth and life, blood for the sacrifice, bells for the calling, a feather from her future husband, Ivan. Organic, natural halo confounding the idea of holiness being above the body - and about a woman's unique place between being holy and being earthly.
I love these two; for a long time I didn't concentrate enough on them, but now I am so passionate for them. (and that doesn't mean they're my darling-characters, but I am so happy with how their development as -people- and -citizens of the world- has come out <3 )
I'd like to thank DA's stock section and Caravaggio for making this piece happen.
edit feb/08 : i made a few minor changes. mostly just a smidge of color correction. because it's my art to do what i please with and it was just.. really really bugging me. this picture still has a lot of meaning for me.
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Comments: 104
You have been featured in my 
Please keep it up your amazing works
I love your awesome talents and beautiful works
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The green "halo" effect around Solais is just stunning! And the water is so unique, unlike anything I've ever seen before. Really, beautiful work!
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i wud liek 2 be tied to sexy woman liek that n__n!! she is so small and fragile
my favourite! heheheheheheh ^^
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Shitman... gorgeous colours. Everything works in harmony together
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wow this really sumtin inspiring, even though am not at the level of an artist like kittencourna i can see that this is worth callin a masterpiece.
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Wow... the picture stunned me and then I read the description and I actually got chills when you explained the piece...its very very beautiful.
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t...this is beautiful D:
(why the crap are I not already watching youuu? mwee
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I love, love, love the colors in this--especially the bright greens spiraling from Solais' head.
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AMAZING@!!!!!! YEAHHH!!! Do more of this beautifulness, I enjoy it very much! ^_^
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WOW! What a stunning piece 
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No problem. Feel free to ask any other questions you like
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Really good job....could you explain how to obtain the green glare??? please please please please...
THANKS A LOT
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LOL give me a chance, my message center is a nightmare currently
The greenness was a mixture of painting it straight to give it the basic "glow" look, (which comes from much study of light and form in real life!) and then combining the use of the dodge tool, "overlay" blend mode layers with a green tint and also "color" blend mode layers in Photoshop to make it really stand out.
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This painting is outstanding. Love everything about it, colors, characters, composition, lighting, and the strokes......a fave for sure.
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O_o
I can't tell you how friggin amazing this piece is.
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I did get it! Reading it now
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Sweet, because I was going to seriously cry.
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Did I not say I would return? It took MacArthur two years, and he had a lot more men.
I can only imagine how this looks in person. This must be -smashing- as a print. I wish I had in my hands to review rather than on the monitor. As I do not, I'll do my best.
The figures are fantastic, one look at Rhys' face is more than enough confirmation of that (and hands, I like those hands). The details, in general are fantastic. Though the effects of how much effort was put into this can be easily seen in pictures you've done after, I can also safely say that few had the overall -concentration- of your particular skills and styles.
What I find most interesting, though, is the positioning. I like that Rhys is the center, and the base. The way he's standing/sitting, he's both enduring and supporting all of the other parts of the picture, from the water, which appears to be buffeting him, though supporting or lauding Solais, to Solais herself, whose occupation can neither be seen by the observer nor Rhys himself. There is an immense amount of idea play just it the way everything is positioned. The light that falls on Rhys is an earthy, realistic light, while Solais is mostly in darkness, brought into vividness by the mystic green light that more is observed and taints than reveals. Rhys, also, unlike Solais, though dragged across most of the elements in the piece (the different colors and the space of the frame itself) is not effected by them all, giving him a more unified appearance.
And not the weigh all the heavy words on his part, Solais' position is an interesting one. Kneeling as she is gives me the idea of motion, or at least, an interesting distribution of weight, but with the posture of prayer and the closed eyes, she stops any interpreted momentum. She is also closed to the viewer in all ways: turned away, eyes shut, mouth shut, posture contained. Whatever it is that she has is not to be shared, like a good story, but rather is to be shown, like a good lesson. The bell, feather, and brother hanging off of her also gives the idea of weight to her, though what is interestingly unclear is her choice in the matter. I would say, as closed as she is to the observer, I can't weigh in on whether those ties or burdens are optional or necessary or coincidental or what. The way the water sort of explodes under her and the light sort of explodes out of her gives me the idea that she is battered from all sides except that held in calm by her brother, whose presence, though sheltering, may or may not be helpful (at any rate, nothing at all gives the impression that she wants him gone, but rather, the warmth of the light and the smooth interaction of the colors and lines between them gives the idea that he's welcome, if burdensome).
Bah. There's pages and pages. I'll spare you. There's all sorts of neat things going on, and I've thought that for along time, and I'm sorry it took so damn long to say anything worthwhile about it.
If there was any one thing I didn't understand, I would say it was the purple color up towards the corner there. But I never understand purple.
-Kitten
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Lord Jesus on a merry-go-round, now that is the biggest comment I have ever gotten!! OMG You are INSANE, lady.
I'm not even sure where to start, really. You just totally nailed everything I could think of when I was doing this piece. I still consider it my masterpiece, at least for now, and I'm very glad you came back to respond.
The stuff about the light, the weight, position, interactions, feelings, everything you mentioned is spot on. I am amazed and still kind of dazzled by this comment. I suppose I can address certain issues, and expand on them:
The taint and power of the light behind Solais is exactly what you said: Unnatural, eerie, ethereal, does not reveal anything about her except stuff that is attributed to her. She is cast in a light not of her own. Rhys is a support for her, and he is quite welcome; she loves him dearly, even if he is a pain in the rear sometimes, especially with his need to protect her. Her callings are also a burden to be noticed by her. Her intentions are unclear, as she is a kind of quiet and more reserved person than most. (at least compared to her emotional nutball brother)
Your comment was actually very inspiring to me. If I ever write the story, this will be the cover to the first book, tentatively named The Binding Prayer. Maybe I will make more for the other "planned" books.
You're comments are always welcome no matter how long they are. I really appreciate your feedback. Sorry I haven't gotten back to your note yet - school is sucking me dry again, but hopefully this weekend I can try to be articulate again.
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Hey, you draw 'em, I just call what I see.
I'm glad it's your masterpiece for now. It's very good, but it has that lucky promise behind it of even better.
I think this picture, in a selfish little turn of events, connects the way I think about these characters of yours to a certain reality: Yeah, I admit, I liked Rhys' pictures a little better when breezing through your gallery. They're a little more approachable and friendly. Solais I didn't quite understand; her pictures are always beautiful, but distant. This sort of connects that feeling to the characters, which is nice. I'm very excited to be catching glimpses of what, I'm sure, will be a fantastic and delicate book.
I'm glad that it being a million years late didn't hurt the comment too bad. If, god forbid, someday I make fun of your for taking time to respond, you need only reference this sort of habit of mine 
Thanks
-Kitten
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I love the way her halo is spilling from her body, unconstrained out into the universe. I also enjoy your explanation of the symbolism involved, and am glad you shared it, along with this lovely piece
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Kitteh, this is so gorgeous. It really shows a lot of time and devotion and some wicked colors! I love the concept and the execution, wows~
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hiii maris XD long time no see~~!
thank you very much!
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Wonderful details and colors, that green in the corner really caught my eye. I can tell you must really love your characters
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Nice coloring the light sources are pretty cool especially the green at the top. I like how emotionally strong the picture is. I think you did really well.
haha I like your username
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Congrats!!!
I've featured this creation in my Februar 2007 Visual Art Feature.
Check it here : [link]
This feature is also in the news, so more views for you!!!
Please check it to view other's art!
You can see the previous features here :
Februar 2007
January 2007
Best of Photomanipulations 2006
Best of Digital Art 2006
Best of Photography 2006
And support our cause : Misplacement into Galleries - [link]
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Thank you very much!! 
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I honestly think you just created a masterpiece. All those weeks of work really paid off! The light effects, with the water softly reflecting the halo's glow all over the place before fading into darkness... I don't know but I don't get tired of watching this one.
I'm faving this one. And I think you deserve more than the... 65 comments I'm reading at the time.
Way to go, pal! This one rocks DA!
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Thank you very much. I am very much in love with this picture and I think maybe it is something of a masterpiece to me. At least until I create something I like more
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Or something even better. Who knows.
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I just loooooove how you do those swirly light things @_@ That and the water and everything, really amazing. You really are an astonishing artist.
Like the poster above me said, i'm pretty speechless.
(caravaggio love!
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Thank you very much!
Caravaggio is my homeboy.
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I really do feel bad when I favorite something without leaving a comment, but some things just leave me speechless
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I know the feeling
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I think I've always loved you for your colors. How they will just pop out and scream 'I'm amazing!'. ^^
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It's a beautiful piece and I loved reading the description of their development. The colouring is just packed with little details that keep my eyes fixed there.
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Thank you very much
Toten Veloren? XD did you mean verloren? (die lost??)
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You have some amazing particle effects going on there. I can really feel the energy branching out and curling through space.
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Holy shit I'm in love with the effects and her dress. *u*
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Really fantastic work *_*, I love those "ornaments" in background, they add magic to the picture *__*
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I think this is your best work so far, I cannot imagine why you were afraid to upload it. I find that your proportion and composition has improved vastly since I first met you on here. I still think you are one of the few standouts here and we need to watch for you to be a big time artist in the future.
What I love on this image...I like your signature twirls and frills that make all of the negative spaces so interesting. The greens behind the girl truly seems to glow and it is a wonderful touch. Her skirt edging is interesting in its scalloped look but by far the part that catches my eye, the small areas that I always seem to get off on is the corset along her side. I love the way you have handled the wrinkles and folds and the beautiful shine of the embellishments of her clothing.
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