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snowunmasked β The Night and His Usurper
by-nc-nd
Published: 2010-01-19 18:31:10 +0000 UTC; Views: 13023; Favourites: 531; Downloads: 153
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Description
14x20" Arches cold press watercolour paper
Water-soluble crayons, traces of graphite and ink
Featured flowers: Nicotiana ; night-blooming
Featured bird: gull
Click to view first version from 26th August, 2009
Companion piece to "The Sky and Her Blind Carcass"
Thank you my wonderful friends Sam SRaffa and zerocomplex for your constant guidance. And to my dear workable fixative... you are a lifesaver, and will be much abused with heavy fondling.
I mean for this to be a companion-piece with another redux. They'd look so boss, side by side. When that piece is done, I plan on releasing them both together as a wallpaper.
Lesson learned: never rush; ever.
Thank you so much for looking!
. . : : Β katherine-cheng.com Β : : . .
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Comments: 330
`athenatt says all that I would have say technically if my english was better, yet I have to admit on the whole that my preference goes to this version 
Beautiful painting dear Katie
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It is a great honour to receive a critique from you Athena, thank you
It is true that all the purposes I have laid out for this piece have been realised, very successfully at that, therefore I am deeply appreciative of your kindly assumption. It was a very smooth ride all along, everything I wanted from start to finish happened accordingly. I look at this, and feel relieved... it's just one of those pieces, those times, where you never have to fight with the process. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.
The subtle colours are there to blur the line of reality. It was a challenge, as I tend to go a little crazy with deep, chiaroscuro contrasts, and I'm glad that I was able to overcome that urge to achieve the final image I desired.
Perhaps, in another six months' time, I'll look at this and think, man, this sucks. For now though it's a great sense of accomplishment to see this standing right amongst my all time favourite pieces.
I never want to stop
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It is ALWAYS valuable to hear someone's opinion. Everything helps
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The bird head and bones are rendered beautifully. The eye is so strong with its gaze. The positioning of the bird to the man gives the man a shamanistic appearance. Sort of how the shaman puts on the skin of the animal and thus "becomes" the animal and has the powers the animal possessed.
If I may say, this IS supposed to be a critique, it seems the head or jaw of the man needs to be a bit smaller. If a photo was used for reference, then I would probably need to see it to confirm or contest my perception.
Wonderful textures and colors. The shading on the skin is just near perfect. I like the subtlety of the flowers. They were almost a surprise for me when I saw them.
Well done!
Your work improves with every new piece I see (as it should).
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I thought not only the bones and skin, but the large flesh wounds (is that what they are?) were incredible too!
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Thank you for your wonderful critique, Seth, it's always an honour 
I do agree that in fact the man's whole head is slightly disproportioned. I only realised too late - just one of those things that I notice after colour is applied to my drafts. It's a fault that's growing less prominent, fortunately, though a fault no less.
Very pleased you enjoy the flowers, they turned out exactly the way I hoped!
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I think this image is much better as the first one and I only can agree with Keith in that. The first impression I've got by seeing this picture is the art of the Mayas, Incas and old Egyptian. You have outdone yourself with this transformation and they whole piece is just magnificent and marvelous. I just love every bit of it ... especially the bone wings, who just got a few feathers left on it. The colours of the background complimenting the figure in the foreground. Fire and water, the two elements who became important features of this delineation.
Excellent and outstanding work ... and I hope we'll get to see more like this e.deviantart.net/emoticons/n/n⦠" width="15" height="15" alt="
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I am extremely happy that you like this, Jurgen. Your opinion is one I greatly value
Hopefully the companion piece will be a success as well!
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You are truly a inspiration and I love and enjoy your art very much ... one of the best here on dA ... love the style and the effort you put into your work
I don't expect less from you and the companion piece can get only better, because you've learned from mistakes and take now your time to finish what you love to do
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BY THE WAY... the card I sent you got sent back to me 
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You've got my new address
Dunno why they send the card back
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I don't know either
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I gave the post office my forwarding address ... but even if you give them your new address they still send to the old one too
how stupid is that
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That's the US for you
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Very interesting and unique piece, I like how two sides are different colors and almost diagonal. It kind of makes me wonder which is the night and which is the usurper (though it seems like the man is the usurper). I also like how you chose a gull. Though it's a simple bird, artistically and with the skeleton it looks amazing. The details are amazing (especially with the skeleton) and the background helps make the man and the bird stand out. The colors here are outstanding and I like how on the blue side it looks like night. I'm blown away once more and each work of yours is unique in its own fashion. Awesome work here e.deviantart.net/emoticons/s/s⦠" width="15" height="15" alt="
e.deviantart.net/emoticons/t/t⦠" width="15" height="15" alt="
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Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this, your comments are always looked forward to!
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Your very much welcome ^^
Really? That's neat! I think it's cool when artists use elements from their lives in their art
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We all do, whether conscious or not
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YouΒ΄re feature in my journal Favs of Favs 2010.
Merry Christmas 
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aww thank you so much <3
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wow this is just amazing. I love the details and the composition aswell as the mix of pink and blue are fascinating!
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Thank you so much
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Dont usally fave this kind of art.
But this ROCKS
The collors and symmetry of the picture are sweeeet.
Realy like the effect on the hand. Looks like he
presses it against a pane of glass
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I'm very happy you enjoy this!
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your work is gorgeous!!! such feeling and texture! I've been away from dA for a while, so its nice to get re-acquainted with your work!
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Thank you so much for remembering me
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OMG! Your work is incredible! 
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..."And to my dear workable fixative... you are a lifesaver, and will be much abused with heavy fondling." 
And you can draw hands sooo well!! They are so difficult.
lol sorry, not meant to sound so surprised, it's just a real pleasure to see your work. 
Jen
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Hands are a lot of fun once you get the knack of it. Took YEARS. And I'm still learning
Thank you so much for checking this out Jen <3
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I like the arrangement of different elements in the design. Everything is of quality. The head it seems you take some liberties with, but who is to say that something imagined should be as it always has been, just because its always been so? It is a colorful vibrant piece, I like it.
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You speak words of wisdom
Thank you so much for taking a look.
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