Azure City Ensemble

[Carry2]

http://s7.postimage.org/x3thlnii3/SG_Ensemble_preview_colour.jpg

Cliff notes review: An assembly of prominent azurite citizens. I started this about a year and a half ago as a sapphire guard ensemble, got about halfway, lost interest, decided to change up the lineup a few months back, and I've worked on it intermittently since then.

From left to right, you have Lien, Sangwaan, Miko, Eugene, Shojo (and Mr. Scruffy), Soon, Hinjo, O'Chul, Kubota, Qarr and Therkla.

Edit Edit Edit: THIS is the final version. I've decided not to bother linking to a higher-res version, since this is about the optimal zoom level, and anything larger tends to get shrunk by the host. Enjoy.

[Teutonic Knight]

I like how they look "asian", either Japanese or Chinese or Southeast Asian (Lien, to me) or some mix in between, and not just Japanese.

[Carry2]

I like how they look "asian", either Japanese or Chinese or Southeast Asian (Lien, to me) or some mix in between, and not just Japanese.
I actually have a very dim recollection of the Giant commenting on this point: Apparently, there were complaints about him combining the chinese zodiac with japanese helmets and korean (?) surnames, etc. and he basically said that azure city was a syncretic melting pot of east asian tropes in the same way that ordinary D&D borrowed terms from various portions of medieval europe- france, britain, italy etc. (In other words, no more of a hodgepodge than fantasy art in general tends to be.) So, I tried to reflect that a bit.

I would furthermore remark that I took some pains to try and have Lien look more distinctive, given that there were comments that my women looked too similar in the earlier version.

This is my very convoluted way of saying 'thank you for noticing.'

[Teutonic Knight]

You are welcome. Do you have a larger version somewhere, better to see the details with?

[Carry2]

You are welcome. Do you have a larger version somewhere, better to see the details with?
Not just yet. But I should be posting a larger-res version once I finish up the background.

[Elder Tsofu]

It certainly looks better and better now when it is coming together. :smallsmile:

[Carry2]

Latest version up. I've tweaked the original zodiac images for clarity, then gave them a dramatic glowing radial blur, added a frame, and call it done. The piece could still stand a wee bit of detailing/cleanup in certain areas, but I think I've hit a point of diminishing returns, effort-wise. I need to work on drawing hands, next...

Anyway. Thanks for all the feedback, both in this thread and beforehand.

EDIT: I've decided that a landscape orientation is more economical, so I moved down the background window a bit. I actually tried doing custom sketches for each of the 12 Gods, but it was really hard to work them into the stained glass format while giving them the appropriate faux-chinese-scrollwork appearance. Given you can barely see most of 'em, I just used what I had.

[Carry2]

Oh, by the way, do people have any preferences or suggestions for other sketches? I do have some rough work done for the Order themselves, but I might be coaxed into covering, say, sabine or thog.

http://s1.postimage.org/nxm7pm96n/order_ensemble.jpg

[Kurien]

First of all, the Azure City piece... so shiny :smallcool:. Maybe you could do a sketch of the Order of the Scribble? Soon Kim, Dorukan, Lirian, Girard, Kraagor and Serini. I don't believe I've ever seen them drawn realistically before.

Looking at your OotS, it brought to mind THIS (http://tensen01.deviantart.com/gallery/586709#/dwmtej) render of them, which I don't know if you've ever seen.

[Carry2]

First of all, the Azure City piece... so shiny :smallcool:. Maybe you could do a sketch of the Order of the Scribble? Soon Kim, Dorukan, Lirian, Girard, Kraagor and Serini. I don't believe I've ever seen them drawn realistically before.

Looking at your OotS, it brought to mind THIS (http://tensen01.deviantart.com/gallery/586709#/dwmtej) render of them, which I don't know if you've ever seen.
I think I've run across them before. I can appreciate the level of detail. (Is it just me, or does his Belkar remind me of someone (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1218607/)?)

Soon, Dorukan, Lirian, Girard, Kraagor and Serini? ...I dunno, it's never occurred to me before. Hmm. I might prefer to wrap up the OOTS sketch first though, and knowing my schedule, that may be months away. Some more background info might help, too...