aaah evening

[balaa]

To everyone that has imed me and hasnt gotten a responce in a few days, I'm sorry but I take tuesday and weds off every week to spend with my fiance since they are his days off. Though all we ever seem to do is run errands XD yay.

Anyway mowed the lawn and went to prune the hedges and a spider bit me. Its all swollen, tingly and aches..and with my luck its my drawing hand. I'll probably force myself to work anyway XD.

Heres an update of the cheetah. Humm Im still working on revamping the chests somehow...though this style seems to fit the cheetah nicely. The bg is being worked on but Im thinking of changing the colors and going with morning hues of blue instead of a sunset feel.



Also did a few jag and tiger sketches...just randomly...will try to scan em in tomorrow. Im studying tiger stripes a little more to get a better idea for pattern.

Thanks to everyone that left me a comment in the last entry, I am sorry I could not respond to all..please know that I read and appreciate every comment ^_^!

Comments

[justblieve.livejournal.com]

Looking good Balaa :) though, for a Cheetah, the chest and stomach seem awfully "fluffy", though this could just be a style/personal thing? Also are the claws out, or are those just black marks?

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

actually if you look at cheetahs..they tend to vary even within the species...as in some are fluffier than others...especially on the neck, chest and stomach...though some seem to lose a lot of fluff as they get older. *GASP* I must draw a baby cheetah O_O.
The triangular things are just I guess a stylistic preference..kinda borrowed from madagascar XD..but no the claws arent out. Mebbe next time I need to shade them lighter O_O. Thank you kindly for the critique ^___^

[simbagirl19.livejournal.com]

Baby cheetah!? *gasp* ^_^

This one is just...gah, it's amazing! So much beautiful, yet simple enough, detail! I looove to watch your work. *drool*

Take care of that hand, now! Maybe it's a singal to have a little rest. ^-^

[dark-jaguar01.livejournal.com]

I sure everyone understands, you do not have to be on IM all the time. You have AIM or Msn? If you would like to chat sometime though give me a buzz.
;) My contact stuff is on my info page.

Great job on the coloring. XD I like your personal touch on the chest floof. And I wants to see the Jag really bad. lol But not till your hand is better though. You can put my icon on hold till your hand is healed as well. Take it easy. <3<3

[justblieve.livejournal.com]

Ah well, the adult cheetahs we have at the park aren't so fluffy so I suppose that's what I was basing them on :) The back of the neck, or the "mantle" is the only fluff part really. <3 cheetahs

And the reason I asked about the claws is because cheetahs claws aren't fully retractable, so I was gonna give you props for having them out hehe.

[theunknownsoul.livejournal.com]

yes draw a baby cheetah. and it will be loved XD

I also suggest King Cheetahs. They have larger spot patterns but still basically spots X) I love the shading...and im rather fond of his eyes <3

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

really? they aren't??? I honestly did not know that! OOH ifn you have a good resource of photos I could study, I would be extrreeeeeeemmmeeelly grateful. Ive been trying to move in a more natural direction with my toony stuff....if that makes any sense XD..trying to heavily base them off nature..but at the same time throw in some of my own flares ya know?

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

I sketched your icon a few days back..have been wanting to color it and try some different stuff...but haven't had a chance just yet. I will make sure its a good one..and the jags are all dedicated to you XD..beee afrrraaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiidddd

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

YESS King cheatahs are amazingly gorgeous! I managed to find a few photos, but not too many good ones to ref the patterns from. Thank you for the wonderful words, you made me smile. *hugggsss*

[(Anonymous)]

Wowza! This is definitely going to be an all-time fav of mine! >.> The expression goes along with the rest of cheetah quite well. Awesome!
-psotau

[sfinder.livejournal.com]

Wow, I've been watching your journal for some time now, and I finally decided to de-lurk and comment. This image (like the rest of your art) is simply breathtaking! I don't know how you shade the way you do, but it looks gorgeous, definately keep up the awesome work! I love the face sofar, and the spots (i'm a sucker for intricate details)

[dark-jaguar01.livejournal.com]

Here are some photos of the claws I found. I would have said something about it but I though they were out. lol

http://www.wildaboutcats.org/claws.jpg
http://www.scurvydogtech.com/images/021227/pd-zoo-cheeta39.JPG

[dark-jaguar01.livejournal.com]

Aww, that is so nice of you. X3 But I have not done much for you to deserve having anything dedicated to me. I hope my description of what I asked it to look like was not to hard.

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* dont hide :)..I always love getting comments...and hey making new art buds is always a plus..especially since we all can learn so much from each other, as long as we are willing to share. Gradiant shading can be tricky..but mostly time consuming. Ive started to figure out what works for me...and really the only way to do it is play for yourself and that way you develop your own stylistic traits...so to speak O_o if gradiant shading can have styles. As for spots, I think I realized why I dont draw jags and cheatahs XD the spots are painful to do after a while. The spots on the cheetah took over an hour. Im sure they could have gone faster had I designed a brush but hummm I don't know how...correct that would look...as in natural.

*smothers you with squeeling fluffs*

[jannali.livejournal.com]

iloveyoubalaa. thats all i can say XD again... lol
the colors are gorgeous here, and I think I would die of cheetah love overdose if you did a baby cheetah and/or a king cheetah....a baby king cheetah maybe? XD

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

nupe not at all...if you wanna see the sketch, just say the word, its rough but you get the idea. And maybe you haven't done much for me..but at the same time you have, you have given me kind words...and that to me always means a LOOOOOOOOT. AND for that matter you seem like a huge jaguar fan..soo I am happy to have been inspired by your words to draw those magestic cats more!

[xetsa.livejournal.com]

Whoamahgosh! A baby (almost said "babu" xD) cheetah would be AWESOME! With all fur for their mane that they sadly out grow and the baby cuteness. xD <3333


I used to call my first cat "Cheetah" even though she was a classic tabby and very pregnant when I first found her. x) So I've always had an affinity for cheetahs.

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

I reaaaaaaaallly never knew that O_O..amazing.

[sfinder.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do 'digital realism' as I call it, (digital painting, hair by hair, and not only that, but painting the highlights and shadows of each individual hair for a look of 'depth') so I know the whole 'time consuming' aspect all too well, having spent 200+ hours on pieces before. It's great though when you fall into that 'zone' and suddenly 6 hours of work flies by and seems like only 30 minutes. And yeah, I rarely use custom brushes either, I tend to paint everything in manually. It's tedious but it gives you the most control over variation and helps make things look natural. Custom brushes are good for small textural things, but things like spots or other markings which would curve and bend along the figure's body are best done by hand ;) (even if it does take forever!)

And yep, I've done some gradient shading in the past, many many years ago, but never to the extent that you have done here. I tend to digitally paint most of my stuff (I like smearing colors around and being able to give it that stylistic, loose look now and then).

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

I needa start on your sketch O__O. *pets* Cheetahs are the quiet kings and queens of the feline kingdom, they have such an amazing sense of nobility to them, though they seem shy and quiet about it.

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

ehehehehehehehheeheheh then I just may have to do it *watches jannali squirm* XD

[theunknownsoul.livejournal.com]

*huuuuugggs* X) Welcome. If I find a good ref pic I'll send it your way.

you should draw a pic of a big eye. I'd be happy ;D your eyes are very cool

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

do you have a dev page? O_O *curious to see your work, especially looking at that gorgeous icon*. AND yesss it is awesome to fall into the zone, makes the work seem so much less tedious..usually I have to smack my fiance away so I can keep working. He doesn't always understand that sometimes getting into the right frame of mind or right mood for the piece is the HARDEST part of all. Sometimes the actual work is easier than finding the inspiration to do it, supposing that makes any sense ;).

As for brushes, yep, the only thing I use the brushes for in my realistic stuff or semi realistic stuff, not sure I have crossed the threshold from semi realism to full blown realism JUST yet....but anyway I use the fur brushes for the initial stages of smearing the fur so as to kinda give it a natural feel of direction. Other than that, Ive found there is no way but to do one hair at a time, just doesn't look right otherwise.

Oh and pleasure to meet you :)!

[xxbalaaxx.livejournal.com]

Mebbe ill do a closeup and send it your way. AND YES if you find a place with good pics of king cheetahs or cheetahs in general, do tell me, be muchly appreciated *nods*

[sfinder.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do. http://starfinder.deviantart.com :) And yep, the zone is great. I often fell in 'the zone' while drawing in class (hence why I am now in summer school, hehe) And yeah, I definately know how it is to get into that 'mind frame' to work on a piece, I have some art laying around which I haven't touched in months because I can't get into that state of mind to work on that piece. :)

And yep, I usually build up my digital images starting withe one hair at a time over a flat base color, no custom brushes. Oh it is tedious but well worth the effect (your realism is GORGEOUS btw. I saw some of it on your deviant art account)