Chaos WIP update like... 80000. I've lost count

I'm really starting to get tired of this picture. I can't imagine how YOU feel. But tough it out. I'm sort of almost finished. Unless I start adding unnecessary chains and such in places people wouldn't even notice anyways. And that is always likely.

I'm telling you, when I'm finished with this scythe, I am going to kill myself with it.

In my reluctant defense, I did take the last five days off. Friday was Rukia from Bleach's birthday and I received a random outcry of requests for me to do some artwork for her. So I did. I'm such a pushover XD

I had wanted to do a painting, but I only had two days and that wasn't enough time. So I did a comic.

Yay!

I need some help on this one

Determined to take a break from the scythe, I started fussing around with the background. I'm never happy with backgrounds. I always start thinking along the lines of "Now why would someone be standing there posing? It makes no sense" and never get anything done.I guess I should start doing paintings of characters interacting with the surroundings to avoid this problem, but I sometimes change my mind about what I want the background to be, or sometimes it just doesn't work. That's me being a n00b.

My relaxing break from the Scythe of Doom wound up being a failure. I went from just losing my soul to intimidation to something along these lines:

Of course, that's only in theory, because in reality, I never get off my butt.

Uh... Anyway, I need help picking a background. So which is your favorite?

This is the initial one, chiseled out a little bit more.

I hate this one the most. That column would have to be scrapped and redone from scratch.

Rock over the sea kind of thing. I actually like this one the best, but it would require massive amounts of hair re-painting, and I'm afraid I just didn't do the initial painting with outdoor light in mind v.v I wish I had. The scythe looks like the moon against that sky.

So give me your opinion! I can't promise it will affect mine, but I'd like to know what you think. Oh dear... now you won't answer, will you D:

Another self-gratifying scythe detail pic:

Remember this?

You should. I was updating it a lot before Christmas. I decided to finish it before I start anything else since I've already spent so much of my time - and yours - on it. But of course, my time is all that really matters. I just added you to make you feel important :D

For today's update, I have but one thing to say.

Scythe.

The time I've spent on it so far is not even funny.

I changed the entire design on a whim, just like I did with the belt. And, like the belt, it's working out for the better. It's taking me forever because my base tone for it is browner than I had intended it to be. I had wanted it to be a bronze scythe, but it was looking like wood. So I spent half the day messing with texture brushes to add a bronzy look to it. Looks better in photoshop since the metallic part actually shines... :|

And still so much to do. Plus the background. I'm feeling quite intimidated again. It's been awhile since this happened. And yet, I enjoy myself so thoroughly that I can't stop even though I'm overwhelmed.

The Christmas Raffle prize!

I finished the prize for my Christmas raffle winner today! I realize it's a bit late, but I didn't want to rush.

For his prize, he requested I paint Urahara Kisuke from Bleach. So I did. And here it is!

I am quite frustrated with the jpg file. There is this weird grouping of pixels right there to the right of the jacket AND the two greens of his jacket and shirt are all meshed up. The psd file is flawless, if I do say so myself, so I cannot understand why there is such a problem with the jpg. Considering all the work I put into it, I find it rather insulting. But alas... Spit happens.

A secret picture and an update

Two arts today! Sort of.

First is my Secret Santa present to a fellow member of DA's Fire Emblem Fan Club. I didn't post WIP updates and am not posting my receiver's name in the random off chance that they see this XD

I got it finished and THEN found out that I can't submit it to DA until the 19th. Oops. For the first time in my life, I am actually ahead of my work, albeit unintentionally.

I was going to do a winter scene for the background, but there were so many autumn colors that I couldn't resist.

Second art is just a WIP update. Started blobbing on a vague background.

I have one more gift art to do for my DA Christmas raffle winner. He opted for me not to post updates, so you'll have to wait. I'm sure your life is over.

Chaos WIP update 6 and a sketch

Redid most of her hair since it was way too poofy before. Technically, her hair style is a large bun ponytail kind of thing, but you can't see it from that angle, so it just looked poofy. Sometimes perspective has to take precedent over canon XD

... That's pretty much all I did for today on this one.

Today was my art class and I had to draw up a lesson for my students. I couldn't fudge by printing a reference sheet this time because I had to explain to them about value sketching (sketching without lines). So I spent 30 min sketching this as an example of the benefits of lineless sketching:

The problem is, a lineless sketch should only take about 10 minutes at the max. I got a little carried away :| Oh well.

Chaos WIP update 5

Real quick with this one. Very tired XD

Chaos WIP update 4

I went a little crazy today. Added an unholy amount of detail-necessary work, so now it's officially taking  me longer than it should. And yet, I'm staying focused. Who knows?

Unnecessary detail is unnecessary. I'll probably have to spend another day or two on the belt alone. I just thought the dress looked so plain. I needed to add something to add visual interest. Plus, it was Soren's idea and he would have never let me get over it if I hadn't listened to him.

Boots are fixed, too. Getting close to the homestretch! Then I get to start the fun part: Cleanup. Yaaaaaay.

Chaos WIP update 3

Got some more done. Removed the sketch for now, but I'll need it again when I start the scythe.

Before I go any further, I'm going to completely redo the left foot since it's making me sick. I also have to skew the pattern on the dress to make it bend into the clothing folds, but that will be done last. I think I'll change the belt (again), too.

Detail shots:

Chaos update

Too tired to think clearly. Picture WIP only. Bye-bye.

Detail shot