Aug 23, 2010

Atmosphere: Something from the new project.


















Hey! Well sorry to be abstentious (if that's not a word...  well it is now heh)

I've actually been working on a new project. Horror of horrors (not the name, just the emotion)

It's a book of course  - I've been playing with the idea of having the intro chapter in black and white, then the rest, as the protagonist enters the 'new world' of his adventure, made in colour. Just like  the Wizard of Oz.

The bottom image is a scene which won't make it into the book. It has the old protagonist and is no longer needed as part of the visual narrative. The background props are the same I used for the "Invisible"   - lots of new characters though. You can see the Boschian influence/ Breughel influence on that creature at the extreme left of the bench.

The top image will be either the first or second image in the 'book'. It has the new character and.... and well, it portrays the catalyst that  sets things in motion. In Freytag's Pyramid it is known as the "Inciting Incident."

Thanks to everyone who commented on the windmill and that last work. You are all very kind. :)

cheers again  from the land of OZ.

By the way, this is my Illustration for "Atmosphere" - Illustration Friday's prompt de la week.

Hey! Pues siento estar sobrio (this should be absent not sober!) (si eso no es una palabra ... bueno ahora es je) De hecho, he estado trabajando en un nuevo proyecto. Horror de horrores (no el nombre, sólo la emoción) 

Es un libro, por supuesto - que he estado jugando con la idea de que el capítulo de introducción en blanco y negro, luego el resto, como el protagonista entra en el 'nuevo mundo' de su aventura, realizado en color. Al igual que el Mago de Oz. 

La imagen de abajo es una escena que no se construirá en el libro. Cuenta con el protagonista de edad y ya no es necesaria como parte de la narrativa visual. Los objetos de fondo son los mismos que he usado para el "invisible" - un montón de personajes nuevos sin embargo. Usted puede ver la influencia Bosch / influencia Breughel sobre esa criatura en el extremo izquierdo del banco.

La imagen superior será o bien la primera imagen o segundo en el 'libro'. Tiene el carácter nuevo y .... y bueno, que retrata el catalizador que pone en movimiento. En Pyramid Freytag se le conoce como el "Incidente de incitación". Gracias a todos los que comentaron el molino de viento y que el trabajo pasado. Todos ustedes son muy amables. :)  Should be 'you are all very  kind' Saludos una vez más de la tierra de Oz. Por cierto, esta es mi Ilustración para "Atmósfera" - Ilustración del viernes del sistema de la madrugada. 

76 comments:

  1. Oh my, Andrew!! These are amaaaaazing. I am just in awe of your technical abilities as well as your imagination and vision. They are both splendid! I particularly am taken away with the first image as it is very atmospheric. The detail is fantastic and my eye happily wanders the scene in it's black and white/grayscale richness. Wow.

    Moving to your "candy store"...that is one marvelous scene. Love your character's pose and "matter-of-factness" as he is met with some scary characters, there, Andrew! Look at the detail...and the girl in the far right - oh, thank goodness I can't see her face as I think I'd quickly turn the page. Your work manages to always bring forth prickly emotions! Yowee!! Awesome work, Andrew!!

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  2. It is so nice to be back in your fantastic world!
    Very nice!

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  3. Hhm. Yes, you sure like playing with other people's mood, don't you? After 'all hell broke loose', now you have us excited in a candy store. And with no chance of a free lolly?! None at all?!

    Ackh, I was right. You are, stingy. Well, brilliant, but nevertheless, stingy. Heheh. :))

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  4. Anyway, the first image is incredibly beautiful. Such a contrast to your devilish work. Although the curious faces are creeping me out! And I like the way that guy lurks in the dark, peering out of the window. Good thing he's bald, so I spotted his head right away! :D :D

    Both images are, as you would put it, "grand". :))

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  5. Hey, what kind of creature is that? He looks like a bald head with stick legs! Hhm... curiouser and curiouser...

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  6. Hello, Andrew! I haven't commented on your blog recently, but that doesn't mean that I haven't visited it. Simply the "devl" theme doesn't move me at all, so I couldn't take part in the discussion...
    Well, I am completely attracted and fascinated by what I see now! I like both of the pictures! The light is the main "hero" in them and the sitting dogs show that there's nothing dangerous to happen. Still I wonder where this light is coming from??? The characters in the candy shop are so weird. I have the feeling I'm hearing some music.... And what are all these candies - maybe magical? Very, very beautiful, and as always created with much thought!!

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  7. Hello Hello!
    stunning lights, so magic!
    do you know speak castilian? I did not know it!
    wonderful! is easier for me to understand the things you write now :)
    PS_and the idea of black and white world and the color world works very well

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  8. Hi Andrew, thanks for the comments on my blog,..., yes, Chagall have very nice dreams.
    Your new work is fantastic, the color image with all those clouds of smoke, left the girl stunned; maybe in the clouds of smoke you have hidden some of Bruegheland, and I also see what you've brought home from Brueghel at the extreme of the bench. I hope you took a great tea and muffins in the house of Brueghel, and some good shots of liquor to encourage the conversation.
    See you and congrats for your world is fabulous.
    Felisa

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  9. Bien, Andrew, yo escribiré en Castellano. Estas ilustraciones son un ejemplo más de tu capacidad creativa. (la cual ya no debe sorprendernos. realmente las expresiones como: WOW o OMG. no deberían usarse para calificar tus ilustraciones. porque ellas no dicen gran cosa. hay que crear nuevas expresiones idiomáticas).
    Puedo decirte que me agrada mucho más la ilustración en blanco y negro. Siempre sostengo que con colores es fácil impresionar al espectador, pero con blanco y negro no es tan fácil. Además. no hay como el blanco y negro. para crear atmósferas.
    (Me he cuidado de que esto se pueda traducir con el google)
    un abrazo.

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  10. Ah. gracias por escriir en Español!!!!

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  11. love the concept of the black and white first chapter...moving into the color. you've created a tempting atmosphere, here!
    :)
    heather

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  12. Hello Andrew! You certainly are a multifaceted, prolific and creative force! I can see this book being extremely popular. People are just eating up stories dealing with a kind of spooky mystical adventure theme. Both the black & white and color are stunning. Can't wait to see the whole thing!

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  13. Love both, but especially love the b/w use of light. It's easy to create my own story about what's going on, but that just makes me curious about what your story is. Makes me want to know more. Good job!

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  14. I agree with Heather, I love the concept of going from black and white to color once he enters the new world. I think you´ve created a very special atmosphere here. A tad Harry Potter (maybe it´s the owls?), a tad medieval (curtain-patterned jackets), a bit Carnivale (tophats and candy) and large dose of Andrew :-)
    That candy doesn´t look innocent at all. That look on the girls face. She´s addicted to them, isn´t she?
    I really like the way you owrk with the light, and all the animals (and other creatures) in your pictures.

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  15. Wow I thought for a second when I saw the thumbnail it was a photograph! Anyway, a book you say? This sounds exciting to me! I must wonder what it'll be about.. will it be a written book or something like a graphic novel? Either way, the artwork here has got me very curious and I'm sure it'll be fantastic!

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  16. Great work, love the OZ concept too. Surreal, weird, love it!

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  17. looks great!...your work always has such an amazing mood and atmosphere.

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  18. love, love, love the black and white one. The second is great too, but there is something about the first one that I just... well, love. Great work, can't wait to see more from the new project.

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  19. p.s. I am still wondering if you ever sleep! ;)

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  20. hello Andrew, i like your new character, there is part of what makes him unique. He (what is his name?) somehow finds a way to walk in new world and seems to say: 'sup?

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  21. and i like the idea of Wizard of Oz, good luck on your new project horror of horrors :D

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  22. oh i forgot, the little girl looks like Regan Teresa MacNeil.

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  23. Oh hey, Mr. At-Most-Severe! Still in tune with Bosch? Check this out... I like it.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiousart/2815049829/

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  24. Hey Shirley, thanks a lot :) I really appreciate that. You know what. That little girl scares me as well!!! Heh :) :)

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  25. Laura thanks. It;s good to see you back as well ! Cheers from Oz.

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  26. Amalia hey :) Well stingy, oh yes that would be me. I only render at 72 dpi to save money !! Oh that strange creature, that is the famous Southern Albanian Bald Cat. They are very rare as you know. And you saw the man in the window. I modelled him after me :)

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  27. rossichka well thanks :) I like your thoughts on the light. Oh that light from the window - the beam was one of the last things I painted in. And it made a big difference. I have to be careful because I use it too often to save myself. The candies? Yes that's a good idea. They will be magical - I like that :)

    And the dog sitting down. What a good point. The dog is to make us like the main character. We can see that he is good because the dog will love him. And he can show us that he is good by being nice to the dog. :)

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  28. Amba many thanks. Oh for languiages I am uno-lingual !! For this one I translated it into Spanish, then back again into English in case it said "My Underpants Are On My head - backwards".

    In fact I see that it apologises for me being sober lately!

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  29. Felisa :) Hey I saw Santiago de Compostela on the television last niht on a show about Baroque art. Looks very beautiful. The tea and muffins in the house of Brueghel were excellent. I can highly eccommend a visit to el restaurante del Sr. Breughel.

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  30. Buenos días Roberto. Hoy el viento se está ejecutando y mi nariz está soplando. gracias:) Bueno otra vez por mirar ar mi trabajo y sus comentarios tipo. Valoro enormemente tu opinión. La imagen en blanco y negro tuvo suerte. Supongo que es una buena lección para mí de ver la estructura tonal en una obra para que pueda ver su esqueleto subyacente. Como ustedes saben en my pintura soy un colorista y la utilización de una gama tonal limitada para hacerlo e easier para mantener el color de las armonías de trabajo. Así que blanco y negro es un buen experimento. Espero que estén pasando en grande con su hija!

    saludos desde la tierra de Oz.

    My pleasure to write in Spanish - maybe I will absorb some :)
    '

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  31. Hey Heather, thank you! It''s great to have re-affirmation of the concept. It should be fun as I can work in different elements of both worlds into one image - so part will be colour and part not. Might work? Not sure!

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  32. Oh Linda, thank you. I am glad you are curious. So am I :). The images will write the story for me in the emd. They will provide the details at least for my imagination I hope.

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  33. Heidi, well thanks. That's great news.! I have to admit that I havn't been keeping my ear to the ground. This has just evolved from my other work so thanks for that heads up :)

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  34. Janne! Greetings from Oz, today it is freezing winter day at 21 degrees :). Oh I'm very glad you think the change in colour is a good idea. That gives me big encouragement.

    Oh and I m practicing orking with the light :) But don't tell anyone!!

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  35. Hi Vanilla. Thanks.!! The format is something I am working on. Ironically I don't like graphic novels - strange isn't it? But I find myself illustrating the highpoints of each plot turn - so maybe it will be . Maybe a hybrid? :)

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  36. Wow Greg, I just checked out your murals. Just great that one with the ferry and the window still in situ. I have so much admiration for someone who can work at size!

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  37. Hey Michael, you know your blog was one of the first I put on my site in the list of admirable artists over on the left. My old painting teacher now my good friend came to visit a while ago. He said to me "you know, there's some great illustrators out there, that Samba for Rats is my favourite." ! well there you go :)

    his site is here

    http://www.members.westnet.com.au/surferbob/BobBirch.htm

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  38. Hey Karen, oh gee... sleep? :) I am obssessed I think. Which is good :) Who needs sleep anyway/ Will get plenty of that later on :( . Thanks for liking the b and w one.

    You know my problem? Too many ideas that want to come out! Uggh. Maybe they will invent the 26 hour day soon?

    cheers :)

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  39. Hey Aria thankyou very much. Na zdrowie! Lots of Polish people here. They are a lot of fun!

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  40. Mita! Hi. Nice to see you :) Did I tell you I drew the ticket? The winner was a guy called Sven. :) I don't know if you'll like him. He is tall and good looking with smooth Italian skin. He can't start till wednesday though. He is quite happy to pay an undisclosed amount per week to be your chauffeur. :)

    Oh he only speaks French, Italian, Spanish and Irish. Heh. :)

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  41. Oh thanks for liking that character. His name is very long and so I have to decide what he will go by (he has a choice). Regan? Oh yes! That is her, Very disturbing. She has had her neck fixed though after the incident with the green pea soup :)

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  42. Amalia, oh yes that work it's great. I had them blog marked over on the left but it has vanished? I just like some of the work so much. It's just magical and stylish.

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  43. ahh here it is http://curiousartlab.blogspot.com/

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  44. Que bueno poder escribirte en castellano, mi ayudante es un poco flojito... me encanta la maestria de tu trabajo, yo solo soy una recopiladora de imagenes, escritora de poesía y otras enjundias y que de mirar y mirar he aprendido a ver...
    me gusta mucho seguir tu blog.

    Un saludo gigante para ti.

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  45. You know perfectly well how I feel about Italians.
    :D
    :D
    :D
    They are hot.

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  46. Beautiful use of light! You really captured the topic with this illustration. The atmosphere and storytelling in this piece are rich and engaging. Fantastic work!

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  47. @Andrew Finnie:
    ol! :D Your polish is very good :P

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  48. Hi Andrew. Thank you very much for responding in Castilian.
    I understood everything perfectly. Thank you.

    Again I tell you that your work in black and white seems spectacular. I looked back, inch by inch. and only see a great illustration. You know. I had a friend, a great illustrator, who only saw in black and white (this is real) he had the colors with a large label with the name to avoid confusion. And I never saw pictures with the colors as accurately placed as illustrations of him. And I think it was because he saw a perfect scale of values in black and white.
    Well, it's an anecdote. You do not see in black and white, and, of course, beyond that is your sensitivity, your knowledge, and magical reality. without which we would not see your exquisite works.
    Anyway, color illustration, it remains a masterpiece.
    Beware the wind! can make waves splash your computer!.
    Hugs!

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  49. Love that Inciting Incident! Have fun with the new project-- surely it won't be too horrorful for you!

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  50. Thanks Andrew, for remember me Vlaminck and Derain, I'll go have a cup of something with them,... well..mmm.. I'call before. :)
    Felisa

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  51. Sorry for pestering. Again. But I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS GUY!!!!

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4886008&fbid=422384317522&id=164475772522#!/album.php?aid=198945&id=164475772522&page=2

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  52. Ah, the atmosphere prompt was perfect for you! Both images are stunning. The b&w is masterful but of course I'm drawn in to that candy shop... try as I might to resist... & what's this... oh why did I just ask for a free lolly???

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  53. Hey Andrew! Congrats on winning an original "Ces"! Me too!!!! And thanks for the Smart Car/Outsmart info. You inspired me from down under. I posted my submission along with my thanks on my blog.
    The project looks amazing. It's about time you put that talent and crazy imagination into something bound and covered.....no not your pet platypus... a book :o) That B&W work is amazing! Love the light in the mist and the lurking faces that seem to be floating in the windows. Oh and I see your little B&B influenced creature made an appearance in the atmospheric image as well.. He ROCKS! Your work always has an aura of atmosphere, but you nailed it on this one for sure my friend! Can't wait to get my hand on a copy of the H of H (horror of horrors {not the title}) project! No worries mate!!!

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  54. Hola Antonia!

    Tiene Pacto de Luna, y otros blogs?. Sus blogs son una maravilla, es una magnífica colección de imágenes. Muy inspirador. Y la poesía de las imágenes y las imágenes de la poesía son tan buena pareja. O viceversa. la poesía es lo que se sucinta el mensaje al lector. :) Gracias por sus amables palabras. Me alegro de que como la obra Pinocho con su gato de madera!

    PS I checked the translation twice and this translation is almost what I said in English. In English I said that your poetry and the images suit each other down to the ground! But the translation said :Your poetry is on the floor"! Lucky I checked!\

    ¡Qué tenga un buen día! :)

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  55. Hey Mita, so Italians are hot eh? We will have to get them an air conditioner, no? :) :) Good luck with the new chauffeur :)

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  56. Hello Aria, thank you. It is good but short!

    Witam Aria, dziękuję. Jest ona dobra, ale krótka!

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  57. Hola Nathanael! I just cheked your site. Very inspirational. I especially like the Attraction is Distraction. I admit to (while painting models with a group of other artists)trying to get our models to laugh (pulling stupid faces is natural to me), and when they start laughing I quickly start mixing up paint and look away, pretending I am oblivious to the stares of the other 'serious' artists in the room who are wondering why the previously stone still model has started giggling or grinning.

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  58. Hola Roberto! Espero que se divierten con su hija. Gracias de nuevo por sus amables palabras. Es bueno escribir en castellano ya que hasta ahora he aprendido unas cuantas palabras. Gracias es la parte superior de la lista! Así que gracias.

    Oh, sí, esas ondas no son buenas para el teclado! Desafortunadamente, mi esposa estaba molesta conmigo hoy de pasar demasiado tiempo haciendo ilustración. Así que estoy en un dilema. Justo cuando estaba empezando a mejorar! Es una vergüenza. Y no hay respuesta. (There is no answer to the problem that should read, rather than there is no response!)

    see you from beautiful but windy Oz!

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  59. Hey Krista, thankyou. I am having fun. Too much fun!!! :) We shouldn't have too much fun. I feel guilty often :)

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  60. Hola Felisa! Thank you. Deran and Vlamink are some of my favourites. Deran y Vlamink son algunos de mis favoritos. Vi un montón de Vlamink en París hace unos años, él realmente pegados en la pintura. No tenía miedo de nada. (should say He was not afraid of using too much paint!)

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  61. Lirios! (Bou Lilies?) Thank you so much :) Haha I just saw your person with their head in the bowl and the mobiles around them! Very funny :)

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  62. Amalia, gee thanks for that link. I like his her brain. It must be strange :)

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  63. Hi Leah, wow I am so glad to have found your blog again. I could get lost in your work (well I get lost in my own bedroom) :) but you know what I mean!! Thanks for posting your work again!

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  64. Hey Jack, well that smartcar looks really smart :) heh. Koalas surfing rocks! You know they are very dangerous and we call them drop bears? heh heh.

    But seriously, thank you for your kindness. The little B and B person is inspired from a creature in Mad Meg, (chap bottom left here http://www.artchive.com/artchive/b/bruegel/mad_meg.jpg) but that creature has a mouth where his other end should be. And no arms - which would make cutting his fingernails difficult (if not obsalescent err rhymes with adolescent)

    I decided to go with decorum and leave out his spoon. Unusual for me I know :) :)

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  65. Mr. Finney, your 3D works have really come a long way from when I saw you first tackling things in this venue. I am with the others in thoroughly enjoying your black and white work here.

    I would just make one critical comment, and it carries on to the candy-shop image as well... The dog... Something just isn't quite right about how his backside is parked, and the tail is a bit off-kilter, too far up the spine. A dog's tail is directly above the "back door", bends readily at the base without very minimal need of a curve/arc for the transition. When sitting, the spine would come straight to the ground almost, at about a 30-60 degree angle from vertical depending on how upright/at attention it is sitting. The spine is likewise fairly straight from tail base to neck when sitting, and would not curve under (unless the dog's dragging is hiney with a bad itch...)

    I don't want to sound nit-picking...Sometimes I get a bit too much so and rub folks wrong unintentionally.

    Your work really is quite nice and intriguing to look at.

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  66. Heh Arik nice to hear from you. Your novel is looking grand. Oh I'm happy to be knit picked. I never noticed that about the tail (mine is behind me and I never get a gander at it :) ) so thankyou.!! Actually the top dog is Laska and he has been sitting in a Russian satellite for over 30 years (?/) and that's why his tail looks odd. It's actually an artificial one ... but that's a long story :) heh!!!

    Oh and the Dalmation actually has a lot of his tail under the rug! I wonder how that happened?

    PS looking forward to chapter three

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  67. How's everything in Oz?
    Como la entrada está en castellano voy a dejar mi opinión en castellano también :)
    Me han gustado mucho ambas imágenes, tus trabajos siempre tienen átmosferas muy bien trabajadas. Me encanta esa mezcla de cuento de hadas con historia de terror. Es genial, le da un estilo muy especial a tus obras.
    Mi favorita es la de "blanco y negro". Ambas están muy buenas pero yo tengo una debilidad especial por el blanco y negro en las imágenes, eso seguro ya lo sabes.
    Saludos!!

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  68. Andrew,
    beautiful scenes of this new project that promises to be a success!
    I really liked the explanations you gave about the design in black and white, then the colorful, the characters their characteristics and importance, very cool!
    as soon as I saw the B & W noticed the guy on the sidewalk and suspect ...
    and then he is already in the store, near the boy ....
    suspense and horror of horrors !.... ;)
    noticed the influence Bosch/influence Breughel, and I loved the kind of egg with legs!
    congrats! will be very exciting!
    greetings from Sao Paulo!

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  69. What's a nice boy like that doing in a place like this? Can't wait to find out!

    Your work always makes me want to look and look and asks many more questions than it answers.

    Andrew--you have no idea what your comments and "checking in" on me means as I deal with my sadness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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  70. Hello Andrew, my friend, I want to clarify that when I did my drawing was never my intention to make people laugh.
    It is only an idea that came to my head. and I do not put censorship to my ideas, and neither do you, obviously.
    That drawing style that I used, is a humorous drawing. does not detract from the drama of the subject. is my language of expression.

    Hugs from Córdoba!!! (the heart of my country) (HA HA Now this is a joke)
    I hope you have a good weekend with good wind!

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  71. Ciaooo Mister Finnie! where have you been lately? Up to AWESOME stuff I see! I won't ask you how you do this, because if I recall correctly you gave me an interesting explanation and I still didn't get it hehehe. Hope you're well! And the way you compose your illustrations, the lighting/shading, expressions etc....simply awesome!

    Have a great weekend & till next time!!!
    Take care, TJ

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  72. Well, Andrew - you just made my day..thank you for your kind visit! And thank you for letting me know of my male-ness. HA! I changed it so thanks for that...went a whole year without knowing it was like that. OK, attention to details I thought were my thing, but clearly I can overlook obvious things. Anyhooo really happy to get to know your work and as always, I appreciate your visits and critical eye(s). Hope you're working on something fun!

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Hya! Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I appreciate your time and thoughts.