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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 2:12:16 GMT -5
Helo everyone!
I wasn't sure if we were going to start a new thread, or use the old one. But since Rhonda hasn't created a new thread, I decided it was up to me. I believe she told me she was busy and tired due to her new job, giving me the responsibility to start the thread to celebrate Monty.
I just wanted to tell you this...which I'm going to remove from this thread later. Sorry for being so late.
To Sarah T. : you've got the permission to move this to the villain section, if that's more fitting.
The title's currently temporarily.
Thank you
-Hanna W.
*********************
This thread is for celebrating Lord Montgomery ''Monty'' Fiske/Monkey Fist! So come on, post your creative creations, whether it is drawings, fanfics, poems....all kinds of creative art tributes!!!!!
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 2:20:04 GMT -5
Yay, let's get the fanwork rolling! I just updated my MF fanfic to celebrate this day. Okay, here are my pics. I decided to use this project as an excuse to finally download Gimp and learn how to use it. Before these, I had never coloured anything using that software and that shows in the pics. Still, I hope there was even some improvement towards the end.   Monkey Fist and his minions discover something in the night. This looked a lot more impressive in my mind, but I didn't have the talent to pull it off from the perspective I wanted. I drew lots of different plants in the background but you can't really see them because it's so dark.  DNAmy checking out Monty's feet for the upcoming mutation/surgery. The background is from "Adventures in Rufus Sitting". They look disturbingly happy, considering the subject they're talking about. Freaks.  I've always liked the idea of Ron and Monkey Fist having to work together for a common goal. I'm not really sure how they ended up in the situation in this pic, but there they are. The colouring pretty much failed and there was a massive mistake in the lineart, but I didn't have the energy to start all over again. And why is Ron so hard to draw?   Lord Monty Fiske the Victorian gentleman. Right after finishing the previous picture, I found a lineart tutorial for Gimp and wanted to try it out, which is why I drew something simple. The background is from the Emma manga by Kaoru Mori.  This is what should have happened in "Gorilla Fist".  When I started sketching this, I thought that it was going to be a funny picture about picking fleas. Then I realised how depressing it had to be for Bates to see the once respected Lord Fiske having fallen to ruin like that. |
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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 6:40:39 GMT -5
Wow, Vampirenaomi......you tell us you can't draw anything other than stick people. But seriously, you CAN draw. As I see it, drawing isn't just about perfection. Your art is very enjoyable: your pics have story, you capture the characters and situations perfectly in the show's spirit, you have a good sense of humor, and I don't see any of the annoying flaws that I do all the time. Proportions, anatomy, style and technique is a pain in the butt at times. We all know. But your art is great- poses, expressions and style. Everyone is their own worst critic, so if you can't see the beauty in your work, rely on the viewer's positive opinions. I have no other advice than: always do the best you can do. Then it should be good enough. Thanks for sharing! Okay, here are my pics. I decided to use this project as an excuse to finally download Gimp and learn how to use it. Before these, I had never coloured anything using that software and that shows in the pics. Still, I hope there was even some improvement towards the end. Monkey Fist and his minions discover something in the night. This looked a lot more impressive in my mind, but I didn't have the talent to pull it off from the perspective I wanted. I drew lots of different plants in the background but you can't really see them because it's so dark. Hm...I wonder what they have spotted? And listen, perspective and angle is something I have big difficulties with as well. I usually end up drawing the characters and objects in front view, or in profile. But my skills in pulling off action poses and twisted angles are limited, although the pictures that show up in my mind are about ten times more intense than I'm able to get down on paper. That's an event from Monty's life I like to ponder about a lot. I haven't drawn any pictures yet, because I'd like some more brainstorming on that topic before making any fan art. The pictures in my mind are well...freaky. I like to think Monty went through some monkey DNA injection, not that Amy chopped off his hands and feet, and replaced them with those of a monkey. There are two reasons for why I think so: 1) In ' Partners', Amy says ''I did some radical genetic mutation on his hands and feet.'' She said ON his hands and feet, which seem to me that she didn't remove them, just ''fixed'' them. 2) Amy may be insane, but she's all about cute and cuddly. I don't see her being an animal killer, chopping off body parts. And she's a GENETICIST. I don't think it's about chop off-and replace body parts either. It still could have hurt, feeling the pain while the hands, fingers, feet and toes grew longer....*shudders* ''Surgery'' could just mean a change, not necessarily transplantation. Well, that's my theory. Now, but this looks rather cosy. I like that you used ''the red room'' for the background, especially since I like the idea with warm/cool contrast, with some of the rooms having a warm atmosphere. Also, it's interesting to see you're giving Monty new clothing...that's where I lack creativity. I've always liked that idea too, but I never got around to do anything serious out of it. As mentioned, I love the humor (your humor?), and this is perfectly in character. I can't capture their great lines/quotes to save my life, especially not Monty's....! I can totally picture Monty eating ants (and other insects) showing how he knows how to survive in the wild nature, without modern facilities. This is one of my favorites of your pictures now. Again, interesting to see him in other clothing. It captures the English/Britishness in a different way. I have my reasons to like this er....''couple''. They do have a few things in common, but the contrast between them makes this pairing hilarious. Of course...not much humor without contrast. And not to mention: can it get more WRONGSICK than that? Another reason for why I like the pairing- the original, fresh insanity. Gotta enjoy Monty's extreme shock-expressions. I say it again: No wonder why Amy fell for Monty- rich, good-looking men who more than willingly let themselves self-mutate do not grow on trees. There's NO way she would ever let him go....! I love this scene and the idea....and I can't think of much to say. Another favorite. It's a combination of Monty's close relationship with his hairy friends (I like the monkey bonding moments) and that Bates is in it- it's a nice touch and it adds even more story to the picture. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 7:12:44 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments! Yeah, I tend to be really critical of my art, but I've got a lot better at accepting my mistakes and trying harder next time. The friendly atmosphere on these boards sure helps.  Hm...I wonder what they have spotted? And listen, perspective and angle is something I have big difficulties with as well. I usually end up drawing the characters and objects in front view, or in profile. But my skills in pulling off action poses and twisted angles are limited, although the pictures that show up in my mind are about ten times more intense than I'm able to get down on paper. I was planning to make it so that they have spotted you (the viewer) and that you're lying on the ground and looking up to their threatening forms. It turned out to be too difficult and I didn't want to ruin the pic, so I settled for an easier perspective. I agree on that his hands and feet were altered, not chopped off and replaced. It wouldn't make much sense otherwise and we've seen Amy do pretty radical mutation without having to resort to surgery. If she can fuse Barkin and Rufus, giving someone a little monkey DNA is a piece of cake. It's very interesting to think about how Monty and Amy came into contact, what the planning stage, the actual mutation and the healing time were like. There are so many possibilities for fascinating stuff. Lol, what can I say? I have a fetish for Victorian era men's clothing. ;D And yeah, the contrast between Monty and Amy is exactly what makes is so hilarious and wrongsick. I can't imagine a real, earnest romance between them, but torturing Monty is too much fun to pass the idea. Now I'll just sit back and wait for what others have to post. |
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Post by pengychan on Mar 20, 2008 9:15:56 GMT -5
Whoa, you've really outdone yourself!  Seriously, those pics are great. Love poses, expressions...and the coloring is really good, IMO, especially considering it was your first time with a certain software. In the first one love both poses and lighting - as well as Monty's expression, of course ;D He really looks threatening in that one, and I think you captured his character really well. The second pic made me giggle, seriously ;D Yup, they looks disturbingly cute happy, don't they? You would never tell they're talking about radical genetic mutation... The third one has to be my absolute fav! XD I LOVE Ron and Monty's interaction - it would have been great if there really was an episode with them facing a similar situation...oh, well, we can just make it happen in our heads (slashy thought kicking in :  They are both well drawn (love their expressions in the second panel) and the dialogue is hilarious and IC. Makes you wonder how they got into that kind of situation  About the fourth one, looks like I'm not the only one who has a fetish for Victorian men's clothing ;D Monty looks absolutely dashing in that outfit Man, I love the one with DNAmy kissing stunned Monty XD It's freaky, but it's even cute in a way. And his extremely shocked expression is just great ;D Yup, the last one ended up to be quite dark somehow - wonder what Bates is thinking by seeing how low his master got. The monkey portrait on the background are almost scary, which makes the whole pic look even darker. But the monkes are the cutest thing ever...it makes a cool contrast, IMO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Er...well, you all know I couldn't draw even if my life depended on it, don't you? Still I wanted to do something for this day, so I decided to upload a one-shot about Monty's last moments before being turned into stone. I wrote a first draft a while back, so it needed to be edited a bit before I posted it. Hopefully, it turned out decent enough - just wish I had enough spare time to come up with something better ^^" www.fanfiction.net/s/4142610/1/Path_of_the_Yono |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 9:43:06 GMT -5
Thanks. It was so much fun to draw these. I actually had tons of other ideas as well, but I ran out of time and only got these done. Maybe next time. And hey, that fanfic you posted is awesome! I'm going to go and write a proper review right away. To everyone reading this thread, give Pengy's story a try. |
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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 10:07:02 GMT -5
I thought I could use this day as an opportunity to force myself to speed up the production of pictures in my ''Monty's past''-series. Based on fan discussion, theories and fanfics.  Here we have Monty lost in a series of pictures from past times. Not much to say about this collage in general, really. First picture in the top left corner is ''Monkey Friend''. It's a year-old picture most fans should know by now. I don't quite like the idea with re-using an old picture everyone knows too well, but it has some kind of essential spirit to it that captures Monty in a way. Plus, he looks younger than usual.....! It works very well as a stand-alone tribute.  The second picture is one of two made just for this collage. It's based on vampirenaomi's fanfic ' The Monkey's Valet', but it's also an old idea I've been wanting to do myself: Monty with one of the four jade monkey statues, fascinated and excited as always. Bates tries to play along as good as he can. I'm my own worst flamer, but I SO wish I could redraw Monty. It bugs me how he turned out, but I can't quite put my finger on what. And when I tried to fix it, it turned out even worse. Bates and the torch came out the best. *Sigh*.  The third picture is meant to show Monty as a temple thief. It turned out surprisingly accurate, which does NOT happen very often! At the artistic level I'm now, I don't have completely full control when I draw, so my skills in technical drawing tend to swing a lot. The only annoying flaw that bugs my eyes here is the statue. Compared with the previous picture, the size of the jade monkey is quite large. Or it's too small in the other picture. It was actually described as being much larger in ' The Monkey's Valet', since Monty dragged it behind him, not holding it like a baby. But it's nothing to bother about...the size change worked in ' Monkey Fist Strikes'. I believe my favorite episode haunts my mind, making me doing similar mistakes. Well....never mind what I just said. I'm just too picky. The picture I had in my mind had a more intense background with traps and fire. Fourth...yup, it's Monty as a toddler (5-9 years old?). It was done very quickly with colored pencils...and I messed up the pose. He was supposed to sit more like a monkey, with the weight on his legs. I know how to do it, but well...I got lazy. Not good. I may redraw that flashback. I have a bad habit with sitting in a similar monkey pose on my chair, but that's because I have way too much energy, and have a hard time sitting still. Class lessons is an exception. The last flashback of the two ninjas is originally part of a larger picture, but the rest of the pic turned out horrible (in my opinion), and the picture elements didn't fit together. We had a discussion on how Monty learned Tai Shing Pek Kwar, and if he was part of some group of monkey ninja followers. I'm not sure what to say about that topic right now, so based on what we ''know'' so far, the training process is still a mystery, so this could be an illustration from one of Monty's books. Last, here are some pictures based on vampirenaomi's fanfic (illustrations?): The Monkey's Valet A crappily done picture of Monty and Bates in the jungle of Congo, on their way to the first Monkey temple. Bates complains about the cloud of Mosqitoes, while his master isn't bothered by the pesky insects at all. I say ''crappily'' because the hand-inked outlines destroyed most of the quality here. It's nothing wrong with hand-inking, it's just that I'm not much of an inker. I'm kind of ashamed to put this up for that reason.  Monty has fallen asleep surrounded by his research work, on a pillow of books. I love it because it says much about how determined and serious about his work he is, or was. He didn't even touch the food and tea. The front view angle is meant to be Bates' eye view of the room, so the viewer's Bates, in a way. The carpet on the wall is copied and pasted into the picture. I was really afraid I would mess up the pose, because drawing someone sitting hunched like that in FRONT VIEW is very hard for me to get right....especially thinking of getting the proportions right. The truth is, my mom did a quick, very loose sketch of the pose just to show me. First I had done a version myself, but I hated the pose...something wasn't quite right. Mom said her sketch wasn't good at all, but I traced it, captured the pose and put on the ''flesh'' on the bone. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 10:33:53 GMT -5
Please excuse my thousand typos in this post because right now I'm in such shock that my fingers don't work. I had absutely no idea that Hanna was going to draw anything based on my fanfic. When Pengy said I would like the pics, I thought she was talking generally. XD Needless to say, Hanna's work is absolutely stunning! The Monty's past series has to be among my favourite of your work (to be honest, a major reason why I started writing The Monkey's Valet was that I wanted to do something similar, only in writing). You've captured great moments from his past which bring much depth to his character. The first one with the monkey, though old, remains one of your absolute best works. The picture with him as a child is utterly adorable! It's great that you managed to make him look cute and young while keeping the major features that make him look like himself. This is no general child, it's definitely Monty. Awesome work. I like it how you coloured Monty and the monkeys in the first picture. It really gives the whole pic the image of him recalling his past. The second picture had a really great atmosphere, probably because of the light of the torch. Their expressions really tell what they're thinking, namely Monty's triumph for one step closer to becoming the Ultimate Monkey Master and Bates's worry about the whole thing. That third picture is one my favourites in the bunch because the pose is very natural and something in that pic that feels right, like it was a scene straight from the series. About the size of the statue in my fic, I didn't give it much thought at all and mentioned the dragging simply because the temple had partly collapsed and there was no room to walk properly. If you hadn't said anything the differences in size between these pictures, I wouldn't have noticed anything. And wow, what can I say about the two pics about The Monkey's Valet without coming off as an unstable lunatic? This was such a surprise and I never expected anything like this. That first one is simply perfect in every way! It's like you were in my head and took the scene right from there. There's absolutely no reason to be ashamed of putting that picture up! That kind of lineart is one reason why I find your work charming and the lines work for that picture. It would lose some of the atmosphere if it was too neat. I love the second picture as well and you captured that moment really well. I'm still so in shock that I can't say anything coherent. XD To sum it up, I'm again amazed by the quality of your work. Seeing these would have made me super happy in the first place, but the fact that you actually took the time to base something on my fanfic was a massive cherry on the top.  I wish there was something I could do to make this up to you. |
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Post by pengychan on Mar 20, 2008 11:08:53 GMT -5
Thanks a lot, I'm glad you liked it - too bad I'm never satisfied with anything I write. It's a real pain sometimes XD And yes, I was mostly inspired by the ideas we discussed here in the forum about the Yono's nature - I always get a lot of ideas by discussing with you guys Yup, I've seen some of the issues you mentioned - that's what I get for not using the spell check after editing If you could point out the typos you spotted, I'd immedialty correct myself - thanks a lot ^^" Hanna...I really, really think your skills will never stop to amaze me. Every single pic you posted is just so awesome that I'm left speechless.The general "pas" tribute collage is simply wonderful. Each pose and expression is perfect. His "lost in memories" expression is priceless XD And aw, little Monty is just SO cute! I'm amazed by how you managed to draw him as a kid and STILL keep his features. I really hope you'll eventually decide to re-draw that scene later on, it's just too cute to not have a stand-alone pic made out of it ^^ All the pics you used in the collage make perfect stan-alone pics. I love Monty's expression in the one with Monty and Bates - he looks so triumphant while Bates looks somehow uneasy...great contrast, and they both turned out SO well. I can easily picture this happening in the show. Same goes for the one in which he's robbing the temple in his ninja suit - man, I could believe it was a screencap! The expression, the pose, the colouring...it's just amazing. I'm speechless. BTW, it's really funny how the jade monkety'ssize kept changhing during "Monkey Fist Strikes". I had never noticed that until you pointed it out. Needless to say, the pics you made out of "The Monkey's Valet" are stunning as well. Both of them captured perfectly the situation and the atmosphere going on in the story - at least the way I felt them as a reader ^^" Really, I wish I could come up with something that hasn't already been said at least twenty times - but I think I really, really I ran out of words to tell how much I love your art. You are one of the most talented cartoon artists I've ever met. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 11:20:10 GMT -5
Thanks a lot, I'm glad you liked it - too bad I'm never satisfied with anything I write. It's a real pain sometimes XD And yes, I was mostly inspired by the ideas we discussed here in the forum about the Yono's nature - I always get a lot of ideas by discussing with you guys Yup, I've seen some of the issues you mentioned - that's what I get for not using the spell check after editing If you could point out the typos you spotted, I'd immedialty correct myself - thanks a lot ^^ You have every reason to be satisfied with that fanfic. It was just the right length and captured the moment. I felt really sorry for Monty all through it and even now I feel bad thinking about the episode. I'll send you a PM with my comments about the things I spotted. Just give me a moment to re-read the fic. Man, this thread is awesome. The overflow of Monty fanwork and the comments I've got for my own has made me so emotional that I've been grinning stupidly for the past hour or so. I've seen some people express their displeasure at the lack of comments and attention their fanwork gets. All I can say to them is that they should convert to the Church of Monty because, as you can see in this thread, we love our own. ;D |
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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 14:09:24 GMT -5
I wish there was something I could do to make this up to you. I've told Pengy this a couple of times: we pay eachother: - you write fanfics. -I illustrate your fanfics as a gift to show you my love and gratitude. I can sense the atmosphere, environment and the emotions clearly, and try to achieve the same in my visual pictures. If you can recognize and sense the same intensity in my pictures, then both sides of creative art is equally worth eachother. No need to owe me something back. We pay eachother. I feel guilty...what kind of artist am I, who don't give away comments and advices to others? It's so fantastic to see that people love to draw and create art. It's not that I'm only interested in a certain character. And Pengy, I have already told you this many times, but I love your intense, realistic emotional style of writing. Your stories hit my heart every time. Your style is perfect to capture that last moment and Monty's feelings in the depth of his mind. You put so much heart into it. I'm repeating myself now but I can't use other words. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 14:18:24 GMT -5
The Monkey Fist fandom sure is a special place. I don't know any other group of fans who are this devoted to each other. I guess it's rather easy since our numbers are small so we inevitably get to know each other and become familiar with each other's work. And Pengy, I have already told you this many times, but I love your intense, realistic emotional style of writing. Your stories hit my heart every time. Your style is perfect to capture that last moment and Monty's feelings in the depth of his mind. You put so much heart into it. I'm repeating myself now but I can't use other words. Complete agreement here. I've already told it to Pengy in some PMs, but I'll repeat myself here so that the world knows my opinion as well. I've read that fanfic a couple of times now and the more time I spend reading it, the better it gets. The first time I was hurrying and missed many of the subtleties and the awesome dialogue, but now that I took my time to read it, I realised how amazing it really was. I've spent the past couple of hours feeling oddly melancholy because Monty's last moments were so sad. Pengy is one of the few people who can write very emotional Monkey Fist fics. I've read similar stories by other people and they often make me feel a little uneasy, like there's something missing or they aren't capturing the character correctly. Pengy always gets it right. By the way, is it alright to keep posting in this thread even after the MF day is long past? I have more ideas for art, but I don't think I'll be drawing enough to justify my own fanart thread. I don't know where else to post but here. |
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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 14:21:06 GMT -5
There's always the thread that I, Sarah and Rhonda share. I could change the title again, and make it a thread for ALL the MF fans. What do you prefer? I'm more than willing to share it. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 14:28:01 GMT -5
If you wish to and it doesn't bother any of you, it would be great. Though you shouldn't do it simply for my sake because I'm a rather lazy artist and my contributions wouldn't be very numerous.
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Post by pengychan on Mar 20, 2008 14:29:36 GMT -5
The Monkey Fist fandom sure is a special place. I don't know any other group of fans who are this devoted to each other. I guess it's rather easy since our numbers are small so we inevitably get to know each other and become familiar with each other's work. Yup, I totally agree ;D And Pengy, I have already told you this many times, but I love your intense, realistic emotional style of writing. Your stories hit my heart every time. Your style is perfect to capture that last moment and Monty's feelings in the depth of his mind. You put so much heart into it. I'm repeating myself now but I can't use other words. Complete agreement here. I've already told it to Pengy in some PMs, but I'll repeat myself here so that the world knows my opinion as well. I've read that fanfic a couple of times now and the more time I spend reading it, the better it gets. The first time I was hurrying and missed many of the subtleties and the awesome dialogue, but now that I took my time to read it, I realised how amazing it really was. I've spent the past couple of hours feeling oddly melancholy because Monty's last moments were so sad. Pengy is one of the few people who can write very emotional Monkey Fist fics. I've read similar stories by other people and they often make me feel a little uneasy, like there's something missing or they aren't capturing the character correctly. Pengy always gets it right. Aw, thanks a bunch you two - it means a lot to me, really! ^^" Yay, glad to know that there's going to be more from you! |
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Post by SpicyWeasel on Mar 20, 2008 14:37:43 GMT -5
If you wish to and it doesn't bother any of you, it would be great. Though you shouldn't do it simply for my sake because I'm a rather lazy artist and my contributions wouldn't be very numerous. Hey, hey, hey...what in ''I'm more than willing to share it'' do you not understand? Your MF fan art needs a ''home'', lazy or not....so I'll go change the thread right away. |
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Post by vampirenaomi on Mar 20, 2008 15:04:14 GMT -5
The Monkey Fist fandom sure is a special place. I don't know any other group of fans who are this devoted to each other. I guess it's rather easy since our numbers are small so we inevitably get to know each other and become familiar with each other's work. Yup, I totally agree ;D If we were some other group, we would have already flamed each other to death because we have different pairing preferences. Some like slash, some don't. Some like DNAmy, some don't. Some like self-inserts, some don't. The fact that there hasn't been a single argument because of this is amazing. Aww, you're too kind. Thanks! |
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Post by Slyrr on Mar 20, 2008 18:38:30 GMT -5
I'll jump on the bandwagon too, seeing it's Monkey Fist appreciation. I've included Monkey Fist as one of the main villains of 'A Friend in Darkness' There's more to be revealed, but he's tougher than ever. His body is animated stone and he's still infused with the power of the Yono!  "Ah.... the cheer squad...."  It's not easy fighting someone who feels no pain and uses the 'stone monkey' style of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, but that's never stopped Kim before...  And walking the path of the Yono has benefits and drawbacks.... |
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Post by pengychan on Mar 20, 2008 19:32:24 GMT -5
Wow, these pics are great! I like how calm and collected he looks in the first one, almost like the gentleman he used to be...almost. I love how you've drawn the room, BTW. In the second one he looks raving mad...well, he is . He looks really creepy, especially in comparison to how collected he looked in the first one. You did a great job in the colouring - he really looks made of stone, and not just a "grey drawing", if you get what I mean. Great job on Kim too. The last one is my favourite, with that glow surrounding Monty and the Yono towering on him...scary. It's clear that dear ol' Monty doesn't have a clue of what's happening to him...that's what you get when you accept to follow a certain path without knowing all the implications You know, those pics makes me want to just go to read your fanfiction...badly XD I must resist just a bit more, I still have to finish reading your previous one. There are so many things I love about your stories (characterization, original characters, art, writing style and so on) that I have no idea of HOW I will be able to say everything in a review when I'll finally be done reading them all ^^" |
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Post by Slyrr on Mar 20, 2008 19:42:41 GMT -5
Thanks - any reviews are welcome of course, so don't worry about 'saying everything'. Saying what you think and feel is just fine....  |
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I wish there was something I could do to make this up to you.
