July 2018 Challenge: Iri-Oriand, World of Living Magic

[Adfor]

This is just nuts, J.E, and I must say I'm a little disheartened with your entry, how can one compete with such amazing drawing skills! Slightly envious.

[Weery]

Really amazing. Reminding me of M C Escher which is a great thing for me

[ThomasR]

This is fantastic John ! I love that this one has a link to your archeological pieces (and obviously a little Inktober DNA too) !

@ Adfor : Do not despair ! A couple years back, on a challenge just like this one (same prompt), I almost dropped out when John entered with his Harlasea map. He won, of course but he pushed me to go beyond my limits and produce a map I would never have produced if I haven't had his marvelous map as a constant reminder that I should do better. Take this obstacle and make it your strength

[J.Edward]

As others have said, this is looking good. It's a very intriguing setting and I like the highly stylized elements (like the zig-zag and the square-ish spirals). I'm looking forward to seeing it coloured and finished and I think it'd be fun to see you go crazy with the colours.

The drawing and setting reminds me a bit of Jeff Vandermeer's books, which have a lot of strange biological inspirations - especially funghi. I could easily see that stone labyrinth covered in a motley of algaes, mosses, ferns, lichens, and mushrooms - and stranger things, too perhaps...

Wingshaw

Maybe I'll do some environment shots and do some of these variations.
I did plan to do some sketches of what some of the labyrinth walls looked like.

This is just nuts, J.E, and I must say I'm a little disheartened with your entry, how can one compete with such amazing drawing skills! Slightly envious.

Thanks Adfor
And definitely listen to Thomas

Really amazing. Reminding me of M C Escher which is a great thing for me

Thanks Weery

This is fantastic John ! I love that this one has a link to your archeological pieces (and obviously a little Inktober DNA too) !

@ Adfor : Do not despair ! A couple years back, on a challenge just like this one (same prompt), I almost dropped out when John entered with his Harlasea map. He won, of course but he pushed me to go beyond my limits and produce a map I would never have produced if I haven't had his marvelous map as a constant reminder that I should do better. Take this obstacle and make it your strength

It has a lot of the dna of my personal, noncommercial artwork, most of which never makes it online. For a myriad of reasons.

When I first started doing challenges, I was trying to compete with a lot of talented people.
It actually does help you to push yourself and extend your own parameters.
A few of my regular clients do that - push me out of my comfort zones.

[J.Edward]

Oh, I forgot.. here's the latest. This was from the other day.
I just finished up work for the day and am about to work on this some more.
Might have another update this evening. Yay personal time!!

### Latest WIP ###
Iri-Oriand sample 02.jpg

Those are the Pillars of the Moon.
Yes, I hear you say - but there are only two...
The third is hidden... this is esoteric stuff, after all.
I intend to bring in a bunch of my Esoteric Revelation stuff into this land of magic thing.
So clearly this will go on passed the challenge, though I'm hoping the main piece will get completed on time.

[Adfor]

@ Adfor : Do not despair ! A couple years back, on a challenge just like this one (same prompt), I almost dropped out when John entered with his Harlasea map. He won, of course but he pushed me to go beyond my limits and produce a map I would never have produced if I haven't had his marvelous map as a constant reminder that I should do better. Take this obstacle and make it your strength

Inspiring words, thank you, Thomas.

[J.Edward]

A bit of work done tonight. Lots still to do.
This is turning out different than I had imagined.
I was thinking it would be more graphic and flat.
Oh well. I'm still liking it. Just in a different way.

### Latest WIP ###
Iri-Oriand sample 04a.jpg

[Voolf]

A bit of work done tonight. Lots still to do.
This is turning out different than I had imagined.
I was thinking it would be more graphic and flat.
Oh well. I'm still liking it. Just in a different way.

Haha, can't stop yourself throwing that extra detail here and there

[Bogie]

Looks great John, the details are wonderful.

[MistyBeee]

'just sitting on my chair with popcorn on my knees, watching at the best saga of the current challenge, really happy to be unable to join this time, so I can enjoy better.
The more you go into colors, the more I can see the amazing details, layer per layer. I didn't notice before the eyes in the clouds, and I imagine voices whispering everywhere...