ChronoNomad's art Reviews on Newgrounds

[Intricate workings]

I honestly find this one to be a little more disturbing than your usual fare, but I also kind of feel like that's what you were going for, perhaps. All that mustard yellow feels earthy, yes...but also somehow toxic. The face is rather mask-like with its open-eyed stare, and the details in purple and red also lend to the ominous overtone.

The imagery, coupled with more stanzas of intriguing poetry, conjures up the suggestion of life and death. The endless cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. Endings and beginnings. In some ways these have been on my mind of late, such as with the advent of the new year, so perhaps that is colouring my opinion somewhat.

Ah, well--simply my own musings, after all. What does this painting represent to you? I wonder....

shouGawa responds:

When I paint I let the emotion of the moment guide me. At the time that I was painting this piece I was really feeling the pain in my life but also the light within my being and the depth of life. I don't know about anyone else but sometimes I sit and think about that depth and just how huge a thing life is as well as how quickly it can be lost. That's maybe what you are seeing about birth and death...

The mask quality was due to this being about the inner person. I wasn't concerned about fleshy features as much as about the forces that make up my soul. It's a self portrait of sorts. Pain and light, flesh and soul mixed together. And fleeting and solidity pulling at each other but side by side. Ever the whole. At least that's what I was striving for. :)

[Berries ~ Jewels of Winter]

Oddly enough, when I first saw this, I thought that it was an overhead perspective of a duck floating on a stream, surrounded by marsh reeds. Then I saw the bird's tiny talons and realized my error. Just thought I would share my silliness! ;)~

It's as if the bird is forever frozen in time, staring those berries down for all eternity, simply because you painted it. Of course I know that the bird would surely take wing and snatch them out of midair in another moment or two, but that is the magic of such imagery. Another lovely poem to complement the painting and its symbolic meaning, as well! Very nice.

shouGawa responds:

Haha! Yeah, after a little looking at it I see what you mean about the duck. It's always interesting how our eyes interpret any given imagery! There are times I see something and only after minutes of looking see what the image really is. Usually I think it's something totally different from the actual image! lol... smh

I do love to capture a moment. Magic is a key item in art, I think! Thank you for such kind words, ChronoNomad!

[Confrontation of Goliath]

So... Juggernaut + Colossus = Goliath? Pretty cool design, though I'm a little confused by the pose. Was Goliath already cut and he's defending himself with his colossal (pun intended) arms? Hmm. There's a lot of blood streaked across the length of that sword, must have been a deep thrust.

Excellent use of light and shadow with varied stroke techniques. What medium did you use for this? It looks like graphite. Mechanical pencil, perhaps? Nice hatching and cross-hatching, and the two main characters are very well-defined. The rock textures generally lack that rough, gritty feel. I dig the Seal of Solomon on the wall, though the proportions are a bit off...even accounting for perspective.

Pretty cool imagery overall, and it was very eye-catching on the Front Page. Congratulations on that honour, incidentally! You have an interesting repertoire, and it seems that you tend to favour character drawing with a penchant for (super)heroes and villains. Guess I can't really fault you for a bit less detail in your background elements too much. Keep up the good work!

jungmeister responds:

THAT GOLIATH CHRACTER IS MARVEL COMIC CHARACTER YE SIT IS COLOSSUS/ JUGGERNAUT. MARVEL HAD THAT CHARACTER RUN IN THE BOOK. NEVER READ SO I DUNNO WHAT IT IS ABOUT. IT IS DONE WITH LEAD PENCIL. THIS PIECE IS DONE TO SEND TO GLASSHOUSEGRAPHICS COMPANY HOPE TO DO REALLY COMIC BOOK COVERS AND DO SOME TRADING CARDS/ CONCEPT ART AND SO ON . NOT REALLY INTO SUPERHEROES BUT I HAD TO DO IT FOR THE PORTFOLIO TO SEND TO THAT COMPANY. I DID NOT STRESS TOO MUCH IN THE BACKGROUND SO U PROBABLY MIGHT SEE LESS DETAIL SOME DRAWING NOT RIGHT (I SEE THAT NOW I LOOK AT IT LOL) FOCUSED MORE STRESS ON CHRACTERS AND THE GROUND. THAT SEAL OF SOLOMON YES I CAN DRAW THAT MORE BETTER ,BUT THE TIME WHEN I DI DTHIS PIECE I DID NOT PUT TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT. NOW I KNOW I SHOULD PUT LOTS OF ATTENTION TO THE WHOLE DRAWING . LOL I NEED DISCIPLINE.

THAT GOLIATH POSE . NO HIS NOT COVERING OR DEFENDING HIMSELF WITH HIS ARMS.I THOUGHT IT WILL COME ACROSS AS HIM COMING TOWARDS THE CHARACTER OR SOMETHING. ALSO THAT GUYS SWORD LOL THEREIS NO STORY IN THAT I JUST PUT BLOOD THERE BECAUSE JUST DRAWING SWORD LOOKED EMPTY TO ME. THX FOR THE IN DEPTH OF MY WORK. ALSO LOOKS LIKE U DO AUDIO WORK. U DO LIKE SPECIAL EFFECT SOUNDS OR SOMEHTING?

[fall fielded]

This is so very simple, yet beautiful. So many smooth curves and subtle nuances, not to mention those swirls. Something about this makes me think of the stylized elements that Tim Burton uses in so many of his films, which may seem like a strange connection now that Inktober has come to an end, but nevertheless...there it is. It's a very stark kind of beauty, which makes sense since the subject is a dry flower.

The addition of tiny dots here and there somehow gives the image a rather organic quality to me. While this is your artistic interpretation of the flower's essence, I have no trouble at all picturing it in a more corporeal way, not to mention as it once was when it was still flourishing, within my mind's eye. Again, this is so incredibly simple and minimalist, yet there is much to see and imagine within the fluid strokes and points.

shouGawa responds:

Thank you very much, Chrononomad! You do me great honor. I'm so glad you like this drawing!

Tim Burton...I think I see what you mean. What high praise! I like his work but haven't watched his movies overmuch. Makes me want to have another look at some of my faves of his.

I feel the same way about the dots. I love bringing things down to their simplest form without making them feel fake. I like to leave the breath in them. That sign of life and love. So they can give it to whoever looks at them.

[mad duck]

Holy crap! That is one vicious looking duck. Did you have a run-in with a psycho waterfowl sometime recently?

I really like this, to be honest. It's different...and weirdly fun. For some reason the term "vampire duck" comes to mind. Any relation to Count Duckula? Ah, that really quacks me up... ;)~

Ah, puns. *ahem*

On a side note, I like the little signature you've been adding to some of these lately. Just thought you'd like to know.

shouGawa responds:

Hehehe....I had a great view of a seagull and that got me thinking that an open beak drawing would be super fun. So I did that and decided he was a duck then to make it extra exciting I put in sharp, pointy teeth and blood because, of course, if he's got those teeth with that look on his face he obviously just attacked someone. Bloodlust!
Aw, thanks, Chrononomad! I'm so glad you like it and see the fun in it. I'm not the type to do all out horror stuff. I have too much sense of humor for that. ;) *nodding* a vampire duck is definitely the next step! Ha! Count Duckula...I haven't thought of that fellow in quite some time!
The signature is something I've often thought of and tried so many different ones and never felt comfortable with any of them...until now with that little sk incorporated in. I've always admired signatures like Albrecht Durer's.

[Flame Tree]

I think what I like the most about this one is that very first brushstroke. It has a lot of character, that first stroke. I also like how you say you met the flame tree, not that you simply saw it.

You know, it's been a while since I've seen anything done in a woodcut style, which is a shame because it's so distinctive. The essence of both the woodcutting style and the tree itself are captured well here, I think. Bravo.

A nice touch of Autumnal colours in your most recent submissions! I like it. Definitely lots of orange at work here, but--and maybe it's just a trick of my eyes--is there also some pink?

shouGawa responds:

Mhm! Thank you! I think the first brush stroke always carries with it the most energy and the most spontaneity after that first one every other stroke lines itself up to enhance that first one. Thank you for such high praise! I'm glad you think I've captured my goals :) I have to say, I'm having fun with the reds, oranges and yellows the past week or so. In this pic there is only red so it is most likely a trick of the camera bending color.

[sss~~ inktober]

Is it a snake? Is it a centipede? Or is it a--SNAKETIPEDE!? Something about it really did give me a shiver just now. Must be all those tiny legs!

I actually quite like the diminishing spiral shape that you incorporated here. There's just something about spirals in general, but here it kind of looks like this creepy crawly critter is winding its way upwards from below, not unlike a spiral staircase. And yet, while it is a bit creepy, is it odd that I also find it kind of...cute?

Really digging the brush pen effect of the strokes here, by the way! And the symbols up near the head are intriguing. To me it looks rather like two infinity signs within a larger infinity sign.

shouGawa responds:

Haha! I like that! ~~ Snaketipede! I am glad to hear you got a shiver out of this ;) I must be doing something right :D I think it's perfectly ok to think this little guy is both creepy and cute. I didn't intent for him to be yucky or scary but rather somehow endearing. The symbols are indeed as you have said three infinity signs. I like to play around as I draw and that's what comes of it. I was also thinking of that long spiral or conical shape and the connection to infinity that it holds in my mind.
Thanks so much for taking the time to put down your thoughts and feeling! I really appreciate it. :)

[Golden center]

A very pleasant and simple watercolour. Flowers are just such a timeless focus, and such contrasts between purples and shades of gold are always fantastic. The teal hues of the background offer a subtle difference to the shades of purple, and cause the greens to really stand out. I also really like the subtle lines of yellow/light green you've incorporated throughout each flower and leaf.

shouGawa responds:

Thanks so much for your review and for your kind words! It makes me happy to think someone enjoys what I made :D One of my favorite contrasts is purple and gold! I try my best to lead the eye around the piece in the way I place the colors and lines.

[...i love you... detail]

Nice! I was hoping for a bit more close-up detail on this one, and you've delivered. The ephemeral qualities really stand out now, and it's much easier to make out the words themselves. I really like your subtle touches here, like how the words circle the heart on the left. It actually looks like the words coming out of the subject on the left's mouth are trying to wrap around and tug at the heart of the other.

It still feels incredibly sweet and sad to me; that sense of forlorn melancholy is quite pervasive.

shouGawa responds:

This is a portrayal of one giving realizing that they will most likely not receive back but giving anyway. It was my intention to have the words entering the heart in the mind's eye of the viewer. I'm very glad something like that is what you are seeing! This piece is intensely personal for me. I suppose the earth tones I chose help with the melancholy feel. And the sense through the swirling that time does not stand still even when love is spoken. Thank you, ChronoNomad!

[Soul Tree]

Really simple and cute. Nice sweeping strokes with drip splotches that - interestingly enough - make me think of a constellation. Why isn't there a tree constellation? There should be! The hints of blue-purple seem to mostly exist as a background element, and I would be curious to know what inspired the colour choice. Is there wind affecting the tree, has it simply grown this way--or both? Pretty good use of negative space, though when I imagine wind I see one or two leaves clinging to the otherwise bare branches, with others spinning off into the breeze...

This actually reminds me a bit of one of my earliest 3D modeling projects, which was a single tree standing on a small island in the midst of a wide sea at twilight. Sometimes it can be difficult to name such things, but it came easily enough then: Poa Tree. ^__~

shouGawa responds:

Why, thank you, ChronoNomad! :D There definitely should be a tree constellation! The trees seem to reach out to the stars so often. Wailing in the winds, whipping their branches in the heavens as if to stir up the stars...
As for the colour choices, I adore earth tones and ultramarine blue is my absolute favorite color in the world. Burnt Sienna goes so beautifully with Ultramarine Blue that I often pair them. It's almost rusty and old world. The tree itself was painted in only a few quick strokes. The main S curve being the first and structural stroke. I believe there is wind at play though I wasn't thinking of that when I laid the tree on the page. So I would have to say both in answer to your question. The tree has grown this way but the wind is also a factor this day.
That is a lovely title for what must be a lovely 3D project! Thank you for the compliment of memory link!