Illustrate or paint a character from a Chinese fantasy novel for use as a book cover

  • Status: Closed
  • Prize: $398
  • Entries Received: 51
  • Winner: rivaro

Contest Brief

Paint or illustrate a character from a Chinese fantasy novel, to be used as a book cover. As you plan the composition, please keep in mind the book cover aspect; text will be overlayed over the image, including title, author, etc, so leave some space for those things.

General scene: A young man in Daoist robes is seated cross-legged with a Chinese alchemist's pill furnace in front of him. He has a wild grin on his face. He is performing a double-handed incantation gesture. The pill furnace is glowing with heat and magical light. Greenish smoke is swirling out of the furnace to fill the background. Other than the smoke, the background is black.

Medium: I'm open to all mediums, including Z-Brush or non-digital

Style: Please lean toward realistic. I won't rule out stylized art, but it would have to be really impressive. Manga or comic book styles would also need to be very impressive.

Specific direction for each element:
Color scheme - Please keep the color scheme to greens, blues, and violets.
Lighting and atmosphere - The painting should feel dramatic but fun
Young man - Please model him after Chinese celebrity Li Yifeng. I'm attaching a few pictures for your reference. He must have long hair, long enough to reach his waist if unbound. There are two options for the hair. 1) Have some of the hair bound in Daoist headgear, with the rest floating in the air around the character. For the Daoist headgear, see the #1, #2, #4 "daoist robe" reference pictures. 2) His hair can be unbound, somewhat disheveled and floating in the air around him.
Daoist robes - Please see the attached pictures for inspiration, but do not copy any one particular outfit. There are some important key elements such as: long, wide sleeves; a wide waist band; various hanging accessories. Please do not use a yin-yang symbol on the clothing. If possible, include Asian cloud motifs within the outfit.
Pill furnace - Please see attached references for inspiration. The furnace is heated from the bottom. It should be glowing red with heat, starting from the bottom. Perhaps have half of the furnace be red hot. The furnace should have a lid. The furnace is pretty large, probably about a meter tall. However, for artistic purposes, it should probably be smaller. Just make sure it doesn't obscure too much of the young man.
Grin - I tried to search for the perfect photo reference but couldn't find it. He should seem completely focused, but excited, and a slightly crazed. I think the "li yifeng #6, #7" references have some expressions that are very close.
Incantation gesture - This is very similar to a Naruto hand seal. However, please DO NOT use the same hand seals as Naruto. Please see the attached reference for some actual incantation gestures used in real Daoist magic. Of course, the young man in the painting should not have weird clawed hands like the reference picture haha. Please have the gesture look cool and not awkward.

Please feel free to submit sketches for feedback. However, although I understand a full painting is a lot of work, and don't expect an absolutely completed product at first, I will need more than just a sketch to award the prize. If you do submit sketches, I will want a second draft submission at the minimum before considering awarding the prize.

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“Great work, hope to work again with Frederico!”

Profile image laobaisjz, China.

Top entries from this contest

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Public Clarification Board

  • artnimator
    artnimator
    • 6 years ago

    Hello, pls check entry #62 , what do you think?

    • 6 years ago
  • Lumenharbinger
    Lumenharbinger
    • 6 years ago

    Hi! Could you send me private message as contest holder?

    • 6 years ago
    View 3 more messages Processing...
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      You can always submit an initial sketch or mockup version and then we can communicate within the entry chat.

      • 6 years ago
    2. Lumenharbinger
      Lumenharbinger
      • 6 years ago

      #59

      • 6 years ago
  • sayta
    sayta
    • 6 years ago

    Please check entry #51

    • 6 years ago
  • NatashaIlich
    NatashaIlich
    • 6 years ago

    entry #53 I left msg also, thanks

    • 6 years ago
  • artnimator
    artnimator
    • 6 years ago

    pls check #52 , i will still have a second entry which I will refine more of the details, but pls comment and rate my artwork and concept to put me in the right direction improving my concept, thank you, :)

    • 6 years ago
  • NatashaIlich
    NatashaIlich
    • 6 years ago

    Thanks foe extension, I thought it would be quicker, but always something to change, these time I wont miss date :)

    • 6 years ago
  • MkuuWaUendeshaji
    MkuuWaUendeshaji
    • 6 years ago

    would you consider extending the time...? 3 more days

    • 6 years ago
  • rivaro
    rivaro
    • 6 years ago

    just starting with entry #40

    • 6 years ago
  • rivaro
    rivaro
    • 6 years ago

    hi, any chance to #extended the contest?

    • 6 years ago
    View 1 more message Processing...
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      By how much...

      • 6 years ago
    2. rivaro
      rivaro
      • 6 years ago

      5 days top

      • 6 years ago
  • KevinChoiKang
    KevinChoiKang
    • 6 years ago

    Hi please check #39 thank you

    • 6 years ago
  • arteo77
    arteo77
    • 6 years ago

    Hi, I discovered this contest too late, unfortunately I do not have time to participate. I see you create contests frequently, how often? What can I do to keep me updated? I hope I can participate in the next projects. Thank you

    • 6 years ago
  • NatashaIlich
    NatashaIlich
    • 6 years ago

    almost finish, please dont close before end, tnx

    • 6 years ago
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      I won't :)

      • 6 years ago
  • MkuuWaUendeshaji
    MkuuWaUendeshaji
    • 6 years ago

    please hold off with choosing a winner. i am working to improve my idea.

    • 6 years ago
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      Yes, I will wait until the end to pick the winner

      • 6 years ago
  • MkuuWaUendeshaji
    MkuuWaUendeshaji
    • 6 years ago

    could you please review entry #30 . its just a sketch but i just wanted to know if i was on the right track???

    • 6 years ago
    1. MkuuWaUendeshaji
      MkuuWaUendeshaji
      • 6 years ago

      of course i have not highlighted the entire image because of the chance that i need to change something. i hope its visible enough.

      • 6 years ago
  • rikbelanger
    rikbelanger
    • 6 years ago

    What should the dimensions be for the painting?

    • 6 years ago
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      hi-res and vertical to be used as a book cover

      • 6 years ago
  • DenioViana
    DenioViana
    • 6 years ago

    Is there any comment for #11 , just to have a clear direction?

    • 6 years ago
  • vasilmc7
    vasilmc7
    • 6 years ago

    How does the alchemist look ?

    • 6 years ago
    1. vasilmc7
      vasilmc7
      • 6 years ago

      or is there one ?

      • 6 years ago
    2. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      The main character is the alchemist. It's a Chinese (alchemist's pill furnace)

      • 6 years ago
  • homerilliada
    homerilliada
    • 6 years ago

    it`s not another person...it`s a chinese alchemist`s pill furnace...the pill furnace is a chinese element...doesn`t seem logic?

    • 6 years ago
    1. homerilliada
      homerilliada
      • 6 years ago

      or at least i think that`s the explanation.

      • 6 years ago
    2. vasilmc7
      vasilmc7
      • 6 years ago

      gotcha. thanks

      • 6 years ago
  • UmaGuru
    UmaGuru
    • 6 years ago

    please check #3 ...KINDLY RATE AND FEEDBACK PLEASE...

    • 6 years ago
  • keith2389
    keith2389
    • 6 years ago

    Working on it - would love detailed feedback on the work as this is a lot of work

    • 6 years ago
    1. laobaisjz
      Contest Holder
      • 6 years ago

      Absolutely. I understand it's a lot of work, so definitely start with some sketches.

      • 6 years ago

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