That's going to be freakin' cool, as usual =)

These chinese dragons looked cool so maybe they'll stay?
Not quite sure yet. I like the idea of a red dragon in a sea of flames and water or maybe clouds.

Edit: The colored dragon ref is by the mighty Gas13 o.O




Edited by jalonso - 29 November 2006 at 9:46am

You are so right on that, back to the drawing board
I may have to soften the indentations if the dragon becomes too wierd looking going over the bumps.

Ack, shame, that design would have looked so funky :/
I wouldn't go for the dragons if you want to respect that rule, they probably will end up looking really funky.

I say try something that wouldn't be altered as much... How about your beatle? (jeatle? jaleatle? jalonseatle?). Make it huuuuge, so that the indentations matter less.

Taking the dragon design and wrapping it over the ridges AND keeping it iso makes it look like total crap. I have taken liberties with the face so that it appears to wrap but is still looks like a dragon. The body ended up looking like a wave so looking at chinese paintings they often have these curly clouds. I have placed these over all the offensive areas. Because they are simple shapes the perspective remains pure. I think this makes the dragons curvature believable enough? I'm thinking the flames going down the body will help too. The ropes once detailed should help a lot. Those I'll leave for once I'm setteled on the dragon itself, I guess.

Looking amazing so far! I hope you spend time on the detail of the dragon. I'd love to see some awesome detailed scales. :)

The scales... looks like you have a big project in front of you jalonso :)

ya the less ridged balloon will work much better, allowing you to keep the form of the dragon much more.
I agree that a chinese style dragon will look much better ... while having sh*tload of detail is cool, it's less cool if it's in one aspect (the dragon)
leave the detailing for the scene as a whole 9like what you did with the basket and the ropes and such)

Wow. That is brilliant! I think the dragon's green clashes a bit with the red however... Maybe make one of them less saturated/change the hue slightly?

I don't see why you redid the balloon, I really liked your first version. In later versions you're making the creases of the balloon seem to harsh. Like the second version actually goes to a near black in the dips of the fabric and although the third, newest, version isn't as harsh as the second, it's still too dark I think. Something about that first dragon on that bright blue balloon really struck my eye, but the others aren't doing that.

they're all super, but I agree with lar ^__^ that one is my favorite

That balloon looks very beautiful and it's very realistic!

(but your outlines are not AA'D, AA THEM! )

Sweet!
I like the new version a lot, the clouds and new dragon look great but i must admit that I really loved...

... that one's swirly snowy things :D the swirls make everything look so chinese, and although the clouds are also very chinese looking, I think the snowy, swirly stuff had a better effect. That's only my opinion (keep the latest dragon though, it's niiiiice.

...but wow!!! I've been quoted! :P

edit: it now strikes me... how the bloopers did you get the section intervals right?? From your grid sketch, it looks like it was fairly complex to do.

Edited by ceddo - 01 December 2006 at 10:30am

Awesome balloons=) Sea dragon a little flat due to the perspective ..or composition - closer to viewer parts considering balloon shape should appear to be relatively  larger I think.

This is some hot stuff right here. :D

the one you abandoned looks like he was bathing in milk

I love you and not only that I miss you too.

thx nitram ;)

EDIT: add latest update to page 2




Edited by jalonso - 03 December 2006 at 10:51pm

To Jalonso: Well, I don't know how iso rules applyed to the dragons, but trick part is it should be distorted to look strait on the sphere. If you downscale ballons ribs from front to the sides I guess same could be true for the dragon as well.=) If you try to make just a circles all over the balloon you'll see how curves should work on sphere.

This one actually works all right due to composition.=) I've been talking about sea dragon, the one in green and red. I didn't realize you replaced it with this one, I thought you making a collection of different dragons.=))

Edited by Fool - 04 December 2006 at 1:08pm

I'm thinking that the red is too harsh.

And in the previous one, the dragon colors are too muted.


Edited by Blick - 05 December 2006 at 6:20pm

Yikes, It looked OK on the Mac. I just saw this on a PC and the red is awful (the contrast too) :/


@silent sniper, If that were true I wouldn't be struggling with this. No such thing anyways. Hard work and patience. thx tho ;)


Edited by jalonso - 06 December 2006 at 12:09pm

As proof I offer, darkuma and P_O

Hmm it needs some heavy armiments think 12th centry cavemanic china....

Edited by Pixel_Outlaw - 06 December 2006 at 1:41pm

The  the blueish tint you added to the dragon as well as the yellow tones in its belly make it really fit better with the color scheme of the balloon.  The greens of the dragon prior were almost too harsh..... I love this most recent revision!... What will you do with it.... Hot air baloon launching from pixeldam??

Yes, thanks for noticing that. I am leaving all the edge work till I figure the BG situation. This might end up at Pixeldam too, dunno yet. Right now I will focus on the ropes and weights.

Looks absolutely stunning! The couple came out cute, Instant favorite.