I've been meaning to give the website for An Ember in the Wind a face lift for quite a while. I just added a blurb about the book, but I think it needs an update illustration. The red/blue forest I started earlier seemed like an appropriate, since there's a hidden pattern the forest is arranged through.

There are six hidden "spirits". Can you find them all? Bonus: Figure out where the seventh should be located! Hint - figure out the pattern I mentioned above.



{ Link to bigger version }

Very nice merrek.

Really like the light/dark contrasts for this one Merrick. You definitely are a master of Chiaroscuro.

I think I found 4 or 5 and a cat. lol
Very nice work!
I think the lady's (Marra?) hand is a little messed up, her middle finger seems to have too deep if a indentation in between the fingers.

I love the colors! Good work!

I could not find any of the spirits. Maybe when I looked they were on lunch break.
I tried to find them in the big picture version, but also without success.
The composition is harmonious, very nice, a beautiful picture.
I thought the woman was a little too much in the composition, it deviates a bit from the environment.

Thanks



I like to play with lighting . Although sometimes I think I get odd results because of the LCD panel.



I used to hide cats in my drawings all the time. I figured it was time to start that again

Whoops, I'll have to fix her hand. Thanks for the tip!



Is she too brightly lit?

One of the spirits is near her. Once you see what they look like, they're easier to find.

Yes, maybe a little too bright or something

Thanks for the tip! I found two! Other three do not know for sure. I found a dark silhouette with what appear to be pointy ears, perhaps the cat!
It's fun to find hidden details in pictures!
I even think that the red leaves fallen could form a word, but I could not make sure of it.
The colors give a magical touch to the scene! Very beautiful

merrak: that is such a beautiful scene! well done on that - i'm looking forward to hunting for spirits when i get back home to sweden (in england visiting erisian at the moment). i'll check the ember in the wind page when i get back too but in the meantime i enjoy the lovely lighting in that landscape.

Thanks for the comment

See if you can find the location of the seventh missing spirit - or rather, where it should go.

Unrelated portrait exercise; I just don't feel like making a whole new thread.

Not any particular character ~

Beautiful!

But sorry, I will not play the proposed game. I am very bad at that kind of games. Do you plan to publish the image with the solution of the problem?

Well the nose is very impressive! Only it needs a bit of shadow under it around the nostril area.
Her eyes seem a little dead imo, and her face looks too round not enough definition in the curves.
And her neck looks like it's attached like a manikin.

Good work all the same though! :>

The spirits aren't easy to find but well done on another excellent painting Merrak. Your faces are improving very rapidly as well. Nice work!

I'll post the solution sometime

Thanks! I'm normally not that good at noses. And the neck was an afterthought

Maybe her eyes need some more shine. Or she could wear sunglasses.




Thanks !

merrak: the quick glance i gave the forest painting last night showed me two spirits, but i'll try and see the pattern and i'm sure i'll find more of them with a bit of time. glad you're not posting the solution right now!
i like the portrait too, agree with moko about the shadow under the nose but i'm really impressed with the hair, it's got such a nice texture.

I'm terrible at hair But I'm working on it!