FEBRUARY CONTEST

[Lynn Larson]

So many awesome entries! You guys are just brilliant!

"Mom!! Look what followed me home...can I keep him?"

[Gary Wilkinson]

[Laura Mcmillan]

This is my first totally digital painting.

[Zavellart]

@smithadams Great character design!

[Zavellart]

@durribie cool! this sea dragon is giving me Dragonball Z vibes!

[Zavellart]

@gary-wilkinson really fabulous composition. I love everything about this piece.... however I can't help but wonder where they heck they get a phone that large >_>

[Buddy Skelton]

@gary-wilkinson Really like this piece. Love the color palette. Good work!

[heathertbl]

@nyrryl-cadiz Thank you so much!

[bdyanne]

@gary-wilkinson I love how they are cute and still are destroying things, lol.

[Marina]

Can someone please tell me when is deadline for this contest? Thanks a bunch!

[evilrobot]

@marina last day of the month

[Chip Valecek]

Got around to getting this one finished this weekend. Tons of great pieces this month. I feel bad for the judges to have to pick from this collection.

[ShannonBiondi]

Hi guys!

This is my first time posting here on the forum. All the artwork looks amazing. So much talent! Wow!

I love SVS. I think the videos are so succinct, informative, and fun. What a great place to learn a new skill! So, thank you!

As you can tell from my illustration, I'm a beginner. The caption for this one is:

"WHO'S THE OCTO-PUSSY NOW?!"

I had lots of fun doing it and feel that I learned a lot, particularly in the colouring process.

If you guys have any feedback for me it would be greatly appreciated! Anything to help me improve...

[EunJi Jung]

Awesome work, everyone!
Here is my entry! I've never seriously drawn an octopus before so I was a bit nervous. But it was sooo fun!!

[Hopper12]

As Rubber Ducky squeaked, the drawer opened.
Here is my entry for the SVS February Octopus contest. Love the entries so far!

[juliepeelart]

There are so many neat entries this time! This trading of lunches is called "Fishing."

[Zavellart]

@juliepeelart this made me giggle

[Taru]

This one comes with a background story:
*Gary the octopus didn't feel very at home in the sea. He was rescued from the beach when he was very little and grew up in a large fish tank at the city aquarium. He met many people every day and enjoyed their smiling faces and pointing fingers on the other side of the glass.

But one day, the aquarium management decided he had recovered enough, and that he should be set free in the ocean. They scooped him up from the tank with a large fishnet. Gary had tried to cling to a piece of fake coral, but to no avail. That afternoon he was swimming in the ocean again.

Sadly, none of the other sea creatures seemed all too friendly. The fish raced away when he greeted them and others of his own kind acted like he didn't exist. Even though he enjoyed the space, it was a very lonely existence in the ocean.

'Maybe things will get better,' he thought. 'Maybe I just need to get used to things.' So he wandered around the ocean floor for another week. But he couldn't seem to make any friends. He missed all those faces and noises he was so used to. He missed being tickled by the sponge of the aquarium cleaner. He missed being acknowledged.

On a sunny afternoon, just before the sun would dissappear into the ocean, Gary swam to undeep waters and lifted himself on the beach. His long arms flapping in the sand, leaving a messy trail onto the beach. It didn't take long before he was being noticed. He recognised the words "look daddy!" - he used to hear those all the time - and saw a small child come running towards him, dragging its parent behind. In great excitement Gary started waving his arms and tried to hug the kid. But instead of being carried onto land further, he was once again scooped up and thrown back into the sea.

Didn't anyone understand that he didn't belong here?

He wasn't about to give up, and threw himself back onto the sandy beach. Wiggling himself towards the two people. He waved one of his arms, like all the children used to do to him when he was behind the glass. The little child waved back enthusiastically. Gary made a small bow, and the child bowed back. Then Gary clapped his tentacles, and so did the child with its hands.
This was so much better than the ocean!

He tried to say he wanted to come with them, but the father shook his head.
'We can't take you,' he said. 'We're not allowed.' Gary lowered his head in defeat. Maybe he did belong in the ocean after all.
'But,' the father continued. 'I may have a job for you.'

And so Gary the octopus became the first mollusc window cleaner. He had all the
freedom he'd had in the ocean, but also those smiling faces behind the glass, always fresh water on hand and his own tickling sponge.

Finally, he had found a home.*

---

I'm not completely happy with it yet, but I'm seeing progress in my work! It was so fun working on this challenge. My first one participating.
I used this challenge as an exercise for the Creative Composition and Mastering Perspective classes and I can see I've learned a lot! Thanks for all the great content and providing us with such fun challenges.

[Gary Wilkinson]

@taru I thought you were talking to me and got very confused. Nice work and story anyhow

[Taru]

@gary-wilkinson Unless you are a window cleaning octupus I was talking about someone else
But thanks!