[Dolmen 2.0]

Kaamos, on 12 November 2013 - 08:35 AM, said:

Huge improvement ('xcuse the pun...), methinks. :-D Definitely hipper. Nothing wrong with the appearance of the ol' Detts, as such, if (s)he were a very pretty young man. I might imagine Skulldeath possessing such a face. Hadn't considered it much before, but the African-ish features do give her more character.

...Finnish comprises of around 14 dialects plus the written speech, which often doesn't resemble regional dialects much. In my city, the R is particularly accentuated, and sometimes D's become R's as well, which is why it sounds particularly trollish. What kinds of languages do you have in SA? Afrikaans I know about, but have no idea what it sounds like.

Thats a ton of dialects! SA has 11 languages. I won't be able to list 'em all of the top of my head but the prominent ones are Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Venda, Shona and Sotho. I can survive an Afrikaans and Zulu conversation but I'm better versed in English and am passingly fluent in Chewa, a language more common in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as is Shona. All this is to say I am useless at languages. English is the only language I can really make myself understood in. My dad can speak about five.

Kaamos, on 12 November 2013 - 08:35 AM, said:

Yule (Joulu) is a rough time. Snow poisoning is common, which makes your skin turn blue as well. Happens often to tourists who think it's cooled candyfloss (we do tell them not to devour it, but do they ever listen...). I guess that's one reason why I didn't shy off from Mr. Manhattan and the Napan.

Hahahahaha I don't know why but this sounds is hilarious to me. I half imagine a particular police detail in charge of keeping the tourists in-line.

"Excuse me madam no eating the snow please. Sir that's a class three Snow offence. That will be 30 Euros."

Forgive my imagination. I already have visions of SWAT teams cracking down on blue people cartels...

RE: Detoran

Seems we have a winner. Now to finish the peace. Honestly wish I had more space to get two more characters in but it's gotten really cramped. The combined image makes a great Wallpaper and starts conversation up on the books something fierce.

[Kaamos]

Dolmen+, on 13 November 2013 - 11:00 AM, said:

Thats a ton of dialects! SA has 11 languages. I won't be able to list 'em all of the top of my head but the prominent ones are Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Venda, Shona and Sotho. I can survive an Afrikaans and Zulu conversation but I'm better versed in English and am passingly fluent in Chewa, a language more common in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as is Shona. All this is to say I am useless at languages. English is the only language I can really make myself understood in. My dad can speak about five.

Based on the two-ish Youtube videos I found, Afrikaans seems a bit like Finlandssvenska and German got drunk together and conceived a baby. Somewhat scary that I could understand a word here and there. Finnish is supposed to be ancient (=thousands of years), but I'm guessing some of those others in your country would point and cackle at its juvenility? Anyway, 11 sounds...unconquerable. I'm having enough sweating over Swedish, as matters stand. How are the others faring? I really like that there's so much variety around (used to be much more hereabouts as well, but Soviet Russia wiped away a whole deal of Finnic dialects and tongues, for instance), but it's always sad when yet another language's lost.

Quote

Hahahahaha I don't know why but this sounds is hilarious to me. I half imagine a particular police detail in charge of keeping the tourists in-line.

But this is a serious issue... Scandinavians have a genetic tolerance for snow poisoning, so the blue skin only last for a couple of days. But consider all those tourists who discover the effect's permanent. Some have not accepted this alteration, sought for chemical injections to regain their original color, and this hasn't always functioned due to odd side effects either... One had to get used to a pink and blue paisley pattern thereafter, and pursued a rock star career.

Quote

"Excuse me madam no eating the snow please. Sir that's a class three Snow offence. That will be 30 Euros."
Forgive my imagination. I already have visions of SWAT teams cracking down on blue people cartels...

Yes that Detoran's a winner. Don't know if you've fixed it yet, but her other boob cup's rather larger than the other (unless she uses it as a detachable storage area for sundry toiletries or a multifunctional soup bowl).

[Grimjust Bearegular]

I've seen Rare Exports, liked the shorts better. And Watchmen the comic is a lot better than the movie, although the movie stays quite true to the source material. And please don't confuse Finnish trolls and frost giants with their Norse counterparts. Although we share a border, we have absolutely nothing in common. Our languages bear no similarities to each other, nor does our looks or our tempraments...how weird is that? The Finnish are of Ugric heritage, whereas norwegians, swedes, danes and icelanders are of germanic heritage. Where did you guys come from?





And it's no wonder you found Afrikaans similar to your own tongue. Your two languages are the only two I can think f that don't differentiate between aspired and unaspired consonants, like the rest of us do...

And now for something completely different! Here's my sketch for the Mucha contest, comments and critique would be much appreciated

 ossercmucha1.jpg (449.51K)
Number of downloads: 0

[Kaamos]

Grimjust Bearegular, on 15 November 2013 - 07:44 PM, said:

I've seen Rare Exports, liked the shorts better. And Watchmen the comic is a lot better than the movie, although the movie stays quite true to the source material. And please don't confuse Finnish trolls and frost giants with their Norse counterparts. Although we share a border, we have absolutely nothing in common. Our languages bear no similarities to each other, nor does our looks or our tempraments...how weird is that? The Finnish are of Ugric heritage, whereas norwegians, swedes, danes and icelanders are of germanic heritage. Where did you guys come from?

Haha, I'm kidding a bit every once in a while. ;-D But there are lots overlaps in the older myths. Like Iku-Tiera Nieranpoika (Thorri Snaersson) "discovering" Norway (for the lack of a better word), and you have Saami plus the (later-day) Kvens as well (I say later-day since the kingdom of Kvenland or Kainuunmaa refers to Iron Age accounts). :-D
There's a large genetic divide between the West Finns and East Finns. Some roots point to Europe, some beyond the Urals (even to Siberia). The Magyars split from the group at some point in the dark confines of history.
Icelanders have a spot of Saami heritage in their genes; heard about this in the Landnámssýningin in Reykjavik.

So you're from Norway? Neat! I'll look over the pic tomorrow when I have a larger display in my use.

ETA: I'll just link this one here:
http://www.germanicm...regrDasent.html

The characters at the beginning have Finnish names as well: Fornjótr is mentioned as a giant elsewhere in the myths. He's known as Iku-Turso here, some consider him the same as Kaleva due to the three-sons legend. (Hlér, Karí, Loge = Kaleva's sons were Ilmarinen, Väinämöinen, Liekkiö. The names mean approximately the same.) Jökull is Joukainen. Snaer is Niera. Thorri the same as Iku-Tiera. Kvenland may have been situated on both sides of Pohjanlahti and in Satakunta.

ETA #2: That's of course, some terribly old 19th century text and I don't agree with phrases like "royal races". Ergh. So just...mentally skip over.

This post has been edited by Kaamos: 16 November 2013 - 05:07 AM

[Grimjust Bearegular]

Kaamos, on 15 November 2013 - 08:13 PM, said:

Grimjust Bearegular, on 15 November 2013 - 07:44 PM, said:

I've seen Rare Exports, liked the shorts better. And Watchmen the comic is a lot better than the movie, although the movie stays quite true to the source material. And please don't confuse Finnish trolls and frost giants with their Norse counterparts. Although we share a border, we have absolutely nothing in common. Our languages bear no similarities to each other, nor does our looks or our tempraments...how weird is that? The Finnish are of Ugric heritage, whereas norwegians, swedes, danes and icelanders are of germanic heritage. Where did you guys come from?

Haha, I'm kidding a bit every once in a while. ;-D But there are lots overlaps in the older myths. Like Iku-TIera Nieranpoika (Thorri Snaersson) traveling to Halogaland (Helgoland?), and you have Saami plus the (later-day) Kvens as well (I say later-day since the kingdom of Kvenland or Kainuunmaa refers to Iron Age accounts). :-D
There's a large genetic divide between the West Finns and East Finns. Some roots point to Europe, some beyond the Urals (even to Siberia). The Magyars split from the group at some point in the dark confines of history.
Icelanders have a spot of Saami heritage in their genes; heard about this in the Landnámssýningin in Reykjavik.

So you're from Norway? Neat! I'll look over the pic tomorrow when I have a larger display in my use.

Yes, we have the Saami, but they're not indigenous (sp?), I think they came through FInland/Russia into Norway at some point, after whoever came here and settled and eventually became the Vikings The Saami have their own country within our country. Own government, own flag, own language etc. Of course there are some overlapping and similiarities, most myths, fairytales and stories have their counterparts in all other cultures, I just think its fascinating that there aren't more things that connect us

[Kaamos]

Ah, you responded while I edited my post. Check the story about "How Norway was settled", that's one legend that overlaps with Finnish mythology.
It's been a while since I've followed any studies about Saami genetics, but the one I recall suggest they're the aboriginals of Scandinavia and originated from Europe rather than Siberia. http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC1181943/
There may have been updates to this view since. They also share significant genetic differences with Baltic Finns, which makes the relation of the language a bit of a mystery.

Haven't had a chance to visit Norway yet (first-ever trip to Oslo at the beginning of next month coming up); I'd love to see some of Sogn og Fjordane someday. :-D

(Also to make sure about terminology: When I talk about the jötnar in a "serious" manner, I for the most part refer to the beings of Eddic stories, who often were deities of some sort. Also with "Norse" I point, as an umbrella term, to Scandinavian mythology (incl. Sweden), which, I'd recall, is the correct use of it. I do have gaping holes in my knowledge. Bridges will be built later over them if possible. ;-D)

This post has been edited by Kaamos: 15 November 2013 - 10:55 PM

[Dolmen 2.0]

Afrikaans stems from dutch so thats the main reason you may notice the link? As I recall it right from my history classes the language evolved over time into a derivitive due to african communicative influence, but I have nothing backing that up. So I don't know how the Finns, Norwegians and Dutch relate but theres the likelihood of a common origin.

For the record I have corrected the Boob imbalance. they are a happy couple now, just like nature intended. Sadly Sorry seems to blocking the one with her head. might need to shift things around a bit. Not sure if I should rate even placing higher than boobs...

This post has been edited by Dolmen+: 16 November 2013 - 09:02 AM

[Kaamos]

Grimbear redlines! :-D

First off, he needs more legs, or alternatively you can shorten the torso. I've proportioned the upper torso according to "ideal measurements" (distances from chin to nipples to navel to crotch should equal). Revise his arms as well. If you have a mirror, strike the same pose, helps a lot. Due to the mass of the torso, the forearms do have a bit of foreshortening and a different angle in that position. Also I'd give him vambraces that do not cut into the arm joint. The hands could be larger as well. Good luck!

 muchabear.jpg (217.41K)
Number of downloads: 0

This post has been edited by Kaamos: 16 November 2013 - 01:17 PM

[Puck]

HiddenOne, on 12 November 2013 - 01:23 PM, said:

whatever you do, Dolmen+, don't change that face & expression - I love it

Agreed, don't dare to touch it!

[Dolmen 2.0]

Heya, thoughts on this guy for hedge reference with or without a Cap?




@ Puck don't worry i won't change a thing.

This post has been edited by Dolmen+: 16 November 2013 - 06:31 PM

[Grimjust Bearegular]

Kaamos: That looks great! Thank you:)


I'll read that article now!


And those gaping holes are miniscule at best, you seem to know quite a bit! It's been delightful talking to you



What are you doing in Oslo?

[Kaamos]

Dolmen+, on 16 November 2013 - 08:51 AM, said:

Afrikaans stems from dutch so thats the main reason you may notice the link? As I recall it right from my history classes the language evolved over time into a derivitive due to african communicative influence, but I have nothing backing that up. So I don't know how the Finns, Norwegians and Dutch relate but theres the likelihood of a common origin.

For the record I have corrected the Boob imbalance. they are a happy couple now, just like nature intended. Sadly Sorry seems to blocking the one with her head. might need to shift things around a bit. Not sure if I should rate even placing higher than boobs...

Well, I speak Swedish as well and have studied German (=related to Dutch), so that's the link. Finnish is from another dimension together with carnivorous cabbages, but it does share some vocabulary with the Indo-European tongues.

Nooooo do not hide the boobs now that they have discovered the right balance in the great cosmic time-space continuum. Sorry should feel sorry for sticking her head in the wrong place.

Grimjust Bearegular, on 18 November 2013 - 09:55 AM, said:

Kaamos: That looks great! Thank you:)

I'll read that article now!
And those gaping holes are miniscule at best, you seem to know quite a bit! It's been delightful talking to you
What are you doing in Oslo?

Nice talking to you too! :-D Hope the redlines help.
I'm going to miss yet another Malazan contest, should keep a more vigilant eye on DA journals...

It's just a mini-trip of a few days, hoping to see the Oseberg burials among other Viking relics and a little bit of the fjord.

[Dolmen 2.0]

That awesome moment when:

Who ever this was, you are pure undiluted awesome.

 funny.jpg (193.87K)
Number of downloads: 0

And Kaamos your comment about the cosmos places you close runners up. If only abyss was around to hand out the Bacon Medals for these incredible soldiers.

This post has been edited by Dolmen+: 21 November 2013 - 07:15 PM

[Dolmen 2.0]

THE SHORE?

 THE SHORE 003Sb.jpg (219.84K)
Number of downloads: 2

Trying to get that Alphonse Mucha feel to my work for the competition. failing abysmally.

[Corporal Nobbs]

I'm not the best person to ask about the Mucha style, But I like what you've got so far
Tentative idea, maybe have him standing on a dragon body??
Nitpick - if that's the Watch, he has a beard

[Dolmen 2.0]

Corporal Nobbs, on 16 December 2013 - 07:36 AM, said:

I'm not the best person to ask about the Mucha style, But I like what you've got so far
Tentative idea, maybe have him standing on a dragon body??
Nitpick - if that's the Watch, he has a beard

I failed the dragon body...it just looks odd, I have thrown in a baby beard? I mean was it meant to be massive? anyhow I really appreciate the advice CN. will post it up tomorrow

[Corporal Nobbs]

I've never imagined it as a huge beard, but I've been wrong before, and often.
Looking forward to what you've come up with.

[Kaamos]

Twilight Sparkle's brother has a black, full beard but cropped to a practical shape, I'd say. Armor's decoration rather unsymmetric around the chest; mirror the image and you'll see what I mean. Waiting for the final version! :-D

Aaand here's something to which I'd appreciate some concrit in spite of the terribly tacky subject that will leave the screen oozing with pink goo. Blame those bloody estrogens; I'll try to have these ladies lop off some monster heads next. A partial remake of some older stuff I've never been too happy with, characters are the First of the Search and Pitchwife (male) after White Gold Wielder (Thomas Covenant books).

NSFW, but quite tame. Click here.

[Dolmen 2.0]

Gah what is happening to my screen!
...Oh wait, he's wearing pants. Ok, I get it now, it's just sweet. Ok move along, its just a friendly hug, we good over here.
(clearly I need to read more Donaldson.)

Jokes aside, I like it! The depth of the picture is great and the huge unusual tree in the background really gives it a fantasy feel. I'll give it a proper look in the morning to highlight anything I see that may warrant some attention.

[Kaamos]

I hope the pink goo exuded by the sentimental pap did not harm your screen too much. I hear it dries up within a couple of days, but unfortunately dissolves into a cloud of pastel-colored sparkles thereafter and may hover around the apparatus for a while. Ventilation may help get rid of it.

(Glad you liked it, however, and any advice most welcome. :-D)

Apparently Donaldson and Lundin are real-life friends and have cross-influenced one another in an according manner. While the latter concentrates far more on world-building, Donaldson produces character-driven grimdark. Not everyone's favored beverage, but one could say the same about Lundin and GRRM as well. Apart from short stories, he has something like three major works: The Gap Cycle, The Covenant books, and Mordant's Need, in a decreasing order of grittiness. The Gap is probably the brutalest sf I've read up to date, and was, honestly put, disgusted by the first two-ish volumes before it started improving considerably. Covenant is milder, but emotionally draining and may require a re-reading round before the various layers open up (took me over two years, also the author eats dictionaries instead of borin' old substances like potatoes, so a word of warning about the difficulty levels of the prose...).