Cool subject and nice entries so far :D  It's been a while but I thought I'd try to join in again.  I hope I can get this done in time though.  I'm cutting it close.

 

First WIP:

 

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http://www.johndotegowski.com/

Blog:
http://johndotegowski.blogspot.com/

WIP 3... still adjusting all sorts of things. I have the Count's appearance closer to the passage in the novel now. The oversized fur-trimmed cloak is my own addition, but I wanted to be able to use it to do things with the overall silhouette. The book is not specific about his outfit in this scene, it just stipulates that he's dressed entirely in black, no colour at all:

Fixing thingers here and there

 

 

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Worship me oh insignificant mortals!

Saw this and thought I'd give it a shot since I had a simple idea.  Not much time so it had to be simple.  Here's the concept with some base color.  I wanted a sort of profile angle for the book cover and I wanted to get something closer to Nosferatu that still looked like an aristocratic Dracula.  I wanted to stay away from the classic Bela Lugosi type or the Christopher Lee.  Debating on adding something else like his hand holding something, maybe a bloody handkerchief.  The background is going to have to be very simple to make this composition pop.  Some very cool entries, I really like Blizzard's.

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Ah, I hope I'm doing this right-  this is the first time I've participated in one of the challenges.  Great work so far everybody! :)

 

And a second:

 

Next Wip: 

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http://www.johndotegowski.com/

Blog:
http://johndotegowski.blogspot.com/

That looks great John!

They're all coming along great.  Here's wip2. 

 

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"Everyone loves a plump Grandma." - Andrew Loomis

Ignoring my initial idea ...Quick sketch up of new Dracula. This is my wip 1! 

I think i need pointers with my pic n sizing options here? i seem to be fudging it up? feel free to in-box my tips ppl. much appreciated !! :)

Blizzard, that is coming along very nicely - looks great! You might consider some of the things happening with your background element placement. The right-most candle is tangent to the wall, as is the woman's head (is that Lucy Westenra?), and the candle holder is lined up as if it is coming up out of her mouth. (Hope this stuff is okay to mention - I am always nervous about giving feedback on someone else's work)

The fabric treatment and body setups are just great, with a nice sense of weight and gravity. The Count seems somewhat burly to me, but nice job on giving him his proper moustache!

Drats... Dave's post made me look for a description of the dear Count (I read the story ages ago and lost the book by lending it to a friend) and on the page with the description were also photos of Bela Lugosi... I've heard the name so many times but haven't actually seen his Dracula (as far as I can recall) but apparently I'm painting him... Drats drats drats... (I might not even have time to finish what I have - definetaly no time to change things.... much...)

Blizzard, I agree with Dave's comments. It's looking great, the dress fabrics look great :)

Nico - pictures should be 1000px wide/tall or less and less than 500kB in size, if I remember forum advice correctly. I usually post at least the wip's with a max size of 500 px though (and 72 dpi) to avoid them being automatically resized. Posting large images just makes it harder for people to get a clear view of the overall picture and therefor to offer crits. So keep them reasonably small and you'll be fine :)

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www.charlotteahlgren.com
IFX Gallery
Elfwood Gallery

voluspa:

Drats... Daves post made me look for a description of the dear Count (I read the story ages ago and lost the book by lending it to a friend) and on the page with the description were also photos of Bela Lugosi... I've heard the name so many times but haven't actually seen his Dracula (as far as I can recall)...

Well, they almost never get him right in the movies, although Christopher Lee actually did a Dracula film for Jess Franco where they tried to visualise him correctly and stay close to the novel's narrative. Lee later said it was the most enjoyable time he'd had playing the role.

I really like the Coppola film a lot - aside from the inserted love story, the movie sticks surprisingly close to the novel and even uses a lot of the dialogue. The thing is, they go kind of nuts with the costume design. Eiko Ishioka's design are so wild and distinctive, though, that I really enjoy them and don't mind at all that they veer off the book (she won an Academy Award for them!).

Anyway: Count Dracula is a tall, strong old man, with silver moustaches and very bushy eyebrows. His ears are pointed, and his maxillary canines are visible poking into his lower lip even when his mouth is closed. His lips are ruddy. He is extremely pale and dresses all in black. His eyes seem to have a reddish glow in them when he gets cross.

In the course of the novel, the Count transforms into: a bat, a wolf, a mist, and I think there's something about rats, can't remember offhand. He can also move about in daylight, although his powers are much reduced then.

yeah he could control rats, perhaps transform into one too...

I got the ears and the eys right anyway, If not the age, moustache and clothes... ;) I'll have to work on the bushiness of his eyebrows though... And I intended to not have to paint the teeth because that's what makes all my attempts at vampires look completely ridiculous, but maybe I'll have to try anyway :P

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www.charlotteahlgren.com
IFX Gallery
Elfwood Gallery