Right, so I pulled out of the previous GFX round due to not being able to finish on time. Since then I've been working on the image on-and-off and now it's finished only about a week late.
The picture shown below is half the size, the fullsize one can be found by clicking on the picture.
The full resolution pic (1280xs1024) is low quality...the high quality version is 1.1Mb and doesn't fit on photobucket xD Lame. Except I feel justified with the size...this was hand-drawn from start to finish.
I should have tidied up the sketchlines more, but wasn't actually intending to spend this much effort on it. Meh.
I've gotten something like that before, except never broke my nose. Back in high school, I had a friend who was much taller than I was, so I yelled out "HEADS" one day, and he dived to the floor. He got up and said "Don't do that, you scare me!" I replied: "One day I will say heads, you will dive to the floor, and I will get hit in the face. Then you will thank me."
We went out to lunch, then returned to school. By instinct I yell "HEADS" and he dives to the floor, then as I look up a basketball flies out of the sky and smacks me in the face.
I can't decide on whether that is win or fail. Maybe phfail.
Zophia, I daresay the power to predict the future is made of win ^_^
You guys will discover that Orlestat is very good at the "unphased" expression because, well, his beak and orbit doesn't exactly change shape...
Page 16
It gets worse for Strop. And if you've ever seen the wing chun stance, you will probably agree that it looks so un-martial-arts-like! More like constipated, given that the specific advice given to beginners is to "clench your anus". But do not underestimate the power of wing chun's close combat techniques!
Page 17
What happened to Strop's leg! In fact, what's happening to Strop altogether! He's getting his butt handed to him!
Page 18
Correction, make that butt handed to him royally.
I shall now take a shower and try to scribble a few more pages...argh...deadline looming...
But Orlestat's hardest hitting is with the cold hard truth. You could say this is the rock bottom of the chapter...before the real action begins. Geez.
Page 20
Cue the really soppy flashback with scenes from Story of Strop that I haven't drawn yet, merely scripted. Oh well. Then cue Orlestat's big meaningful spiel which I can't be bothered to finish tonight because I am too tired.
Orlestat will just aimlessly wander being all voyeuristic and looking for other contestants and pawns. I don't think he has much to do except meditate, ponder the nature of the world and wait for something interesting to happen.
Messed up the text, it should read "...acknowledge when he is right." In the background is actually snippets of Orlestat's own history, but this won't be that apparent.
Believe it or not, all this dialogue is not merely filler. It's actually very important story...stuff.
Page 22
I hope it was clear that being a martial artist, Strop has some understanding of the theories of qi and inner-strength. He was panicking earlier because he's a ditz. And yes, I need to refer to a more detailed diagram as my own personal knowledge is only rudimentary.
Page 23
Pretty self-explanatory. Lights, camera...
Page 24
GET FIRED UP!!!
Page 25 & 26
Uh yeah, this is a double-page spread. So it's not going to fit. Click the thumbnail to view it.
And now, everybody get ready for some KUNG FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU~
Strop... You've numbered your pages wrong if you wanna have a 'double-page spread' there. At least if they were to be printed (another thing I'd totally buy, if they were all finished the same way as the first)...
Just pick up a book and look at page 25/26...
(I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter, so plz no retaliation for noticing it. ^^;;
Strop... You've numbered your pages wrong if you wanna have a 'double-page spread' there.
I know, I totally realised that when I posted: "s***, this wouldn't work," until I remembered that the page numbers are by chapter storyboard, so things will be changed anyway etc. etc. and I don't even know how I'll repack into a whole volume or even two books if it gets long enough etc. etc. And then there's the fact that I may split some of those flashbacks onto two pages if the story requires it (depending on the flow from start to finish), so...
There's a long time before this gets anywhere near production quality, so fortunately there's no need to worry yet.
Waahhh...as promised. Orlestat's markings will be the death of me, and I'm pretty sure I will not be able to make the deadline even working fast as I can. By which I mean you guys may have to wait some weeks before I can finish the chapter! At least you have the script, which is approximately correct.
Page 27
Real martial arts action! Strop fends off Orlestat's roundhouse with a double-handed block (ja gow kung fu style) but the guard is torn wide with a outside kick from Orlestat's other leg. Strop recovers just in time to avoid getting his leg smashed in with an un-horse-like crane stance.
Page 28
Strop sees an opening and lunges, tiger style. Cue slow-motion stylish backflip evasive movie that every action film since The Matrix has used. But Strop is not in the mood for slow-motion.
Page 29
In a moment of over-zealousness, Strop mistimes the attack and Orlestat neatly takes the one way available out. Strop's recovery leaves him wide open.
Page 30
Strop admires the close-up of Orlestat's other deadly weapon. Orlestat takes advantage of the delay to launch into a raiz, but Strop does not fall for it.
Gasp, I stayed up late to give you guys a bonus page!
Page 31
Strop, realising this is his chance, harnesses the power of tai chi and lands a solid blow on Orlestat's side as he's coming out of the raiz- a vulnerable pressure point to be sure. Ippon!