Your character design challenge for this week is to come up with an image with HeroMachine based on the idea of the Zodiac sign "Taurus". To help you out, here's a bit on the history of the name from Wikipedia:
In Greek mythology, Taurus was identified with Zeus, who assumed the form of a magnificent white bull in order to seduce Europa, a legendary Phoenician princess. In illustrations, only the front portion of this constellation are depicted; in Greek mythology this was sometimes explained as Taurus being partly submerged as he carried Europa out to sea. Greek mythographer Acusilaus marks the bull Taurus as the same that formed the myth of the Cretan Bull, one of The Twelve Labors of Hercules.
Obviously Taurus is ripe for minotaur images, so feel free to go for that. Or you could do something related to bulls like a Cowboy type of hero, or a big mechanized suit, or (like Watson Bradshaw did in the Aries contest) you could design a ship named Taurus bound for a rendezvous with the moon Europa.
The point is, you should use the concept of Taurus as a springboard for character creation, rather than feeling unduly bound by the restrictions it imposes. Let that imagination run wild, child!
The contest rules are the same as usual:
- Use only a HeroMachine applet (no PhotoShopping except for basic cropping) to create a PNG or JPG of your entry, named as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
- Post the image to a publicly accessible website (ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, etc.).
- Enter the name of your entry and a link directly to the image in a comment to this post. The image cannot have been used in any previous HeroMachine character design contest.
- The link to your image should go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). If you see "preview" or "rotate" somewhere in the link you're probably doing it wrong.
- I'll choose a winner next Monday, who will receive his or her choice of any item or a portrait to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 program, or a "Sketch of the Week" style black and white illustration (you pick the subject and I draw it up however I like).
No limit on entries this week, so knock yourselves out. Good luck everyone!
Sounds like this one will be full of bull.
Having anticipated more zodiac contests, I created this one in advance.
It’s a version of Zeus seducing Europa. He’s disguised more like an anthropomorphic bull, but it looked good.
I’m not sure why I gave him a golden fleece, though.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77163&d=1304355290
Taurus is a 4ft tall hero employed by the Department of Metahuman Enforcement (D.M.E) Superhumans employed by the government to police the ever growing number of people who develop extra normal abilities.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77165&d=1304356109
@Hammerknight – That was terrible.
Tauren…
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75127&d=1296228717
In the blue corner:
Solidity, practicality, extreme determination and strength of will – the “raging bull” of the Zodiac.
Disliking of change, he ajusted by doing what he was used to – fighting. Being of a gentle nature, he keeps it to sport unless provoked otherwise.
It’s Taurus
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/122/a/5/taurus_by_frevoli-d3ffbu1.png
I couldn’t help myself Anarchangel. (Hammer hangs his head down in shame for the bad joke.)
Here’s my second entry, a rather large mech suit.
By the year 2063, humans were able to send people to Venus. The suits are designed to cope with Venusian terrain, and includes an in-built energy weapon in case of encounter with hostiles, or to blast through rock. The visor displays information and has a target display. They are nicknamed ‘Taurus Suits’ due to the horn-like protrusions on the top of the helmet which are radio antennae, and the fact that they’re being sent to Venus.
Main picture: http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77172&d=1304365249
Headshot: http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77173&d=1304365363
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=76735&d=1303057425
This is my entry…he may look like a taurus but his name is actually Celest…
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=76583&d=1302525605
SECOND ENTRY:Beast
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=76724&d=1302996394
Third entry:Taurus
Tried going with just a B&W image for this entry:
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77174&stc=1&d=1304368749
I don’t know. I think I heard something about the consumption of the crimson male cattle giving you the necessary avian appendages as a precursor to flight.
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv217/Myrowire/Hero%20Machine%20Contest%20Entries/myro-wings.png
I have never done a zodiac contest before, and I wanted to place myself out of my Heromachine comfort zone, so I made this: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n547/Zaheelee/Zaheelee-CapturedbytheMinotaur.png
Personally, I think the whole story about Zeus stealing Europa while in bull form is really sketchy, So I wanted to show what Europa probably thought of that little adventure.
hello one and all! Even though most of you do not know me, i have entered about two or three contests here. I am not entering this contest. I would just like to take this moment to give my thanks to Heromachine for enabling me to finally make my own universe of characters come to life! i currently have over 250 characters, locations, objects, etc. and i would still be in progress if it wasnt for heromachine! Thanks a bunch for making the production of my universe possible! 🙂
Well here is my first entry ever. A peaceful tauros shaman 😀 of a sort.
http://i52.tinypic.com/15rmcfq.jpg
I’m not sure who it was, but someone a while back said something about wanting to see a minotaur paladin. So I thought, why not give it a go?
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/wraith76/MinotaurPaladinwithlighting1.png
It’s also my first attempt at lighting, something I don’t usually do, so please feel free to tell me what you think (politely, of course).
Here is my submission
http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n570/heromachinecontest/SawyerHeppes-TauroTheDestroyer.png
By the Horns
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz360/engetsunoaori/unknownblackpaper-bythehorns.png
I tried another image which I take items from HM to create a new image. So I played around and made a Bull’s head with a spacey background!
I think I’ll try my hand or mous eI should say at this contest as well. I like creating characters for these things, it gives me a direction in which way to go when I get stumped and want to create but don’t know what to do.
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/cameron_stanley_84/Tool-Taurus.png
I originally had no intensions to put this to the test, but hey, what the heck!
http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff426/Namless/?action=view¤t=SunkenArmor.jpg
One of the six Great Indians. This one symbolizes hunting and buffalos.
http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff426/Namless/?
action=view¤t=Irohunafh.jpg
corrected :
http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff426/Namless/?action=view¤t=Irohunafh.jpg
Cornus has been a Roman Gladiator for many years. He is famous all over the empire for his… unique fighting style, which consists of bellowing at the top of his voice while charging headlong at his opponent. He is also the only known gladiator to use his patented “Spiky shield and stabby fist” combination successfully, although many emulators have used it to not quite as successful, yet no less entertaining ends.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77186&d=1304431594
A second entry, Toro:
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77195&stc=1&d=1304443137
Third entry, Charging Bull.
I decided to try something with a different layout.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77196&d=1304443875
My Character Taurus (original, I Know!).
@D(17): The background has a lot going on, so maybe if you toned it down a bit, the main character would contrast more. Also, you can still see the pants even when the boots are supposed to cover them. Not sure, how you could fix that, but just a few minor changes like that and you will have a really nice looking character!
http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/m593/mrmatt220/?action=view¤t=Bullzer.jpg
Taurus cowboy
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z456/asder0072/Tauruscowboy.jpg
I went for the boring Europa/bull motif; I’m just uninspired lately.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77224&d=1304480382
We can’t have you be uninspired, Imp! What can we do to juice you up?
Sorry, I didn’t get home until really late, so my first entry is just abominable.
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/123/5/c/abominable_by_onikagenoken-d3fjhxp.png
EL Toro
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz360/engetsunoaori/unknownblackpaper-eltoro.png
Close Up!
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz360/engetsunoaori/unknownblackpaper-eltoro.png
Maybe I’ve just been watching to much wresting lately, but I think it fit in nicely with the theme of this week. Sorry if my Spanish is off
Sorry, El Toro Close up
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz360/engetsunoaori/unknownblackpaper-eltorocloseup.png
Taurus mecha:
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6614/undo5.jpg
@Jeff(31)… must not comment on innuendo…
Imp (30): Here we go. One Chuck Jones masterpiece for inspiration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvy_s-GfDxA
I have a second entry. This is the legend of the Seventh Trial of Heracles, to capture the Cretan Bull.
http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv217/Myrowire/Hero%20Machine%20Contest%20Entries/myro-cretan_bull.png
This is an alien species explorer:
http://img852.imageshack.us/content_round.php?page=done&l=img852/5993/hm3beta.png&via=mupload
For this time i mixed the greek story about Theseus and the Minotauros with the Mars who represent the roman god of war.
That shows the strong side of the Hero and also of the taurus himself. The other planet simbolizes Pluto(or Hades in greek) who represent the God of Underworld and the dead.
So i used a snow setting labyrinth for this.
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1521/taurus.png
Jeff, I just realised that my deviantart link doesn’t show up as Frevoli-Taurus, should I reupload it with photobucket?
That’s OK Frevoli, I’ll fix it when I download it, no problem.
I thought I’d try my hand at Taurus (since it’s my birth sign lol) and came up with this Minotaur slayer.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77237&d=1304519682
Cool, thanks
In that case, I’ll continue with my “First entry propper, second entry play on words” theme I’ve been doing for the past few –
In the red corner: Formerly known as Russell Arthur, former tourguide and currenttly able to use his former tour bus as a mech suit (although I think some of the paint on the B may’ve flaked off)
It’s Tour Rus
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/123/2/3/tour_rus_by_frevoli-d3fikup.png
To look at my character click my name from my previous message.
@Jeff (31): I think part of it is having to work two sixty hour weeks in a row. I’m beat. 😀
@Myro (37): You have discovered my secret weakness – Bugs Bunny cartoons!
Entry #2
A mighty figure from English legend: The Huntsman!
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/124/7/3/the_huntsman_by_onikagenoken-d3flvyx.png
The Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur:
http://members.cox.net/freethespam/labyrinth.html
Given that I’m such a mythology nerd, I decided to go with the Minotaurus in his labyrinth:
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/Detour84/BlazingTornado-Minotaur.png
I had to create a new Photobucket album, because for some reason all but one of my files has disappeared from the old one.
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/wraith76/Heromachine%20Contest/MinotaurPaladinwithlightingv21.png
That’s actually not supposed to be v21, BTW. It’s supposed to be v2[1]. Photobucket ignores the brackets. I made some minor changes to the original, but otherwise it’s the same.
@D(50): I like that one much better! Nice job!
Time for the next entry in my on-going series of GI Joe rip-offs–The Zodiac Commandos! Since the Commandos still need a heavy machine gunner, I figured who better to tote around all that ammunition and hardware than the astrological embodiment of raw power and strength. And since all the other representations of Taurus were masculine (unless I missed one) I decided to do a little Grace Jones/Bridget Nielsen/Jenette Goldstein inspired gender bending. Yes, the symbolism was intentional.
Here’s Taurus, the machine gunner
http://laurelcadre.org/IMGs/MLS-taurus.png
And here she is with the rest of the team
http://laurelcadre.org/IMGs/zodiacGroup.png
TAURUS 2.0 –
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx260/hastur1/taurus.jpg
Taurus Returns to the Clan
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/jaybjoke/papakrok-taurussmallbg.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/jaybjoke/papakrok-tauruslargebg.jpg
Ariadne with the head of Taurus:
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Kwnnos1/Contest/Kwnnos-Ariadne.jpg
Taurus killed by Thyseus (I had a problem with this image…):
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Kwnnos1/Contest/Kwnnos-Taurus.jpg
Taurus, Thunder Warrior
http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd518/MDxLegacy/Taurus.png
Angus had lived next to the biker bar for most of his life. Tonight, as the bikers slept in a drunken fog, he would make his move…
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/jaybjoke/papakrok-taurusescapes.jpg
Papakrok(56): Awesome.
Thanks SeanDavidRoss! Seemed appropriate in a Far-Sidesque kinda way. It makes me laugh to look at it….prolly because I am a Taurus caged in this damn office staring at the clock and waiting for my escape…..
must…
get…
out…
Here is my submission, the charging bull TAURUS. Cheers!
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77283&d=1304649896
@Zaheelee (51): Thanks. Had a bit of trouble with this one; everytime I tried to mask an item to his hand, HM masked it to his robe instead. And when I tried to put his right boot on his foot, it ended up on his shadow and I had to resize and recolour it and shift it into position with the Move tool. All minor niggles, but annoying nonetheless.
@D(61): Yeah, I hate it when one of my images is almost done, but there are a few small details that I can’t seem to fix (like the shadow of taurus for my submission @Zaheelee(14). I couldn’t seem to get it so be one solid color, any suggestions?).
Black taurus by Domhellsing
http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/7460/ds2n.png
OOOH! can i still enter???
badgerking (64) you can enter until Monday morning.
In a different vain, I would like you all to take your seats and pull out your homework for Dick Taurus, High School Principal:
http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa409/mister_chris/mrchris-dicktaurus.jpg?t=1304703945
(Hopefully you guys will get the reference)
Actually, thats the wrong link, part of the image got cropped off on my heromachine, here is the actual link for my submission, sorry Jeff.
Dick Taurus, High School Principal:
http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa409/mister_chris/mrchris-dicktaurus.jpg?t=1304704396
Sort of a Minotaur thing. Got the inspiration from the story of Zeus as a white bull. Different take on the Minotaur look.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bEAgy241erMAe9_YM8Yipg?feat=directlink
entry #3
Summoning Taurus
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/126/c/b/summoning_taurus_by_onikagenoken-d3fqtta.png
Ino
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz360/engetsunoaori/unknownblackpaper-ino.png
Ino, the mother of the Monitor, envisioning the child who grow with in her by the sea where she first met the white bull.
Wanted to do something a bit different, I just hope I didn’t go to far off the theme.
Entry #4
Taurus VS Inferno!
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/126/6/e/taurus_vs_inferno_by_onikagenoken-d3frdj6.png
Second version of Minotaur. After a few snacks. The skull seems to be the only part he doesn’t like.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ser-fKjp1eEmNrKyexi8Ow?feat=directlink
@Zaheelee (62): You could try turning the alpha up to 100. Alternatively, and you might or might not want to do this, you could redo it so that it’s a “reverse shot”(ie you’re looking over her shoulder) and the sun is directly behind Taurus, which would mean he’s a dark silhouette, or have the sun above and behind, which would cast a darker shadow, but that’s OTY.
Zaheelee (62): On the items you’re having trouble with, set the alpha on color 2 to 0.
P.S. I like her facial expression!
El Toro: East LA Gangster
http://members.cox.net/freethespam/eltoro.html
Atomic Punk (75)
Did you see entry 33? ^^;
Not the most original name: Toro! The spanish super villain!
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/calenore/Eltoro.jpg?t=1304781671
Gotta say seandavidross(24), that matador is so awesome! 😀
Got inspired and made another one…
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/Kwnnos1/Contest/Kwnnos-Taurus-1.jpg
The Epic of Gilgamesh:
http://members.cox.net/freethespam/gilgamesh.html
Special thanks to SeanDavidRose for the “Swinging” Pose recipe, PapaKrok for the “horn” (tapered tail), and MMI for the eyes!
PBFR: Professional Bullfrog Riders
http://members.cox.net/freethespam/pbfr.html
@unknownblackpaper: Love it!
@Zyp: Your El Toro is sweet! The expression, the pose, the action aura, it all pops.
Last minute addition. The Toros OMC:
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77343&d=1304826766
Taurus
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1496/hm3beta7.jpg
Taurus warrior:
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/1873/undo6.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/rancid20/other/rancid-taurusbull.png
2nd
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/rancid20/other/rancid-taurus.png
Another entry: A more traditional minotaur type of thingy…
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/calenore/Minotaur.jpg?t=1304857225
@The Atomic Punk – Thank you! 😀 I really like that Gilgamesh of yours too!
When I started with the notion of creating a Taurus-based member of a Zodiac-themed supervillain team, I had some pretty specific notions in mind, but somehow he “just growed”. He’s now less bullish, a little more Zeus, the Greek thunder god, and wandered a little more Thor-ward than I expected.
So, here’s my Taurus, the member of the new Zodiac team who will go toe-to-toe with Thor when they take on the Avenegers. He kinda makes me want to flesh the team out a smidge.
http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/Comics/Brons-Taurus.png
i chose something of similar topic just to see how it turns out here it is
http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l325/funkeymoneky19/pyrodude760-minotaur.jpg?t=1304868852
My first entry. I hope to make a full illustration with background, but just in case I don’t get to it here is the Bullgod
I Am The Bullgod http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77374&d=1304869704
One more entry: El Matador de Toros, the Killer of Bulls. Spanish superhero sworn to defend the land from the villain El Toro (check out post 77)!
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx298/calenore/ElMatadordeToros.jpg?t=1304892102
Revised First Entry. Ignore earlier one (87).
I Am the Bullgod http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=77378&d=1304893919
Zyp(88): Damn. I think you may have got me beat again. Great face on that character.
@logosgal(74): Thank you soooooo much for the advice! My picture looks so much cleaner now! So, without further ado, here is my revised image: Captured by the Minotaur!
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n547/Zaheelee/Zaheelee-CapturedbytheMinotaurV_2.png
I’m surprised no one has done anything with Red Bull yet
unknownblackpepper(92): see entry 13, by Myro.
Ah, completely missed that, but two points to you SeanDavidRoss if you get the second reference which is unrelated to the energy drink
unknownblackpepper(94): The Last Unicorn?
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/rancid20/other/rancid-taurusship.png
John Bull: Code name of a long line of British super agents
http://members.cox.net/freethespam/johnbullwwii.html
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=879628&l=75d4d7f42a&id=1589732210
Made this when heromachine 3 first came around
my pagan god of war for my made up civilization,
Taurabat god of war, all swords and shields adorned with his visage.
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z456/asder0072/Taurus.jpg
I wasn’t going to enter this week, what with it having been finals week and all, but then I saw this on the Wikipedia page for the Tarus Constellation:
“Taurus became an important object of worship among the Druids.”
Since Taurus is also associated with the story of Zeus and Europa, and I’d already made a picture of a horny Celt this week, I figured it wouldn’t take too much to get this contest-appropriate.
So here’s a Celtic retelling of Zeus and Europa. With a creepy horned centaur playing the part of Zeus. Because apparently Celtic Europa can’t tell the difference between a centaur and a bull in the dark. Maybe she’s a city girl. (Or maybe male centaurs, like male elephants, male seals, and male moose, are called bulls? I would have assumed “stallion” would be more likely, but you never know…)
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m600/logosgal/logosgal-TarusIsHappyToSeeYouB.png
Yes, I am still alive.
Several times have I made a contest entry, only to miss the dealine, or get so busy I forgot to make an entry.
I will admit the contest entries have gotten SO AWESOME I have become a bit intimidated.
Also I love all the new stuff. Wish I had the goat head long ago, and I have plans for the open fan, looks great with the flower bouquet masked on it.
But at least I did one entry for this time.
My Taurus of course comes from the labyrinth of Minos:
http://s795.photobucket.com/albums/yy240/Cliff_HM3/Cliff_Taurus001a.jpg
and this one I did way back when we had the first State contest and have been waiting for a Texan theme, but might as well toss it out here.
One of the original “Cowboys” … Maverick:
http://s795.photobucket.com/albums/yy240/Cliff_HM3/Cliff_Cowboy01a.jpg
A little off the path, maybe too much, but i’ll find out.
I saw that the element for Taurus was Earth, so I made
Terra:
http://i862.photobucket.com/albums/ab183/knitesoul/Terra.png
Inheriting a gift of being one with the earth passed down from her ancestors, Terra is strong.
She is a strong as a bull, she can break boulders with ease, and the ground trembles only cause she is there.
Welcome back, Cliff!
OK folks, all entries are downloaded and I will start going through them in a moment. This contest is now closed.
Many thanks for entering! The Finalists and winner will go up in a couple of hours.
SeanDavidRoss (95) correct!