The BrikWars Forums

I can only imagine how many of you know of GIMP, the open source image editing program. Well, kidko and I frequently use it as a crutch with which to stave off boredom. We hold a series of contests, where we each start with the same size canvas and a generic topic (taken from a random Wikipedia article, more often than not). We each agree on a time limit (our most recent was a nice 7 1/2 minute stretch), and then begin to draw. Whatever comes out, you keep, and (again more often than not) if you're not done by the time limit, too bad. Some of the results are... less than amazing... but we're not here to discuss the failures. We talk about ups, not downs. And here would be some of the ups of our GIMP escapades, with descriptions and our topic underneath of each:


This would be Chris' submission to one of our more memorable Gimp-Offs. The topic in this instance was Force Fields.


My response to the above was this: a less than spectacular bouncing force field... thing. With crappy smoke effects. Ah, well.


Chris' submission to the Syrian Desert topic. This was yet another that took a turn more favorable to him. The lighting effects and the guy with the AK-47 are both spectacular...


...Where-as mine was not the best. The only possible cool thing about it that I did the sandstorm effect over top of everything. And, by the way, that black blob-like thing? That's supposed to be a stick figure with a cloak on. Hard to tell.


This particular Gimp-Off had some fairly good looking, if strange results. The above would be Chris submission. Also, a matter of note, this is the first Gimp-Off were we didn't have a particular topic; we instead had artistic limitations. The limitations for this particular one were:
A) Must be in Grayscale
B) Must use the 'Supernova' GIMP effect


My challenger to Chris' spaceship, sun and asteroid would be... well... what exactly it is beyond a stick figure hanging off a wall and glowing is... questionable. But it still is a really cool effect. It has a strange appeal to it... I'm not entirely sure what it is.


Chris' submission. Limitations were as follows:
A) Must involve rain
B) Must be in Grayscale
Chris ran out of time, and therefore did not get a chance to add in his rain. Ah, well.


My submission. This one is interesting... I think if it wasn't grayscale it would look a bit beter, but that's me.


Chris' submission to our most memorable Gimp-Off yet, in my opinion. Chris had actually titled this one (which was a first; usually they were just whatever number Gimp-Off we were on). He called it The Wizard. I really liked the results on this one. Oh, almost forgot our limitations:
A) Must involve some kind of magical powers
B) Must use the 'Oilify' effect
My previous picture of the lightning and rain had set a rather awesome trend, if I do say so myself.


And finally my submission to the above limitations. This one turned out so well that I even made a smaller 80x80 one just so I could use it as my forums avatar. The best part about this one was hearing Chris' little 'aah' of amazement when he opened it on his computer. I loved that.

And that concludes all of the Gimp-Offs we've had so far. i do hope you enjoyed. if you wish for us to keep you posted on these, I'll be more than happy.

chris=kidko

I liked the gunshot one.

Oh, yes. Sorry, he doesn't like it when I use his real name online... but yes, Chris is kidko.

Also, just a quick addition This one is more of a test GIMP drawing to see just how much I could pull of that blue lightning effect I used in the last Gimp-Off.



And the answer is: Pretty far. I especially like the shading on the rocks. Had to use, like, 5 or 6 different hues of browns to get those right, but the work was in my opinion well worth it.

Here is an art idea generator:
3CH:

http://viaggg.free.fr/3CH/3ch_web.php

Example: A mutant boxer decapitates a panda in an old film.

In a college life drawing class (nudes), its a common practice to do several quick drawings then increase the time. Usually its a 3 hour class with a break.

1 minute x5
5 x3
10 x2
15
30

The quickies get your hand warmed up and teach you how to get the important lines down.

A tiny droid probe reveals a man-tree in a lane.
A meditating corbel fights with a man-tree (in red).
A smoking african warriors tears off a paladin beside a plane carcass.
A lunatic redneck carves a devil in a polluted sea.
A surpuissant hired killer greets an insect under the rain.
An insectoïde satyr sacrifices a small girl in a cemetery.
An armed mexican meets with a raptor at dawn.
A roughcast points conveyor of troops hammers a princess in space.($10 if you can figure this one out)
A terrorized statue destroys an alien through brain neurons.
An armoured butcher intertwines a train on top of a chasm.
A dissimulated jack o' lantern dances with a cyberpunk character under a storm.
A strange colored man with a trenchcoat hypnotizes a very fat guy in a childish universe.
A frightened blind man ignites a little old woman with a duck in a western environment.
A dissimulated monster threats a goldorak in a laboratory
A mutant warrior holding a flag dissects a winged horse beside a plane carcass.

Some of the better ones I got from that idea-gen.

It would actually work for this type of thing... if, of course, kidko and I could actually draw. Some of those require bears and rather detailed things... the only thing I think I might be able to draw with some ease is a decapitated panda and a mutant boxer. I don't know though, we'll see what kidko thinks... as soon as he gets on...

I know what you mean. Just keep clicking and find one you like.
Of course doing stick figure bears is ok.

Sure they are, if you don't have OCD. The left half of my brain screams 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO' if I don't set the table right, or don't get a particular shading technique down correctly, or... well... try to draw a stick figure bear. I think I only do stick figures because the right side of my brain said 'deal, the kid can't handle much more'. Fortunately, I've done them so much that I'm good at dramatic poses and such. We'll see what happens.

And we've ended up moving on from topics anyway... we'll see if it's dead or not the next time kidko's on for a reasonable amount of time.

Two more GIMPOFFs done in the time betwixt now and my last post here. This first one was done rather quickly at the suggestion of Ariel (Who I just got interested in Brikwars, by the way. Thought you all should know). No limitations and no time limit. Just a quick sketch if you will.



This one is much more intricate than the last, and therefore in my opinion more well done (if you think I'm wrong, I'll be happy to argue my point). This one also had limitations and a time limit, unlike the last. Limitations were as follows:
A) Must use the 'Oilify' GIMP effect
B) Must involve a skirmish
My self-assigned time limit was a whopping half an hour. I was extremely bored this morning...
Also something to mention of note: this one has a title. I named it Field of Pyric Victory

you may actually like the sentence game.

also, gimp-off is a misleading title. when i think gimp-off, i think of two guys in leather each trying to outdo eachother (giggity) in various fetishist activities.

Right, we'll work on that, then...

may I just say that you guys are both very talented artists. I really enjoyed the pictures you've posted of your Gimp-offs and can't wait to see more!