This is a piece I am working on. A Little backgrouind info. In folklore there is a kelitc water spirit called a Kelpie that usulaly takes the form of a horse. It is known to run off with young maidens by tempting them to mount and then magically gluing them to its back and running away to eat them (probably a euphemism because the kelpies are invariably male). There is another legend that says the Kelpie can be tamed if you can get a bridle on them (usually a magical golden one). So this work is entitled "Beware" and you are supposed to wonder if the girl should beware the Kelpie or visa versa. Anyway, I'm not entirely please with this and would love comments and suggestions on how to improve it. Daio

Oh and I forgot the credits... Hair - Allie Bridle - Bloodsong The textures are all mine.

beatifully done . Like the horse texture :O) Sprout

I feel that the way you have intigrated the figures into the background is just perfect. The horse texture evokes its spirit nature, and the girl is most definitly keltic. Her pose looks slightly out of balance but her expresion and hair more than compensate for this. I like the story, I like the image.

It's perfect. -Darth_Logice

Beautiful and evocative of the story. The horse is PERFECT as all your horses are. The only thing that doesn't sit right with me is the girl's dress. I'd go for something a bit more ethereal, maybe a transparency or a longer dress, kind of. This is too modern.

As a newcomer to these forums I am hesitant to make too mich noise but for my two bobs worth I would introduce a lighter and contrasting tone for compositional balance - perhaps in the form of 'gold dust' sprinkling down from the point of contact between hand and Kelpie mouth to balnce the light shaft of the forest. The image is great and the myth new to me - thanks for sharing

As a newcomer to these forums I am hesitant to make too mich noise but for my two bobs worth I would introduce a lighter and contrasting tone for compositional balance - perhaps in the form of 'gold dust' sprinkling down from the point of contact between hand and Kelpie mouth to balance the light shaft of the forest. The image is great and the myth new to me - thanks for sharing

I really like the image and the myth is a familiar one to me. Is it rendered in poser or Bryce? If it is Bryce (or something other than poser) I have a couple possible ideas. But it is a very nice image even before any work ....

A very nice image. The horse and texture are excellent, but I agree that the dress seems too modern. The positioning of the kelpie-hunter's legs is a little awkward, try shifting the centre of balance back a little so the right leg's bend is corrected. The background is superb, and the way you've integrated it is excellent Paul

Thanx for all the comments and suggestions. I agree that the dress is a bit modern - maybe she a modern Kelpie hunter? ;-) Seriously I will see if I can't find a dress that looks a little more appropriate for her and maybe modify her pose slightly. The picture is rendered in Poser with a little work on the horse (mane and tail) and background in Photoshop. Thanx again Daio

Well darn .. Dont do many poser renders but I was thinking a little dappled light on the figure might place her in the surroundings a little better. Also you might try something to merge the kelpie and the water at the part of his calf ... Not sure if a partial transparancy will work there or not but it might .. Just an idea

Just a thought, the kelpie may be more mythic seeming if it appeared to flow up out of the water rather than standing in it. A very nice image nonetheless. Andrew Houston wander@ilap.com

heya; this is very nice! i love the lily pad leaves on the kelpie's back. it'd also be cool if there were water rivulets dripping down off of him. (those can be painted on afterwards, if you're careful.) you might be able to use this dress if you apply a sorta fantasy/medieval/celtic texture and/or transparency map to it. her pose needs the most work, it looks like her right leg is folded backwards... ouch! if she is going to lean forward, she needs to bend her knees more, and put one foot forward. try turning on auto balance and see if that helps. (turning off ik for her feet might also make it easier.) :)