Skins and Accents

Hi @Kaenith, thanks a lot !

@Sludgy Beautiful desert scene! I'm really loving the two moons and the cacti collection.

Will you be printing it if not chosen? (But I hope it is chosen!)

@Emberglo thank you so much! I’m really glad that it turned out as well as it did :)

I’m fairly certain that I’ll print the accent even if I don’t win. We shall see what happens, but until then, let’s cross our talons!

@Kaenith that's really nice of you, thanks! i'm glad you liked it, i was pretty proud of it to be honest but i wasn't sure if people would like it? so thanks :)

i will return the favour by complimenting the skins that i really liked, too! (sorry if this is like, super-duper long, i liked a lot of these skins)

@overture's former circuitry: the design of the diamonds and straight lines is a really cool depiction of technological futureness and lightning flight? without over-using the usual 'lightning' motif. and cloth drapes are just generally cool so

@slaytheist's electric veins: that shading is top-notch, and your design is really cool too. not just lightning everywhere, i like the technological theme. the 'vein' aspect is cool, in that the electricity behaves almost liquid. and i love the idea of making the guardian's frills like gears. that's so creative!

@atramentia's expanse enhanced: that painting skill is just plain amazing. and your design is so awesome??? i'm getting cyborg, gritty, uber-technological but still grounded vibes just from a glance... on the fluffiest breed! really impressive. i love how the wings look almost like jet engines-- a really awesome touch. and it looks like it works with a wide variety of dergs, too!

@rubiekanary's shock!: i like both your entries but shock! is my favourite. i love seeing the more whimsical entries every festival, and i love your cartoon style! the premise of giant floating robot jellyfish is absolutely ridiculous and consequently amazing. your smooth snading, crisp linework and glow effects (especially the bubbles wow how do you do) are nothing to scoff at either!

@serialsick's prison upgrade: i don't own any gaolers but this skin caught my eye! a cool concept of technological armour for the wardens, and your painting skill is amazing. i can see the different textures clearly, the shiny copper, the green solar panel/glass type material, the rubber tubing. really cool entry! and i like that it can basically work on any gaoler regardless of colouring.

@gouldiae's electric surge: i'm not generally a fan of full skins but this one is pretty good! it's not just lightning, it's got cool blues and shiny armour plating, interesting patterns and so forth. my favourite part is the pixel fading of the wings at the tips, a nice touch!

@desnik's all systems go: i actually screamed when i first saw this entry. snapper. mecha. that is like literally all you need to know.
but really the concept is insanely unique and cool and the execution is really great too. how do you shade so well??? it's so shiny and reflective i swear i could see myself in it. and it sparkles!!! the textures are really well-realised, from the aforementioned shininess to the more hidden grille parts, and the three-dimensional aspect is really captured as well!
i also like that you didn't try to block out the visible parts of the dragon (like the wings) in white, making it a skincent rather that a full skin.

@xuliana's storm brewing: a lightning-themed skin but with an extra element of flowing smoke that elevates it to the next level. that line work is so impossibly smooth and satisfying. it's a simple accent that works with a lot of different dergs, something always appreciated!

@chalkolate's daughter of the storm: a super cool take on the stormcatcher-inspired skins, with the multiple 'arms'... wing... appendage things... being incorporated so neatly into the existing guardian design. i like how technological it looks, like the arms are synthetic and have been attached to the guardian. and the subtle lightning details on the feet and wings are very nice too.

@kaenith's rendering...: okay let me scream i'm super in love with this one??? the concept is just so cool!! i never would have thought of it and it literally works with any colours. the idea of a half-rendered 3d model is so original, and the colour's you've chosen really match. i really like these kind of skins, it reminds me of the past festival skin digital revolution... but perhaps even better! in fact, i liked it so much that it inspired me to make a skin of my own; i definitely used a different theme but it partially inspired my idea!

@nohsara's s.s. stormcatcher: the amount of detail in this skincent is mind-blowing. it's a unique concept, and the ship seems to reveal more details the closer you look at it! personal favourites include the 'claws' made of the spires, the long pointy nosed figurehead, and the flying tatters adorning the ship.

@bioluminosity, both plasma cradle and king of the storm: both skins are really well-painted. you have the wispy, ethereal glowing look down perfectly. the fae's comet is a great focal point, and the face paint is a really nice small touch. and the imperial's jagged, dark armouring contrasted with the insubstantial smokiness of the glow aspect is really eye-catching.

(sorry for double post but the other one was getting too long)

@hazeledpoppy's the gods are made: a simple but effective concept that has a very cool effect on all colours of dergs. neon skins aren't generally my thing but i want this one to win! the simultaneous use of blue and pink contrast and complement each other, and the small addition of extra flecks on the wings and the gradiented, faint grid all over the dragon add to the great effect.

@limanya's loading...: i've seen that frd thread before so the skin itself wasn't a surprise but actually being bold enough to enter it in thundercrack had me dying of laughter. i legitimately want this to win even if only for the memes.

@honour's storm prince (and recolour): dark and smoky, immediately conveying its aesthetic effectively, the metallic, ornate winged armour contrasts well with the insubstantial storm and smoke. the blue colour is nice, with the electric blue being a good focal point and a less dark aspect of the skin. but the sepia one is also really nice, being a unique colour scheme for a lightning skin.

@dddfirefox's ddd-lightning: it has a really nice sharp and clean aesthetic, with its pointed and curved translucent spines and distinctive style of lightning. as well as the dark shading with holes and almost 'rips', it's a very visually striking skin.

@lyuna's mechanical medical mystery: i love steampunk!! especially when you combine it with lightning's signature blue. the multitude is little details give life to this skin, from the tiny lightning all over the bottles and wires, to the swirl of the liquid in the bottles, and the rust all over the gears and other copper bits. as well as the concept being just cool in general.

@docmulligan's security first: i agree completely, yellow lightning is epic :D. your concept is super cool, i never would have thought of using caution tape, but it works so well! the female mirror pose is also perfect for showcasing the dynamic nature of the cords and wires. your drop-shadows are also really convincing and consistent! and the wing shading is just perfect. a subtle gradient with little details like faint lightning, glowing dots, and shadowing.

@mustielsen's iron maiden: the detail in this is incredible, from the mechanical heart to the pearl being a gear to the cracks in the armour and the gradual fade to the dragon's colour in the bottom part. my favourite part is the wings, you do a very good job of making them seem convincingly tattered. and i love how you add the shadow of the back wing too, making the wings have the appearance of being more fragile and translucent.

@nulle's wireback ridge: i like the use of negative space to create the designs, it's very creative! the different patches of soot of varying intensities is done very well, and i like how it follows the contours of the dragon, being more intense in the raised parts.

@shroudrat's charged collector: simple and fun design, while also being three-dimensional and well shaded. the metal texture is evident, and the lightning is well-designed too.

@lusterwing (both accents): the obligatory lightning accent, while obligatory, is quite well done, with convincing clouds and dramatic lightning, as well as the subtle blue glow throughout the whole skin.
the prickly pear skin is a unique take on the 'obligatory female imp wing skin' and really nicely painted! the gradient is very nice and you manage to convey such a sense of three dimension through shadows and rimlighting, showing an impressive understanding of 3d objects.

@ribaluna's steam storm: is steampunk done well, with an added side of clouds in a super nice shade of purple! i really like the interesting components you've added: a pulley, something that looks like a boiler, and the up and down seesaw thing (i don't know their proper names, but they look cool!) and i like how you still honored the feathered wings of skydancers with the metallic, shiny tiny wings you added.

@HedwigHufflepuff Thank you for the kind words!

Snappers deserve more effort!skins and whiting out body parts doesn't often sit well with me, especially wings (which are usually people's favorite bits of the dragon), so...he's a cyborg! Problem solved :D

@nohsara Thanks for the heads up! It should be fixed now ^^

@HedwigHufflepuff

Thanks a lot for you kind comment, I'm so glad you like it !

@Kaenith Thank you so much! I adore your skins as well (in case my message on your profile got lost in the hundreds of people complimenting your entries lol)

@HedwigHufflepuff thank you! I'm glad everyone seems to like the little details :)