The CaS Watermark.

Ramus

[14] Master
So, when you think about a certain CaS maker, you certainly think a particular style, the idea of this thread is to help new makers to find with ease in which threads he/she will find what.
Keep in mind this is not exactly about the quality of the work, but rather what is the style of the person.
The idea came somewhat from @Norik 's post in other thread, you can analyse whoever you want, but I think is for the better to avoid users already covered by another's post, though try to make a quality post too, if you want to a specified member to give you an analyses, feel free to ask, it will up to him whether he/she will or not.

So let me start, I will cover my Polar Opposite, @HolyCarp :

Carp sure knows how to shock, his creations have always a touch of heavy fantasy over then, if you are looking for the dark side of CaS, Carp covers the best. Though it can be simple, yet effective, it can also be intricate, you will usually see technical use of tools very much above average.

When I say he covers the dark side of CaS best I mean it,
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Carp's style revolves around heavy use textures and original use of equipment, he can use a common place but brand as his own with how it build around a dark aura, is really easy to spot his CaS because they rarely fall into the human archetype, a refreshing trait, since those gloomy monster are original and mysterious, but somehow they all bare a sympathetic looks, somehow fragile and tragic.

But he also can have works of strength and dread.
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As you can see Carp brand, is the gloomy monster, and he delivers when such theme is on, even being able to pick another theme and twisting in something of his own.
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Ahh, all the compliments! I'm so flattered :D

But enough about me, let's talk about @Ramus...

When it comes to CaS, this guy doesn't just create a design. He creates the emotions, the experiences and the world in which his creations live. In other words, he creates a human being. If you visit his gallery, you'll find plenty of descriptions inviting you within the walls of these imaginary dreamscapes, and it quickly becomes clear that these CaS were designed by someone who truly understands the essence of his characters. And as a result, the personality behind each design shines through.
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However, I believe the watermark that brands Ramus' CaS is the understated elegance behind each character, along with a certain air of sophistication. You want to look at his creations because they appear somehow important; their class and elegance command your attention.
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It's clear from the pictures I linked that there's a gothic influence running through much of his work. However, you won't see any of those generic lolis in his gallery. Ramus works hard to keep his ideas fresh with unusual colour schemes and slightly unconventional designs, creating concepts that look familiar and strangely foreign at the same time.
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Brucege, the generous king of reviewer, great technician and CAS designer with subtelty.
What category / nick name should i chose for you, King of Reviewers being a known fact, now what about

The Omni-CAS-Scientist ? The passionate Professor and Lecturer of CAStistry ?

Another angle (in terms of style as per topic) would be, knowing how much he loves anime and cosplay and how iconic and "could be cosplay girls IRL" his production is :

Master of CASplay !!!

Pick one my friend :P...

For me, you are an all-around great CAS artist, with a forte in producing very good looking and culturally authentic female OCs and RCs, as well as a few exotics, and always generously providing design notes for peeps out for a steal or two...

As i often wrote, good CAS is first of all a strong theme followed by coherent execution, and by coherent i mean that all of the CAS parts must work towards the theme, and none against it.
By parts i mean body, face, colors, patterns, stickers, voice, special equipment usage...thumbnail and name (if not a 3P) !
The most coherent CAS will always win me over particularly aesthetic ones, or even creative ones with overbright colors, and awkward design choices, or plain technical mistakes...

Admittedly, your CAS not always swept me off my feet, but as i looked upon them, i always thought about how great they'd look in-game, how they'd perfectly blend in with the best designs of the standard cast... well maybe except those where you used the leather skin pattern a bit over the top :P
I would have loved to see in-game pics of your roster tho !

Yes, there are limits and deadends, but we all have shown since game release the countless ways to think outside the box and beat even the most stupid glitches of the editor and use it as a gimmick to add value to an idea.
You showed huge amounts of creativity in the ExEq department, especially with the most complex ExEq to work with like bat wings, double items like snakes etc.

The number of time i have read genious, awesome, gives me an idea etc. in your threads shows you hit the sweet spot by producing not too many but cleverly and creative CAS...
And yet you continue, despite the limited number of active and regular posters right now.

Emotion is the key word with art :
See, some of your stuff did not move me or lacked the extra something to stand out of the crowd of the formulaïc designs, but even early CAS like your your Anubis and George W. or that clever and well executed idea of a Voldo transgenre will always stay in my soul as creative and coherent CAS, whatever flaws they might present in some areas of the execution (some of them the result of flaws of the editor as mentioned :)

On behalf of the community, i cannot thank you enough for the attention and reviews you offered me and the others, i always valued your opinion and read your words with great pleasure.

I noticed you listened to my critique as well, be it on the use of patterns or the color palette, you really made some significant progress along the way...only you could tell if you drew some inspiration from my stuff, but i noticed a few things, and it made me happy...

Now brace yourself for my Brucege's best-of (with the highlight that struck me silly !)



This one evokes Cleopatra, an awesome headdress !
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Anubis, another work of art on the headdress !
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I love Diablo 3, and i love this scary yet cute demon hunter, breast plate is the highlight !
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Perfectly coherent Ayane, coherence/readability and awesome pocket sticker legs and boots are the highlight !
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The girlfriend of Vespula (my wasp CAS), maybe ? highlight, i don't have those wings, so it surprised me :P)
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Liselotte, perfect color palette (you improved a lot there !), nice feathery hat !
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What about DAT headdress, poor girl !
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Now, you wanted more nitpicking from me ? See below, your storm, if you still have it, give it a go with the afro face preset and a slightly browner skin tone, and you'll get the right face, like this she looks too much like a teen in a CosPlay :)

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That IS the girlfriend of my alien space marine, no doubt, great cyborg head build, stunning !
Btw, you MUST watch the movie called THE MACHINE if you haven't...

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Now this is one of my top 3 of yours, simply brilliant sm. pipe !!! (remember Geff ? i do...)

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Goth CAS splendor, perfect use of patterns and colors, here you go...
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I realize you excel at using bat wings to do wonders, here is another proof with that great robinette !
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Miawwwrrrrr ! So cute you wanna hug her...until you see the CLAWZZZZ !!!
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That is all folks !
And as much as i am over CAS creation, we will still hold the annual SC5 tournament featuring my CAS in the hands of 10-yo boys. I fear Lil Vil will prevail...again :)
 
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@VILARCANE: a brief profile.

This man's record speaks for itself. Of all the galleries on the CaS forums, his gallery features the most replies and the second most views. His work is so universally respected that there's very praise I can offer that hasn't been said before, so I'll focus on his artistic style.

First of all, Vilarcane is a master storyteller of CaS. Read through his whole gallery if you wanna learn how to express entire character histories through small details. A cigar and watch fob on a railroad tycoon. A ferocious, pipe-smoking gorilla pirate. A pale, delicate flower pin on battle-hardened, villainous sorcerer. His characters all brim with personality, from the tragic to the comedic and everything in between. For this reason, his works also hold long-lasting appeal. In addition, his versatility is unparalleled. His portfolio covers alotta unconventional and difficult genres like modern (biker, Daft punk), SciFi (Alien Space Marine, Bumblebee), and just plain weird (Mindflayer, C-Ape-tain). Here are some of my favorites from his gallery:

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Alien Space Marine. Love that badass alien skin pokin' out from under the armor. Especially that malicious, scaley grimace.

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Palace Guard - Xiba 3P. Fancy, cocky, impatient. Legit 3 Musketeers kinda vibe. Notice the hat.

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Flashy gold armor, intimidating face paint, and midnight-black skin. Everything just screams Aztec!

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Didn't think such a modern-looking biker was possible in CaS! Complete with tacky t-shirt, biker hat, and chain.

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The Mantis. Grotesque, terrifying, and, somehow, astoundingly beautiful.

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Bounty Hunter Tira. Cigarette dangling from her lips, dollar bills stuffed carelessly into her bra, and a Mexican drape on her shoulders. CaS storytelling at its finest.

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Native American Leixia. He turns that absurdly bulky headdress into the cutest Leixia 3P I've ever seen.

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Achilles. Badass helmet w/ chin guard. And that breathtaking armor, colored like a Greek Mosaic.

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Crikey, looka' dem nostrils! And dat old-school poipe! This wild C-Ape-Tain can only be fownd in its natural habitat of 8WR! He dawsn't take too koindly to us humans thow, so we'd bettah proceed real cautious-like!


My top 4!


#4 Dungeon Crawler Pyrrha
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The equipment is so refreshingly wonky, especially that derpy helmet, lopsided breastplate, wonky belt, and backpack of gold, but the colors tie all the gear together to tell the story of a plucky adventure scavenging equipment and gold from some classic RPG dungeon. Magnificent and cute to boot.

3. Mexican Gunslinger
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Something about the zippered gun holsters, Mexican vest, and poofy sleeves just screams classic gunslinger. I want to be this man when I grow up.

2. Djinn
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The whole CaS seems engulfed in flames. The magma-like patterns and the fiery eyes made of a halo + flame ornament. Don't forget that cool extension to the turban with the gourd.

1. Lvl 9 Wizard
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My all-time favorite from Vil. Dragon skin jacket, corrupted magical eye, flower pin, and a weary, sunken face. The CaS breathes of hollow success, broken dreams, arrogance, and fear all at once. This, my friends, is how one tells a story in CaS!
 
@VILARCANE: a brief profile.

This man's record speaks for itself. Of all the galleries on the CaS forums, his gallery features the most replies and the second most views. His work is so universally respected that there's very praise I can offer that hasn't been said before, so I'll focus on his artistic style.

First of all, Vilarcane is a master storyteller of CaS. Read through his whole gallery if you wanna learn how to express entire character histories through small details. A cigar and watch fob on a railroad tycoon. A ferocious, pipe-smoking gorilla pirate. A pale, delicate flower pin on battle-hardened, villainous sorcerer. His characters all brim with personality, from the tragic to the comedic and everything in between. For this reason, his works also hold long-lasting appeal. In addition, his versatility is unparalleled. His portfolio covers alotta unconventional and difficult genres like modern (biker, Daft punk), SciFi (Alien Space Marine, Bumblebee), and just plain weird (Mindflayer, C-Ape-tain). Here are some of my favorites from his gallery:

Alien Space Marine. Love that badass alien skin pokin' out from under the armor. Especially that malicious, scaley grimace.

Palace Guard - Xiba 3P. Fancy, cocky, impatient. Legit 3 Musketeers kinda vibe. Notice the hat.

Flashy gold armor, intimidating face paint, and midnight-black skin. Everything just screams Aztec!

Didn't think such a modern-looking biker was possible in CaS! Complete with tacky t-shirt, biker hat, and chain.

The Mantis. Grotesque, terrifying, and, somehow, astoundingly beautiful.

Bounty Hunter Tira. Cigarette dangling from her lips, dollar bills stuffed carelessly into her bra, and a Mexican drape on her shoulders. CaS storytelling at its finest.

Native American Leixia. He turns that absurdly bulky headdress into the cutest Leixia 3P I've ever seen.

Achilles. Badass helmet w/ chin guard. And that breathtaking armor, colored like a Greek Mosaic.

Crikey, looka' dem nostrils! And dat old-school poipe! This wild C-Ape-Tain can only be fownd in its natural habitat of 8WR! He dawsn't take too koindly to us humans thow, so we'd bettah proceed real cautious-like!


My top 4!


#4 Dungeon Crawler Pyrrha
The equipment is so refreshingly wonky, especially that derpy helmet, lopsided breastplate, wonky belt, and backpack of gold, but the colors tie all the gear together to tell the story of a plucky adventure scavenging equipment and gold from some classic RPG dungeon. Magnificent and cute to boot.

3. Mexican Gunslinger
Something about the zippered gun holsters, Mexican vest, and poofy sleeves just screams classic gunslinger. I want to be this man when I grow up.

2. Djinn
The whole CaS seems engulfed in flames. The magma-like patterns and the fiery eyes made of a halo + flame ornament. Don't forget that cool extension to the turban with the gourd.

1. Lvl 9 Wizard
My all-time favorite from Vil. Dragon skin jacket, corrupted magical eye, flower pin, and a weary, sunken face. The CaS breathes of hollow success, broken dreams, arrogance, and fear all at once. This, my friends, is how one tells a story in CaS!

What can i say, thanks it kinda wraps it all up nicely and to the point..i liked the ones you picked but did not know Vil lev 9 was your favourite btw...it is such a shame we never could meet in a CAS show-off really. Now if you accept the digital gift, make a request for a CAS i haven't done and you'd think i'd like to try (can be a genre too) and i will try to do it for you.
 
What can i say, thanks it kinda wraps it all up nicely and to the point..i liked the ones you picked but did not know Vil lev 9 was your favourite btw...it is such a shame we never could meet in a CAS show-off really. Now if you accept the digital gift, make a request for a CAS i haven't done and you'd think i'd like to try (can be a genre too) and i will try to do it for you.
I was actually pretty surprised by some of your choices for my watermark. Especially my Sherlock and Ayane recreations. I see how you value authenticity over aesthetics in your choices. Gef was a indeed a fascinating CaS, especially for his CaS tobacco products. Also somewhat surprised my Tribal Priestess didn't make your list, since that one's like my number 2. And no, I haven't watched The Machine yet, but sounds fascinating. Might check it out sometime. Were you surprised by my choices for your watermark? Lvl 9 Wiz definitely my fav, but it seems you were expecting something else. Oh, and I was especially proud of the way I wrote C-ape-tain's mini-review. That was intended to be a Crocodile Hunter/Australian accent. And yay. CaS request? I pretty much love any story-driven CaS you make that I can interpret, but if I had to ask for something specific, I'd go with Hindu CaS, which I've only seen done by @chobek way back in the day. That was some good shit.
 
Tribal priestess!? Where ? Care to copy / paste ?
I noticed how you wrote C-Ape-Tain yes (we are certified punologists with the likes of LeBello and a few others who sometimes join the fray) and that mini-review , i thought it was pirate speech and it was great :)
Not surprised by your choices, i would maybe have picked Columbus as a 3p 0r the wicked witch and Tora as OCs as well
Hohum Hindu CAS how weird and interesting, i never did that and i kinda like the challenge :)

On it !
 
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My Hindu CAS is ready, will be posted later today over at my thread.
I did not remember how gruelling creative thinking can be, 2 CAS in a couple of days when your a tad rusty DID drain me (especially the Hindu one i must say).
Me and my friggin' nitpicking :p

Now i guess we should leave space for the other artists to be (water)marked :)
 
My Hindu CAS is ready, will be posted later today over at my thread.
I did not remember how gruelling creative thinking can be, 2 CAS in a couple of days when your a tad rusty DID drain me (especially the Hindu one i must say).
Me and my friggin' nitpicking :p

Now i guess we should leave space for the other artists to be (water)marked :)
Thanks Vil! My tribal priestess is actually here:
http://8wayrun.com/threads/a-mini-gallery.12594/page-4#post-589172
But yeah, lookin' forward to your Hindu CaS. Creativity can't be rushed.
And yeah, I just picked out 13 of my favorites from your gallery cuz I figured you could use an unlucky number. I also really like Columbus, Wicked Witch, and Tora, but I tried to pick out CaS from as many different genres as possible to showcase your work, especially the weirder ones like Wild West and modern.
 
Ok i remember her now, she is looking bad ass and i like the Chtulu lore :)
A soulmate for my Mindflayer maybe...
You will have a lot of work figuring out how i pulled off my mystery Hindu, that much i can promise :p

I took a lot of pics to help you though...
 
Tentacle p**n...mmm....But yeah, definitely lookin' forward to some good ol' deduction for your new CaS. I just hope you didn't make the same Hindu deity that I just made lol.
 
I did not research on this one, and the one i did certainly isn't authentic, it is as original as can get, i only remembered one Hindu name from my childhood, i used it and made a transgenre of sorts...i just tried to think fresh and hopefully make something that will let you collect your jaw on the floor.
Already got Lil Vil' seal of approval when he laid eyes upon the OC, which means a lot to me :)

Oh well, i should'nt get too much carried away, maybe it is just crap lol...i'll just post it in a bit (pics have been edited, only need hosting'n posting)...here we go
 
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