As the event's description: "Cross Country tests the speed, strength, and endurance of the horse and the skill of its rider. The Queenstown Spring Cross Country Trials is hosted this year by none other than Shoreline Hill Stables. The trials will consist of two different classes, each judged separately. Entrants must submit three pictures of horse and rider over three different obstacles."
I decided to go with a Twinbrook setting for this event, since there doesn't seem to be a lot going on there and the flat-land swamp area seems pretty ideal for Cross Country; however, this idea turned out to be a bit problematic, since a lot of the swamp is unrouteable terrain and I couldn't place lots in any of the ideal places to put obstacles.
So, I went with a "simple" approach; the first picture is on a tiny batch of routable terrain I could find, where I used the Pose-Player add-on to orient the horse/rider (total pain in the arse--never doing that again), the second I edited one of the fishing holes to be less deep and with a jump at the end; then the last one, just a standard jump in one of the emptier, flatter areas of the swamp.
I really tried to go for easier obstacles than I have with previous jumping competitions, since I feel I might've gotten a little ahead of myself when I was making poses before. It's still not quite novice level, but closer. I can't wait until Margo actually learns to ride in Desperate Sims though, so I don't feel so guilty making her all uber.
Well, except that last jump! I actually wanted to make a larger fumble, showing her actually falling off (though in this instance she does fall off, she just hasn't yet), but I really liked how the pose turned out so I just used it anyways.
The stance/water in the second image is based off of this picture; the poses in the third/fourth are based off of this one.
PS: Don't you love how in the third picture, Bean is just like, "Lookit me, I'm gorgeous, let me pause and catch this breeze to show off my beautiful profile," and Margo's like, "OMG OMG OMG WAT IS HAPPENINNNGGG."
Bean. You are the ultimate troll. ♥
~ 3 comments: ~
at: June 1, 2012 at 4:49 PM said...
I love love love these pictures, even if they are more simplistic than the last competition. Sometimes, that's the way to go, honestly. LOL The last picture(s) are hysterical. I've been in that situation before, not with jumping, but I was riding a barrel horse and we miscommunicated! She went left on a dime while i was still going forward lol, BUT i hung on, then slid off because I was just too off-balance by the time she stopped and was like WTH are you doing!?
But yes, Bean's face is as priceless as Margo's, esp since their expressions are so obviously different within in the same scenario. She's obviously accepted going down and he's like *lalala, making this seem effortless!*
I'm so sooooo glad you decided to open a blog just for the horses in DS. It's just so exciting!
PS..any suggestions on good water splashing brushes? Or did you just use a scatter brush at different sizes?
`you know who.
at: June 1, 2012 at 5:10 PM said...
Awww, thank you hon!! :D I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out--hooray for taking advantage of Twinbrook's awesome landscape, haha. What I really love is how much sky there is in the last two pics, because the bright blue against the black and red and green gives it a nice simple but bright color palette. *overthinks all the things*
My gawd though, that would be so crazy--I keep trying to imagine what that would be like, to end up going opposite directions as your horse and totally slide off, but oh-god that idea terrifies me, lol! You and Margo are way braver than I am, apparently. ;)
I'm really glad I put a site together, too! I really wanted to keep all this stuff together, but forum threads get lost, tumblr is chaotic, and my other blogs too focused on story. God, I have so many outlets now, but IDGAF. XD Besides, I've had a really crummy past few days, and starting new projects with "no strings attached" is therapeutic, haha. :)
As for brushes:
Water Splash Brushes: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=water+splash+brush#/d3aib54
Standard Brush Pack: http://danluvisiart.deviantart.com/art/My-Brush-Pack-118954791
The water splashes look great, but to get them looking a bit better I had to layer a couple on top of each other at different sizes, so it didn't look too realistically detailed and had a bit more volume to it. Then, from the standard brush pack (which is AMAZING, I pretty much only ever use those brushes) I used the "texture brush" at a large size to paint in the water droplets.
Thanks again, darlin!! You're the best. x////x
at: June 1, 2012 at 6:48 PM said...
The water in the first picture is just so real looking..I can't get over it!
Thanks for linking me to the brushes <3 Those are going to be great. I'm always looking for new ones ^_^ So thankies!
Sorry to hear about your crummy days :( If you need a virtual hug or someone to listen, you know where to find me! And yes, creating projects can be both therapeutic and overwhelming at the same time..I would know..as I almost always have like 6 projects running together simultaneously. Brooke is always yelling at me bc my list only ever grows LOL.
Never thought I'd see the words 'brave' and 'margo' in the same sentence ;)
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