Flight Rising Discussion

Usually @Laluzi does these things, but it's nearly seven and patience was never one of my virtues. Hopefully they won't mind, especially since I'm including their usual disclaimer. [quote="laluzi"]This thread is not to complain about the winners. It's fine to say you wish a skin had won, but let's avoid 'this is so much better/more thematic than any of the winners,' much less anything more targeted. Stick to talking about the losing entries and what makes them great.[/quote] Anyway, here are some of my faves that didn't make it: [b]Bioluminescent deeps [/b]by @RiavaCornelia [img]https://i.imgur.com/Z1Wy6cc.png[/img] I hope RiavaCornelia plans to print, because I WANT. [b]Undine Wings[/b] by @Kirion [img]https://i.imgur.com/S5vk3oa.png[/img] I am a sucker for blue and sparkles and blue sparkles. [b]Sea Sparkle[/b] by @kaenith [img]https://i.imgur.com/5RBveKF.png[/img] Blue sparkles! [b]Starry Seas[/b] by @4Mninja [img]https://i.ibb.co/F7yK4qj/Yeeted-Skeeted.png[/img] I almost can hear the night tides lapping against the shore. [size=2]And blue sparkles[/size] [b]Seascape[/b] by @TastyPastry [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/612092049189240843/699057638238978129/2D5FD38B-A5D3-4A1A-BD57-A76A8C86C0A4.png[/img] I'll repeat what I said in the discussion thread: I don't even like snappers, and this one blew me out of the water. No pun intended. [b]lidetord [/b]by @banii [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/550768987462434818/701420538832355358/lidetordbigg.png[/img] Speaking of snappers making me like them against my will, this boy is [i]adorable[/i]. [b]OceanWild[/b] Turtle by bluedragon [img]https://i.imgur.com/mmKMB5X.png[/img] I am blown away by the rich colors and intricate shading and patterning.

I'm really upset that Goblincat's water kelpie skin didn't win :( There's really not enough swampy fest skins out there and I just loved all the little details in it! [img]https://i.imgur.com/Q4KdSAR.png[/img] Thunderwyvern's Shipwreck skin was really good too! I could see it working in so many situations and it's just a really cool body mod skin <3 [img]https://i.imgur.com/HAo2icb.png[/img]

Starry seas was amazing, I’m seconding that.

Thank you so much for making this thread! I've been out of sorts lately and never got around to going through the thread, so I'm glad there was enough interest in these threads for someone else to pick up the slack. Shipwreck [I]blew my mind[/I], the lineart segue and use of the wing space was so good. It's phenomenally well-handled - fades beautifully, blends into the dragon without feeling pasted on, and even uses the wings for those sharks swimming by. Immensely disappointed that it didn't win. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/465302264077090817/697828785797726219/leafy_seadragon_small.png[/img] [b]Leafy Seadragon[/b] by @Emsheshan. We’ve had leafy seadragon skins before, but this one still stood out to me; Coatls and their feathered wings have lots of potential for those drifting fins and their faintly luminous deepsea tones. The pattern on the body reminds me of light filtering through drifting plants, and the bright, rich fins against the dull but warm-toned body create a beautiful contrast. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/399396073896017922/698193000156626964/fathomsearch_spirit.png[/img] [b]Fathomsearch Spirit[/b] by @Dransnake. This was [I]such[/I] a neat take on some old fest apparel; the female imperial pose is perfect for something like this with its curling serpentine form, and matching this up with the spirit jug would have been a delight. Imagine a water primal with this. [img]https://i.imgur.com/Pc4QRjP.png[/img] [b]Marianas Tundra[/b] by @VariantLoki. Tundras rank pretty high on my list of 'dragons least likely to be turned into fish', but dang if this skin doesn't pull it off. The swirling whiskers and dappled fins are absolutely beautiful, and I have to admit some shock at the preview images here for making Keel actually look good. Especially love the guardian-like chest fin, and the way the Tundra's mane has been skillfully turned into a crest all the way down. [img]https://i.imgur.com/Ja4hANV.png[/img] [b]Merimp[/b] by @Pac1fity. I adore undersea adaptation skins, and this one was fantastic - like Thresher Flatfins taken to their eventual conclusion. The removal of the wings and the addition of an iridescent mermaid-tail is the most immediately noticeable change here, but this skin goes a lot farther than that when you look closely - the smattering of dappled highlights on the limbs and neck [I]really[/I] bring out the fishscaled effect, and the line of gills along the neck is balanced neatly by the strings of shells across the tail, all alongside the tiny bits of kelp caught along for the ride. Incredible level of detail on this one.

Sea Sparkle is being printed!

[quote name="justherefortheRo" date="2020-04-26 16:15:06" ] [b]OceanWild[/b] Turtle by bluedragon [img]https://i.imgur.com/mmKMB5X.png[/img] I am blown away by the rich colors and intricate shading and patterning. [/quote] !!! I know the person who made this one! Her skins and accents, as well as her art in general, are always STUNNING [emoji=familiar heart size=1]

@Laluzi
Thank you! Fathomsearch Spirit was a ton of fun to make. I have no idea if I'll print it, but if it generates enough interest I might.

[center]so sorry this post is like 2 years long i just love accents a lot gullfriend by silverlately [img]https://i.imgur.com/rCZjBJE.png[/img] i'm a sucker for skydancer f in general, but i really do love the less typical take on water skins because seagulls are really such a beachy thing! the lore snippet is great too sea form by betwixted [img]https://i.imgur.com/qvLefjD.png[/img] the aesthetic is so strong with this one? my soul just transported directly to alternate universe florida guppii by pixelspiral [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/521051713533247498/694331652205445160/guppy_tail_bog2.png[/img] i love a well-executed form-changing accent and ooo do i love a good fish tail even more tropical punch by caecilius [img]https://i.imgur.com/HT0SzMy.png[/img] this one makes me laugh so hard??? snappers are already so goofy and little globs of aloe on their noses is the logical conclusion bottomfeeder's bushido by moreii [img]https://i.imgur.com/vsOZH33.png[/img] fish sword fish sword fish sw shipwreck by thunderwyvern [img]https://i.imgur.com/HAo2icb.png[/img] very in love with the way the spines merge with the rocks it lurks in the depths by fayeskies [img]https://i.imgur.com/YwdYwVL.png[/img] absolutely blown away by how beautiful and natural the bioluminescence looks end of the beginning by eearz [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/351264598269100042/700989176727994408/End_of_the_Beginning_Imp_F.png[/img] just took a trip to the aquarium, not physically, but mentally goopy gal by razrroth [img]https://i.imgur.com/kB0KV5B.png[/img] jello dragon hell yeah tidelord come home by goblincat [img]https://i.imgur.com/fMUyERf.png[/img] it's what we're all thinking tbh liyu bian long by dracozolt [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/698093451266228236/698097638473596988/preview_2.png[/img] the style, the colors, the fish: it has it all fish cracker friend by felixegadrix [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/503373037631045652/698367781556584549/dragon_2.png[/img] "what have you got there?" "a goldfish!" "NO!" sunrise on the surface by volur [img]https://images2.imgbox.com/51/91/x1DboK08_o.png[/img] soft glittery aesthetic water reef dweller by kariam [img]https://imgur.com/kvKLgOH.png[/img] obsessed with all the little details cetus by thedarkestdream [img]https://i.imgur.com/647sLto.png[/img] whales are so good and whales and stars are even better oceanwild turtle by bluedragon [img]https://i.imgur.com/mmKMB5X.png[/img] it's just so well-executed??? i'm drooling over this skin ctenophora by fenmori [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/c7fa536cd07a00c5d31936804ed8c417/2a5a927548df67ac-c7/s400x600/b4e18a4206e37e8b65c6486170130a305f5b98d0.png[/img] very impressed by the execution of jelly tentacles maiden voyage by shap [img]https://imgur.com/I6D4KLo.png[/img] ridgebacks aren't so much my jam but wow this accent is sunset-kissed by johannamason [img]https://i.imgur.com/NlDTr9v.png[/img] gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous sunset colors sea sparkles by kaenith [img]https://i.imgur.com/5RBveKF.png[/img] soft wave sparkles are just so delightful ophichthidae by keelhaul [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/607608213197553685/698605905943724102/FCE081D1-B656-4C8A-B198-07EEB11331C2.png[/img] deeply, deeply in love with this style reef queen by hinode [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/680328960869007390/702961848156160042/u0-cus-d2-c6d80f95ee26b405c4ebeac3a458f598pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.png[/img] fish shadows!!! and so many other good details[/center]

God I really need that shipwreck guardian skin. Someone @ me if there's ever a copy somewhere. (doubtful but I can dream)