Just made a few tweaks (couldn't help myself!). You might not even notice - but I know the difference and I'm just that wee bit happier! :D

This concept assumes that Time and Fate are masters over man.

The painting perceives Time and Fate as twin spirits. They seek balance by weaving the Course of Fate through time.

However, man is a frequent disruption – some try to follow a course of their own choosing. Challenging the master spirits by pursuing the dream of freedom.

Existing in a spiritual realm, Time and Fate have no direct control over us, but instead manipulate our choices with thoughts and visions.

Time is a malicious spirit – haunting us with visions of waste, failure and ultimately death.

Fate is seductive – offering visions of another life – an easier life contrary to the struggle and anguish we face when we go against Fate’s wishes.

The picture is a representation of the metaphorical spirit realm. A human is defying the Spirits and following the light of inspiration. The spirits try to dissuade the wandering soul but he is determined.

I don’t want to go into too much detail – there are a lot of meanings in it, but I like to leave things for the viewer to figure out.

I have left out a few details I had intended to illustrate – but that was because I didn’t want to overcrowd what is already a busy picture.

Well… It’s been fun, and stressful – I’m glad to have finally reached this stage.

Thanks to everyone who has commented and supported me.

And good luck to all who have or will have finished – the competition has been inspirational…

This is a closeup of the final image.

I'll post the final shortly - I just need to sort out the text...

Most of the work left is refining and balancing - maybe adding and subtracting some details. Balancing the piece as a whole isn't easy though as I'm having to work at it in sections.

Just have to keep going til I'm (relatively) happy... ;)

Here's the progress I've made since last night.

I think it's progessed pretty fast - It's helped working from a detailed sketch because I've been able to concentrate on the colouring more without messing about changing or adding details.

I've been trying to make the material of the Fate spirit more silken - that's probably been the biggest challenge with the colouring. There's still more to do on that.

I think I've lost contrast on that side, so I need to try and rectify it.

Keeping the balance as I've added details and light has been tricky - not sure how well I'm doing...

I'm pretty confident I'll get it finished, I wish I wasn't in this postition though! :D

This is the lineart overlaid on a rough background. I've blocked in some colour underneath to create a kind of silhouette.

I've started painting it now, but I'll post more when it's evolved further.

Well... here's the new linework...

Better late than never right?! :D

This is as far as I got before I decided I should probably start colouring... because I'm running out of time... rather quickly...

Hmm... I'm sure there's some irony in there somewhere...

I haven’t done an awful lot on this recently cause I’ve been trying to get other stuff out of the way. But now I can focus my energies on the competition.

I started working on my final piece. This is rough colour concept over the actual linework. I tend to do this so I get an idea of where I’m going and how well the composition is working. It also helps keep me motivated!

I like elements of this, but I felt like I wasn’t really doing the characters justice. The fate spirit in particular just doesn’t cut it. I don’t think the time spirit looks as good as in that early concept – but I have made him look more evil.

Anyway – I’ve now started on a new linework using this as a reference.

It’s difficult to get the interaction working well and to make the elements flow together. It doesn’t help that my computer doesn’t seem to be up the task. I’ve tried working on it full-size, but when I try to save it in Painter (classic) the program just closes and I lose the work I’ve just done. So I had to split the linework in half so I can work on it in painter, then I piece it back together in PSP.

It’s a major pain in the ass cause I can’t see how everything is relating as I’m working on it. I don’t know yet how I’m going to manage with the rendering if I have to work in parts – If anyone has any ideas feel free to share them!

This was a super quick (obviously) expansion of the time concept – I just stuck the original on a bigger canvas and painted the rest in. I wanted to show how the material twists and flows behind him – as if he had a snake-like body.

A fate concept I did a few weeks ago. She’s evolved again with the latest linework and I’m a lot happier with the design. Maybe I’ll do a quick colour of the new one so I can show it.