Greetings, racers! This week saw our All Stars in a real race to the finish. Their wacky wheeled contraptions were a sight to behold, as they worked in teams of two to make some motor magic! Now it’s time to rewind the tapes, and look at that slow-mo replay.
Please welcome your judges for this week!
- Miyu Moon, Miyu Moon, using her feminine charms and "assets" to distract her victims before she robs them.
- Ifor/a Nye, here to steal your heart and your wallet.
- Ripper Hole, robbing her way to the top.
The judges have deliberated and made their decisions. Will the following team please step forward:
Malaria E. Coli & Sartana
Congratulations, you are both safe and can leave the raceway. Your critiques can be found in this doc.
All other racers, you represent the best and worst of the week. You'll receive your critiques in the order that the looks album was presented.
Crabby Crusaders | Bitte Bitte and Ms. Vicky Pickles
MIYU MOON: Oh wow, this look is totally wild and conceptual, you're like sexy racing crab people from South Park. I love the way your outfits match but have slight variations, like the different head shapes and the placement of little ridges and the glowing bits, and of course the mis matched claws. I almost find them a little more matchy than they could be for full effect, like there are definitely differences but it takes a minute to really separate the two looks by noticing the differences. That being said I do love them, they look very sleek and alienesque, very sculptural and smooth just like crabs and, assumedly, aliens. I love the use of the checkered pattern in the sort of bodysuit or tights underneath, it lends to the feeling of some sort of uniform sort of like a space suit or a diving suit but also keeps it racing oriented. I truly feel these two crab alien people have come to race and they intend to go fast and win, the characterization is really on point and I love that you have both a unique character element, the crab alien part, and the challenge theme of racing combined but also separately visible.
This car is really a wow factor here, I am SO in love with it. First off, it looks like it'll go fast as hell, and the giant wheels seems of course functional but in a thematic way they say to me "WE INTEND TO WIN! LOOK AT OUR HUGE WHEELS! WE WILL CRUSH YOU!" and it lends to some sort of conquering invading alien engineers. It also kind of looks like maybe a space rover robot? And the glowing lights as well give it this explorative feel, like a probe we might send to another planet or the bottom of the ocean, and both would apply here. I also really enjoy the mechanics of these little claw arm wheels, they add such a sense of reality and movement to the vehicle and give it a sort of real life crab action element. Amazing job, really an amazing team.
IFOR/A NYE: I’m so glad you guys seem to have immediately embraced your most cartoony and absurdist instincts as it was a complete nail on the head moment when I saw this vehicle. The comedic potential of small person and big person combinations seems to be just a timeless thing and it’s really satisfying especially imagining Vicky squished in that tiny ball. The blueprint you added is actually an eye opening moment for me and should be for anyone competing because it was only when I saw your vehicle in profile that I realized how well it evokes seafloor creatures like hermit crabs. Additionally, the choice of a sort of heroic and quintessential to racing color scheme for villainous characters is really satisfying because the crustacean details on both your vehicle and your costumes does the work to make the villainy/eerieness evident.
You carried the whimsy through to your costumes as well and it was extremely effective. I love how intentionally stupid some of the details are like the single lobster claw (especially Bitte’s huge one) and the Vicky’s crab claw headpiece which also evokes mirrors on lowrider bikes. I think the light up “sexy” parts also perfectly adds absurdist comedy, wow factor and raunch in equal measure which is perfectly fitting for your theme. I’ll give a special nod to Bitte’s headpiece for bringing the freaky as well which is yet another layer to this. Overall, I think the slightest bit more individuation to your costumes would’ve somehow amplified the impact of them as the uniformity certainly lends beautiful cohesion but somehow there is almost the slightest bit of loss of individual voice for your characters. To be honest, that is suuuuch a quibble that I feel insulting for saying it but this week the competition was so tight, that’s the level of magnifying glass inspection I’m being forced to apply. Kudos this is a spectacular piece of work.
RIPPER HOLE: Oh, okay, so Team Canada is on a mission to slay. I’m happy to announce the invasion was successful and my bussy has been colonised by crustaceans! I just wanna commend you both for the presentation of this challenge. All the extra material is so well done and I can tell a lot of time went into really fleshing this fantasy out. The vehicle looks fantastic! CRUSH-tacean Crawler is a great name and I can definitely imagine it literally crushing the competition. As for your Alien invaders, I think you’ve both nailed the characterisation and the look! I love the alien/crustacean armour and the nod to Mugler.
Bitte Bitte, you had me at giant crab claw…. Once again you've done a fantastic job at conveying a mood and you easily transported me into the fantasy. Captain Smol looks absolutely dastardly, conniving and mischievous! Pouring over the details of this look was very enjoyable and the rendering looks so schmick. Even though this is an over the top costume, I personally think this is quite fashionable and you’re doing a great job of finding the balance between the two. The helmet is MAJOR, the inflatables are fun and the glowing arse is probably going to awaken something in me. You really impressed me this week and I hope you can keep the momentum going!
MS Vicky, she brings it to us every ball, i don't know why im gagging so? This whole concept really feels on brand for vicky and I’m glad to see you play to your strengths! I can tell you’re having a lot of fun experimenting with different brushes and refining your methods of rendering and I encourage you to keep at it. For some reason I’m having trouble believing that your character is second in command..I’m thinking the pose is perhaps too strong and dominant? Without reading the description I wouldn't have realised there was a chain of command between you both. Aside from that, this is yet another iconic Vicky moment and I'm so excited to see what's next!
drouBle trouBle | Bettie and Bianca Biquini
MIYU MOON: Holy hell, the detail in this entire team is overwhelming in the best way possible. I love the way the outfits and the car are kind of overloaded with fine details, it looks really extravagant and couture and high end, which is absolutely on brand. I definitely get the steampunk reference but like, if we're being honest I absolutely hate steampunk, but this look improves on everything I despise about steampunk. This looks expensive and fancy and glamorous while I usually think of steampunk as looking hokey and costumey, this feels really new. The gold and royal blue combo also helps break away from the typical shades of brown and copper steampunk uses. I think that's why I find myself leaning more into Bettie's look here than Bianca's, because the brown leather in Bianca's is really throwing me off. I feel like Bettie and the vehicle match each other and look very extavagant, but Bianca's inclusion of the brown leather brings her away from the central goal and kinda makes her outfit look... I don't know if cheaper is the word, but less glamorous maybe? Like as if Bettie is the criminal mastermind here and Bianca is just her sidekick, I know that there is an element of that at play with this challenge, I think the characterization of Bianca painting Bettie's nail illustrates that dynamic while also highlighting the cool Bettie glove. But that's where I feel like Bianca gets a little lost, even tho she is meant to play a support role I feel like her look should be more glamorous as well to match with Bettie and the car, she's looking too utilitarian for me right now with the clunky flat boot and the brown straps thrown in. Also I see how Bettie has sort of a naturally gothic feeling going with her shapes and attitude, but the gothic makeup on Bianca seems like a forced element because I don’t get much goth from the rest of her outfit, just the face makeup and the earring, so I see the attempt but I don’t think it really meshed the looks together any further.
This car tho, wow, this car deserves to be in a museum. There was certainly no shortage of motif ideas or rendering prowess in the car, I think you two really meshed your energies well with this collaborative front of the car. I love that Bettie rides in the big fancy car and Bianca gets her cute little support rocket, I can imagine how Bettie may sit up there and give orders and Bianca would strap on her little goggles and go to work. That being said I do find myself kind of questioning exactly how the hell this car moves, but I'm no engineer so I try not to think that hard about it, it looks damn cool regardless.
IFOR/A NYE: This car is absolutely incredible and it’s a real testament to Bettie’s ability to carry sophistication and design appeal into even the most silly or unsophisticated concepts. I personally feel like the problem and challenge of steampunk generally are that its tropes are so recognizable that they’re tedious and also it’s usually an ugly mishmosh of nonsense like gears and leather just tacked on at random. This car on the other hand is absolutely elegant and villainous while also seeming totally over the top and ridiculous (those giant and unnecessary stilt legs??) which is a really cool combination. I love some of the details you guys came up with like the cutesie little sidecar for Bibi to hang out in and the idea of the organ that they bring with them to play ominous music. That’s such a Bibi idea… it’s just adorable. The idea of being spooky ooky in a cute way rather than actually scary is just so heartwarming. You carried this design theme of almost non-euclidean squiggles throughout the car and bettie’s costume and I think that was a really brilliant surprise and sophisticated touch.
I think where you guys really hit a roadblock is in character specificity. Your tale has this really clear idea about the older sister/younger copycat but I don’t really see that anywhere in your designs and honestly aside from being steampunk (and having a cross earring) it almost seems like the two characters come from different worlds. I ultimately think the choice of steampunk was smart to unite your completely different aesthetics but you guys didn’t do enough work to make the specific characters seem united. In Bettie’s case, I think it’s kind of fascinating in the same way as with the car to see you take on a bit of a visual clunker trope wise like the mad inventor with a mechanical arm (it’s just so recognizable at this point) and applying your design skills to really make it sleek and beautiful. I think you should keep that in mind as you go forward that your work can be amplified by picking “things that shouldn’t work” as subjects and then applying your talent for beauty and sophistication. Again I love the specific way you constructed and applied the metal in these strange shapes and I love that the arm is really over the top and has nails as it bring down the seriousness factor and ups the fun which was super important here. Bianca, on the other hand, it feels like you were really bogged down in your focus on some rendering challenges (that’s a guess) because this piece really lacks your usual sense of joy, good eye for editing and whimsy. I find the outfit is clunky and doesn’t feel little sister-y at all. I don’t really see a design connection with bettie or the car and even the accoutrement feel very arbitrary. There’s not like a specific weapon or choice that my eye lands on and enjoys except for the quadruple pigtails which is indeed quite fun. Having asked you guys how often you interacted and finding out it was constant, I do have to tag you pretty hard for not working to incorporate more of the visual language from the car into your piece!
RIPPER HOLE: Wow I can’t believe Bianca and Bettie invented steampunk! To be frank, seeing the both of you in a team made me a bit nervous and I had absolutely no idea what I was in for. I was worried that your styles are just too different and your theme would end up being a mishmash of random ideas. I’m so glad that you were able to come together with a unified concept - and rendering-wise I think it’s well executed! The car is so well done, Betties meticulous rendering really came in to play and I’m so impressed by all the little details. Even though this was clearly drawn by Bettie, I can definitely see details that could only come from the mind of Bianca.
Whilst I adore your vehicle, unfortunately the costumes and characterisation aren’t really hitting the sweet spot. I think your characters backstory is okay, and it was smart to go with the big sister, little sister schtick, I just think there's a disconnect to what we read in the description and the image of your characters. I wouldn’t say you guys have failed, but compared to the other contestants it's just a bit boring and predictable.
Bettie - Your outfit is definitely more successful and that's largely due to the huge mech arm which is so whimsical and campy. Thanos but making it fashion. The rest of the outfit is a meh for me. The posing and the facial expression is strong but I’m not convinced it was the best way to convey your character.
Bianca - I’m happy to see you're experimenting with shading and taking more time to render your looks. I’m finally seeing Bianca in HD, let’s hope we get 4K next. I think your biggest problems this week are posing and characterisation, or lack thereof. Your character is supposed to be this Rocket Racoon inspired gunslinger, but your pose and expression fails to convey that ragged and roughness. The outfit is also a bit of a mess. I think you could have ditched the tan leather vest and shoes and incorporated some of the gold from Betties look.
The Slag Sisters | Ambrosia and Sally Spellman
MIYU MOON: Oh fuck, this is one hell of a team to unpack here. Every inch of these outfits and the car are covered in meticulously thought out details and oh, it's such a treat to the eyes! I love that your outfits really match despite actually not really matching. They match so much in spirit and function that they don't need to have identical colours, there's no real question these two women came here together and belong on a team with each other and absolutely nobody else. They're not heavily race inspired in the garments, but everything else about the looks gives us the racer characterization we need. You have the goggles, but those wind-blown faces really sell it all, we can tell these women like to go fast and probably haven't stopped speeding in 30 years. I love that these looks really have character to them, I can almost smell the motives of these women from here, the attitude is very potent with this pair. Not to mention the rendering is just really spot on, everything looks really nicely finished with a good eye for detail. From afar they grab my attention with the overall craziness and then the closer you get, you notice the fun details and notice the actual prettiness in the looks buried under the insanity.
This car is just... I don't know if there are words that exist to describe this car. At first I noticed all the little details bit by bit, all the little dongs and tacky materials and details. Then I sort of zoned out and finally clicked with the full image of the car being a man on his back that they are both riding him I lost it, that is just so hilariously perfect. It just furthers the storyline of these two women while also explaining so many seemingly thrown together details, really it's just a brilliant car and I cannot get over it. Everything about this look is perfectly crafted, head to toe, every detail is on point, really can't go wrong here.
IFOR/A NYE: I really think the heart of this challenge was to pick an immediate and iconic trope and nail the details such that the specific characters you’ve made feel unforgettable and The Slag Sisters are exactly that. Both the world of drag and the world in general has seen its fair share of cougar humor but the design details you guys embedded here feel totally specific and unique and I’m in love with it. I adore the fact that these queens feel like older versions of your characters to an extent and the animal print motif allows them to feel completely cohesive while exploding with their own personality. The Lorena Bobbit is what really takes it to the next level as this is one of the most beautifully designed pieces of machinery I’ve ever seen. It immediately recalls Moebius aka Jean Giraud’s designs which is possibly the highest compliment I can give anything. The idea of driving the man car by it’s gross sex doll mouth and joystick dick is absolutely perfect and it somehow marries the feeling of Klimt’s the scream, the storied history of gay pornographic art and hot rods while also seemingly completely plausible as a vehicle. It’s also somehow elegant despite being tacky to the bone and that feeling and the way it mirrors your queens is just spectacular.
Ambrosia, you packed in delight after delight into this design. The perma-windblown hair and face are so terrifying in the best way and recall Ambrosia’s own penchant for abstract shape statement hair. I feel so honored that you put in a nod to my own body shape with this hideous paunch and the combination of socks with shoes and a knee brace is incredible. Lastly, a stoma with a cigarette in it. Yes. Absolutely. Sally, I think I love yours for almost the opposite reason which is that I can twist my neck and squint and imagine you producing a similar outfit for modern day sally but done hyper elegantly. It’s that overall effect rather that the details that strikes me the most. It feels like such a seamless transition from your style instincts while also bringing all the tacky we require and the clash patterns sing to my soul. The knockers are given ample space to speak and decorated as they darn well should be. I honestly feel like you guys know these women and the world that would have spat them out so intimately that they actually don’t feel like disrespectful caricatures but actually sort of feel powerful and celebratory which is my absolute favorite quality in drag. This is major.
RIPPER HOLE: Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh my gawd. This is the best the both of you have ever looked. My only advice this week is to quit drag, because it’s all downhill from here! It feels like both you shady whores jumped straight into my mind and produced exactly what I wanted to see. I just wanna say thank you for bringing the comedy and the drag and the design and the level of rendering we expect!
This car is perhaps the best thing I have ever seen. There are so many fantastic yet rotted details and they are all so well placed and fucking hilarious. Everything is so well thought out and exactly what I expect from two literal cocking destroying goddesses. Having an ashtray and a drink holder next to each other is just thoughtful design, u kno? The characterisation and pose is well...completely on point. I know these women because I AM these women. It’s obvious that you both have fallen on hard times (and harder dicks), but you found the strength to get up and collect that unemployment check which will be instantly spent at the casino.
Ambrosia - Why are you so obsessed with me? I’m flattered that I’m your favourite MPAR Queen but like this outfit is verging on -2 points territory. I’m also curious as to how you found a picture of me at my first holy communion? For reals though, your sense of humour is as impeccable as your rendering skills and you absolutely nailed everything about this challenge. Brava!
Sally- Them titties just keep getting bigger and lower.... No wonder your lower lumbar is fucked up. Your choice of fabrics are extremely offensive - therefore perfect for the character! The makeup is horrendous yet oddly familiar... You have a wicked sense of humour and it’s really shining through in this image! I do feel that Ambrosia outshined you a little bit but this is still a fantastic interpretation of the character and you also nailed this challenge!
Hyenaiad Bounty Hunters | Epinette and Ophelia N. Cyde (Late)
MIYU MOON: I really love these outfits, I definitely see the hyena and aardwolf inspiration and how it translated through. I like that the outfits thematically go together but don't technically have a ton in common on paper, it keeps it really interesting while also giving us a solid storyline. I really like Epi's details on the body, it gives a very wild, fun, and funky vibe that definitely translates the spirit of a hyena. I don't know much about aardwolves but from this look I'd guess they're more chill, shadowy type creatures, so hopefully that's true at least so this look makes sense, otherwise you could trick me and I guess I wouldn't know the difference haha. I think the looks utilize a good amount of bold shape for far away appeal as well as bringing in some fine details to keep things looking fashionable and fully realized. If anything it just feels like Epinette is grabbing all the attention here because of the brightness of her outfit along with the very strong pose, where as Ophelia is kinda fading into the background with the colours, and being posed on top of the car it's just kinda melding together from afar.
This bike is definitely fitting for the theme, definitely gives me the feeling like you two picked these bones clean and turned it into a bike. That being said it does come across as kind of simplistic, the idea is definitely there but I feel like the rig could use more going on to give it a real sense of wackiness and an ability to survive the race and be a top contender. It seems like it's all up to Epinette to grapple onto others and make something happen, I wish the vehicle had more going on with it so I felt like you guys might actually have a chance to knock out your competition. It would seem that the greatest strength going for this ride is simply its speed and ease of control but it lacks any real sense of packing a punch or really bringing the personality of its riders into some weapons or more details or something that would connect everything better.
IFOR/A NYE: This concept is really great both on a character level, inventiveness of inspiration and the way it granted immediately satisfying looks that both scream fashion and show off the references. I think the “super cool killer” trope was a surprising way to take the screwball cartooniness of this prompt but it definitely could have worked really well for you guys as when I look at these looks together I find them on the road to iconic. That said, this whole look and concept feels let down by lack of design on the bike and to a lesser extent on Ophelia’s outfit. The bike is generic looking and almost reminds me of Ghostrider but without that level of over the top silliness and fun. The smiling carcass head is a great design detail but it feels like not enough work was put in to make it actually look interesting. Overall the bike looks like a first design attempt and the way it’s rendered is surprising considering your team houses two of our most talented renderers.
I’m also not all the way impressed on an outfit level. Epinette, you actually managed a really great balance between fun, danger and sexy. This orange pops and I have to applaud the cohesiveness considering how hard the other judges have been knocking you for it. Spots immediately bring fun and whimsy to a look that otherwise says vicious killer and the tension between the two is great. The one cartoony design detail of the hyena bandana is enough to lend the whole design an instantly memorable quality, make it fit the prompt and I especially love that it’s not just the laughing mouth but also the ears. Ophelia’s look feels considerably less accomplished. It’s not a bad look by any measure but I think of you as hitting us every week with a hyper careful and considered design eye and here it feels very simplistic design wise. There’s not that much joy to the way these pants fit or the vest is designed. It’s like just adjacent of your usual amazing work and I can’t put my finger on exactly why this lacks your essential qualities but it does. To end on a positive note, this bandana is very sweet, I love this dorky hair and of course your sense of color is always perfection.
RIPPER HOLE: Out of all the pairings, you two had me the most intrigued. I was expecting something cool and filthy, but I’m left pretty underwhelmed by the looks and the vehicle. I think you guys had an awesome idea - i looooove the concept of the hyena and i think going for a more savage or serious take was a good way to differentiate yourselves from the competition. I can see the bones (lol) of the idea, but it still needed a lot of work to bring it up to the same level as everyone else. The bike has a lot of potential and there are a few areas, like the skull, that are successful and interesting. It just needed more! The bike needed to look more ominous and filthy. I think Mad Max might have been a good reference point for you guys in regards to the bike and the outfits themselves.
Epinette - I actually really enjoy this outfit! You’ve a fantastic job with the proportions of your outfit and I’m so glad its not another structured jacket and skirt combo. Your styling really shines through with this look - i love all the items and fetish wear isn't overbearing or cliche. The mask and earring combo is so fun and clever! If you wanted to take this to the next level I’d suggest making the posing a bit more feral!
Ophelia - In my opinion you’ve conveyed the mood of your character and the inspiration, but unfortunately it’s let down by the basicness of the outfit. It’s drawn well, the folds and the rendering look nice, but the outfit itselfs just doesn't resonate and it looks dowdy. Even though your breed of Hyena is more subdued, it's still a will animal, and this outfit fails to express that.
At 10pm PST, we will announce the winner of the challenge and the bottom two.
Submitted June 28, 2019 at 07:08AM by lifesneverhumdrum https://ift.tt/2JepZAk
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