"Teela Darkstalk" by Jon Dixon

While I agree 110% that there is no one standard of beauty and that Hollywood is so fake that they might as well stop using real actors and go to computer animated people, there are, I think, some things that are,well, um.. a bit offputting and vulgar to the senses of *most* people. Or maybe I am smoking crack here. I am not talking about height, weight, or age issues here because I have seen a lot of really beautiful people of all sorts, and no I am not trying to be hypocritical, although I can see why you might think I am. I am also not trying to tell you that your people should look like Barbie and Ken because I am just as disgusted with that bullshyte as you seem to be. But, well, the moles and hairiness and whatnot, I am unable to stop staring at and cannot get past. Far be it from me to tell you not to do this because I admit that we certainly need more 'alternative visions', as it were, in fantasy art. When I saw the thumbnail, I was like "Hey, cool! An older chick with a long, narrow face. That's different!" But when I pulled it up, I saw waaaaay too many well-rendered 'flaws' that sort of ruined it for me. It's like when you are sitting on the bus and you see some really lovely person who has a booger hanging out of their nose, or you see a gorgeous white dog with a dingleberry stuck to his butt, shining in all that pristine white fur, or like one of those models with a huge hairy, greasy mole on their lip that looks like a tick. It sort of draws your gaze and you can't stop staring at it and get past it to see the prettyness of the subject. Or maybe I am just being shallow about this but I kept thinking "Girlfriend! A little hot wax and some make-up base and you'd clean up nicely!". I thought I needed to return and clarify what I meant because I was worried that I had said it too harshly and I had hurt your feelings. I did not want you to think that I don't appreciate all the work and the talent that goes into this sort of thing. I have never tried my hand at poser but this is way better than 99% of all poser work I have seen so far.

Jon Dixon replies: "No hurt feelings here, Donna. But I still think that true beauty comes from within. And that often it's the 'flaws' in a person's physicality that make them unique, interesting and beautiful. Strange, but true."

P.S I like moles, I think they are attractive

*nods* puppy girl is smoking crack!

You know what astounds me. Her pores. I await the day when my images become so detailed I have to deal with pores. It's amazing. staggers backwards and trips over blue blob beany thing in amazment. I'm sure the detail will give me nightmares of how I so very much am not up to scratch.

Jon Dixon replies: "Hee hee! You've discovered a new standard of quality in art! The 'pore' scale! Thanks for the lovely comment!"

Wow, how you even achieved that awesome of a picture is beyond me.

Jon Dixon replies: "Twenty years in Tibet sitting on top of a cactus. A diet of thistles and lightly boiled hamsters. Strenuous exercise of the thumbs every other Thursday. And black magic. The hardest thing was finding a cactus in Tibet!"

when I first laid eyes on this picture I barely even noticed the moles... - I saw the eyepatch and scar sure, but after reading the comments that have been posted here I had to take a second look... wow, do people really get so put off by the odd freckle? - I should go hide my head away in a bag or something, because this woman's beautiful! - moles and al!! Another great peice Jon, it seems like you're talents spread too all areas of the artistic world!

Jon Dixon replies: "Thank you Kat. She is beautiful, to my eyes anyway. But then, so are most people in their own way. Thank you for the lovely comment!"

If I left this page without giving a comment it would haunt me. This is simply amazing, never in my wanderings of elfwood have I found anything close to the realism of this picture. Please continue the good work.

Jon Dixon replies: "Thank you very much, Amethyst. I'll try."

I guess I'm not entirely sure what PuppyGirl is compaining about- who said that everyone in art has to be beautiful. It's like walking up to a person in real life with a bent nose and asking why it's bent- it just is! I probably sound like a broken record or something, considering that this has already been touched upon, but it was something that just really bothered me. This piece of artwork is just too amazing to be griped at becuase the person in it isn't pretty.

Jon Dixon replies: "Indeed. Thank you for the kind words!"

incredibly well done, I love the textures of the skin and the hair, thiy're very realistic!!

Jon Dixon replies: "Many thanks, Susana!"

I love the detail in the artwork, "Teela" is sexy in her own sense of the word, I really enjoy looking at pictures of a fictional me (since I am the real Teela, and no I'm kidding you cuz my name really is Teela), you really have a great sense of imagination and keep the art flowing.

Jon Dixon replies: "Thanks Teela! Cool name! I hope I did your fictional namesake justice!"

Like the others I've found myself drawn to this particular piece and have found myself staring at it considerably longer than others.She is gorgeous and there are few other words that describe it any more accurately.Job well done.