Final Major Project Update – 27/3/20

In the past week I have gone back to working on my creatures, starting with the scavenger creature. Here is the design reference board:

As previously posted I started with some sketches and silhouettes. I used the silhouettes to determine what kind of body shape I wanted to use, whether it would be something more raptor-like or more bird-like. My aim was to make the creature look agile and somewhat threatening. 

With the sketches I continued the idea of the anatomical similarities with the first creature I designed (the predator). I gave this creature a crest, four eyes, and spikes along its spinal cord/tail. There are also smaller similarities to tie it all together.  I made one of the eyes bigger and one smaller to emphasise the bird qualities. I was very happy with the head I created in my first sketches and only made small alterations along the way.

Next I took note of which bodies suited the creature most and continued to sketch with this in mind. I used oviraptors and velociraptors as reference. I sketched something I really liked, and went on to refine it. 

I changed the body shape, feathers, and spike placement. I found that the final iteration looked best. It gives a sense of agility and mischievousness. It was also eye catching and unique.

I tested some colors. I already knew I wanted red from my previous sketches, especially because I had incorporated the red and turquoise feathers into my natives’ designs. So I mostly experimented with pattern and color placement.

After choosing a color scheme, I made some gestural/action sketches to show how this creature would move.

And finally, I created anatomy sheets, showing muscle, skeleton, and head views.

I also began a photobash+painting of the scavengers’ head. It is a work in progress.

Final Major Project Update – Environment - 23/3/20

I created a new photobash recently to depict a fortress built by the enemy race in the middle of the woods. I began with base images of a forest, some giant sequoia trees, and a mossy ground. 

I manufactured the hole in the tree by using two images of a tree and merging them together. 

I then added the fort itself and decided it would look more convincing to cover the front with a gate, so as not to make this fort look very welcoming. Something felt off and then I thought that as they are such a practical group of people, they probably would have created some kind of rough road to make it easier to travel and use transportation (like carts etc.), so I added a dirt path (made up of two images of the same path). I also felt that there was a lack of depth behind the fortress, so I bashed another image into the back to make it feel like there was space behind the building. 

At this point in the photo bashing process, I have gotten all the main/base features down. This is the point where I start to add a color pass and lighting. I also added the important red ivy detail. 

I needed the environment to look more like a jungle-like forest than a regular forest. I added some viney tree images into the background behind the trees to make the forest look more tangled and cluttered with overgrowth. At this point I had also hand painted over a couple areas to make them appear more natural. 

I duplicated the group and merged it into one image and edited the hue and levels to give the scene the same color scheme as my previous environment pieces. I still have some finishing touches to add but I added some guards to the gate and painted a native scout hiding behind the large tree in the foreground. I've left this piece on hold for now to have fresh eyes next time I edit it. I want to make the native appear more realistic, since I think she looks a bit too 2D right now, and I will change the guards a bit to match their actual uniform designs (showed in previous blog post).

Final Major Project Update – Enemies - 14/3/20

Since my last post (less than 2 weeks ago) I have started working on the enemies of the game. Here is my design reference board:

I wanted these people to have a military, strict, practical feel to them. I used military uniforms and geometric shapes as my inspiration. I started by sketching faces and costume, then began creating silhouettes, incorporating simple but sharp-edged shapes into the designs. At first I liked some of the more complex looking designs but then decided it would be better to simplify them and make them look practical, simple, and easily manufactured/made over and over again.

I took the iterations I preferred and made small further changes. After I chose a front design that suited my aims I did a few back designs and then chose to simplify the uniform even more by taking away the long back and making the coat more of a jacket. I did a couple rough sketches.

I then took the previously favoured designs and started making the enemy leader’s design. I aimed to make his attire fit in with the rest of the uniforms but stand out as its own important outfit. I decided to give him a long coat and played with the front asymmetrical shapes and hard angles. I wanted it to feel military without resembling existing uniforms too much. Next I will create a symbol to reflect the hard nature of the enemies and I’m thinking of giving the leader a walking stick of some sort, more of a sceptre than an actual walking aid.

Final Major Project Update – Natives – 3/3/20

Over the past couple weeks, I have been working on developing the native race for my concept. I began simply with sketching and after I produced a few I came across a head idea I really liked, so I moved to Zbrush to sculpt it to determine if it would work in 3D. It also made drawing the race over and over again easier. I stuck with the idea. It matched the rest of the fauna of the environment by having the nose-bone be a crest with nostril holes.

I painted a page of quick heads to work out colours and expressions and how individuals can vary or how genders vary.

I decided that they should have natural markings across their body. Females would have green and males would have red. I also played with the idea of hair dyes.

I went on to create the basic body structure/proportions. I wanted to make them very close to humans with slight differences, the same way dwarves, elves, and humans are similar but different despite living in the same world. I made the natives slightly taller than the average human and also decided that both males and females would be of similar height to each other. I wanted to change the feet and made them hardier looking as this race of people are more accustomed to walking around bare foot on difficult terrain.

Then I designed what kind of body markings they would have, and after choosing one, I created a reference page for the design of the natives.

Then I began to work on the clothing. I just wanted to get and give a feeling for what sort of clothes they would wear. I decided the use of rope and simple lengths of cloth was best. Not too fancy but not boring. I applied some colours to see which sort of dyes would look best.

I wanted to do a shaman design as well because it is an important character to the game as it is the character who will conduct the power of the ancients into the main character. I started with sketches and then found a design I really liked. It’s unique to the rest of the natives, and has a big pop of colour with the feathers and has the bug wing nose piece worn only by shamans.

The last thing I have done for this race is some drawings showcasing day to day life and people.

Final Major Project Update – Creatures – 3/3/20

Apologies for not updating recently first of all. Secondly, here’s what I have produced in the past few weeks for my creatures!

After determining the design of the Thymexodon (apex predator) and the mount creature, I developed anatomy reference pages for both. I used existing creatures as reference to make the anatomy as accurate as I could. I also produced some head views and feet views. I decided it would be beneficial to show the main body, muscle structure, and skeleton separately from each other and then show the skeleton’s placement within the body.

I went on to create a final render of the predator. I used photo-bashing and painting to produce a realistic render. I used the textures of a crab, scorpion, beetle, alligator, rock minerals, and a lion. I decided to work in black and white to determine texture before colour.

After finishing the render, I used overlay layers to add and experiment with colour schemes. I even overlaid images of fish or precious stones to try patterns out on the body. I experimented with a colourful and vibrant scheme as well as a few controlled palettes.

I found that the bright blue/purple colours were too ocean-like and not suited for the environment. I kicked those colours to the curb for the moment, but carried the idea forward of having markings on the back half of the body.

A couple of my tutors and my peer gave me feedback on my work at this point. I was told to make the forms of the predator render more organic by changing certain areas, such as the back piece, the fore legs, the back legs, and the back of the neck. I have yet to act on this feedback.

As for the other two creatures, I have started on the basics of their designs. I did some silhouettes and sketches. 

I decided to keep certain anatomical similarities within the creatures of the local environment so they all looked related. This is why the scavenger design has a head crest with the nostrils like the predator does. It also has four eyes, and I will probably add some long spiky tail feathers to reflect the predator’s rump spikes.

In the next post I will cover what I have produced for the native race in the past few weeks.