Finding/Making Concept Art?

madmuffin

Hey everyone. I'm mainly a 3D modeler and because of that I often find myself in a lack of concept art when I have an idea of something I want to make, but I simply lack the talent and ability in traditional medias to make what is in my head on paper to work from/flesh out.

Does anyone know of either some good websites to visit to find concept art on? Or on the other hand, know any good tips or trick to get what is in your head out on paper.

pestibug

http://conceptart.org/forums/ Pretty much a hotspot to go to for concepts.

[Deleted User]

http://cghub.com has loads.

For making your own, sketch from direct observation of stuff around you regularly. It makes you better at drawing in general.

sebas

Do you know these websites? They are a great starting point:
http://www.conceptart.org/
http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm

Also, for any info or references... Google it.

Gallows

It's been said a million times before but if you want to learn how to draw, just draw from life. If there's a community college near you I can guarantee you can find a life drawing class that's not that expensive and they work wonders. Also deconstruct other drawings that inspire you and try to re-create what they did and apply that to your own work.

madmuffin

I've looked at the conceptart.org website but there was no search function I could find to look for things, but I also never ventured into it's forums either. That CGHub seems to have the same problem, assorted mish-mash of concept art is nice but what if I am looking for robots or knights or something specific?

That tutorial was really nice though, Niklas Jansson is one of my favorite artists.

And lastly of course I've tried just googling what I need but more often then not it never comes up with the state the internet is in today, no matter how vague or specific or related topics I get into I can rarely find what I want or am thinking of.

sebas

If there's no search function, you can try, for example, 'conceptart.org robots' using Google:
http://images.google.es/images?hl=es&source=hp&q=conceptart.org%20robots&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

It would be great to have some website with lots of concept art nicely organized for quick search or wide reference.

ericdigital

you have have have to dig into the conceptart.org forums. There is a whole world your missing if you don't!

pior

Well yeah these two websites are not exactly places to find readymade concepts just like that, free to use for modeling - they are places for artists to show their work and get critiques, just like here. As a matter of fact there is no such place that's going to give you 'free for use' concepts. You will *always* have to contact the artist, and ask if he/she is fine with you modeling their stuff.

So, more simple, do your own! My advice, since you are mostly a modeler : after gathering the necessary photo reference and maybe making some studies off it, put very crude primitives together in 3d, print this out very washed out (yes, on PAPER!! hehe) then draw over it with a pencil. Your perspective execution will be the best you'll ever draw since youll have accurate guides to follow, and you will naturally blend correct shapes and volumes together.

Do it!

Isaiah Sherman

Gawd.... Cghub.com just reminds me of how many more amazing artists there are out there, and how much further I have to go. Depressing and somewhat inspiring =\