Any tips for making good designs/concepts?

madmuffin

Lately I've been struggling a lot lately in making any unique/interesting designs or concepts. I have lots of reference art but I feel like it's only holding me back in terms of creativity, because I lean on it like a crutch and can't imagine anything I can't see in the form of reference art.

I want to make something like this, that good, right now. In terms of modeling skills I don't think it would be beyond me, though it would take a while. My problem is find I struggle much more with the creative aspect of 3D now rather then the technical.

I can block out a basic shape but I am absolutely terrible at coming up with the minute finite details that make up the interest of the model. Everything I make is covered in vast expanses of flat boring un-broken-up surfaces, and I'm not content with that. Even when I do get one interesting shape, I struggle to continue with it as it is just a fluke.

Are there any tips and tricks to make more appealing concepts and designs? Every time I try to sketch something in photoshop it just comes out blurry and blobby and all around terrible.

Carl Brannstrom

Make alot of completely random doodles, lines and siluettes. Duplicate, rotate, scale, mirror and you'll get new designs to work from. Repeat if necessary. If you do this, you can come up with really crazy and unique designs you would never come up with yourself.

However, don't forget that the major shapes should have a decent flow. Also you need some areas where the eyes can rest.

System

Dont confuse randomness with good design, however its a good way to brainstorm for sure.

Have a good look through these;

http://www.theartcenter.blogspot.com/
http://www.artsammich.blogspot.com/

Mark Dygert

madmuffin wrote: »

Are there any tips and tricks to make more appealing concepts and designs? Every time I try to sketch something in photoshop it just comes out blurry and blobby and all around terrible.

From what I've gleaned from around the web, the formula for fixing this looks something like:
5% use hard edged brushes
10% paint in forms and blocks of color
15% try to get as clear of a picture as possible in your head
70% keep drawing

I'm pretty sure I've linked you to these before but you might not have been ready for them yet, it seem like you might be now.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1139754&postcount=2

madmuffin

Reading those links, lots of nice artwork there and I like how they detail their process in some posts. That's something I don't have is the experience and understanding of the processes people use to achieve the things they get.

I wish I could intern with like some really talented artist for a year, I feel like I'd improve a thousand-fold more then I ever will working on my own in my dark hole in the ground with no contact with anyone.

TryForce

i feel you,
i'm struggling myself to start working on some Art after a very long time for myself. It's just hard to keep up the excitement when you seem to "fail" making something interesting for yourself.

I guess those 70% keep drawing is the key to escape this ugly hole.

thanks for the thread btw. , i hope there'll be some more advices in future!

Dan!

Mark Dygert hit most of the PS cliffnotes -that 70% keep drawing pertains to quite alot especially when it comes to form recognition- which IMO comes in real handy when modeling. It's sort of a cyclical effect where one improves the other, when it comes to 2d/3d.

As far as design goes- the best designers I've seen go through some fairly rigorous processes. It really comes down to iteration of the idea until you have a fairly concentrated version of the concept. Thats not to say a quick one off concept sketch can't be B.A. But all the study, exploration and distilation of your idea can help from making boring ideas. If you can watch Terryl Whitlatchs process she has a great and in-depth breakdown of how she concepts a creature.
link:
http://online.academyart.edu/resources/creature-design-demonstrations/

madmuffin

I looked at it for a moment and it seemed pretty cool, I'll check those out when I get home from work today. All I can do it keep at it for now I suppose.

Lamoot

Here's some Zen to consider. The whole video is cool, while the parts you're looking for are around 4:30 and 9:00 [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGOtGDQ-K-g[/ame]

You can get Alchemy from http://al.chemy.org/

madmuffin

Oh I've got alchemy and I've used it before, it's really good, my only issue with it is it more good for random spontaneous designs, rather then like mechanical objects that have rules in how they work and stuff.

Tully

madmuffin: coming up with details for concepts certainly can be a difficult thing. I used to have this issue myself, but I found the best way to overcome it to be making concepts based on a lot of reference, but not sticking to it. Like, get a picture of a gun, and paint over it to change it while keeping something of it's essence and feel. Use its details, but move them and switch them around. What you need is a mental library of details and shapes to draw upon when you're designing -- you can get this from reference originally, but keep it in your head and use it in unexpected places. Pipe joins, pistons, air vents, seams -- all that stuff.

krisCrash

Oh nice, I forgot to use Alchemy for a looong time. Guess I will redownload it.

that video made me doodle a bunch of unrealistic swords x3

Valandar

madmuffin wrote: »

Oh I've got alchemy and I've used it before, it's really good, my only issue with it is it more good for random spontaneous designs, rather then like mechanical objects that have rules in how they work and stuff.

But it can also be used for proportion / silhouette ketches, which you then sketch over adding in those details and rules.

Baj Singh

Splitting up your design into "levels of detail" should help you develop your ideas bit by bit.

So say you start with silhouettes, at this point you are concerned only with an overall interesting larger form. You could take some keywords or even a character brief to help you narrow down your silhouette bank.

Once you get to this stage then you can either continue sketching, or if you are struggling with this then test some of your silhouettes out in ZBrush by rapid prototyping some of your ideas. This should give you a better clarification as to whether that silhouette will work well in 3D space (not only visually but functionally).

This is where your written brief for your character will help, as a lot of keywords will pop out which will help you develop your idea both visually and functionally and is where a lot of your detail will come from. Just make sure that you balance your character, you don't want to lose your silhouette underneath a barrage of unnecessary detail.

Practice, patience and communication with your peers are probably the best ways to help develop your skill level and your idea bank (although reading on the subject of design as well as using references will help you just as much).