Kerryaislinn's WIP Thread
polycounter lvl 3
Hi everyone, I joined this site a few years ago but disappeared for a while to get better at digital painting and art foundations. I finally figured out what I am passionate about in the game industry and that is concept art. My focus is in environment concept art and I'm working hard to keep improving. Figured this thread might be a good tool for motivation as well as a place for me to document my progress and hopefully receive some feedback. My process involves sketching, blocking out a basic scene in Blender, rendering an image and then doing paint overs. Comments and Critiques are of course always welcome.
Replies
I recommend that you go back to learning your basics.
Purpose: this is OFTEN overlook with junior, What is the purpose of this building, it need to be apparent, building are not just randomly construct for fun, they serve a purpose, their shape and position serve that purpose. It's not a water treatment plan, because the building is much higher than the water lever, it seem to pump water since there's a waterfall coming out of it, there's 2 access ramp for vehicule, one is competly useless as it doesn't connect properly to the main path entry and is on a lower level as well, there seems to be some kind of tame ivy that is decoration, why would they put decoration on a factory of some sort, ivy need to be maintained it also need ground to have they roots in. then on the high floor there's wild ivy/moss, which show an " abandonned/not taken care of" aspect that contrast with the clean ivy wall. also the same you just put plant hanging from the top, plant don't float in the air, they need ground where they start growing from, ivy usually grow up, then their branches fall down to give that aspect.
Lighting: Your lighting doesn't make any sense, it's a strong sunset moment, be everything is light in WHITE, and coming from the south instead of from the sun.. At that time of day there's super strong long shadow. Everything is suppose to be orangy, look at reference online.
Value: Vegetation has the same value and color w/e if they are in the foreground or middle plane.
Shading/Polish: you have to look at more reference picture to understand how material react to light and condition, concrete won't look the same in a super wet environment that it will in a city. It's also very hard to read what thing are supposed to be.
Perspective, ratio, composition: it's apparent that you draw over a 3D mesh for your main part, but when you look at the water, the perspective doesn't match anymore with the building. The placement here is distracting and all over the place, you have what is suppose to be your main focus, really flat and boring, nothing happening there, it's just a big grey flat block, then on the side you have some really dark object that catch the eye and in the other side that super bright orange from the sun, you side content should be leading the viewer to the main piece.
Try thumbnail in black and white, choose a subject and do a lot of thumbnail, they will help you learn about value and composition, start simple, pick a building of a scene from a movie or a game so you can focus on learning the basics. then after switch to the concept phase, before starting an illustration do sketches, lot of dirty ugly sketches to explore your idea.
Judging from the water-levels. It looks like your building just crashed into the ocean just as the shot was taken or a big wave is about to hit, I think you'd wanna keep the water-levels consistent.
Working off of the Purpose-section of what Odow said, some clutter, lettering, signs or even some people would really help in telling us what it actually is. I see a couple of horses with packing behind the palm-trees so maybe it's a trading-center? The viewer shouldn't have to guess unless mystery is what you're going for.
Also, this is just coming from my personal preference to learning. But I'd advice to hold off on the 3d-blockouts and photobashing for now. Both of those concepts are to ease the process to gain fast results for things you already know in the workplace. If you use these concepts to learn, you may grow reliant and it'll sink your overall artwork. I was told this very early on that it's better you work hard to nail these things traditionally/the hard way and use these helpful tools for when you're actually working and need to crank out a concept quick.
I haven't seen anything else by you admittedly, so I can't nail for sure what level you are at fundamentally right now.
Best of luck to you anywho, keen to see what else you'll produce
It isn't finished yet but I've made some improvements and added more story elements.
@Odow Thank you for your honest feedback. It really has helped me focus on what I need to do. I've taken some time to really figure out the purpose of this place. I pushed the structure back a bit so I could add more elements to the foreground and fix the water level. The structure's purpose is to create medicine using advanced technologies that the outside world does not have (Used to help only its own people). The water wheel serves as an energy source for the machines that create the medicine. This structure also doubles as living space for the people who are allowed in. I'll be adding a guarded gate on the bridge to stop outsiders from entering. The protagonist is trying to sneak in to bring medicine back to their community where many people have fallen ill.
You are right about the lighting. The front of the building is so light but it should be in shadow. I'll make sure I go back and fix that. I'm also going to bring in the oranges (which I have started to do in the foreground.
I've fixed the value issues between the foreground and mid-ground vegetation. I'm feeling better about this and I will continue to think about the things you have suggested.
@Alchemical
I'm starting to add some people to the environment. I really want this place to be lively. I'm hoping that pulling the foreground back has helped with the water level. I think things were to crowded and confusing before. I've started to just paint everything rather than finding photos to help me and I think I'm benefiting from it. Thanks so much for the help!
I've really been pushing the lighting and functionality. I still want to add a lot more detail but I've finally figured out the issue I was having with the water levels and I'm starting to feel this place come to life. The advice I have gotten here has really helped me focus in on what I need to do! Looking forward to posting an update soon.
This is what I have done so far for the Riot Creative Contest. It is a nice change working on a character; especially one I have always admired from League of Legends. Blocking this out in Grey Scale first to get the proportion and lighting right. I'm having some fun with this and looking forward to seeing what it is like when it is finished. I have a work in progress thread for it here if you want to see my process.
I want him to be a fierce immortal warrior. The monkey king will use Mala beads to summon elemental powers which he uses to fight against evil. That being stated, the monkey king will be a light character. Chinese character for sunrise is on his head piece as a symbol of him using the power of the sun to fight against dark/evil. He is a war general so he is covered well with armor and has war scars. Specifically one going across his face. He fights in the war not for himself but because the dragon Kings are forcing him to by controlling him with his own head piece. In Chinese culture dragons are seen as strong/fierce while also being a token of good luck. Together, he and an army of dragons head into war when he would rather be elsewhere enjoying his immortality. The dragons will play as a composition and story element for the background in the final splash image I create.
http://woobox.com/r44vrg/gallery/mNtfEQCkQqM Voting is now open for anyone who wants to!