DOM WAR IV - 2D MINI - WAR GENERAL PORTRAITS
polycounter lvl 17
2D Challenge
It's time to gather up your creativity, pull together your talents, and get ready for a new kind of warm up competition in the Dominance War series - Mini Challenges! Although the theme is separate from the main epic event, world champion standings are assured for the best mini comp entries!
To commemorate a new class of competition, we will be using a modified theme from Dominance War I. So this year's first ever Concept Art mini topic is:
War General Portraits
The rules are simple - create a portrait of a leader capable of leading troops to victory! Your war general portrait can be from any time period and any race. As long as he/she/it looks like a war general, has the appropriate team war logo somewhere on the body/clothes, and has the appropriate team colors (green and black for Polycount), everything is good!
This challenge is here for those desiring to practice their art before the main event. So keep it easy, keep it quick, and keep it real.
You have 9 days (2 weekends plus 5 days) to finish with the following notes:
- Artists can only join 1 team for any event during Dominance War IV. If you start with polycount, you cannot enter another mini challenge or the main event with gameartisans or cgsociety.
- You are not required to enter all challenges. Pick the ones you like, and join.
- Posting your work in progress in this single thread is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY.
- You can only submit one "up to" 1000x1000 350k max final image. 200w x 1000h is fine. 999w x 500h is fine. This image must include your team logo, your War General's name, and your personal name and/or contact details.
- Only 1 entry per person. Do not create or try to create multiple entries with different user names.
- Final submissions are final. If you upload your final image 4 days before the deadline, do not ask us to change it. Make sure you are happy with your image before you submit it into the system.
- Public voting starts Thursday March 5th to March 8th to find each team's best 5. Each team’s best 5 entries then gather together into a single pool and a grand mini champion chosen and announced with all other Dominance War IV event champions in June.
Final Submission link for Polycount team Members:
- http://www.gameartisans.org/contests/minis/join_polycount_2d.html
Final View Entries page for Polycount:
- http://www.gameartisans.org/contests/minis/view_entries_polycount_2d_1.html
Good Luck to all those who enter!
Replies
Well, allow me to try to add some excitement!
My rough sketch of my War General, with colour testing (very WIP):
Isn't she pretty?
My next step is to stop being a lazy bum and gather lots of reference for her (Pity me, my google search will = "Old fat women" ;_; )
After that, more detailing and then on to the photo realistic rendering!!
Any suggestions and comments will be very helpful at this stage, so please bring them on!
Good start Mezz, I think the cleavage is starting a bit high though. The gold's also more piss-yellow than gold-yellow
Think I'll join in on this one too, definitely need the practice
Mezz,
I always want to "render" my drawings in a photorealistic style.
And what i notice when studieing a photo, is that there are hardly any lines.
Its mainly build up out of planes and gradients. So to make the transition to photorealistic more easier for you, id suggest using less lines, and go with more thicker strokes.
lines and flats read totaly different from strokes and gradients. So mixing between those styles might be very hard. i notice that it will change shapes constantly, so getting those strokes in early might save you alot of frustration.
I was thinking of the queen from final fantasy 9,
think she might need a double chin, like she's a really wealthy pig. (painters from around 1800 also painted women with more curvers to show wealth)
Look it up, "queen barhne" might give you an idea or two. Atleast make her more evil! she looks a bit too much like an english madam going on a hunt
Good luck, and kick some ass!
Jaco, thanks man! its pretty far out indeed
Listening to it at least once a day, it just keeps me happy. (she's so hot.. she's like a curry!)
Nice start pestibug, like his head, are you sure "portrait" doesn't mean you're only supposed to make a bust-type presentation? Or is drawing the full character good too?
A link that says half, full body or bust are all fine
(bottom of the post)
and thanks
Awesome to see you in this thread, Rens. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
Oh and why is jouste and Tully missing from here?
Good luck, everyone.
-caseyjones
Just let me boot up the old laptop here and I'll get started....
sooo, I started today with some sketches, some of them are generals nonos, but I need to get things sometimes on canvas...
I especially like the bottom left and bottom right ones. Look forward to seeing more!
Here's my basic idea, a blind general with a psionic amplifier dog thing.
I need to take the time to really design this guy, he's looking really generic at the moment.
Really cool stuff here guys, lets show who's boss!
Stef, the reflection in the helmet is just.. $#%# sweet!
I think i like nr.1 best, looks a bit medieval, leader of a hidden army. He looks calm and knows what he's doing.
some roughs and directions.
Im wearing my greentooth tshirt today for the first time ever haha
Having contrast issues with my home monitor...damn.
LOL I like his little lap worm.
quicky sketchies...
It's hard to move away from the typical human idea we have of a general, mainly tough looking males chiseled out of stone.
I tried to start with that on the bottom left, and move away and keep every design... punctual against any of the other designs.
Good guys on top, bad guys on bottom. Person farthest from would be the arch nemesis of the opposite character. Persons closest to the other are friendly. But It's all very subjective... I dunno. None of these have sold me yet, so I'm going to work on my 3d entry for a day then come back when I'm freshed..
snowfly, that design is pretty rocking. You might think about actually making the crown piece bigger, not unlike that Amadeus poster. OR at least give it some more oomph, but I would also keep it at least somewhat practically sized, unless it starts to just rock too much.
the first design is pretty cool too. I like the color scheme better than the new one anyways.
moving on on my entry... I dont want to go fancy with finding the right design, etc. , I liked the lower right one of my first post so today studied some portraits I liked, I placed him in light for it & its a blockout - next I want to think about design and composition elements. hope this gets done then tomorrow because for color I need to study some stuff before...
Some seriously amazing stuff here, everyone! Its good to see that our 2D crew are getting their game on and fighting the good fight.
Ok... so seeing more people's work... is making me rethink things.
Thanks a lot for the advice, Rens. I like throwing down a sketch first to see where I'm going, since I've grown used to line art, but I think you make a very good point. So, my next step is to basically start over using that technique
Next post... hope to see more awesome from me! And if its not, feel free to slap me until its looking a shade of the awesome of others posted here. ^.^
Good luck to all us 2-Ders!
xysdf - glad you went with that bust! i like the classical nobleman portrait feel you're going for, and the costuming...he's definitely giving off the right vibe
kodiak - always love seeing your studies man. i sort of agree that none of these are clicking just yet, although by themselves they're all pretty sick. you're a storyteller, so maybe zero in on the type of message you want your picture to deliver visually while you're away from the 2D? Sometimes I find that stepping back and thinking about the concept more effective than concept by multiple choice, although that's helpful too to get the ball rolling.
Thanks for the tips, I'm seriously considering enlarging the hat.
Mezz - However you choose to do the construction stage try not to rush it, since little flaws in the drawing seem to make themselves more apparent as you paint. You've got pretty unique taste so I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Good luck!
My girlfriend dug up some old Brom books and we spent the whole afternoon going through em, now I've got the bug to do something Brom-like:
It's very cool to see different takes on the same topic (albeit it being a bit broad ofc) very inspiring and motivating.
Im at a bit of a crossroads
First idea being a classical painting but as a hologram... second idea im not sure on but something that naturally fits the colours - so zombie / fantasy, choices choices.
hologram portrait sounds interesting jackwhat, I like the direction your taking snowfly, a bit of gooee specular would be really cool on that piece.
hmm I already did that when I first started the piece, is there something about the proportions that you would like to see changed?
i did a one min liquify to see what direction you can take
Snowfly and xysdf
Everyone is doing amazing work, keep it up.
-caseyjones
toast! very nice lighting/mood going on! strong pose, looks awesome
snowfly and everyone else great work
i started playin with ideas... NOT going to stay with this.. but i thought i would post any sketches i do...
ok, i figure who better to lead us into battle, then general ghostface. if you know him than this isnt too far off from his actual presense.
i still have some plans for it, but this is the start
enjoy, i love whats coming out of these so far
Oh Gavin. I miss you!