[DS2] Hammer, Andrew Mackie

Andrew Mackie

Hello there Polycounters!

I am going to be putting aside a lot of other work just to focus in on this contest because it seems like it is going to be a lot of fun. I'm glad to be apart of it and I look forward to giving and getting a lot of feedback.

"FINAL" :

Andrew Mackie

Some concepts and quick sketches:




Still very early in this concept and I want to go crazy with it and get a lot of variations down before I start modeling. More to come later tonight!

Andrew Mackie

MORE!

Andrew Mackie

So far I am liking the idea of having a Maker style handle and bar support system holding up a giant mystic rock. I'd like to think that this rock is one that stoned jesus during that time so it could even be a Demonic weapon (is that too messed up?). I am going to settle on one style though and stick with it soon enough.
Also I just drew crystals because I saw someone else doing them and I wanted to sketch them haha, please ignore them.
Until next update!

Andrew Mackie

Two more sketches:

More of a graveyard ironwork feel.


Giant's bone hammer.


And something extra just for fun.


Alright I'm done posting for tonight!

Habboi

Also I just drew crystals because I saw someone else doing them and I wanted to sketch them haha, please ignore them.

*cough* I actually saved that image as inspiration Keep it up, these are some nice designs.

Andrew Mackie

Hey Habboi! - Thanks for the feedback and I am honored that someone would put my work in their inspiration folder

More work to come once I get home!

Andrew Mackie

Here are some more sketches during my lunch at work:






I am going to try and get some grey boxes done tonight but then go back to concepting for tonight.

Andrew Mackie

Some more sketches and some 3D work. All still very early in on the concepts and I am just trying to get a feel for the style still.






Enjoy :]

Jiece

The detailing on that Zbrush bone is nice, but that one indent on the left, just below the head, seems a bit deep-- looks like it might fracture with a good hit. Also a forewarning, I'm pretty sure we're not allowed any dangling bits like chains, so you might want to try to incorporate those elsewhere, like around the handle. Of your concepts, I've got to say I'm a big fan of 9 on that silhouette post you made yesterday. That combined with the "Graveyard Ironwork" would be SICK.

Andrew Mackie

Hey Jiece! - Thank you for the feedback :] I agree that the bone needs some tuning and tweaking. I just did it as a study to try and get a feel for the high poly style. After watching BoBo's livestream again I just had to sculpt something haha. As for the chains and cloth, I am a little sad that I can't do those because I love the silhouette that they give an object, but I have to stick to the rules I guess. I plan on taking some of those previous concepts a little further tonight and maybe getting some more ironwork done on them. Thanks again for commenting!

Andrew Mackie

I'm just posting this ref here for a study later [also it is pretty sexy looking]

ozzmeister00

Watch out for things that would require secondary animation, I know Bobo mentioned these are all going to be using animation that's already been created.

Andrew Mackie

Hey ozzmeister00! - Thank you for the reminder, I need to stop sketching things like that, but it is so much fun to sketch out floating stones and cloth and chains haha. I am giving myself the rest of this week to get the concept down solid so I'm just going to keep trying to get a good feel for the style right now. Thanks for the comment!

Andrew Mackie

Quick paintover of the character to give some scale and ref for the models when they are being worked on.




If you want to grab the paintover please be my guest :]

Andrew Mackie

Still throwing around a lot of ideas and just playing around.

Andrew Mackie

Not too proud of the color treatment but I like the design. It needs some more though...

Andrew Mackie

Here is a small link dump if people are looking for more ref:

Artifacts
&
Weapons

All credit to Paul Richards for these that guy's art and style blow me away.

SgtNasty

I think you might want to go back to beginning on this one. Just work up some quick silhouette drawings. Don't get too attached to them, and just try to do as many variations as you can within like, an hour or so.

Andrew Mackie

Hey SgtNasty! - Thanks for the feedback! I'll be doing what you suggested today. I am not attached to any of these designs so I'll try out some more silhouettes today and maybe jump into Alchemy for a bit and see what I can get out of that.

Andrew Mackie

Some more silhouettes. I'm going to sculpt for a bit to clear my head.

Andrew Mackie

What's this? More reference? Yes.

Andrew Mackie

I'm thinking of going Angelic for this...thoughts?

Andrew Mackie

Some more concepts. I am liking where this is going.



Skull for fun :]


It is rare for me to enjoy what I am producing as much as this. I may not be the best out here for this competition but I am easily learning a lot during the whole process and having a lot of fun with it

Habboi

That's a good sign. But don't sell yourself short. Some of the popular designs so far are not my cup of tea and it's a case of pleasing some and not others.

I like your hammer with the arc on the upper handle. Keep messing with it but remember time is ticking

Andrew Mackie

Thanks man! I am going to have to settle by Sunday to meet the deadlines that I set for myself. I am leaning more towards that design that you mentioned. More to come!

thepapercut

Number 5 on your first hammer concepts I really like the design, awesome work man.

Andrew Mackie

Hey thepapercut - Thanks for the feedback! I think I am going to scrap that design for now. I am sticking with Angelic for the time being and I am going to try and throw some (very little) bits and pieces from the Maker style into it as well. I'll be posting some of my work later tonight for more review Thanks for reading!

Andrew Mackie

Some quick concepts of the square hammer. Also a random raven skull hammer...I have no idea why.

Spug

I totally understand frustration, I went through the same steps too. One thing you could try is thinking about the story behind your weapon/asset. What lore will it have, and why does it set this apart from the other weapons of darksiders : ) Good luck!

Andrew Mackie

Hey Spug! - Thanks for the comment That is a really good point, I am going to have to come up with some ideas of what/where this weapon is from. I am also not loving the boring-ness of my design right now. Too square. But I am going to be sketching all day tomorrow to try and get some crazy wing concepts and maybe some more Maker-ish designs down :]

Andrew Mackie

Okay people I got the top of the hammer down. Still working on the bottom parts and pieces but I am calling it "done" just to meet my deadlines that I have set for myself. I could keep working on this forever haha.

Andrew Mackie

No time to type! Must keep modeling!

wretchedgoat

i think if you're going to put those wings on top they should be a single piece rather than the small ones on each side, and make them larger chunks. keep going man!

Andrew Mackie

Hey Cory! - I took your advice and played with the wings a little bit, but I am just not feeling them right now. I'm going to sketch some more design ideas and play with modeling them tomorrow. Thanks for the feedback!

Andrew Mackie

Adjusting scale and getting ideas.






Playing around with handle ideas...

Andrew Mackie

With the scale reference. I cannot wait to get this base down and then start sculpting :]

Andrew Mackie

Beep boop.


I'm going to run with this one tonight and do a sculpt of it and see what I like:


With some rough lighting:

Andrew Mackie

Sculpt Started:



Testing out a lot of ideas still:

pseudoBug

The spiral around the handle looks like it would cut up your hands. Not exactly what one wants in a weapon.

I don't really thing the wings are adding much to the design I'd try to find a direction without them, or incorporate them into the design some other way. (or at least make them feel more solid).

I'd try to work in a more substantial pommel, something with some weight and thickness to it.

Work some more variation back into the sides. Right now they're just flat planes.

Hope that helps!

Andrew Mackie

Hey pseudoBug! Thank you for the help! I have had the hardest time trying to get this concept down. I will try to rework the spiral and the wings into something more solid and make the design flow better.

Andrew Mackie

OKAY! I am sticking with this design. I'm not necessarily 'happy' with it, but I need to settle on something and just finish it. Thanks to everyone for the feedback so far, I can't wait to start texturing this thing :]

Habboi

Is that handle the same size as the proxy? Looks a little thin. Good to see you've finally found something though I fear you left it too late. Long nights ahead

Andrew Mackie

Hey Habboi - I fixed it :] thanks for the heads up it was way to small haha.

I also want to thank everyone for all the help so far, it means a lot. I have learned so much from this competition already and I'm not even done yet

KingKuvu

Kinda off topic, but where did you find the first picture you posted? The orange axe, sword, and bow.

Andrew Mackie

Hey KingKuvu! - The ref is from Murph. Here is a link to his blogspot :]

Andrew Mackie

High poly and bakes are done. You're going to have to believe me on this one since I am too sick to function right now and post them. I'll be working on the texture and other maps tomorrow.

Andrew Mackie

OKAY!
So I am 'finished' with the competition...I am not really as happy with the outcome as I would have liked to be and there are a lot of issues with the baking and textures [I'm sure that you can see the seams that have been plaguing me]. So, I am going to do another one just for fun I'm thinking of doing it in the style of Darksiders but having a lot of influence from elsewhere as well.

Here is something that I just wanted to play around with:


and now I'm going to watch Game of Thrones and sketch. Thank you everyone for the amazing feedback and help throughout this competition!

AnthonyBarnes

This is easily the worst submission i have seen so far.

Andrew Mackie

Just playing around with some Kingdom Of The Dead stuff. I really liked sculpting the bone from before so I figured 'why not do more of what is fun'?
More concepts to come once I find my scanner again...

Andrew Mackie

Some skull tests :] I need to re UV it, but I like where it is going at the moment.

Sculpt:

Low with normal:

Wireframe: