Artwork!

Kwayne · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:36 pm Post subject: Artwork!

I launched this topic for those who would like to discuss the artwork of races' portraits.

Also, I'd be very glad to take part in any new (and preferably original) shipset projects by making artwork. If you like the idea, make some replies or contact me on my e-mail address:

king_kwayne@freemail.hu

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

Building a shipset takes an unbelievable amount of time (for me at least) I might just stick with creating race portraits, and neutral races because of that. The original artwork from SEV is very good so it will be hard too create something that fits in. I really like your raceportrait in the other thread by the way.

Anyhow I'm working on a raceportrait right now, a race of sentient mobile fungi. I should have something to show in a couple of days. (I don't have much spare time the coming days/weeks though)

ekolis · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:32 pm Post subject:

Sentient mobile fungi?
Here's one! << link
Razz

HughManatee · Space Emperor Joined: Jun 07, 2006

Well I made this, if you can textue him you can use him.... it... whatver...

EDIT: I gave it tentacle legs since those screenies were taken...

albi_joe · Space Emperor Joined: Mar 19, 2005 Location: USA

cool!

Kwayne · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:55 am Post subject:

HenkBrouwer - A fungi? A Mycon of SC kind of fungi or a Smurfs' home kind of fungi? I'd like to see it...

ekolis - ... Laughing

...

HughManatee - Yes, "cool" is the proper word to describe this totally alien... something. I wonder what kind of ship does he/she ride. I'm not good with texturing aliens, but 3D models are always a great help to find the optimal perspective for a sketch.

HughManatee · Space Emperor Joined: Jun 07, 2006

I was thinkin something like this, or if not something chitinous or coral lookin, like the vong from the SW novels.

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

Pax · Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:07 am Post subject:

Kwayne · Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:50 pm Post subject:

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

Well, I was finally able to complete the promised fungus-thing, here it is:

I'll try and make a neutral race out of this soon.
Oh, and I changed my screenname to the same one I have at shrapnel, it gets to confusing otherwise.

Fyron · Galactic Guru Joined: Aug 04, 2003 Location: CA, USA

Look's like a good candidate for the image gallery's Exobiology album. Smile

Kwayne · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject:

You are indeed devoted to create quality artwork Smile

. Not only the creature, but the background too is well detailed. I'm curious what method did you use.

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

To Fyron: I could upload some pencil sketches of aliens in the future. I don't think that the gallery is intended for uploading pictures from actual empire styles.

To Kwayne: all of it was done from scratch in Gimp for windows with a mouse. I'm planning to buy a wacom tablet though.

Kwayne · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject:

N'Grath was done by setting a multiply layer of dark (almost black) basis on the sketch, continously overpainted with lighter colors. The background was painted behind the finished creature according to the light zones I painted unconsciously.
I also used a mouse, and also intend to gain possession of a wacom as soon as my unemployedness ends in a glorious blast of cash (or sumphing... Rolling Eyes

)

I tried an other method lately to create an obese humanoid squidhead with less dark basis, but it ended in a disappointing mess (looked like a blurry waterpainting). Learned 3 things: 1) never use color dodging 2) sketches are too important to simply chuck up 3) Every race portrait needs extremely dark regions to exist, cuz it brings the lighter regions up (look at stock portraits).
I'm telling you this because such experiments can ruin an entire weekend, which is vital to normal people with a life (so not like me).

Idea: use 3D modeled shapes to render a dark basis, so the effort of sketching can be evaded (at least partially - take a suspicious look on the Xiati portrait).

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

I'ts fun to see you used a completely different technique from the one I used, I basically started with lighter colours, adding the dark ones later Smile

. I used several layers for the drawing, 1 for the creature, 1 for the background, and 2 for the sky (1 for the actual sky, one for the haze/blur effect)

The dodge/burn functions are a dangerous tool indeed, it's easy to mess up a drawing with them, but I ended up using it quite a lot in this drawing to create the 3d look on the creature. just remember the undo function is your friend. (in fact after making this I did some pencil sketches, and had to get used to the fact that I couldn't simply press control-z to undo a bad move, luckily pencils come with erasers too)

Kwayne · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:26 pm Post subject:

Light and Darkness - Yin and Yang... Smile

There is a possibility that the coloring technique depends on the light effects in the environment. I used a dark basis earlier, so the picture ended up in a relatively dark environment. The sad thing is that I made my experiment to verify this thesis... and I failed Crying or Very sad

so I'll stick with my original technique, which I borrowed from Oregano (the original artist) by examining the stock portraits.

Undo/Redo are not just my friends, but my brothers by blood. Even rendered them to F2/F3 to be always at hand.

Fyron · Galactic Guru Joined: Aug 04, 2003 Location: CA, USA

Kana · Space Emperor Joined: Jan 15, 2005

The way I see it the more portrait pics available is a good thing...most people just dont have that kind of artistic talent...Yet combined with others who can make ship models, and others with creative writing talents, a wealth of new shipsets and races will be available to the game...

Keep up the good work...

Kwayne · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:35 pm Post subject:

Thank you.

Kwayne · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:42 am Post subject:

After some failed attempts I was finally able to come out with an acceptable new portrait for my new race, the Xoronn...

HenkBrouwer · Space Emperor Joined: Oct 24, 2005

Great race portrait. I really like the computer screens in the back, and the beady little eyes. Can't wait to see the rest of the shipset Smile

.

CaptainKwok · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

Excellent work!

tindrli · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:24 am Post subject:

100 % agreee

E3 · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:39 pm Post subject:

question for the community...
for those of us who are not graphicly-inclined... who arent artistic.... might someone be willing to take a few descriptions and try some work on our behalf?