Environment KeyShots

Thought I'd share some establishing environment key shots I worked on a a while ago. The approach taken here is to get the main idea down using line work of the idea in mind, then layering over with some basic values in black and white.

Development Sketches

Development is what I'm all about! Sometimes it's not always to do with creating pretty picture's conveying an idea. More information is obtaining by showing development sketches and research of the particular concept (different view angles, colour samples, reference images) that sort of thing.

Diving into the world of your vision and dissecting it, essentially gives it more substance as it would show you really understand the makeup of your image. Normally you would do this process before you start on an image or piece of art, most professionals do ..unless you have had years of practice (its part of the production pipeline I believe as well). But it is possible to do this when you have half an image/idea completed! as shown below.

Benefits of exacting things, allows to change the makeup of your image, stage it differently perhaps. Never know what the future may hold lets say you'd like to construct your concept into 3D for example plans are there ready to go.

These are only some of my rough samples below I started with years ago, have so much more to show! All accompanying reference images are from google.

Photo-Bashing

Not entirely sure where or when this terms came about but essentially 'photo bashing' is manipulating photos/picture/images of your choice into your own artwork and painting over. Its used by professionals to quickly generate ideas, add detail which in turn speeds up proficiency in your artwork. Doing complex detailing can become very time consuming so its a very useful technique.

When starting out this technique wasn't was used much from my knowledge and we are going back a few years now.. but as times change and the creative community grows larger a lot more people have added this into their workflow including myself.

The beauty of this is not only can you structure the specific look, pattern, effect. You can arrive with a different outcome that was never planned so in essence a 'happy accident'. Works out for me quite a bit!

Note: If you are looking to try this technique start by finding vivid images photos of whatever you like. Insert over your artwork change layer blending mode to 'Overlay' or 'Multiply'. Its a good starting point and fun exercise.

First ever Photo-Bashing attempts. 

Turning Point

Now, a lot of the works displayed on my blog have been mainly unfinished items. After spending hours and hours of my own time improving, I really started to get somewhere. Here are the concept illustrations which really show the turning point in my artwork as a whole. Bringing in colours combining composition and storytelling, things started coming together.

Instead of producing draft after draft I began selecting one idea and taking it to the next level.

Theme: Mystical Cave.

Theme: CgHub Character creation challenge (Flying Lizard)

This particular illustration was of significance to me as it was the last image I had shared on ChHub before the website was taken down :( sad times. Felt a great sense of achievement with this image I have taken this into into Maya and put my 3D knowledge to use.

Black and White Values

If you haven't already noticed a lot of my artwork consist of black and white values, this is how I prefer to work and create studies. Sometimes taking out unnecessary color help create a more clearer vision of what you are trying to depict or portray in your concept. Adding colour tends to cloud an idea in my own opinion so I like to add colour later.

Some may prefer the opposite and start with colour as its a way to quickly create mood atmosphere and so on. This is just my way which I have integrated into my own personal workflow.

All Enviroment themed below. 

Enviroment Art

Still touching the surface with my designs. Now we move onto more early environment art pieces, as a huge admirer of the concept art in general, an area I would really focus on was environment design. I liked Investing a lot of time in developing cool looking environments whatever they maybe from imagination. The subject would often differ from concept to concept giving myself a more varied challenge each time.

Using the various brushes accumulated I would start laying down strokes helping build a vision ultimately feeding my confidence.

Exploring Characters

As well as designing environments another side I would like to pursue is creating interesting characters. The images below consist of early unfinished and unpolished development sketches, again just getting some ideas out there. I didn't quite have the knowledge to complete an image just yet. So large portion of time would involve experimenting shapes/composition. 

These images in particular at the time were inspired by events around me which include film games and illustration in general. Nothing special in mind really.

Early Explorations

Not much to say here really apart from the images below are some of my first ever concept explorations I produced based on own ideas often random thoughts(fantasy/sci-fi themed). A combinations of learning the tools and brushes expressing ideas was the main focus.

I knew the only way to get better was to keep practicing so learning the tools was a vital staring point.

Having Photoshop as the base program, the transition went from 90 % using pen and paper 10% digital, to a blend of using paper 20% of the time and now 80% digital. After spending hours and hours on Photoshop it has become second nature like drawing on pen and paper.

Things you are likely to see even in some of my recent piece's, which I will share on other upcoming posts, are development art work, Environment, Sci-fi, Alien Ships and all kinds of crazy weird ideas.

Thumbnailing!

When starting out on a piece of concept art its always good practice to play around with some thumbnails, keeping it quick and simple. Establish some sort of composition even if you have no idea's, get a few shapes down, very quickly you will find something that works.

Really enjoyed this process and discovered ideas developing very quickly. Addition to the this process of essentially idea mark making. I would throw some colour over the top and get a feel of the mood.

Here are some old thumbnails:

My First Piece of Concept Art

Okay this is a little embarrassing but hey, here is my first ever piece of concept art in which I considered as a 'finished piece' (I promise my art gets gets better). 

An old artist community challenge I posted on Cg Hub.

Think its important to share old piece's like this as it really shows the development I have gone through to where I am today, and to others artists out there this depicts how bad I once was. Practice makes perfect.

Anatomicae #15 - Day of the Tentacle

Whilst some areas of this image work there are some obvious area's that don't. I tried playing with the perspective and push the elements in shot. Think I'll consider revising this piece in the future and bring it to life.