Completed Eel & Nasa Lab

It’s been a little while since I’ve written in here, Diary. But I have a lot to say. The biggest thing is that I got 90% again this week! WOO! The assignment was the colour and texture and basically finish the images I’ve been working on the last few weeks.

First the harder image: The 1960s Nasa Lab

computerlabv3

There isn’t a lot to tie this to the 1960’s with the exception of a very mid century style lamp and a rotary phone on the counter but the huge vintage satellite in the middle is pretty obvious.

I got good points for imagination. The original brief was “Interior Computer Lab” but naturally, as a concept artist, I can’t just draw a modern computer lab. I could just find a real one and take a picture. So I imagine this computer lab was where America created the first satellite.

Animated process:

labprocess

Now the weirder (and more fun) picture: The Eel.

eelorange

The assignment brief was: “Eel with white body, yellow head, black spots, lidless eyes and a fin running from the head to tail on his round body”.

The robot arms and legs were implied in that.

Officially I handed this in after the critique class so I didn’t get a chance to talk to my teacher about it yet. He’ll be discussing it tomorrow though so that’s good. If it’s normal notes then I won’t write about it but if there’s something major then I’ll make sure I let the blog know.

The process:

eelprocess

As you can see this stops before the final orange atmosphere lighting. I added that last minute before uploading it to the school and I had already created this process gif and I can’t be bothered to edit it.

I have another big post coming very soon before this term ends.

Michael

Highest Mark Yet

I just got my highest assignment grade so far, Diary. 90%! Yesssss. Pretty good considering the creature portion wasn’t complete.

I’m spending way to much time trying to make the picture perfect so I haven’t drawn the details on the mechanics or the bubble over it’s head. But here it is so far.

eelvaluesv2Yup. That’s the guy. I have to add teeth and colour and all sorts of junk but it’s really coming together I think. And I think I’ll work on it now. Short post! WOO!

Love Michael

Updated Thumbnails

Hi Diary,

REALLY short post today but that’s ok. I just posted the comics like… yesterday? I don’t even know. I worked a two day auction and haven’t been to bed before 3am for 4 days. It’s 2:44am right now so maybe today I will!

Anyway, this is just the updated thumbnails I created from the last assignment. I know they don’t look much different but it was hours of experimenting and erasing ideas that didn’t work. Just showing it before I start the next step tomorrow. Just lots more details and a more dynamic perspective.

newthumbnailsAnyway, go read the comics I posted previously, why not?

Love Michael

Cyborg Eel and 1960’s Computer Lab Thumbnails

Sup, D? Werd.

After months of character and creature designs the class has finally shifted towards environments. I will still be doing characters and creatures each week but they won’t be the real focus of the assignments. The assignments are also starting to become more specific as if I was hired to draw something for a client. I was given 4 options for environments and 4 options for creatures/characters.

For the environment I chose to do a Interior Computer Science Building. That’s all the description I was given. But as always I have to make it unique. If I just draw a picture of a regular every day computer lab then why hire me, right? They could just take a photograph of a real one.

So I’m doing a 1960’s computer lab from Americas side of the Space Race. Essentially scientists building a satellite in a room full of computers.

The design board:
computerlabdesignboard

I love those big chunky computers. They will really give me an opportunity to play with Smart Objects in photoshop but I’ll get into that in another post.

I’ve also been trying to practice my thumbnails. The shots aren’t nearly dynamic enough but the perspective and scale are getting better. I had the critique on these thumbnails two days ago so I’m going to actually redraw them soon to make them better before moving onto the next step. The satellite needs to be the focal point.

computerlabthumbs

For the creature I had to draw an eel. Just that. An eel. So naturally I decided to give it robot bird legs and arms.

Board:
ealdesignboard

Paints a picture, doesn’t it? The thumbnails:

eelthumbs

You can see how much I struggled with getting a good shape/perspective for the eel. I didn’t want it to have a perfect snake slither. I wanted him all loosy-goosy in an asymmetrical shape. Snakes move in a very wave-like fashion but eels are influenced more by the water movements. I think the legs and arms really give him some personality. Once I have him redrawn bigger I will play with more details and mechanical components.

And that is all. I will write again this weekend to talk about some new comics I’ve been drawing lately.

Love Mikey