Guess I should update this with the colored image


@Naugat: Thank you! I do have a blog but theres less in it than this thread 'cause I delete stuff often.

xk0be: There's pretty much no ref hunting for stuff like this. If I were going to make something more realistic or if it needed to be in a specific theme (like "Warcraft universe") I'd probably farm up ref like crazy but for things like this where it doesn't really need to make sense or fit in anywhere specific other than maybe my own work I usually just wing it with whatever I can think of while painting.

I don't really know what anything is going to look like from the thumbnail. The most important thing about the thumbnail is the silhouette which I always try to keep, everything else can and probably will change. From that thumbnail I only kept the hood, mask, vest, and shoulders. I wouldn't say its pure imagination as if I have a picture in my head or something, about the only thing I know I have nailed when I start is the silhouette, I make up most of the stuff as I go as it's needed and I don't really get clear pictures in my head of how stuff looks.

The whole process is kinda organic, and is mainly trial and error. The thumbnail is a starting point, I usually try to use a lot of the original shapes in it to start with but if they aren't working I throw them out; Like initially the thumbnail had some indicator of thigh plates, but when I painted them they looked like shit so I changed it to just pants, but just having pants looked boring so I gave him some satchels on one side (I see pouches and shit as lazy design a lot of times but hey evrybody needs carrying space, how else do you going to carry around packs of skittles?)

If you compare these two (1, 2) images on this page you can sort of see the evolution of that. They're both nearly finished but #1 was an earlier version, his belt just didn't seem like it had enough going on so I threw a dagger on there, it also helped make the character a bit more asymmetrical. Also if you look at his shinplates, they got simplified because I felt the pattern was just too busy and didn't flow well at all.

When it comes to the patterns and shapes and stuff I have I guess predictable habits when I make shapes, I tend to put hard straight edges and curves together and they usually always meet at a sharp angular point. I rarely ever us a line transition with a curve. How you use shapes really defines a lot about your characters, if you use really curvy shapes, especially in the silhouette your character will look very organic and pretty neutral/nonthreatening usually. Nobody is intimidated by the pillsbury dough boy. Spiky sharp shapes look more aggressive.

Here's a picture of the chest in progress...


On the left side you can see the old version (I painted half at a time), where I was trying to figure out the pattern and on the right you can see where the top half of the chest plate ended up, while still trying to experiment with the bottom half. Again, this was basically trial and error, I spent a while just experimenting with patterns.

I know it's not really helpful but a lot of this is just me looking at something I painted and thinking "I don't like that" so I change it. Usually because the lines/shapes don't flow well, theres toomuch/not enough detail, or not enough material variety, or things just are plain uninteresting (really subjective obviously...) Balance is the most important

I don't think about colors nearly as much as I should (especially in this piece cause it was painted in grey) which is why the colors are sometimes crap.

Dunno how useful any of that info was, how I make artistic decisions is a pretty deep question and I'm not always sure how to explain :P

Love your work! I've been getting into alchemy a lot lately, your video was a huge help. I am curious how you approach your character thumbnails though, would love to see another video or step by step. Keep it up!

That was actually pretty useful and good insight. Its encouraging to know that process of trial and error is fine and is used by someone as good as you are, I seem to always assume people that do awesome stuff just have these vivid images in their head and nail it first try. Very useful post. Thank you.

damn, that guy looks awesome!
i like the red, for me it says "come and get me if you dare"
altough he looks a bit as an assassin too, with the hood and all,
but with the red he isn't gonna get much camouflage,
i may have mist it but could you tell what his backstory is ans what he is/does?
and are you gonna make him in 3D? that would be awesome!

loving your concept creatures/models !

Man, the last character design is awesome. The armor mixed with the hood/fabric is particularly cool. The color contrast is nice as well. Awesome stuff.

Did another one of these so I could record the process incase anyone still cared...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=fOZjCkiDQ_M





xk0be: I hope it's okay or I'm really fucked haha

LuCh!: To be honest there's no real backstory. That guy was just the result of some idle practice in alchemy, starting from an ultra basic brief with no other real info, in this case "sci fi swordsman" an yea he'll get modeled soonish hopefully.

venain: Glad it was useful, I'm probably going to make another video but I feel like these things have diminishing returns.

MisterSande / amadarien: Much thanks guys

establishing a backstory could help you choose the colors.
I see you got inspiration from samurai's, so maybe his hood colors are those of his family crest?
A backstory could also translate in damage on his armour from an old battle.
You can do some interesting stuff with it.

Looking forward to the 3d version!
Watched your video btw, cool technique to come up with interesting shapes.
Thanks for sharing!

I just wanted to thank you for making those alchemy videos. They are the reason I decided to endure the growing pains of a new program and man I'm just hooked on it, its really put some new life into my art.

Also your new sketches using the gradient shapes blows me away I learned a ton just seeing how you use the tool. I'm so very tempted to start using it but I feel I have so much to explore just using pull shapes and shapes.

Your extra work to help the community is very appreciated.

Amazing truly awe inspiring work guy! There was not one image i scrolled pass without adding it to my inspiration folder! keep it up!

Stunning work. You've got a very unique style here. Watching your alchemy vids now.

@SeanW: !! I'm glad man! It really is awesome imo so its always nice to see people give it a fair shot! Be careful with the gradient tool though, when I use it too much alchemy has trouble exporting the files So save often

@Joe/Ques: Thanks guys

Sorry I don't reply very quickly, I try not to bump this unless I've got new work to put in it :P

Some boring studies & arenanet test thing

Just dropping by to say I dig your stuff. Will follow with interest!

The latest character is really cool, specially the layered armor. I can see that you're overall very good with handling high contrast, something I envy in an artist.

I dont know how i missed this SB all this time

Really awesome work man, love the sculpts and concepts

Loving your stuff lately. Makes me realize how much I need to do individual studies.

Also:

Hot diggity! Pretty much going to say what everyone else already said. Killer stuff, very interesting about the hard brush, super helpful Alchemy video. I actually laughed out loud at the "bald, naked dudes..." part. You absolutely nailed it. I've been panicking because my design skills have fallen so far behind. I can't feed my family with bald, naked men, (or can I?...)
Anyway, can't wait for more. Hope you stick with the yellow for sword guy.

Liking that new design, long arms + dual blades is very cool.
A small question about your studies if you dont mind- what makes you decide to do what
kind of study? im never sure whether i should be doing texture or light or to focus on this or
that and feel a bit like im drifting between them without learning so much. or is this the kind
of thing that structured school learning is for?

Fantastic sketchbook! I love this latest design, the yellow accents are nice.

Your art is epic...

Im sinceriously ispired by your works...
What's your streaming channel?

Thanks!

Really great work. Small crit: the dual swords on your front/back concept need to be switched to an opposite side. Doesn't really matter as it looks awesome, but the devil is in the details as they say.

Originally Posted by dii

Heavenly hell that's good!

Are you planning on modeling that? It looks like it would be very fun.
Awesome work in here.

Screw personal goals, I should just aspire to you be you. (jk) Your work is amazing! Thank you for your tips earlier on. They helped a lot!
I love your paintwork so much!

wow, that last one is even cooler then the previous!Ö

Great stuff here, I can't resist to not follow your sketchbook. Everything from 2d to 3d concepts is pretty rad !