Hatching an Egg

I noticed a lack of landscape and fantasy work in the latest incarnation of my portfolio, so I've decided to hit a couple of birds with one stone, and start a fantasy landscape.
Went with a fairly simple idea: The broken shell of a dragon, already departed to do it's own thing, and what might go on around it.

Once again, I find that I have to force myself to work despite the distractions of the modern age. Setting some time aside at night and playing a podcast helps.

Started with the typical process. Value studies come first. (There is a second set, which I'm not sure is interesting enough to show, but I used it as well)

Next I loaded up photos I took with interesting colors, Googled some inspiration, and did color studies of a few of my favorite monochrome sketches, redrawing each rather than overlaying color so that it won't affect my choices and so that I might stumble on some happen accidents:

 Next I've taken an additional step I usually don't, and enlarged a few of my color studies, cleaning them up and adding more details, looking to tell more of a story.

I'm also trying to see if juggling multiple, unrelated projects helps me keep my momentum, so I've done some sci-fi gun silhouettes, with some quick shading thrown on top to give it more form. (need props in my portfolio, too)

Speed paint dump:

Letting Things Go

I have been reworking another speed paint I liked, but decided things weren't clicking just right. The perspective has some deep rooted issues, and the composition ain't great, so I'm letting it go at this stage:

I've also started polishing my Silverhawks, but that's also a bit on hiatus, as I figured I need something showing more progress as expected from a concept artist, utilizing my contemporary skills. I want a minimum of last year's work in my portfolio ready for GDC Europe. (Waiting for volunteer applications to open up for 2014, I've already booked my flight and hostels, with a couple of days in Dusseldorf.)

A Dieselpunk vacuum tube night fighter is the idea that came to mind. I just love aircraft and I'm going to have fun with the lighting. Here's where I'm at so far:

 

 Speed Paints:

CC: Plant Enemies

Taking a break from the environments so I can look at them later with fresh eyes, I shifted towards drawing thumbnail silhouettes of walking plants, inspired by the first enemies you see in Captain Comic 2. The first 3 are based on the in-game sprites. For the rest I have been thinking about the plant life cycle and how it might play if combined with animal locomotion. I was also thinking about jungle life, to fit with my initial environment studies.

Captain Comic: Planet Nrober

I'm redesigning Captain Comic (using the sequel as my primary source of inspiration.) If you aren't familiar with it, it is a classic 90's PC platformer. I started with gun silhouettes, trying to solve the problem of why Blasto Cola make the good captain shoot fireballs, and trying out some comical proportions (pun intended.) Rendered out some of my favorites, and I intend to get back to it with a final design. Next I worked on the Captain himself, drawing inspiration from different sources (from left:) the cover art for Captain Comic II: Fractured Reality, astronaut suits and motorcycle body armor.

Social X-Com Sidearms

It's been way too long since I've last posted. Been to Israel and back, stayed at a motel for 6 nights, did some horse studies. I really want to do the interior forge thing, but I'm hitting such a block with it, so I've been diverting some attention to the social (think facebook) X-Com concept I had. Here are some gun silhouettes, just to generate some ideas. I don't think these quite hit the spot, as I want to make it cute, but they get the juices flowing. I need to name this thing. Don't want to be stepping on any intellectual property toes.

Holy warrior silhouettes

This was a fun sheet, as the typical scepter evolved into a firearm. Giving the clergy a "magical" way of killing is a fun story idea. I also thought it would be fun to use an alternative religious symbol, something inspired by the legend of Austria's flag and by how people attach emotions to the heart. Kidneys seem like a fun shape, but as someone mentioned on facebook, they also look like a set of lungs, or dehydrated testicles XD That's something I may be able to clarify in future reworks.

Swordmen Silhouettes

More Cingulata Knights: swordsmen.

Went to a Young Adult Division meeting tonight, which may have opened some doors for me to find a job, in California maybe? Despite my emotional investment in Austin, I would accept such an offer. Even after the YAD meeting ended, I hung around 6th street with an Israeli I found at the meeting, watching him try pick up lines on random girls, later joined by 2 more Israeli friends. We may hang out some more, would be fun.

Cingulata Knights - Spearmen

The first set of silhouettes for my new personal project: "Cingulata Knights" I'm expanding my portfolio to include fantasy, and I think it's going to be fun to create an army based on Armadillos, the small mammal of my new home, Texas. (Hopefully for longer than 4 months.)

Missile platform

The final piece of the AA puzzle.
Next I'll do some landscape studies including these guys.