NickyBeats- Wannabe Concept Artist

[danlambert]

There's so much movement and character in some of those silhouettes mate, really impressive.
I looked back a few pages and I have a question...when do we get more marker magic!?

[Medusoid]

Whered the table go it was nice man
well great work reguardless, very ominous

[Mike L]

Those silhouettes are really taking off! Enjoying the step by step as well, some real rich color in there.
Cool!

[NickyBeats]

danlambert - thanks! haha im actually not too sure.. my pay check comes soon, so maybe this week!

Medusoid - table? the coffin? its still there, its just been moved down, because the chow said i had to show at least 3/4 of my character, so i just adjusted it.

Mike L - thanks Mike! appreciate you stopping by!!

----------

so im trying to work on painting without any lines at all. this began as a silhouette, and i just started working it up, building up forms and lighting. the edges are still wacky, but im gonna take it further.

[Yefim]

This sketch looks cool, but it looks like everything is being lit with the same strength light, which may or may not be what you want.

[NickyBeats]

Yefim - yeaaaa.... i could make up some weak excuse like, "oh yes! thanks for noticing! i was going for a surreal effect of being lit from every engle! thanks for seeing it!"

but. i cant. i just got caught over rendering. running on auto pilot, and going through the motions once again... god damnit!! m u s t t r y h a r d e r

[SMILEFACE]

DUDE THOSE SHILO'Z ARE WICKED haha I WANNA DO SOME NOW WICKED WERKS ON THE SERENS SIRENS (crap i dun know how to spell XD) AWESOME WERK BROTHER YOU RRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK an BEST WISHEZ ON YER GAME TO YOU AN YER FRIENDS SHOW ME WHEN FINISHED XD

[NickyBeats]

SMILEFACE - ha hell yea bro!! will definately show you something when we have something a bit more presentable... still needs a visual overhaul, lots of textures need to be mapped. also big thanks brotha!!

-----------------

i realised i cant paint straight from silhuettes. some can, but i cant. (not at the moment at least hehe) sooooo, i decided to start this challenge over. (the IFX weekly challenge) now im gonna work it up from lines.

Jungle Soldier for a Tomb Raider game

[Medusoid]

Dude just remember theres is no shame in lines, it is preferable to be able to draw or paint with out them, but lines are very much a practical tool in art especially for the illustration feel your work has so dont stress so much about it

not trying to lecture you so much as get you to remember what I'm sure you already know

[masterpug]

I really like these! You have come a long way in your work! I feel like there are some highlights missing in the #1377 piece. Like the reflections aren't there. With the coffin hood where it is, seems like there would be a lot of light bouncing off the top of it. Still, amazing stuff! Keep the energy flowing!

[NickyBeats]

Medusoid - haha thanks man! im not really stressing, im just realising i need more practice in that particular area. although i think i may have found a way to avoid having to paint over my lines... i think. not sure, but i was planning on trying this out soon. im gonna finish the line work, then do the values, and color under it, as usual. then, im gonna just reduce the line layer opacity, and set it to overlay mode, or maybe multiply mode, and see what results that has.

masterpug - thanks alot man!!

-------------

ok heres a rough plan of how i want my weekly challenge thing to look. i roughed in the jungle, and lighting. well see how this goes..

[NickyBeats]

some more progress...

[SuperSwank1]

Damn, been a while since I've been here - sick progress since the last time I was here. Keep it up! I'm by no means that great at this whole art thing (yet.) but I know personally I have to do at least half of my drawing with traditional stuff just to keep developing line quality, anatomy, explore new media, etc. I usually don't post it on here because I'm lazy. I'd recommend the same.

Your progress is awesome, good imagination and dynamism in your stuff, and your work ethic pretty humbling. Keep blastin and try to work on line and and anatomy to help with the foundation.

One thing I've done and continue to do (when I remember) is sketchin in ball-point pen or markers. There's no undo, they're fairly unforgiving, which makes you think about the placement and weight of all the lines you make - it's good practice as it gets your brain on that track and helps with confidence (which shows through on anything).

Good work!

-Paddy

P.S. props for throwing bangers/smoke on that last guy - they're good stuff and I hardly ever see em incorporated in anything concept wise despite them bein a key part of a shooters kit.

[NickyBeats]

SuperSwank1 - thanks alot man! -i actually do a LOT of traditional sketching, mostly in pen. lately i havent been scanning it in, just because im pressed for time usually, and never get around to it. also, i love markers with a passion, and would sketch everything in them if i could afford it haha. all of mine are bone dry at the moment unfortunately. thanks for dropping by dude!

-----------------

this is due tomorrow, so im calling it done.

[danlambert]

Awesome soldier! the trousers in particular are rendered really well. He does seem to be suffering a bit from short leg syndrome though, also the proportions on his arms seems a little strange, I think his upper arms (bicep tricep area) should be a little longer, and his forearm a little shorter.
However it is quite the snazzy character regardless of those things, and I did say 'sweet!' outloud when I first saw it :p. Colours are great!
Now give me moooooooooore!

[monstertree]

Looking good so far mate, I like the rendering on the arms. Face is looking off with the feature placement, keep flipping horizontally when you're working to keep it fresh and bring errors to the fore

[LtPlissken]

Very lively colors and nice concept on the last Tomb Raider
soldier. Take a look at the neck muscles on some anatomy
references, cause obviously you memorized them wrong.
Also the wrists/hands look very unnatural. Some referenced
hand drawings/paintings would improve this aspect.
Keep on with the good stuff.

[NickyBeats]

danlambert - thanks man! yea, typical nickybeats proportions on this guy haha. gotta work more on that...

monstertree - heeey man, thanks for dropping by again! i always forget to flip the canvas.

LtPlissken - thanks for the crit bro!

----------------

ive been obsessed with Ashley Wood lately. not sure if i captured the style, but it was pretty fun to do.

metal gear solid.

[Ludic]

Really cool work on the soldier!

[SMILEFACE]

haha I COULD TAKE HIM XD I DIGGZ THE COLOR PALETTE TOO!

[NickyBeats]

Ludic - thanks man!!

SMILEFACE - are you serious? cant you see how many flash bangs this dude is rocking? haha

--------------------

wip for the brand spanking new IOW!

what the fuck is an IOW, you ask? Illustration Of the (silent t) Week! you idiot!!

should be fun, first challenge is to design the group banner. im never going to win.

[NickyBeats]

DSG # 1616 - biomechanical creation, still still slick from its nearby birthing pod.

i went for a Dune inspired image. i always have wanted to draw an Axlotl tank, ive tried to picture it in my head, and this is pretty much how i envisioned them looking. the 'biomechanical creation' in the foreground is a Ghola, which in Dune is basically a clone grown from the cells of a deceased human. they can also have their memories restored to them, from their prior lives, in which case they become like a second chance at life. some gholas go on to live countless lives, and aqcuire thousand of lives worth of memories. this particular Ghola is one of Duncan Idaho, Swordmaster of Ginaz, and weapons master of House Atriedes.

EDIT :: forgot to say that an Axlotl tank is a device which takes an Adult Female, and basically converts them into a fattened incubator.

[danlambert]

Gross!! but nicely done sir

[dan liimatta]

I like the design - but I'm here to be picky and annoying today.

For you have a good vision and sense of design - yet you don't try to seek control and the execution your own pieces deserve.

Take the latest - I did a quick draw-over



I think I'm more reacting to a slight towards your own potential than anything - since confident lines aren't especially hard if you have a good underlying construction like you often do.

& I hope this helps rather than annoys & I did it because I like your works but sometimes find your lack of love for your own pieces annoying - but might be my own conflicts with my own art/craft talking .

[NickyBeats]

danlambert - haha thanks!!

dan liimatta - oh my god! your a freak dude!! hahaha i LOVE IT!! my hands are too shaky, to get smooth lines like that man. ive tried in the past, but i cant get them to calm down... but, i love this haha. breast milkers.... why the hell didnt i think of that! i appreciate the hell out of this, and YOU good sir, for taking the time! much love!

[NickyBeats]

chow initial doodle

[NickyBeats]

some more sketches...

[dan liimatta]

Glad you liked the overdraw - always a bit worried when I decide to paint/draw over instead of just comment ~


and would be fun to see it coloured.

And a nice start on the latest ChoW (now finish it, you have started on all I've been on without finishing any)

That said I'm never going to use gauntlets like that for work

& with lines you can always use programs like Sai to smooth out lines or other applications, and if need be paths.

Even MS Paint got a nice system for good linework (albeit without width variation) - just fade out the old and get it clean if need be - it takes some extra time but is easily worth it as you can see your own design better (and thus improve it as well)

[tokotewhero]

your a machine! keep it up! i think being sketchy is good. it brings more movement and life to an image, but with saying that it needs to be countered with some cleanliness too. perhaps try some second pass line drawings at a few youve already done. would be good for line variation practice or something haha. always a pleasure looking through here man.

[Eightball_]

hey man the chow wips are looking good. don't give up on the silhouette painting though. it's uncomfortable simply because you're not used to it. keep at it though, painting without lines can be rewarding i'm also digging the silhouettes on the previous page. nice readability and shape. keep kickin ass man!