IOW #6 - Futuristic Botanical Garden

[Andrew Sonea]

Illustration of the Week #6: Futuristic Botanical Garden


Topic
This week you must design a botanical garden from the future. Here are your requirements:
-Must include both recognizable existing plants and alien plants from other planets
-At least one human and one non-human must be tending to the gardens
-Don't forget to include signs in amongst the plants which identify the species and maybe say a bit about them (the text on the sign does not need to be readable, but the signs must be there)





Deadline
The deadline is Sunday 9th of October, 23:59 GMT
This is a full illustration that will require lots of research, so you have a full two weeks to complete it. Have fun and get really creative!

[NakedZergling]

Due Sunday the 2nd or Sunday the 9th. Right now it's Sunday the 9nd

[grenogs]

interesting, sci-fi v's natural history. could be some really interesting images here. Does the human figure also have to be tending to the garden, or could the human be some kind of paying visitor to the the garden?

[Andrew Sonea]

NakedZergling: Thanks for that. I fixed it to say the 9th

Grenogs: I would like the human to be tending it with the nonhuman. You can add visitors if you want, but they need to be in addition to the gardeners.

[lancer_idenoure]

hmm right up my alley

[Blitz]

http://plants.usda.gov/java/

http://www.botany.com/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...og&sa=N&tab=wi

http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/

http://weburbanist.com/2008/11/24/st...imals-species/

http://www.google.com/search?q=alien...2&ved=0CDQQsAQ

http://www.space.com/8000-alien-plan...ld-avatar.html

[Dayle]

This sounds like a really interesting topic. I am gonna explore the idea of space hydroponics and relaxation / tranquility whilst in space. Artificial ecosystems on space stations / colonies and long distance space flights appear throughout sci-fi, so this IOW gives a great opportunity to do some concept art for a similar theme. Hopefully I can produce something worthy of such a great topic! Thanks.

[Gadbury]

Thanks for the links Blitz - Some cool stuff on those sites. I had a couple of things spring to mind - Anyone remember that sort of garden Ripley is sitting in front of near the start of Aliens? The camera moves around and half of it is just a massive screen simulating a garden. Always thought that was a cool idea.

Also if anyone remembers the gardens part on Bioshock? Not really futuristic but it was awesome visually. Seems half my inspiration for anything comes from Bioshock, lol

[Gadbury]

Some loony sketching

[Dayle]

Gadbury - wow, you don't waste any time lol! 2 weeks remember! I like the concept though, colours and composition are great. I think the ceiling is too dominant (I know its just an early sketch) but maybe you could take advantage of zero gravity and flip things around a bit?

I'm researching... watching 2001: a space odyssey, over 50 years old but still oozes futuristic vision.

[Gadbury]

Dayle - Lol, yeah I need to do more research - I usually just collect a load of images and plough on with the first sketch no matter what it looks like... Thanks for the suggestion, I might try having the planet outside come down across the roof outside almost vertically sorta thing

[Blitz]

Came across this picture.

Some plant at the Honolulu Botanical gardens.

Just thought it was really cool looking.

[Shorinji_Knight]

This one sounds fun. I think I'm gonna make some time for this.

[Kafka Dreams]

Just trying to think outside the box here- not sure if I'll use any of these ideas but just brainstorming and want to check if these ideas are feasible before I spend too much time on them:
Does the non-human have to be helping to tend the plants? Could it be more of an exhibit in the garden? Like sort of an alien landscape sanctuary with flora and fauna from different worlds? The botanist is a sort of collector or preserver of alien worlds?

Could the plants be half sentient- like evolved Venus fly traps? The botanist is a sort of an experimentor on the plants?

Could it be a more underwater or other-than-air garden?

Just spitballin out ideas here. Trying to find the story to make it more of an illustration than an environment.

[Andrew Sonea]

Just trying to think outside the box here- not sure if I'll use any of these ideas but just brainstorming and want to check if these ideas are feasible before I spend too much time on them:
Does the non-human have to be helping to tend the plants? Could it be more of an exhibit in the garden? Like sort of an alien landscape sanctuary with flora and fauna from different worlds? The botanist is a sort of collector or preserver of alien worlds?

Could the plants be half sentient- like evolved Venus fly traps? The botanist is a sort of an experimentor on the plants?

Could it be a more underwater or other-than-air garden?

Just spitballin out ideas here. Trying to find the story to make it more of an illustration than an environment.

The human has to be tending the garden, yes. And sentient plants are fine as well as underwater plants.

[Shorinji_Knight]

I've decided to go for the monastic garden on an alien world take. I think I'm done blocking in the composition, might still make a few changes, but I'm happy with it so far. I like this topic cause I really need to add some more landscapes to my portfolio. Haven't done much of them in years!

[Hideyoshi]

this feels a lot like an EOW topic. I think it would be good to try to emphasize the illustrative character of the image through storytelling. Just saying, reminding
(edit: just noticed, Kafka Dreams already kinda mentioned this ^^)
Not sure if I find time, I'd certainly love to try this..

[grenogs]

this feels a lot like an EOW topic. I think it would be good to try to emphasize the illustrative character of the image through storytelling. Just saying, reminding
(edit: just noticed, Kafka Dreams already kinda mentioned this ^^)
Not sure if I find time, I'd certainly love to try this..

i totally agree with you here, and since it is illustration of the week, and the rules don't say any different, this one is pretty wide open to interpretation. It doesn't even necessarily have to tell a story. It could quite easily work as a scientific piece, something very suitable for a children's science book or national geographic magazine, could even add some spot illustrations for close ups of certain plants. As an illustration route, some people may consider it quite boring, but as a portfolio piece though its worth considering, since these are the type of illustrations, whether you plan it or not, are quite often the ones which pay the bills.
And on that note, I have an idea, lol

[Dayle]

Here is my concept for the Futuristic Botanical Garden IOW:
An Interstellar trade ship transporting rare plants and animal species to and from alien planets. The main disc of the ship will contain the feature Botanical Garden, where the traders take clients to show them their finest collections. The aliens will tower above the humans and have Giraffe like features.

I thought I’d post some sketches and scribbles so far to show my thinking, next to start a sketch-up model to help with perspective and composition.

[vineris]

This sounds like a fun idea. First pass:

[Hyunjae]

some stuff to look at...

[Arthur Ritus]

Interesting topic! My first time over here in IOW and pretty much my first crack at 'proper' tablet painting.

[IMG][/IMG]

[jagder]

Some sort of gravity-changing garden.

[Rhdnor]

Andrew: I had a bizarre vision of an botanical alien tending alien plants being tended to by a human. Would that be pushing it?

[Andrew Sonea]

Andrew: I had a bizarre vision of an botanical alien tending alien plants being tended to by a human. Would that be pushing it?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean...perhaps you can describe it a bit more clearly? Your idea may be okay, but it is probably best to try to stick to exactly the brief I gave in order to keep things clear and simple. There is still a lot of flexibility within the restrictions given.

[Rengin]

jagder: Cool setup and idea! I take it you'll be adding a more varied plantlife later on? I have to say I liked the yellowish light and the layeredness of your first draft better though.
Arthur Ritus: Keep working on that digital painting and try to add some splotches of colour maybe! =) Or try and establish some values and lighting first in your sketches.
Vineris: Looks like a fun illustration! Placing plants that usually live above water in there could use some justification though. Cacti are known for living in areas with little water, and now there's one under water?! It might also be fun to make one of the two gardeners a fish-like creature to separate them more clearly.
Dayle: Cool to see that you've thought about so many things already! I'm curious to see what you do with the composition =) It'd be nice if you could also show off the technology that you've thought about.
Shorinji_Knight: Interesting colour scheme, though the garden doesn't scream "future" to me. Maybe that will become clearer when you add some alien plantlife, but I would consider putting some more alien or futuristic architecture in the background or make it more of a part of the foreground. As far as futuristic goes I think you just gave yourself a challenge!
Gadbury: Can't take my eyes off that little pedestal with plants you have there, I love it! xD I like the lower part of the image but as Dayle said already the ceiling is a bit dominant and out of place. Imo a dome doesn't fit this type of area that well, I'd envision a high flat ceiling of sorts.

---

Time to jump back into the community activities! My first draft:



Probably going to start over in terms of materials and colours tomorrow, it's too messy and not futuristic at all =(

[Jaunay]

Damn I'm a bit late. But here's a reference people might enjoy.

http://vincent.callebaut.org/projets-groupe-tout.html

[Velocity Kendall]

this is radical

maybe have the landscape tilting over even more with some architecture or sideways trees on it, to make it clear its not just a very steep sided valley. really impressed.

[vineris]

Vineris: Looks like a fun illustration! Placing plants that usually live above water in there could use some justification though. Cacti are known for living in areas with little water, and now there's one under water?! It might also be fun to make one of the two gardeners a fish-like creature to separate them more clearly.

Yeah, that's kinda the thought -- that this is a botanical garden on a water world and the little guy in the mask is a local fishy dude. I'll have to make his aquatic features more clear. Thanks!

I like your composition and colours but I think your illustration needs more explicit alien features. Right now it looks like something that could exist today.

[vineris]

All right. How's this thing looking? Anything jump out at y'all?