Adam Kuczek - concept art & matte painting

[Dream-monger]

Hi, my name's Adam and I'm a freelance concept artist and matte painter, working primarily in film industry. In this thread I'll be posting some of my artworks, mostly personal projects done in free time. If you're interested and want to see some more, feel free to check out my portfolio at http://www.ak-art.net

For start, a series of concepts from a personal project of mine, that's been in developments for some years now. More to come...


Hi-tech dynasty
General overview of futuristic Shanghai, where the story takes place. The idea is to mix the old, stone architecture and traditional elements, like gates or monuments, with vast scale and futuristic additions.


Search in progress
Scene from the script - ZEN troopers ('soldiers' of a large corporation ZEN Technologies) are searching through Purgatory - the lowest part of megalopolis, partially beneath the city streets, in order to recover the stolen module. Of course, they fail and the main hero has to be called into service.


ZEN Troopers exploration
Some designs for ZEN troopers. Just like with the architecture, the idea was to make them sf-looking with strong Eastern influences, visible mostly in the outfits/armor.


Heavy weapons
A couple of heavy weapons, where it's more about functionality and firepower than fancy design. One is actually a modified factory tool. These weapons are in use on image 'Search in progress'.


Cornered
At some point in the story, the main protagonists are busted in their safe house. However, they can handle themselves, mostly due to an efficient machine gun and a couple of electro-magnetc motion-sensor explosives planted around the apartment (in case the opponents have cybernetic enhancements or are pure androids).

[Ofrst]

Some great stuff here and on your blog, for sure it deserves some comments. I love your work, storyboard for 'Butterfly' project is cool. Keep up with good work.

[Dream-monger]

Thanks, Ofrst, glad you like them.

A few more, from the same series. I also added descriptions to this and the previous post to clarify things a bit for those who are interested.


Combat suit rendezvous
Sometimes you need a team to help you out, especially when a stolen police battle suit ends up in wrong hands. Its driver, sent after the protagonists, is distracted and engaged by the troopers (image itself in POV of one of them). Hopefully, they get some hazard pay.


ACS Suit design
A closer look at the suit and its various parts. As you can see, it's pretty heavy and need some additional boosters for the driver to walk (or even jump) around. As long as they are full, you're good to go, so if you don't want to turn into a fancy monument, watch your energy levels!


Ambush
The main antagonist surrounded, seemingly in a lot of trouble. What the thugs do not know is that their opponent is an android of GEN III with custom battle mode. They are up for one helluva ride.


Checkpoint
Travel between levels and zones of the city is restricted and security check is required. Since every criminal offense is registered in a police database, checkpoints are pretty efficient way to keep offenders confined to their respective zones. If you try some funny stuff, the sentry-bot will take care of you, so to speak.


Patrol drone
Another mechanical asset - a flying drone, set to control and gather data from certain levels, where the regular police is either too busy or too afraid to visit. Basically, it's a portable camcorder/scanner although it has some basic weaponry in case it needs to 'restore order' or fight its way through a riot.

[Dream-monger]

Here are a few concepts done for an e-zine about sc-fi art. Cheers.


Approaching TX-4
First of the concepts depicting galactic discovery and its exploration. A planet has been found literally pierced with a crystal-like construct of an alien origins. For the last few years expeditions were sent to TX-4 in order to establish a research facility and uncover its secrets. The base is still under construction. Once a year, a new transport of technical gear, vehicles and provisions arrives.


TX-4 mini-series: Descend
Once through the planet's atmosphere, a crystal-like structure is clearly visible. Although the majority of the planet is not of volcanic nature, the insertion of the structure must have caused eruptions and surface movements, hence the strange looking mountains and rock formations surrounding the artifact. At its base, some kind of radiation has been traced and holographic-like shapes happen to appear from time to time.


TX-4 mini-series: Docking procedure
The research base looks like a cross between mining facility and oil rig. The mountain it rests upon is riddled with man-made corridors, through which the samples and machinery are moved. Flying drones inspect any suspicious surface activity and check the integrity of the whole structure. Due to the unknown nature of the artifact and the planet's original climate, the staff rarely goes outside. Docking station, among other things, is entirely automatized.


TX-4 mini-series: Armored carrier
Heavy carrier is used for moving larger pieces of machinery, staff, orb samples, etc. A single carrier can transport up to 20 people. Due to the size of a unit, the hangar area is equipped with robotic arms that are used to replace vehicle's energy reactors, recharge oxygen supplies and carry out various maintenance tasks. As a precaution, each carrier has two heavy ray guns and ion missile launchers for offensive actions, though so far such means were not necessary.


TX-4 mini-series: Buggy
For reconnaissance purposes, quick transport and perimeter checks, the facility is equipped with several buggy-like vehicles. They are adjusted to a harsh off-road environment of TX-4. A buggy takes a driver, a navigator and has enough space for some basic gear. Just like the heavy carrier, each unit is equipped with a single missile launcher. Missiles are often signal flares or scanning devices that can be fired in order to gather data from an unknown area before the buggy gets there.

[Streben]

Man, these Sci-fi Environments are simply mind-blowing!

[Dream-monger]

Just updated my portfolio with some concepts and sketches created last year for 'Cloud Atlas'. Can't really post them on forums but feel free to have a look at: http://www.ak-art.net/101069/884568/...io/cloud-atlas

Cheers.

[Dream-monger]

Jim knew he's running out of time. Darkness embraced the ruins. He could pick up more and more unsettling sounds - a long haul, mad laughter, some insane screams. Wonderful. Instinctively, he glanced at the glowing dimly ammo counter. Very few left. Too few. If they spot him, he's history. He felt the weight of a couple of plasma grenades by his belt but that would only slow them down for a while.

He tried calling the base again but all he could hear was static. The damn mutants must have installed a jammer on top of one of the buildings. Well, no choice, he's going to have to get to the nearest outpost on his own, before Scouts with Pit bulls start their night shift. Jim cleaned the fatigued screen of portable locator and activated satellite image of segment A3. The closest safe house seemed to be about 2 clicks NW. Impossible to say if it's still intact. Can't help it. He confirmed the destination. A tiny blinking compass with a red dot appeared in the corner of his goggles. Jim checked all his equipment, took a deep breath and like a ghost engulfed into the darkness.

Reload is a personal project, a visual development of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story. For more info, check my blog: http://adamkuczek.blogspot.com/2012/...roduction.html

Here, I'll be posting some concepts. First two images: the main protagonist and lineup of enemies to encounter. More to come soon.

[Dream-monger]

Next two concepts for 'Reload'.


The farmost outpost of the Empire, East-9, situated on the eastern border of Neo-Berlin. A new delivery of war prisoners is about to arrive. The outpost is heavily fortified, with thick outer walls and almost fully mechanized, so the soldiers don't have to go out too often. Flying surveillance cameras patrol the grounds 24/7. The main purpose of East-9 is to send human transports into the infected zone using UAV (Unmanned Armored Vehicle), controlled remotely from the outpost.


Time to suit up. Nothing like borrowing a prototype of PowerSuit and taking it for a test drive. Perhaps as a stowaway in UAV?

[Dream-monger]

And the final batch, this time with more action. See you in 2013


Fortified wall, called by Death Runners 'New Berlin Wall', separates the wasteland and ruins of the outskirts from the central part of Neo-Berlin under control of the mutants. Not exactly a place for holidays. That's UAV's final stop, if it's not destroyed earlier by some rogue mutant packs. Once unloaded, most UAVs end up in the moss surrounding the wall or are being used for augmenting the wall itself.


Sometimes things just go bad. There is no shame in running your ass off, when you're about to get fried if a gang of Berserkers won't get you first.


Battle mech "Hammerdown" driven by Lich. Not exactly a pleasant combination. Avoid at all costs. In the event of meeting - destroy immediately, for example with 60mm 'Firestorm' machine gun from elevated position. It case of getting noticed... oh, well.


Occasionally, you have to set a trap and get on top of things to clearly state your intentions, like here, with T-30 'Hellraiser' gun with armor piercing bullets. Reapers tend to have thick skulls, so it's better to be safe than sorry. Watch your head!

[fersteger2]

Awesome work! All that stuff from Cloud Atlas is top notch. This personal project ain't bad neither, building a world, visual bible to fill it all out. I really like the first person views with the HUD and all, with all your matter skills it really makes a convincing game world illustration.

[Dream-monger]

Some of the concepts I prepared while working with Unit 9 on an interactive website Find your way to Oz. The website, which promotes the new Disney movie, uses new capabilities of HTML5 and Google Chrome. Visitors can navigate around the environment, try various attractions and eventually take an (almost fatal) balloon trip.