Team CHOW II: Random Team 1

[LostFayth]

Hey guys....I was doodling and doing some pose sketches when it came across my mind that we haven't decided if we're gonna do backgrounds or only and really focus on the design of the characters with a simple background.

The last lineup looked messy. I know, it was I who made it. But shouldn't we focus on the lineup already?

...just a few thoughts...

EDIT:
Well. here are the doodles I made.



And some thumbnails sketches with two of the poses I thought could give some nice results. The bad fairy/elf is flying away looking down on a village she just put in flames.



I think I'm doing to much with the environment rather than focusing on the design. That's what I'm gonna do next.

[skorpi]

I propose, we make simple backgrounds. A simple landscape, so the character is in focus.
And i propose, all do the character on atransparent layer, so we finally can mounting them together better.

[mimer]

I agree, lets all put our characters on a separate layer and then set them on a simpler background to showcase them together, unless we feel we have time to do a more elaborate bg for the team picture, then we can all have a bit more freedom to do a bit of background for our own individual portraits as long as we keep it in line with the overall themes?

sketches looking good skorpi, perhaps even putting him in a full chieftain headress of feathers would look imposing?

some refinement on the sillhuettes. been looking at gorillas and other big primates and think they might fit well to base the orch heads off, beeing capable of both lookig really fierce and serene.

[skorpi]

@Lost Faith: Don't forget that your image has to be in a high format.
I don't know, how her personality should be. Her body langugage at the moment says im harmless. Maybe she could sit there more self confident.

@mimer: Thanks for adivice. I'm trying different designs at the moment.
I think the position of the drums son't work at the moment. The way he wears them makes him play like that I think he can play more powerful if he play with only one hand like this or if he place hte drum on the grount and play then with both arms.

[mimer]

good points skorpi, heres a version with one bigger drum

lostfayth: i think with the fairy we'll have to see the scale for the group picture, perhaps thatll be easier to compose if all the characters are standing on their own, ie not resting or sitting on anything? especially for a small character like the fairy but overall for the group too? The fairy can be flying or standing, but i think for the group composit it will probably be seen best if its in midflight, since that will give you more freedom to move her around to make a good group shot?

perhaps use butterfly wings for her? that will give you a lot of options to display imagery for the good and evil character? (think the moth picture on the silence of the lambs cover)?

just rambling away, i think my main point is that we should probably focus on expressing the charachters through their own looks rather than their surroundings and backgrounds?

[LostFayth]

Thanks you two! You're right. I need to keep in mind that she will be composed in a group later on, so I guess I'll just do a full frontal body drawing.

I made a whole a4 page full with silhouettes/thumbnails. I love almost dry markers, you can really layer the ink I'll post them up tomorrow. I already have some favorites.

Mimer, it getting better and better. Are you gonna stick with these two or look for other options as well? Not that these two are bad or anything. In fact, they're really strong silhouettes and the design is working too

[mimer]

i really like those two, but i think ill try some other versions out tomorrow just to keep from getting stuck on something too soon

[LostFayth]

Okay, I've scanned in the silhouettes to show you all. I used an almost dry marker accidentally and it gave some great effects.



I also two funny concepts to let them be more in touch in nature. Just to have a bit fun.



And lastly, I put some of the silhouettes I liked and put some more detail in them. One way or another I had the Native Americans in my head almost all the time. I guess it shows. I need to convert it more to armor. Right now all the baddies are wearing typical Native American clothes.



I'd like to hear from you what you like the most. I can combine stuff of course. Comment please. Can you guess which ones are my favorite? ;D

[skorpi]

@Lost Faith: I like the last one
I had the same problem with the combination armor and american native clothing. Not to easy, but i'm sure, we find a way

Still painting some costumes, i show them soon

EDIT:
First designs, but I'm not really confident, I think i have to draw some more

[mimer]

well, if we dont want to, we dont really have to combine the clothing in particular with armour. thats a bit of a clash, perhaps take the iconography and style from the native american cultures rather than thinking whole garments since were doing a rather advanced race in terms of armour and clothing?

like the sketches, keep em coming i like the animal headresses actually since she is supposed to be a magician? at least for the native american baddies, the animal head headdress would work for their shamans. which would fit with her magic class? perhaps go with a fox for the asian theme, although i guess showing their faces is paramount.

skorpi: love the colours, some more knightlike armour on the top row mixed with the native american pieces perhaps. the good guys also have a good palette of colours, and i like the design on particularly the first one, but they dont read as warriors as well as the top row does atm.

heres some alternative poses and bard instruments i scribbled on my commute from work today. all comments, ideas and crits appreciated.

[LostFayth]

skorpi Wow girl, you have really outdone yourself Those bears really look nice. The Bad bears look great. The first and second from the left are in my opinion the best. They scream FIGHTER, so that worked . I think a little of blue does really magic. Maybe try that too in the other two?

The good bears have some nice color variation.
Bear 1 is looking like a nobleman with some fine clothing that could be really expensive. He would make a nice priest.
Bear 2 reminds me of Goku. xD He fits the brief. Everything he wears shows he's a strong warrior.
Bear 3 shows he's not a warrior. I don't know what he could be.
Bear 4 is a combination of Bear 1 and two: A noble and rich warrior.

mimer Nice instrument I like the pose where he's sitting on one knee and plays his flute. Nice and calm. The flags on the sketch in the lower left corner made me lol. It's a bit too much, isn't it?

AhChu Haven't heard anything from you in a few days. You must be very busy. Good luck with the workload man. You're still in right?

Well....skorpi inspired me to do some sketches in color as well. I was spending too much time on each sketch and then I tried to do some real fast sketches and they came out a lot better than the long ones. Well, a few of 'em did.



I like 5 - 7 the best. 5 was done in like 2 minutes and I changed 3 into 7 in a couple of minutes. It's funny how thing turn out sometimes.

I was thinking....wouldn't it be interesting if I made her into a bug-like fairy. More like a pixie. But a bit more human than the usual pixie. Big round eyes, small nose and mouth and maybe a pair of antennas? Or she could be wearing some head garment with bug eyes, much like I did with the deer. Think of it as a crown or something like that.

Oh, I'll get started on the baddies.

[mimer]

heh, yeah, i agree, the flags are way over the top

of your designs lostfayth, i think i like nr 3 best atm, because of the interresting details on the clothing. i like the idea of experimenting around a bit with with different insecs/bugs for her look.

Something ive been thinking about, regarding our world decription so far. I really like the basic premise, two paralell worlds brought together by the "evil" more expansionist side for conquest, but I think we need to tighten it up a bit.

Heres what ive been thinking, based on what weve done so far and the ides weve had for the two different sides.

"Back in a time now lost to even the eldest of storytellers, there were two lands. Divided as by the breath on a cold mirror, they existed side by side without ever touching, until the greed and ambition on one side caused a terrible event, fusing the lands together, and bringing both sides of the mirror crashing into eachother.

on one side, the Anai, content with their life and the cycles of their world, having trancended ambition their magics no longer searched for power as much as it strived for cooperation of the living world.

on the other, the Vret, a culture consumed by ambition and progress, their magicians somehow bridged the divide and saw the world of the anai, a more unspoilt version of their own land as an easy price to take by force, just as they had imposed their will on the spirits of their own lands, taking from the land what they wanted.

After the merging of the worlds, the Vret realised they were mistaken in thinknig of the Anai as an easy target. Their quiet composure showed to contain an unbending will to defend their own world, and after a long tome, an uneasy stalemate was reached.

Today, the world is known as the realm of the twiceborn. On both sides exist an opposite number of every living soul, and as this realisation sank in, so did the importance of the individual rise.

Now the need for champions grows ever more important. On both sides, bands of adventurers and paragons of each side are formed with the knowledge that somewhere out there is their mirror image, and that sooner or later, the fate of who will rule the world of the twiceborn will be decided on a battlefield where you will not face your brother, but yourself."


It gives us a more detailed backdrop, as well as incorporating the stuff weve so far said about the two cultures. It also gives us a bit of a background as to why these bands of adventurers are forming?

I like the basic wolrd that weve got now, but i feel we can benefit from hammering out the details and erasing any question marks we have about the backdrop, since it makes it that much easier to use for our characters later in the process? This is my version, What do you guys think?

[LostFayth]

Headshot! You did quite a good job to incorporate all the info and you made a story out of it. This is detailed stuff and it tells why the world is what it is.

Number 3 is made from one of the silhouettes I had detailed in post #68. Hence the details. I might use number 3, but with more saturated colors, something like 7.

[skorpi]

@mimer: Nice sketches, but I like the first you did most. On the other sinde looks this lute with blade really cool.

And great brief.

@LostFaith: I like 3,4 and 8 most. And go ahed with the bug designs, that could look cool.
I think, some very light ribbons or something floating in the air will make a good effect.

Thanks for the critic and input. I overwork the designs. I think, I have to descide first, what kind of fighter I do. Doing the desings i thougt of something like Shaolin monk, but thats quite different from a rouge.

[LostFayth]

Well, that's two votes for number 3. It was also my favorite silhouette in post #68.

I made three designs for the bad one. I actually wanted to quit after two, because it already was what I had in mind. The third one is with the bug idea in the back of my head, but I'm gonna explore that idea some more. I want to show it in her face for the greater part and of course her wings.



Don't get confused by her skintone. I just used a skintone instead of grey, since there is so much grey in the color pallet

EDIT

Oh god....it didn't take long to realize the bug eyes thing won't work with me...I guess I have to try something else or drop it....



I guess big human eyes should do the job.

[AhChu]

Heya guys, nice work so far...great story mimer, really liked that fusion of ideas into a cool story.

Lost Some wicked thumbs ya got going there, and those silhouettes are awesome.

Skorpi Your bears are coming along well, the bad ones look bad ass, might have to beef up the good guys and give them armor...looking forward to your next round of pics

Anyways here is what ive been working on so far....I think my Ranger character is starting to look more and more like a fighter. Might have to start bringing it back more and actually give him a bow...oh well. Funny thing when stop and loked back and the character had evolved to look like Snake Blisken from Escape LA..cracked me up Cant really see it but I had an idead of the bad ranger wearing his fallen foes faces as a mask....."It puts the lotion on or it gets the hose again"

[LostFayth]

Looking damn fine AhChu. A mixture in classes is okay I guess. You'll end up inventing your own class.

The fifth pose could be a nice one for the good character. Noble and confident. The second pose had some good action lines, it's bad ass. Guess which one would look good standing like that.

The fourth head is in my opinion the best. It reads very well and is has a good feel to it.

The silhouettes.....man! Those are sweheet! Both characters in the middle work the best in my opinion. The good one has a archer feel to it. The bad one just rocks! I want to see him as a final. Great detail and nice tattoo thing going on.

You could add a bow and some arrows to indicate that's really an archer. Or add an animal and it'll become a ranger. Good job

I just picked up this and this book. The first one is about shells and corals. I think I could do something nice with it in terms of patterns and necklaces and other stuff. The other book is just great. It has over 100 pages filled with photo's of Native Americans. It's a good way to get the creative juice flowing. If you're able to grab that last one, DO IT!

[mimer]

lostfayth: i definitely like the third one of your new full body sketches, i like the blue, and the insect headdress that youve got both in that and the fourth head sketch, its a nice variation of having a wolf or bearhead as a cowl/headdress that you often see in various cultures, the american natives among them, for the baddie it shows the willingness to kill something in nature to wear as an ornament. having some sort of turquoise stone on her wand, if oyu choose to go with that, is also a good idea i think.

Ahchu. I like the bald look better than the full beard and long hair i think. perhaps if you braid up the hair it would work better? the bald look along with some native american facepaint like some of the dark you have on his eyes now looks cool. i like the first one on the left on both the first and second row for clothing. perhaps a way to make him more rangerlike is to use more furs, make him look like an active hunter/skinner. have some animal furs of small animals hanging from the belt along with an actual scalp from an enemy?

glad you like the background story

[LostFayth]

It's funny how you like the last one. It's really something I did in a few minutes without thinking to much about it. You made a good point. In that book I bought today I also saw a lot of dead animal heads on their heads as garments. I might go with the third one, but I'll sure introduce more greys to it.

[mimer]

anchu, for your ranger, you might want to check out some pictures of mongolian eagle hunters (they use bigass tame eagles instead of falcons) and some mongolian and other asian archers?

lots of ranger inspiration around for native americans probably, since so much of popular history deals with their skills as hunters, trappers and scouts etc. gonna try to work some more on my sketches before i attend the composition class tonite (yay) and post some more final sketches tomorrow.

[LostFayth]

Skorpi could it be this book you got the pages out? You said you have a book with all kind of clothing. EDIT I guess it's not. xD Could you give me the title and isbn number. It doesn't matter if it's in (Swiss) German. It's all about the picture right

mimer I'm gonna join the class too tonight. I can't wait!

[skorpi]

@LostFaith: I like the design in the middle and the right hairdress. 8 eyes looks cool to, but i think the good one would look to scary with.

About the book: It's called "Kostümgeschichte in Bildern" it's german, but i think, there exist an english (french and italian) version too, the color pages have titles in all 4 languages. ISBN: 3-572-01231-7, Orbis Verlag

@AhChu: Nice sketches. I really like the one with the skulls.
The fallen foes faces as mask is great horror stuff.
Are those all bad guys? If not, i would try do to give the good guys a more asian look.

I give them nor armor and tested some colors.
I think, he's a lycantroph, and can change form. Human- mixed form- bear.

[mimer]

those designs are killer skorpi, id say definitely keep working on those lines with this char

im afraid time is running away from me, and ill be missing in action more or less over the next 3 days. going back home and leaving my computer behind. ill be sketching all i can while im gone though and put the scanner to good use when i get back. im fairly certain ill go with the intense drummer boy that ive got for the baddie, but with the good side im a bit torn between the bladed lute thingy and the flute player. the flute player probably has the more interresting pose though, so im leaning towards that.

even though im not going to be around my tablet or my own computer i might get a chance to pop into the thread, so any feedback or ideas on the direction of the bard is much appreciated, big details or small

[skorpi]

@mimer: Thanks
Why dont give your bard two instruments? I look forward your final desings.

Something conceptional about my bear. (I should begin with some compositiontumbs soon)

Race: Therianthroph: Human who can morph into an animal form.

Ursos can morph into a bear and a mixform between human and bear. He can stay in each form, al long as he want. The transformation take 3 minutes. Clothes don't transform, so if he change from human to mixed form wearing clothes, they will tear.
He use to stay in human form for his allday life. Meeting with friends or at official partys. In his human form, he is like all other humans, without any special abilities.
When he's travelling in dangerous places (and thats often, since he's figthing for his people) he prefer the mixed form and wears armor. Alltime ready to fight.
In this state, he is stronger than a human, faster and better protectet trough his fur. he can't speak al well as in human forn, but good enough to say easy things. And he understands the other peaple very well.
The bear form has best senses. He can fight too, but not hold weapons or something like taht. He can't speak, but understands other people still.
He use to stay in this form only for spying.

He's a berserker. If he lose control over his anger, he automatically transform in the mixed form and begins to fight. If no enemy is around, he can atack his own people.
Fortunally he's a cosy person. he like eating, relaxing and listen to music. But he's loyal to his people too, so he learns to fight and decided, to help as good as he can.

Forms:

[AhChu]

"Fortunally he's a cosy person. he like eating, relaxing and listen to music"

That cracked me up, nice work

[LostFayth]

skorpi I like the left one of both the good and the bad. Good colors, good balance. The story sounds believable. I saw him come alive in front of me....and yeah...he likes to eat...what? People?

I have the same problem as mimer. I'm at day two of a gouache painting workshop so I can't do much about the team chow. And Thursday is a special day, so that's not gonna work either. (Check out the bottom of the forums' main page on Thursday to see why ). So I'll start sketching on Friday. I'm not gonna put her in some kind of illustration. (like the last time) Just two character designs to show off the design.

Hope to get back soon! ^_^

[skorpi]

skorpi I like the left one of both the good and the bad. Good colors, good balance. The story sounds believable. I saw him come alive in front of me....and yeah...he likes to eat...what? People?

*lol* maybe the evil one.

EDIT: Some thumbs:

[LostFayth]

Hey guys, it's been a while. I'm ready to continue now. I have everything I had to do finished. Now it's back to the chow

skorpi Good thumbnails. They read very well. I'd pick the top left for the good one and the bottom right for the bad one. They both read good and there isn't much perspective nor overlapping going on which is good to show the design. The bottom left works too for the bad bear. His body language reads anger and evil, so that would be a good choice too.

Speaking of body language....I suck at it. I never seem to be able to deliver a message with my characters. I'd love to hear some good advice from you if you know a good website or book which shows and describes all kinds of body language.

Well...I tried to create two poses for the characters I picked. I decided my fairy is gonna be a spell caster. I tried some thumbs and went with the ones I liked.



For the good fairy I wanted to show she's innocent and shy. She's not really confident but she is kind.



The bad fairy is completely the opposite. She's brave, confident and always ready to fight. I made her proportions more 'heroic'.



Don't mind the feet on both of the fairies. I will add wings when I'm finished with the sketches and transfer them to Photoshop. Is there anything wrong with the anatomy? The good fairy seems off one way or another...

[LostFayth]

Okay guys. Finished the final drawings.

I haven't decided yet what I'm gonna do with her hair.
Good:


Bad:


I'd love to know what you think before I start on the final rendering in Photoshop.

[mimer]

skorpi: like the first in the top row and the last in the bottom row for the group picture perspective i think, although the middle one in the bottom row is a kickass action shot I think your work is coming along really nicely.

lostfayth: I think youre definitely on a good track with using the poses to show her different attitudes. right now i think her good pose is looking a bit too much like she needs to pee though perhaps use her head and arms more than her legs? perhaps a downturned head looking up through her eyelashes for the demure one and an upturned cocky chin looking down her nose at you for the bad one? The wide stance on the legs is working well for the bad one i think.

right now both dresses look very similar in fabrics etc, perhaps some more elaborate armour for the bad one, those arms could use some vambraces perhaps.

heres some more ideas im tossing around. liked the blade on the lute thingy, so tried to incorporate it into the flute, which i think is the more interresting instrument posewise. tried some different positions and arrangements for the drum too. gonig for a wide sumo-stance for the bad guy. so not happy with anything on his upper body in this sketch though.

really cool work from all of you so far, this has got me thinknig about drawing to a much greater degree on a daily basis than anything ive done in a long time

update one, reworked the drummer a bit