Progression of my current ‘brand’ illustration, The Thief & The Fledgling. Baby dragons sure can be huge… Above is the final product, after some photoshop tinkering. See below for a few progress shots. Continue reading
concept art
Creature Design: Hello, New Orr Kid!
At long last, another Orr Kid has been ‘discovered’! The Radiari variant is, perhaps, the most nimble, if only for the fact that it is able to jump extreme distances with ease. Along with powerful hind legs, its body is streamlined and smooth to help it cut through air. Its namesake, however, comes from the radial plumes at its hindquarters. The main purpose of this rear crest seems to be communication, and is more pronounced in adult males. The Radiari also has tacky hairs on its feet which help it to climb and latch onto surfaces. It has the sharpest vision of the currently known Orr Kids.
Below is the inspiration for this latest creation, the White Egret Orchid.
Nature Sketching: Final Project
Happy Holidays! The Evergreen Squirrel is what I came up with for our final Nature Sketching assignment, in which we had to invent a creature based on our previous class (or personal) studies. Considering the number of animals we had looked at, I decided first to come up with a little backstory. Where does it live? What climate does it have to deal with? What does it eat? And so on… My initial requisites where that it had to live in Canada, being able to survive our harsh winters. And, considering the time of year, I wanted to put a hint of Christmas into the design. Wildlife biologist that I am, it also needed to be realistic and above all else, believable! Read on for more research, sketches, and process (yes, ‘back’ pine cones ARE possible)! Continue reading
Character Design: Final Project
Well hello there! Been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve been meaning to post this particular project for a good while now, but caught the summer bug (you know, that one where you just have to spend your entire free time outdoors?). Excuses aside, here’s today’s feature: The Atlantis Project. Essentially, we had to come up with three character designs for a video game set in the world of the technologically advanced Atlantis, a doomed floating city set in the age of antiquity. We were to design a Hero, Love Interest, and Villain, along with a brief paragraph for each to present our concepts. These are my designs:
Creature Design: A New Orr Kid
A few weeks ago I started a project based on one of nature’s most creative specimens; orchids! Each little critter is based on a species of said plant family, and as a start I created two (which have since been updated a tad). Today, I present to you the third of the bunch; Phalaena!
This Orr Kid is the most unique thus far, setting itself apart not only by its lithe figure but its ability to roll up into a ball, camouflaging itself as a poisonous berry common to its native habitat. What appear to be wings are largely useless for flight and it mostly glides with the help of its tail and loose skin, which is webbed at its hindquarters. Helping to conceal the Orr Kid when it’s curled up, the showy appendages can also make it look much bigger than it actually is when they are extended. In addition to its massive ears and strategic facial features (including fur that will stand on end), it can give off a horrifying appearance when distressed. Its feet are equipped with tacky hairs and claws that help it cling to most any surface, and similarly to other Orr Kid species it has unique antennae that help it taste and smell.
Here’s a picture of the flower that spawned the idea:
Creature Design: Introducing the Orr Kids
Let me start by saying that, although one of the most tedious of courses during my studies happened to be Flowering Plant Diversity, I have a fascination with plants. They are nature’s little artists; several species’ propagation literally depends on the finesse of their ‘art’! But without going off on a tangent, allow me to introduce to you the little flora influenced side project I’ve started… Orr Kids!
Character Design: Digital Fun
It’s been a while since my last post (a sudden surge at work + Easter will do that…)! Started two new courses at Syn Studio this semester; 3D Fundamentals & Character Design. Both are purely digital-based, so expect more of that medium from now on. Nothing much to show 3D-wise for the time being, but here are a couple of quick concepts I created during my character design class. The above started off as an ‘astronaut’, evolved into an alien, then finally took a turn for the… um… aquatic monstrosity, I guess. I experimented with the posterize effect at somepoint, hence the blocky shapes.
For lack of a better name, here’s a ‘Crystal Goblin’, hunched over due to the weight he(it?) carries and the heaviness of its crystal footsteps. The design is a bit messy and could definitely use some polishing, but this is what I got done in class.
Thanks for looking, have yourselves a merry little day! :)
Sabby G Imagery 