Grand Space Opera 2D Entry: Don Henton

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103057045_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103057045_large.jpg)

This was blocked out in Bryce and textured using Painter 7 nozzles. Then edge detected in GIMP.

The idea is an artificial planet so massive that human figures in the foreground are just ants (red ants at that).

Obligatory gas giant in the background.

I am trying for a John Harris style picture here, but am still looking for elements to include in the sky.

At this distance the building will be have only 2 values and lights, with some suggestions of surface texturing.

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103057524_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103057524_large.jpg)

Yeah, I didn't do the line art submission. Humph. So I like to eat my dessert before my broccli.

Here is a first take on coloring the artificial planet. The figures are garbage, but the actual surface is probably going to show up as is in the final painting.

NC Wyeth used to do his book illustrations with less that photorealistic detailing, and I'd thought I try that, using less detail to suggest a dream like quality. Of course, when NC Wyeth did it, it looked good, but when I do it, it just might be that I can't make art worth a damn.

Next step on this is highlights, fill in the empty areas, and figure out some way to get aerial haze without using a Painter 7 airbrush.

[BlueEyeLizard]

I think your first concept sketch would qualify as line art if you wanted to re submit it. Then you could do a quick doodle on paper or something showing the darks and lights of the piece then submit that as a concept sketch. I do like the composition. Lots of potential! :thumbsup:

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103078480_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103078480_large.jpg)

Decided against the gas giant, and went for an entire galaxy. Delusions of grandeur.

The contest is about big, can't get much bigger than a galaxy. Galaxy created with a mess of Painter 7 watercolor brushes. If I'm supposed to write a how-to, forget it.

I'm a little undecided about the composition with the perspective lines pulling in, the tower, then the galaxy. I can here the instructor now "Well, one things for sure, that its a definite compositional statement, just not a good one..."

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103332493_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103332493_large.jpg)

Well, I didn't like the current building, which looked too much like a signpost. So I tried a few sketches and came up with something that's a cross between a castle and a Cray computer

[dhenton9000]

adhttp://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103332687_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1103332687_large.jpg)

Blew off the little guys.
Blew off the artifical planet. went for a normal one.

Build the model in Blender and brought it into Bryce.

So this is the current state of the mockup, pretty sure the stars won't change, and the planet's pretty close.

The ship is a final I'd did for another painting. I think the lighting is off here, though.

Comments appreciated.

[Hillartsympho]

this is looking pretty cool so far. I like how you painted teh galaxy, i hopw you are going to paint some texture on the ship/ tower thing thats comingout of the planet. maybe you could also figure out how to add or remove aspects of the picture to make that juxtaposition make sense without haveing to have people read a story about it.

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280046_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280046_large.jpg)

Moved a bunch of stuff around

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280733_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280733_large.jpg)

Same as final coloring. I don't get it, did I forget to do something between the two milestones?

[dhenton9000]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280981_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/6/5497/5497_1104280981_large.jpg)

Okay Okay, so I admit I'm a computer programmer, and finish up the documentation last!!


So long, and thanks for all the fish.

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