The Journey Begins Challenge (2D) Entry: Arthur Gil Larsen

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142068900_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142068900_large.jpg)

Here's my first concept. You'll see people with huge backpacks, and a log in the foreground with ants carring sacks aswell.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142069035_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142069035_large.jpg)

Here's another concept where people are planing a journey with a fat flying fish

[NOOB!]

hey bro,i think u shud do the ant/human back packing idea,its a pretty clever idea :applause:

[Comlock]

Oh, thanx brotha. Yeah, I liked that idea too so far =)

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142072997_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142072997_large.jpg)

I did some quick sketches of the people im planning on having in the "human\ant" pic

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142075302_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142075302_large.jpg)

In my first concept sketch, the people on the image looked so cute and small^^
I thought it would be kinda cool, so I sketched some dwarf looking people. ..Maby I'll use theese instead.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142079431_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142079431_large.jpg)

I did some adjustments and some more details on my first concept sketch.

[NOOB!]

looking great,take ya time bro!

[GonzaloGolpe]

:thumbsup: hehe good sketches and good luck!!

(and like your avatar too:D )

▒Zalo▒

[am7]

Looking promising arthur! I really like that root thingie in you'r lower right corner, with the ants. Looking forward to more concepts! Keep it up.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142098898_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142098898_large.jpg)

I did some colour tests on the first concept

[umbrellasky]

Hehe I really like your idea :D Nice sketches! :thumbsup:

[Slav]

great atmosphere in the last one the colors are right on. with the sun. good stuff.

[am7]

Wow! that's fast! hehe, already filling colors?

My only suggestions are to check the silhouttes of you'r characters. Might help to move the ants up a bit in the picture, and make the silhouette of the left character stronger. Keep us updated.

And how about some clouds and some more "epic" landscape in the background, to draw the focus to where you'd like it?

[Comlock]

yeah, I couldent resist painting in some colours^^. I dont think this is gonna be my final piece anyway. Thanx for the tips! Im definatley gonna move those ants up. Why didnt I think of that. And yes, I'll make a more epic landscape. I didnt like the way it turned out on the painting anyway.

oh yeah, maby some clouds too

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142107041_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142107041_large.jpg)

I moved the ants more up. Changed the siluettes of the two people, and increased the heightdifference between those two. balancing the composition by making the grass straws at the right longer, and added som clouds. I tried to make it look like the two people are arguing about something on the map.

More crits and comments are always welcome =)

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142151969_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142151969_large.jpg)

I extended the picture horisontaly to make it easier to see the people in the background folowing a path.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142161272_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142161272_large.jpg)

I changed the pose on the two main characters, and on the people walking in the distance. So the one behind the little old man carring the big bag has a "hey what's going on" kinda pose on him.
created new ants.

[umbrellasky]

I really like the changes you have made to the composition and the characters. Awsome work!

[Comlock]

Thank you so much enialadam=)
Im glad you liked the newer versions, so I know im at the right track.

I realy like to continue this now
:bounce:

[Rebeccak]

Good luck Comlock! Nice sketches so far! :thumbsup:

Cheers, :)

~Rebeccak

[Ring]

looks real nice, comlock. all the bests:thumbsup:

[Comlock]

Thanks for the positve comments Rebeccak and Ring =)

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142194425_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142194425_large.jpg)

Here are the lineart image I used on the characters.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142194646_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1142194646_large.jpg)

I coloured the main colours on the ants and the people. Changed the design of the mounain. I tried to make it look more intresting to look at. Added more details on the log. I also adjusted the composition a bit, so it matched the "rule of the 3rd" better. Some adjustments on the clouds. And I removed some of the people walking in the distance, since it made it look like the journey was allready on.

[nickatnite]

Very cool entry,

I really like the Massive backpacks, It adds a lot to the image.
looking forward to seeing more.

Nick Clark

[Zwickel]

That's really nice Comlock, I love how you use shadows and colors to show depth, your designs are really MMORPG-ish :)

Hey there NOOB!, I see you hang out here too.
Brackenwood represent.

[vader]

i liked the composition comlock! :thumbsup:

[werepumpkin]

I agree with most everyone that the composition is much improved. My only crit is that it feels more like we're in the middle of a journey, not the beggining. Or am I missing some kind of visual cue?

[Womball]

This is looking really good! How large is the final composistion going to be? My only crit is that characters are really nicely designed yet they are very small on the frame. This could fixed if the image is large.

[Comlock]

Thanks Zwickel and Vader=)

I guess you're right werepumpkin. I removed the two people that was furthest away from the camera. Maby this canmake it to seem like they havent allready started the journey yet.

Womball: The final composition is going to be 5000 pixels wide. Right now it its only 1200.
I'll -sizeing- it all up when im going to add details.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143662585_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143662585_large.jpg)

I resized the images from 1200 pixels wide, to 5000. I deleted the two people furthest away from the camera, and made a dog and a little girl instead. This could probably help to make it look like the're not in the middle of the journey.

[LorisArts]

I really like teh progress of this work. Not a bad idea, nice perspective, depth and a good focus on small details such as the ants. I can feel teh journey, although I feel it more as it is in the middle and not the begining. What will help is maybe making the mountain in the background being the place where they are leaving from and make it abvious.
I think you are on the right track!! :thumbsup: good luck Arthur and I'll be keeping my eye on your work!! :)

[Selina42]

Lovely image! Great composition, colour and depth of field. Your drawing skills are also really nice! And -nice concept! Good luck with it!

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143879650_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143879650_large.jpg)

I roughly started making more details on the old man

[Nigio]

Hi, I think your idea is one which expreses clearly the feel of beginning a journey, and the dark silhouettes against the light sky get the image a certain "iconic" feeling.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143964411_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1143964411_large.jpg)

Well, I gotta include all the milestones, so here's the complete lineart for the painting.

[bodot]

Hey Comlock


My first ever comment on CG challenge

I like your entry very much - its looking really great - nice ligth concept.

My only crit is the dog - its kinda unintersting in silhuette ..

Maybe it schould have a large backpack as vell or some sledge or something?

Good luck

Bo

aka bodot -Brackenwood

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1144178574_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1144178574_large.jpg)

I roughly added more details on the girl and ants. I wanted to have the ants stand out more , by letting some of the light shine trough their somewhat transparent antbodies. I also did the same thing with the two big grasstraws above them.

Thanx for the comment Bodot=)
You're right.I'll change the design of the backpack for the dog, since it kinda ruins it's siluette.

[Zwickel]

Nice job Commie, I hope you win... watching the progress of this piece is very interesting, keep it up!

[sirBS]

Good work, is pleasant to me your style

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145718956_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145718956_large.jpg)

I now started painting on the 3 other characters. I'll just gotta make shure they have less contrast in their colours compared to the 2 main characters in the image.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145719092_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145719092_large.jpg)

After some suggestions from various people, I've decided to repaint the log with the ants on. The perspective on this one should be more correct.

[MDN67]

very nice pic with a great draw, the lighting is amazing, good job

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145778983_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145778983_large.jpg)

I adjusted the contrast and saturation on the two main characters.I resized the dog, since someone mentioned it looked realy huge. I didnt see that before now=). And I rotated the kid 180 degrees since her silouette wasent that clear.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145784607_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145784607_large.jpg)

Here are some more details on the little girl

[fouiny]

The little girl have a really good mood. It's obvious that she's not interested at all. very good work

[Try]

Hei Arthur! Enda en Norsk deltager. vi kan snart starte en egen klubb:).

Must say the lighting and composition of this painting is excellent here! And every character adds to the story.

Only thing that bothers me is to things though…

1. What is the woman holding up? If it’s a map it should be clearer now it kind of looks like a sock…

2. The old guy with the really huge backpack. His knees are bent backward. It looks really painful!

I understand that you are trying to show how much the weight of pack is affecting him. But it may be a little over the top.

But over all, a great picture!
Good luck!!

Per

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145795702_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145795702_large.jpg)

Thanks from the crit Try =)
I repainted the old man's leg and the map

[Try]

Lookin a lot better Arthur! The legs are a lot more natural now. And I ca see it’s a map.
Could still make that map bigger maybe. It is a very important piece in the story here.
It could have a piece of it missing and the dog has the other part in his mouth.

Never mind I don’t want to mess with your story idea here!

Another crit… the eyes of the old guy…. Don’t know if it is meant to be so that his eyes are like Marty Feldman`s?
He don’t seem to be focusing on either her or looking at us right now.
Ore maybe that is what they are arguing about? If he was the map reader I mean. They are bound to get lost!

[Comlock]

Hehe. Oh yeah... I saw the picture trough a mirror, so now I see it aswell. I'll change that eye.
he was supposed to look at the girl. Make the map bigger aswell.

Thanks Per

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145815745_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1145815745_large.jpg)

I've started to do some more details and cleanups on some areas. I also added more trees in the background.

[Womball]

Very nice color updates. Looks like your almost done!

[Try]

Hehe. Oh yeah... I saw the picture trough a mirror, so now I see it aswell. I'll change that eye.
he was supposed to look at the girl. Make the map bigger aswell.

Thanks Per

You are very welcome Arthur!
Your clean ups are looking fine!:thumbsup:

[paperclip]

I think you should crop it in a little so that you focus more on the characters. Right now it's hard to tell what the focus of the picture is- the characters or the mountain behind them.


I really like the argument that's going on. :D Reminds me of some of the trips I've gone on! :p

[Zeitwolf]

you made your idea such a great painting! the characters are lovely and the background and detail are unbeaten - congrats

[Try]

How is it going Arthur? Long time no update....:sad:

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146310712_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146310712_large.jpg)

It's going well. Im still here. Just did'nt have much time to work on it after the last weekend.

So far I have added more grasstraws, more details on the log. Added backpack-straps on the man and the woman, becasue they were completly missing =o I also fixed the eye on the man. And im about to define the cloudshapes more as you can see.

[MDN67]

again a very nice pic with a great lighting, very good job

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146313767_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146313767_large.jpg)

hmmm. I should figure outwich version I should use..
(the painting is still not finished yet)

[warpy]

awesome, the first one is better imo. i would like to see more detail and more light, its too dark at the moment.

[elgrozni]

Go with the first, It's much easier to read. Very nice work, I like the mood and the characters :thumbsup:

[Try]

Definitely nr. 1 Arthur!!

:thumbsup:

[am7]

I agree with the rest! The first one is the best version, and I think I know why aswell. I've read somewhere that when you'r travelling from left -> right, your going "away". And when you'r travelling right -> left you'r going home. So in this case it makes very much sense, that the first version suits the theme better than the other one "The journey begins". :) Keep it up man! I love the changes you've done, looks great.

[dunderdan]

Because most people start reading from left to right, it's more natural to start an image from the left to the right and "read" the image. So when you read your first image then you se them taking off on a long journey and the second image you start looking at the creature and the follow it up and see the others and get the image that they are traveling towards us "home".

Very nice image btw. Like it alot.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146466891_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1146466891_large.jpg)

Thanks for the suggestions all=)
I'll choose the mirrored version then.

I did some more details like the straws and waterdrop and so on..

Im just wondering wich version I should use now. The one with the thick border on the left? or the one where the borders have equal size?

[otre]

I'd say maybe the lower one, with equal sized borders. Looks more pleasing to me atleast.

Killer illustration btw. Only thing I can suggest(which I've seen others do also), is to have the characters stand out better, or actually, maybe just the small chubby guy close to the camera. add some more color to his face, so you see his expression better? Apart from that, excellent light/color. Also great composition.

:thumbsup:

[Try]

How is it going Arthur? The end is getting near!
I guess you only have some detailing left on your artwork,,,

Good luck to you!:thumbsup:

[anticz]

Looking good, You've chosen a very difficult lighting scheme to pull off. I applaud you for taking on this kind of technical challenge.

[Comlock]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1148072025_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10887/10887_1148072025_large.jpg)

After some weeks of speculation, ive decided to use the version with the thick frame on the left. It makes the log come more out of the picture, and at the same time it emphasize that one ant walking on top of it aswell. I realy appreciate all the advices I got while making this picture. It helped me loads.
Thanx =)

[Try]

Hey, hey! Congratulations with your finished artwork Arthur!!

Looks great man!! I like the way you used the frame to create depth!
Good job and good luck with the judging!

Dos this wonderful image come wit a little story…?

:)

[Nickillus]

Just love the mood you've created in this.

Nick

[ashiataka]

Best wishes to you and good luck in the challenge.Composition,the points that your characters stand on are seems very right and also the light is great.

[Quills]

Love the way the clouds echo the curve of the plants - great composition and nice light. Well done!

Q

[Womball]

This came out awesome! Really cool usage of the frame too. The character do not seem that small here either.

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