The Journey Begins Challenge (2D) Entry: Alex Ruiz

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142288445_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142288445_large.jpg)

This concept is definitely on the cute side, but I wanted it to have a Pinnochio feel to it.....an old inventor has finally created a tiny hummingbird-like machine to tend the fields, harvest etc.....I wanted to depict it's birth in this scene, kinda tricky....comments welcome:)

[werepumpkin]

I like the creative approach to your concept. Right now it's much more about the moment of "birth", as opposed to the journey that starts there. Maybe we can see more of the fields?

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142301028_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142301028_large.jpg)

I started doing this sketch, and realized it was better than my first!:) And it's much more relevant to my life, where sometimes taking the first step of a journey is the hardest part...We tend to see too far sometimes, all the way to the horizon...and it overwhelmes us! So for me, the big journey requires many, many small ones..the first step, get off your butt and start movin'!!:)

[emajedi]

Nice! I like the composition of this. Cool! Do you paint with Photoshop?

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142316482_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142316482_large.jpg)

I widened the scene on all sides to pull back a bit, yet still retain a strong foreground element. So this image is definitely metaphorical, a bit abstract too. But I'm really happy with it, and I'm hoping the viewer can put themselves right in it, to emphathize with one human....the bird on the other hand, don't know what the heck that's doin' there!:) But I needed to balance the left side out, but with something in motion. So that's it for now, thanks for all your great comments guys!

[MikeTheHunter]

Yeah, it does remind my work a bit, but don't worry, I think we'll have totally different concept behind the work, so it won't be doubled. ;) I hope... :P ;) Looks good.

[anzibon]

really nice composition. i wonder what's gonig through his head watching that dragon fly by. is he something they eat?

~B

[Vahn]

yo tarrzan! welcome to the challenge :D

the sketch looks cool .. nice values so far :thumbsup:

[MichaelZHsee]

nice having ya tarrzan,pretty cool sketches mate~awaiting for more~:)
good luck to ya

[W-I-L]

really like this one mate.. good lcuk

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142368147_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142368147_large.jpg)

I've added a basic moody color to it...and I'm looking foward to doing a nice big sky with huge clouds, mainly because I haven't done a sky to this degree before!:)

[elgrozni]

It looks cool so far, but i dunno if it is good that the character is sitting on those stairs being a bit too static. I think you at least should make him looking toward these clouds and mountains, instead of looking in front of him. Hope you'll keep this mood, it looks realy good :) .

[yoitisi]

Very nice, I like the mountain, it looks so detailed already :)

I agree with Elgrozni, I think a sitting character wouldn't really convey the message of starting a journey. Also I should move the bird a bit more to the middle of the picture to get a better composition (or leave it out, since you already have a focus point there, the castle in the distance).

Would like to see the finished piece.

[beelow]

Tarrzan, this is starting to look good, keep it, I will keeping an eye on your thread as well!:thumbsup:

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142391273_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142391273_large.jpg)

So I'm pulling back more, just when I thought I shouldn't!:) But I'm cool with it, what do y'all think??

werepumpkin- thanks so much for that first concept, I actually did draw in the fields you suggested, but then threw the whole thing out:

emajedi-thanks a lot! and yes, I definitely use the ol' photoshop, and a lot of painter.

MikeTheHunter- dude, I'm glad you flipped yours!! It actually looks way better now, reading strongly to the right, the look nothing alike now!!:)

anzibon- thanks man! so it's not really a dragon there, just some kinda raven or something, I haven't made it up yet!:)

Vahn-thanks for the great comment...

sh@ke-what up dog??!!!:) good to see you again, competition's fierce when you're around!!

W!L-thanks bro!

elgrozni- dude, thanks for the insightful comment, I totally saw what you meant,...and changed my main character!! thank you..

yoitisi- thank you as well...your agreement with elgronzi made this piece more alive, y'all rock!:)

beelow-thanks kid!! I'm always glad your around, you're a great team player and inspiration!

[MichaelZHsee]

it looks pretty good now~nice control of depth between the foreground and the background:)

[haikai]

this latest concept painting is very nice. like the cartoony feel of the character and the mood you've established. i'm glad you added the hint of the path he's on continuing around the mountains in the background. the path itself resembles a rollercoaster which is an appropriate visual, although maybe if you gave it some bumps and made it not so smooth (having it be obvious how the rails were constructed from a series of pieces rather than one long and smooth object) it might make his journey seem even more perilous (and might fit in with those craggy mountains). the only other crit that comes to mind is the transition point between the ledge he came from and the actual path he's on. it seems rather abrupt.

[umbrellasky]

Ooo I really like this latest sketch!! Great depth and perspective. Nice work!

[walrus]

Great concept... It's a stairway and a roller-coaster all in one! (It may sound like I'm just being silly, but the nice curves on the bridge really lend to a feeling of movement.) And the bird looks much better moved up so that it can read against a lighter background. Only thing I'd siggest is flipping it so the movement of the character is left to right instead of vise-versa. But it's looking nice, I'll enjoy seeing more of this. Best of luck,

-mike

[MVDB]

I like this last concept you showed!
very cool..
*subscribed* :thumbsup:

[elgrozni]

Great improves :thumbsup:

[jevinart]

wonderful sense of space and perspective here. the staircase is nicely composed. beautiful job so far!

[werepumpkin]

So I'm pulling back more, just when I thought I shouldn't!:) But I'm cool with it, what do y'all think??

werepumpkin- thanks so much for that first concept, I actually did draw in the fields you suggested, but then threw the whole thing out:

This is looking great! It's more metaphorical than the first, but it still has a fresh feel to it. I like the wider shot myself.

[kevinhyshen]

very nice to see someone experimenting with very different concepts in the start. Very thoughtful.

Good luck

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142459139_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142459139_large.jpg)

Ok, so pulled back further and flopped, I'm starting to get tighter with it. Thanks to all you guys for your comments, very reasonable and insightful!! I've used them all, so thanks!!

[Squibbit]

pretty good landscape feel there :thumbsup:


.

[werepumpkin]

I'm always surprised at how different an image can seem when flipped. This looks much more airy and hopeful. The original version seemed crammed and dark.

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142476855_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142476855_large.jpg)

This piece so far has been quite the journey for myself, and an unknown one at that....but I feel it's shaping up now. I'm glad for the opportunity to use what I know of matte painting( which isn't very much!) to incorporate pieces of photos, then painting over them.... Other than that, it's been two brushes in Photoshop, and a whole lot of experimenting:) Thanks again for all the great crits!

[MVDB]

This just keeps getting better and better!
Rock on! :thumbsup:

[grobouk]

waooh ! an awesome concept picture, i 'm very curious to see her finished

[Dominus]

amazing! great concept dude! now set the color mood! :thumbsup:

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142557664_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142557664_large.jpg)

Well, this is my line art...not really a line drawing, but it's as clean as it's gonna get. I'll get into color next, which is sometimes a problem for me, but eventually I get it....it's all about practice man!:) Best of luck to all you guys, I'm lovin' all the feedback...

[beelow]

Looking nice dude! Compo is nice! Still trying to figure out where ur focus is! I think that would be the only crit. Maybe it should be the boy, Maybe? It seem the interests seems to be point towards the little boy but, I can not see him, I am interested in the character!

Oh another idea u can put another character in the forground, Maybe, Evoke some emotion. Stick with the compo it just need to be refine with the characters; they need to be more important! Good luck!:thumbsup:

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142569650_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142569650_large.jpg)

Added some light color, and made a change to the characters, I wanted to show a better relationship between the boy and the bird griffin thing....so now he's hitchin' a ride with them, forget the long winding staircase!!:)

[tarrzan]

yo beelow, I just read your comment( right after I posted a new one) and of course it's right on! I was feeling that earlier, or rather NOT feeling any emotions or care for the characters....so now I think it's a little warmer now :D

[ahbeejieh]

Yo tarrzan. Love the movement in your work. Looks as if the picture's moving in slow mo coz of your strokes and how the bridge is kinda deformed like that. I just noticed that the griffin in the foreground near the boy and the one farther up looks kinda the same, almost like a copy and paste. It's probably the similar angle. You gotta have variety in every aspect of your painting man, it's just too easy for the judges to notice repetitions like these, especially among the characters.

[beelow]

Yeah, I was talking to one of the people that I talk to at school, and said that ur work was lovely, but I felt there was something missing characters to evoke the mood! Well, there were characters but they were kinda hidden within the compo, almost seemed less important, now it looks better! I am interested to see what u do next dude!:thumbsup:

[authentic]

In artisitic way, I love this picture. So much emotion. Huge bg. Nothing to crit.
But the concept doesn't look clear to me at 1st sight.

[vader]

the visual and composition are wonderful!! :buttrock:

[emrahelmasli]

Sweet stuff Alex, i like the latest composition alot. Colors and the mood is great. Keep it up

[yAdam]

This is really nice!! I like the composition right now, but I feel kind of diconnected from the main focus of the piece is (the boy and the bird)... Like beelow said, maybe bringing the characters towards the foreground would help. That way you could use the expression on either of the character's faces to show what is going on....

[Bierberg]

Very nice colors. not cold nor warm. like in a dream.

one thing that worries me is the lack of depth.. i know you wrote that youd make this a metaphorical image :) but still .. more atmospherical interferance on the city in the middle

another thing is the mountain in the background it seams very much in focus at the momen. allmost like a real photo. tho, its really cool the way it bends.. again.. really dreamy :)

[NinjaA55N]

very nice pic! so if the story is about that little boy hitch hiking, than would be better if u show that more clearly by adding some other occupied flying animals with ppl.. the way it is now it could be read that the animal is attacking the boy. otherwise once again, very nice piece, just keep up the good work!

[kidster]

GREAT !!! I LOVE IT ! keep it this way ! Good luck ! I'll keep an eye on ya !:scream:

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142647868_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1142647868_large.jpg)

Alright, so it's a big party now! I've added friends, family, and of course creatures... Everyone's there to see the young boy off.....what adventures will he find?? Don't ask me, I have no idea!:) Thanks, all you guys, your crits were absolutely appreciated, as well as implemented! So I know it's a little dark, but now I'll build on that base with color....see y'all soon!

[beelow]

Nice update dude, I still want to see the faces of the characters though, but silouette seems to work here, Maybe a second light source to light them characters on the steps, eh?
Still one of my favorites! It has the goodness!:thumbsup:

[Eve76]

Your artwork is looking great! I love the dynamic composition.It certainly has an epic feeling to it.

[tuck]

I really love your style.allways amazing.

looking forward to see your worlk!:thumbsup:

[MikeTheHunter]

Realllly nice work, dude :D It's evolving really greatly :thumbsup: Will be dropping by to see you proggress. :)

[CryingHorn]

Beautifull concept, good luck on this one :D

[penartist26]

lovely piece! gudluck:thumbsup:

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1143598125_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1143598125_large.jpg)

here's more on the bg, I really like how calm it is...but then throwing in the 'goodbye party' characters I feel messes it all up!! Oh well, we'll see what happens, but I'd love to hear what you guys think!!! thanks

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144374355_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144374355_large.jpg)

So here's a new sketch for me, the others weren't sitting right with me, I didn't fell emotionally connected as I wanted...and I really wanted to be for a piece that has 'the Jouurney Begins' as its main focus:) And so, this piece I feel directly in the middle, because it corresponds directly to my life and what I'm dealing with now. Yes, the journey begins, but where it leads to, who knows??? I've indicated many paths, for life is full of them, some easy, some hard, we all know this, but what's for sure is that we can't go back...but let's look ahead towards that sun man!!:)

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144385396_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144385396_large.jpg)

..a little more on this..

[MrFreeman]

Now this is the sort of dynamic composition that I really admire.

Great work - works so well even at this early stage...look forward to seeing how this develops:) Very Very nice

[anzibon]

that sketch is really amazing. tons of potential, but lacks the story moment that you had going with everyone seeing off the boy who's going with the griffin. and if you can wakl away from that last update (i think it's your best yet) then you are a better man than i.

new one - this may sound cheesy, but maybe if the character had a dog with him or sometihng. something to give us a connection to that character. right now with him not responding to the falling bridge he feels to me like some kind of hard ass or maybe totally oblivious or super determined. i just don't connect to him yet.


old one - maybe if you go back to your concept of him hailing the bird who has the sling. you need a really dynamic character if he's going to be that far back. maybe a windswept cape or maybe he's jumping off the bridge?


either way, i can't friggin wait to see where you go.
great stuff,
~B

[domclubb]

i like it. nice epic feel, beutiful palette and an effective composition. looks like it's gonna be a good one!

[FlaminGlow]

Nice image and atmosphere, i like the pink color at the back.

[vader]

alex, i like this concept.
great colors and composition

[AWaqas]

Nice colors man.. I like the latest concept, the journey seems more compicated..

[Zephyri]

Oh wow. Wow. The colours in this are just incredible. The tones and values of those blues and peaches are perfectly matched, how do you do it?? Don't mind my envy... I'd definitely go with the lat concept, it has that epic feel to it, the scope of the landscape and it's unusual roads are awe-inspiring. I really like the fact the road has collapsed behind the guy too, and that the rope bridges are broken - very symbolic, and a great way to insinuate the beginning of a journey. Man, this could look just amazing when it's all done, definitely keeping tabs on this!

[beelow]

I t looks like u got something going with this last piece dude, I say go with this one, I love the dynamics in it!:thumbsup:

[bandro]

Hi alex, the new sketch looks good but also the earlier was fantastic, Maybe im wrong but the new one seems more to the cyberpunk side (the gray structures) i think it needs some more theme, something that catch the eye, you know. But its too soon to judge so im looking forward for it

good luck man

[GonzaloGolpe]

Like the tones of your composition :) looking forward to see more =)


Zalo

[abourabe]

I like this one . nice work Alex !

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144719232_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1144719232_large.jpg)

Well, I ended up doing another new concept, didn't mean to, just kinda happened....but I ended up liking it, but I'd like to hear what you guys think( by the way, thanks so much for all your previous comments!!!:) So the story with this one is one of 'should you jump on that alien ship or not?'.....while crowds of people run towards the ships, our young man on the right stays behind with his sheep. Of course I never do closeups of faces, but I want this to be an objective scene......love to hear what y'all think!

[Slav]

this is definatly a cool take. good work so far.

[omer-n]

your work is amazing.... i like your style . good luck:thumbsup:









my journey
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?threadid=339627

[NinjaA55N]

The story u just told is very dramatic and emotional, it has the right thing for this challenge I guess and from what I see from this sketch, the main idea is well readable. Go on and define some of those shapes some more :) good luck!

[walrus]

Well, you said you wanted more emotion in your scene, and this one definitely has the potential for it. It's all going to depend on the body language of the people, both boarding and being left behind.. but just in general, I think this is fantastic. Great colors, nice use of green in there, lovely composition contrasting the alien and the terrestrial... Hope you'll go ahead with this one, without too many more changes, it's really nice. Good luck with it!

-mike

[tarrzan]

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1147148903_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/12/10971/10971_1147148903_large.jpg)

ok, I'm considering this my line/value step, as I will start adding color right away....as the contest is almost over!!:) I added a lot to the top, I wanted many many walkways, signifying the many paths one can take in life.....but I also have my character looking back as the road falls away behind him....just as we 'look back' in regret, or just the scary idea that we can't go back.....well enough of the philosophizing, I hope you guys like it! And thanks so much for all the great comments on the previous pieces!

[anticz]

Love the extreme perspective. Feels like a big place. Foreground objects look a tad bit too distorted. Great concept though. Nice job and good luck.

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.