Uplift Universe - Image Entry: Jose Riveros

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206074209_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206074209_large.jpg)

Quick sketch for background matte.

[NathanielWest]

Nice start! I'm looking forward to seeing where you will take this one.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206256018_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206256018_large.jpg)

This a anatomical muscle drawing I did for reference. Its the body of a chicken.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206256183_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206256183_large.jpg)

Here is my first attempt at the alien bird concept.

[Argopo]

Nice start! I'm looking forward to seeing where you will take this one.

Thanks Nathaniel. I also look forward to your submission.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206419789_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1206419789_large.jpg)

Ok, so the premise is a human's first contact with an alien species. You don't actually see the alien just its hand as it moves toward the human. Is it hostile or friendly?

This is a gray-scale sketch to block in elements.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279097_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279097_large.jpg)

Ok, so I was going nowhere fast with my initial ideas. So, decided to go forward and start the matte painting. And work on the thematic elements a little later.

This is the photo I started the matte with.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279405_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279405_large.jpg)

This the first re-working of the matte painting. Pretty dirty and basic.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279589_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207279589_large.jpg)

Some more re-working. Now with more dynamic clouds. This matte painting still needs alot of work though. The river needs to be fixed, the landscape in the background needs to be corrected for perspective and the horizon needs to be cleaned up.

Hopefully this weekend I'll start working on the thematic elements to composite in the matte.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538555_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538555_large.jpg)

Sketch for the thematic elements.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538621_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538621_large.jpg)

Sketch for alien skin.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538689_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1207538689_large.jpg)

Sketch for alien mouth.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142253_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142253_large.jpg)

Modeling the Tothtoon from the star clan of the Thennanin in XSI.

Reference: Contacting Aliens - An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142450_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142450_large.jpg)

Right view.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142574_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1208142574_large.jpg)

Basic mock-up of painting with pre-textured models and sketch of human character.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089830_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089830_large.jpg)

added some waterfalls

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089938_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089938_large.jpg)

asset created in Modo

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089989_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209089989_large.jpg)

more modo

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209090106_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209090106_large.jpg)

test render of tothtoon hair before instancing. XSI

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209090173_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1209090173_large.jpg)

render test of textured tothtoon.

[dominochance]

Make sure these guys feel a lot beigger then the guy in the balloon. They alway felt big to me. Also, at one point we came up with the idea that they light up at night, talking in complex colors like squids.
That's the real alins on this planet, finding the non-biped creatures who have talents we can't imagine.

Great start.

kevin Lenagh / Contacting Aliens

[Argopo]

Hi Kevin,


Thanks for the comment!

I will make sure the Tothtoons are bigger in proportion to the humans/ballons. Also, I had originally planned the upper body to be more transparent and incandescent, but felt it should have a harder shell as a protective cover against the elements. The under body is soft tissue. As is the very top. So with these elements I was hoping to give the Tothtoon multi color luminosity as you described.

Your book with David Brin has been fun to read and your illustrations a great help.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210129331_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210129331_large.jpg)

detail of wip

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210129402_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210129402_large.jpg)

still a bit of work to do

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210540823_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210540823_large.jpg)

pre-final color.

[Argopo]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210540996_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14518/14518_1210540996_large.jpg)

Title: Unclassified: Encounter with Tothtoons

Credits:

Derivative Work inspired by:

David Brin and Kevin Lenagh, Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe

Chris Moore, Chris Moore's Illustration

Royalty free images:

samantha 1, Sean Carpenter, (partial), stock.xchng

Royalty free textures:

Total textures, 3Dtotal

Software used:

XSI
Modo
Silo
Photoshop

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