Uplift Universe - Image Entry: Nick Harris

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206566004_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206566004_large.jpg)

Just footling about at the moment, looking for possible good moments for interaction. How about a beauty salon?
But madam - It's all the rage on Alpha Centauri Seven.

Weak, but a way to get into it.

[PsychoArt]

A salon! I don't think I would go there... I like your alien, original!

Good luck!:)
P

[BaronImpossible]

Great sketch, Nick - that alien looks like the Jersey Devil :twisted: Good luck an' all!

[LightSovereign]

*Chuckles*

"i'm sorry i thought you said 'ear cut' "

great narration already, nick :)..lovely character design!

Marley

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206813049_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206813049_large.jpg)

Moving things round a bit and giving it a bit of space to breathe. Messing about in ArtRage. It's bound to change a few more times before I settle on a composition. I'm sooooo decisive - cough!

[scala]

Wonderful sketch and first step it's gonna be a wonderful "Nickillus" . Happy to see you everywhere Nick .

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206922235_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206922235_large.jpg)

Starting on some alien types.
Thanks for the constant support Eric - appreciated.

[LightSovereign]

i don't mean to be disrespectful here, but i have to compare your work to kieth thompsons, its just the amazing gentle line work which is of high quality. that really is an alien..very unique

Hey congratulations on the award for your 'Steam Punk' entry on PB..That was a blinder.

Marley

[chandro]

i really like your style and stroke :thumbsup:

[Spin99]

Awesomeness.

[Nickillus]

Hey thanks for all the nice words guys.

Marley - How could I be insulted by being compared to such a great artist? Love his stuff. Flattering comparison to say the least.

[RupertD]

The technique of dropping the scan onto paper in Photoshop and adding highlights works well. (I think thats what you did?)
Looking forward to more... Good Luck

[scala]

Award for Nick Award for Nick .... and the server is too busy what a messsssssss.
Award for Nick .

[Nickillus]

Hi Rupert,

No, I'm a draw straight in with a wacom kind of guy. This is just a texture photo dropped n behind a sketch in ArtRage. Would work in any software supporting layers of course. Hate drawing in Photoshop, because I've never managed to set it up to suit me (I'm just too thick and lazy). SKetchbook Pro is the best for a nice drawing experience though. Now if only they'd introduce arbitrary canvas rotate, it'd be near perfect.
Thanks for droping by - appreciated.

What are you on about Eric? I reckon the caffeine is getting to you - so exciteable. Certainly doesn't hurt your wonderful creativity. Maybe I should try it. I know I need to pop over to PainterFactory and look at your latest alien designs in the Rorche thread. Just haven't had time yet today. It's a 'must do' though.

[RupertD]

I bought Artrage a while ago but haven't tested it out - will do that now!

[Nickillus]

I often use it for that early sketching stage Rupert. It suffers a fair of bit with larger file sizes, and has limited brush size - but is remarkable value for money.

Try out the pencil with the 'precise' box ticked. That's the one that tickles my Wacom.

I had a fair bit of fun in the past with the stencils and rulers too. You can make your own out of imported image files, so it opens up the possiblity for very complex textures. PLUS it has full access to all the layer blending modes and PSD export/import.

Hope you get some joy out of it.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206979474_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1206979474_large.jpg)

Slapped a quick bit of colour on to see what it would look like.

[na]

I like the way you draw Nick, which software do you use for drawing out of interest? .. oh and good luck with your entry :)

[scala]

Such a subtility in the colors

[Nickillus]

Thanks Bill.
It's like I was telling Rupert earlier - I often like to start in either Sketchbook Pro or ArtRage software. This sketch is ArtRage. It's limitations mean I don't try and get too fancy tooo early. As if that could happen . . . whisltes and shuffles foot.

Thanks again Eric. A layer set to colour blending mode is to blame.

[na]

Sorry Nick, I overlooked that one. As a fan of Artrage myself I am mightly impressed with your drawing! :)

[Nickillus]

Hey no sweat Bill. Thanks for the kind words. yep - ArtRage has a lot of potential. I reckon we're going to see some remarkable pieces done in that software.

[nickjsky]

Kudos for a wonderfully unearthly alien. Very creative.

[John Keates]

I like the style!! Nice drawing skills and imagination. There is somehow a lot of humility in such a non-human creature.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209168943_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209168943_large.jpg)

Better get back to doing this, as the clock is ticking. Slight change of tack and composition, which is likely to alter many more times before the finish.

'All the salon staff could tell when Benton had been drinking'
is the caption for the moment

[Ferx]

Hey Nick, really nice sketches and a cool concept :D, I like a lot, great . The palette looks great and works really well. The alien designs are awesome mate, great style! For sure looking forward for more updates!! Cheers mate! :beer:

[justinhu]

really interesting concept,Looking forward to more.

[HornlessUnicorn]

This place is like a treasure of talent! Just discovered your work. Love your portfolio.

This is a very original idea - love it :) You have a great style! I hope you'll finish in time - this will be a great entry.

Cheers,

Dimitrij.

P.S. What's "Artrage"? I'm going to check it out.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209209774_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209209774_large.jpg)

Hey thanks for the encouragement guys - Ad thanks for the network request too Dimitrij - glad to, thanks. Love your knitting beastie, by the way. Really made me smile.

I think I have a better idea of what this may end up being about now. About time! The working caption now, until I can refine it is
'Someone at the salon really needed to have a word with Benton about his breath.'

[Nickillus]

Oh yes - Dimitrij

ArtRage is a brillliantly priced software that you can download from Ambientdesign.com
The toolset isn't as sharp as it could be but it has full layer blending support (and psd import/export), has a novel 'stencil' system whereby you can make your own textural ones from imported images. And how about this - You can paste scaleable reference images onto the workspace. It's great first stop for sketching, and is capable of produicng highly polished finishes with a bit of patience.

Talking of sketching - Have you tried Sketchbook Pro? That's what I'm working this up in at the moment. Superb touch to it.

Cheers,
Nick

[scala]

Thanks for the news about art rage and Sketchbook . I'm waiting for the other characters.

[Minnhagen]

Really cool characters!

[HornlessUnicorn]

Thanks for all the info, Nick! No I haven't tried Sketchbook Pro yet - I'll definitely check those programs out - right now I work with Corel Painter X.

Cheers,

Dimitrij.

[Nickillus]

Hi Dimitrij,
I'm a confirmed PainterX user myself. Never did get on with the painting engine in Photoshop somehow. Probably it's just that I found Painter first. The other two softwares are good additions, but not a replacement for Painter. I just prefer the drawing experience in them. Although, as I said before, they are both capable of much more and there is great work about, done in them to prove it.

Hope they give you some jollies, my friend.
All the best for the chalenge with your excellent entry.
Cheers,
Nick

[John Keates]

Hey Nickillus, It just struck me that your work is quite similar to this artists:

http://www.inka-essenhigh.com/

Just thought you might be interested to look.

[neudecker]

At last I've found him!:applause:
It's great to see him in the contest and follow his marvellous sketch style and art he will develop in here!
Congratz Mr. Harris!
Btw I'm using artrage 2.5 at the moment as well and its great tool of trade for sketchin pencilsstyle to me but not meeting the creative congeniality as in here...
Regards
Peter

[Nickillus]

Hi John,
Interesting artist you showed me the link to. Thanks for that. Bookmarked now for better perusal at my leisure. Thanks for the kind compariosn too.

Hi Peter,
Glad you seem to like my scribblings. I'll try not to disappoint, and actually finish one of these challenges this time. Found that network request from you as well. I'd misplaced it, but we're joined at the hip now. Thanks for that too.

I have a lot of time for ArtRage. It makes some powerful tools available to a lot more folk, being priced the way it is. If it keeps improving the way it has, it'll put the frighteners on the big boys soon, I reckon. Have you checked out the Ambient forums? Really friendly there and the developers of the software moderate, and even participate too.,
Cheers,
Nick

[scala]

Please Nick take the time to finish .

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209722232_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1209722232_large.jpg)

Thought I'd start throwing a bit of lighting about to set some mood. Bit basic and crude at the moment, but there's still quite a way to go yet.

[DyingArt]

Great work I really like the concept and the characters are brilliant.
I also would like to see this finished so good luck :thumbsup:

[Ivy00]

*waves at Nick

This is brilliant , It has such beautiful flowing lines on the alien :)

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210152371_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210152371_large.jpg)

Daubing away in snatched moments while juggling about ten other pieces at the same time for work. Doesn't the time slip a way . . . Oooooooooh!

[scala]

Hey Nick you gonna slip next week .
So you put some lights on . Is the Lady in green a little drunk ? It's getting better and Better .

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210262538_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210262538_large.jpg)

This is evolving into something slightly different, as usually happens in the
fluid way I work.
The caption now would be something like -

'I assure you madam, that Alphonse's comments regarding your scent will be most severely dealt with, with any parts of him that we can find.'

Not exactly pithy, but it's still a work in progress.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210292353_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210292353_large.jpg)

Got round to tying the ground plane to the upper section with a central light source, and started putting a bit more detail into 'madam'.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210344814_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210344814_large.jpg)

Pushing the lighting more and generally having a frenzied daub about, in an attempt to have something like a presentable image.

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210381216_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210381216_large.jpg)

Bit more detailing, but having fun with cantankerous software - grrrrrrrr.

[jadedyolk]

Nice work Nick cant wait to see the final render.

[scala]

It's gonna be a wonderful piece

[Nickillus]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210555354_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/20/14858/14858_1210555354_large.jpg)

Fumbling about trying to put this together in time. So unlike me - cough.

[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.