Steampunk Myths and Legends Entry: Bastien

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226946861_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226946861_large.jpg)

Hi... I'm Bastien, or "B." ... a 26 years old french illustrator.
Excuse my bad english...
So i've chosen to work on the legend of Ophelia. The Shakespeare character, painted by Millais, Delacroix, Waterhouse and others...
In this world, all the water is transformed in vapor... so she can't die as she wants...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226963028_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226963028_large.jpg)

Second step... just thinking about colours and composition...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226963386_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226963386_large.jpg)

Third...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226964510_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226964510_large.jpg)

...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226965560_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226965560_large.jpg)

...

[livingrope]

[mode constructive crit on] Woohhooo !! [mode constructive crit off]

[BastienL]

hahaha ! te voila toi ^^

euh... Sky ! My husband !!!

[theblacktiger]

L'ambiance de l'image est bonne ! :thumbsup:

[BastienL]

Thank you guy !

My english is so perfect that I have to use it ;)
The mood is good but I think I have to put more flowers in... Have a look on the futur post ...

Enchanté :)

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226968473_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1226968473_large.jpg)

...

[keraj37]

this is fantastic!

[Legacy40k]

How did you make/where did you get the background you're using for the pictures?

[Intervain]

Phew - Ophelia was one of my first choices - good thing I passed hehe - great start! Looking forward to more :)

[BastienL]

-Hi Magdalena... I've just looked at your website, it's gorgeous ! I think I have to try Zbrush one day ;)

So, Ophelie is a character who seems realy appropriate for me... according the age of steampunk and the place: england. It's a tragical thematic what obsessed me during a long time. :)

-Andrew, the font page is a font I've created for the presentation of this WIP, I use to do this sort of things to show my work. For exemple my websites are designed with old textures pages... according my "Retro-stories". (www.tyrell-corporate.com)

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227061970_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227061970_large.jpg)

...

[subedei]

Fantastic work, simply fantastic, congratz

[JeffDurham]

Really terrific painting and designing. You have a terrific style on this one.

[ArthurGWG]

Hi, i liked a lot your idea, I loved the references, it was kinda going somewere, but if i were from the jury i wouldn`t buy it. Sorry, it`s just my opinion, but i think getting an noble from denmark and putting her in an dryed London because you like london atmosphere....
And the mechanical eye...it`s cool and stuff, very steampunk, but there`s no reason for it.
I think that you are very attached with the image, the exterior, and it tricked you. I would not recognise the tale just seeing your image, i had to read the post to understand that it was Ophelia!
I would prefer someone who depicted the legend in an image form, in a way that i could recognise immediately what was represented, like Millas did.
I would not know that you made her from pictures thou! See, your technique is fantastic, but the thinking behind the scene is kinda getting in the way!

[Cyberone]

hey now...this is coming up really interestingly :)

[Ferx]

Hey Bastien,

Really original concept, and like a lot your approach and sketches on your idea, really looking good :D. Looking forward for more updates! Cheers mate! :beer:

[Rupy]

Wow its beautiful Bastien, amazing concept, the colors are flowing really well in the painting, cheers!


Rupy

[KolorGuild]

The colours you've used really set the mood well for this piece. I love it!

[BastienL]

Hey guys, that's cool to have this kind of reply !
I'll post my next "WIP" in a few time ... ;)

Thanks,

B.

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227129505_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227129505_large.jpg)

...

[AUMAKUA]

Very dark! you captured it really well, looking forward for the final work :)

[Pharion]

draws you in, is that a steam powered Zeppelin by the clock?

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227133635_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227133635_large.jpg)

...

Héhé Pharion... that's an answer to your post ;)

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227142875_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227142875_large.jpg)

An advanced version... Now I just have to work in détails...
If you have some suggestions, you're welcome !

[BastienL]

Hi, i liked a lot your idea, I loved the references, it was kinda going somewere, but if i were from the jury i wouldn`t buy it. Sorry, it`s just my opinion, but i think getting an noble from denmark and putting her in an dryed London because you like london atmosphere....
And the mechanical eye...it`s cool and stuff, very steampunk, but there`s no reason for it.
I think that you are very attached with the image, the exterior, and it tricked you. I would not recognise the tale just seeing your image, i had to read the post to understand that it was Ophelia!
I would prefer someone who depicted the legend in an image form, in a way that i could recognise immediately what was represented, like Millas did.
I would not know that you made her from pictures thou! See, your technique is fantastic, but the thinking behind the scene is kinda getting in the way!



As a matter of fact, what you are saying is that it's not obvious to see on the picture that the character is Ophelia. That's true and this is not of my concern.
I just pictured it in a new context, in a steampunk world. My intention is not to copy Millais or the others. I want to play around with this kind of character.
Some legendary characters are easyly recognised (as the minautaur or others). Ophelia is just a girl.
Concerning the London context. It's just a reference to Shakespeare. Hamlet, so Ophelia's tale is english, even if it's story takes place in Danemark.
As for the mechanical eye, I do agree... I'ts juste a steampunk caprice of my own !!

The simplest choice could have been to make another version of Ophelia dying in the water all over again... That's precisely what I don't want to do !!!







So... here is the Ophelia Story :D
(from wikipedia)

A possible historical source for Ophelia is Katherine Hamlet (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katherine_Hamlet&action=edit&redlink=1), a young woman who fell into the Avon river and died in December 1579. Though it was eventually concluded that she had overbalanced while carrying some heavy pails, rumours that she was suffering from a broken heart were considered plausible enough for an inquest to be conducted into whether her death was a suicide. It is possible that Shakespeare - sixteen at the time of the death - recalled the romantic tragedy in his creation of the character of Ophelia.The name "Ophelia" itself had never been in use before the play.




In Ophelia's first speaking appearance in the play,[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-1) we see her with her brother, Laertes, who is leaving for France (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France). Laertes lectures Ophelia against getting involved with Hamlet. He warns her that Hamlet does not have his free will as he is the heir of Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark) so does not have freedom to marry whomever he wants. Ophelia's father, Polonius, enters while Laertes is leaving, and Polonius also admonishes Ophelia against Hamlet, because he fears Hamlet is not earnest about her. Polonius concludes by forbidding Ophelia to have any further communication with Hamlet. She agrees to obey her father and to avoid Hamlet entirely.

In Ophelia's next appearance,[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-2) she tells Polonius that Hamlet rushed into her room with his clothing askew, and with a 'hellish' expression on his face, and only stared at her, without speaking to her. Based on what Ophelia tells him, about Hamlet acting in such a "mad" way, Polonius concludes that he was wrong to forbid Ophelia to see Hamlet, and that Hamlet must be mad because of lovesickness for Ophelia. Polonius immediately decides to go to Claudius (the new King of Denmark, and also Hamlet's uncle and stepfather) about the situation. We later[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-3) see Polonius suggest to Claudius that they can hide behind an arras to overhear Hamlet speaking to Ophelia, when Hamlet thinks the conversation is private. Since Polonius is now sure Hamlet is lovesick for Ophelia, he thinks Hamlet will express love for Ophelia. Claudius agrees to try the eavesdropping plan later. The plan leads to what is commonly called the 'Nunnery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunnery) Scene'. [5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-4)

In the 'Nunnery Scene' Polonius instructs Ophelia to stand in the lobby of the castle, while he and Claudius hide behind. Hamlet enters the room, in a different world from the others, and recites his "To be, or not to be (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_be,_or_not_to_be)" soliloquy. Hamlet approaches Ophelia and talks to her. He famously tells her "get thee to a nunnery." Hamlet becomes angry, realizes he's gone too far, and says "I say there will be no more marriage", and exits. Ophelia is left bewildered, scared, and heartbroken, sure that Hamlet is crazy. After Hamlet storms out, Ophelia makes her "O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown" soliloquy.

The next time Ophelia appears is at the 'Mousetrap Play'[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-5) which Hamlet has arranged to try to prove that Claudius killed King Hamlet. Hamlet sits with Ophelia and makes sexually suggestive remarks, also saying that woman's love is brief.

Later that night, after the play, Hamlet kills Polonius [7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-6) - thinking Polonius is Claudius ("Is it the King?")- during a private meeting between Hamlet and his mother, Queen Gertrude (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_%28Hamlet%29). At Ophelia's next appearance,[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-7) after her father's death, she has gone mad, due to what the other characters interpret as grief over her father. She sings some "mad" and bawdy songs about death and a maiden losing her virginity. After bidding everyone a "good night", she exits.

The final time Ophelia in the play is after Laertes comes to the castle to challenge Claudius over the death of his father, Polonius. Ophelia sings more songs and hands out flowers, citing their symbolic meanings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_symbolism) although interpretations of the meanings differ. After blessing everyone she exits for the last time.

In Act 4 Scene 7, Queen Gertrude, in a famous monologue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monologue) (There is a willow grows aslant the brook), reports that Ophelia had climbed into a willow tree, and then a branch broke and dropped Ophelia into the brook, where she drowned. Gertrude says that Ophelia appeared "incapable of her own distress" like a mad person would be. Gertrude's announcement of Ophelia's death is one of the most poetic death announcements in literature.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-8)

We later see a sexton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexton_%28office%29) at the graveyard insisting Ophelia must have killed herself,[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_%28character%29#cite_note-9) however, although the sexton attempts to argue the point logically and legally, he never says how he would know it as a fact. The cleric who presides at Ophelia's funeral later asserts that she should have been buried in unsanctified ground as a suicide, but he doesn't say how he knows facts about it, either. Laertes is outraged by what the cleric says, and replies that Ophelia will be an angel in heaven when the cleric "liest howling" (with the fiends in hell). The remarks by the sexton and the cleric have naturally led to a great deal of discussion of whether Ophelia committed suicide. Between Gertrude's report of an accident, and the later talk of suicide, the suicide issue is left unclear in the play, so that even after four centuries since the play was written, the issue is still a topic of debate.

At Ophelia's funeral, Queen Gertrude sprinkles flowers on Ophelia's grave ("sweets to the sweet,") and says she wished Ophelia could have been Hamlet's wife. Laertes then jumps into Ophelia's grave excavation, asking for the burial to wait until he has held her in his arms one last time, and proclaims how much he loved her. Hamlet, nearby, then challenges Laertes, and claims that he loved Ophelia more than "forty thousand" brothers could. After her funeral scene, there is no further mention of Ophelia.




Well done if you've reed it ;)

[oneandonlyDiscoStu]

really nice mood you are achieving already.

ArthurGWG you may be right in points but there is never a "reason" for steampunking stuff.
its all just a style. its like saying thats a human why does he look so weird to an expressionist.

[M31]

Beautiful work! :applause: I like your concept and the mood that you have created!

[balasa]

great stuff so far, keep it coming

[BastienL]

Merci Messieurs Dames !!!

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227158608_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227158608_large.jpg)

Searching about new sky, new lights... and the neon: "The Hamlet"
...
to be continued

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227205678_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227205678_large.jpg)

...

[AshCR24]

very cool. i love your palette and the image so far.

very interesting concept, but i don't think the image conveys that narrative very well. she has the unquenched thirst for death, it's the tragedy that Ophelia cannot drown herself because all the water has been turned to steam (right?); steam, steam, everywhere, but not a drop to drown in.

something to indicate the absence of water would be useful. like a dry canal, or aqueduct.

good luck!

[MartinNielsen]

Very artistic approach you have here. I like that :thumbsup: This sure looks like a disturbing place to be!

[BastienL]

very cool. i love your palette and the image so far.

very interesting concept, but i don't think the image conveys that narrative very well. she has the unquenched thirst for death, it's the tragedy that Ophelia cannot drown herself because all the water has been turned to steam (right?); steam, steam, everywhere, but not a drop to drown in.

something to indicate the absence of water would be useful. like a dry canal, or aqueduct.

good luck!

I think you're right... So 'ill try to put some reservoir, and others structures to conserve water...
Perhaps a logo about it...
:D

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227213792_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227213792_large.jpg)

here we are...

[PMD]

You've done such a beautiful job so far Bastien, I look forward to seeing this one develop! Excellent work on the buildings and composition!

Phil

[BastienL]

Thank you Phil... I've just looked at your portfolio. I love the forest pictures !!! :D

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227223046_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227223046_large.jpg)

...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227231577_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227231577_large.jpg)

Change the tower perspective...
Move the leg...
Smoke on the background...

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227243682_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227243682_large.jpg)

...

[rebelakemi]

I saw that Orphelia painting by Millais when I was in Europe years ago. I think it was in London (can't remember). The detail was amazing and the colors almost stained glass like! It's all that tedious glazing in oils. I always loved the Pre-Raphaelites! You're also named after one of my favorite painters, Bastien LePage. He has a gorgeous painting of Joan of Arc in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. I definitely will follow your progress, you've got some great reference and your idea is fantastic. Looks cool so far.

[BastienL]

Thank you Sandra !
Nice to ear that my references are not to bad... When I began this work, I was not sure that my Ophelia was appropriate for this competition. So that's cool to have good comments ;)

[AshCR24]

ha ha. love the shower logo!

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227303657_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227303657_large.jpg)

...

[oneandonlyDiscoStu]

getting better and better!

wasnt to keen about the red shoes but now they are gone ^^

[RupertD]

I really like what you are doing here - very interesting technique - its looking amazing :bowdown: . Its be interesting to see how much tighter you push it.

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227365729_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227365729_large.jpg)

...

[paperclip]

Hi. :wavey:

I love the idea, Ophelia is such a lovely story- not sure if it is a myth/legend though, but that's another thing altogether-

I really like your composition, etc...but right now it's looking a bit too busy? I would suggest desaturating the colours apart from the main figure, more like you had in your initial sketch and pushing the background back a bit (fog?) to put more emphasis on where the story is??

Keep it going, I want to see more. :D

[NinjaA55N]

huh, what a complexed composition! The elements r placed very well for my opinion, but the contrasts r a bit too strong at the moment.. I cant really tell whats in front and what in the back. As paperclip suggested, some fog in the background or easier tones would help a lot there. Keep up the great work! :)

[SONIC-X]

This is realy suppurb work,I like the style very much.

Keep up the good work

[BastienL]

Thank you guys !!!
I'm waiting for a short time ... In order to take a distance with the picture. And then I'll work on the atmospheric perspective, smog, etc...
;)

[DimitrisLiatsos]

This is simply already one of my favourite entries already....oh my...!!! :love:

[morkman]

This looks just fantastic. I have no advice you seem to have it together. Good luck.:thumbsup:

[Rivenis]

this is looking very good, i always found the story of ophelia to be a beautiful trajedy. Hope you manage to convey all that you want completely, good luck

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227659645_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1227659645_large.jpg)

...

[Cyberone]

this just keeps looking better and better :)
are you going to keep the painterly feel?

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1228712935_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1228712935_large.jpg)

Details and other ditails...
The hand has changed.

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1228713870_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1228713870_large.jpg)

...

[recce]

oh wow, this is looking great! Cannot wait to see the final revision :thumbsup:

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1230599088_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1230599088_medium.jpg)

This is the story of Oph?lia. The Shakespear's character. In Hamlet, Ophelia comit suicide by love. She lets herself dying in the water. This tale appears in a lot of "classics" pictures (Millais, Delacroix, Waterhouse...).

Here I've tried to imagine a steampunk world without water. All the water have been changed to vapor...
So Oph?lia is waiting for the rain to die... but in this world, rain is as precious as gold, and drops never touch the ground !!! There is stranges umbrellas and other systems to canalyse the rain... That's a steampunk tragedy !

[Womball]

HOw did I not see this thread?!? This came out great, and its so close to your concept sketch. I could see this being on a cover of a steampunk book or art magazine.

[BastienL]

I've tried to post my picture on the FTP but I can't :s
The codes seems not good... could someone help me ?
Thanks,

B.

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1231368062_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1231368062_medium.jpg)

Software: GIMP

This is the story of Ophelia, the Shakespear's character? In Hamlet, Ophelia comit suicide by love. She lets herself dying in the water. This tale appears in a lot of classical art pieces (Millais, Delacroix, Waterhouse...).

Here i've imagined a steampunk world without water. All of it had been changed into vapor. So Ophelia is waiting for the rain to die. In this world, rain is as precious as gold, and drops never touch the ground. There is stranges umbrellas and other systems to canalyse the rain.

That's a kind of steampunk tragedy !

[AshCR24]

ended up looking really cool.
i really like the upside down umbrellas! and of course i noticed the 'water hall' detail.'

[BastienL]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1231369123_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/16546/16546_1231369123_medium.jpg)

Software: GIMP

This is the story of Ophelia, the Shakespear's character. In Hamlet, Ophelia comit suicide by love. She let's herself dying in the water. This tale appears in a lot of classical art pieces (Millais, Delacroix, Waterhouse...)

Here I've imagined a steampunk world without water. All of it had been changed into vapor. So Ophelia is waiting for the rain to die. In this world, rain is as precious as gold, and drops never touch the ground. There is stranges umbrellas and other systems to canlyse the rain.

That's a kind of steampunk tragedy !

[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.