Steampunk Myths and Legends Entry: Mats Minnhagen

[Minnhagen]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229807275_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229807275_large.jpg)

I'd better enter this challenge now, or I'll miss it altogether! It's a bit of a late start, but what's christmas for if not staring at your computer screen?
My idea here was to do a steampunk reinterpretation of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. (In short: Orpheus loves Eurydice, Eurydice dies, Orpheus journeys to the underworld and plays his harp to the Lord of Death, Hades, and his wife Persephone. He thereby softens their hearts and is allowed to bring back Eurydice to life on one condition - he musn't look back. He does just that, and loses her again). In my steampunk version, the underworld is a machine-realm, and Orpheus is not an ancient greek but a 19th century gentleman. I'm thinking the machines could symbolize Death - cold, hard, merciless, eternal. Or - without prior knowledge of the myth - the machines don't have to symbolize anything but themselves. Machines are also cold, hard, merciless and eternal (to some degree). For both "machine" and "death", the prospects of conquering it purely by "humanness" (art, faith, etc) are bleak indeed, and would take a hero like Orpheus.
Enough said. Here's my lineart sketch, with a rough value pattern. I want the composition to be dominated by rectangles, in order to feel heavy and unyielding. I'm not sure how true to the story I'll be with Eurydice - I don't think Orpheus is supposed to see her until he looks back at the end. But it would add to the painting if she was already standing there.

[Zephyri]

Hey Mats! No worries over having the same myth.. your approach is completely different to the one I was going to take, since I was going to go more for the point at which Hades snatches her away to the underworld! That and there's no way in heck I'm going to get to do any more to mine, unfortunately... so the myth is all yours! I'm sure you'll do an amazing job, the scale already looks huge, and I love the hellhound!

[RupertD]

Great idea and sketch. Regarding your comment about using rectangles in your piece, you should have a look at the use of rectangles and squares in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Really cool and graphic, just my 5 cents... :)

[PRACHURJYA]

cool concept, best of luck :applause::applause::applause:

[Minnhagen]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229900349_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229900349_large.jpg)

Samantha: Thanks! A pity you won't finish your version, those concepts looked really cool. The fate of Hades lies in my hands then... unless there are other versions around!
Rupert: Thanks for the input, I see what you mean. I never actually saw that movie, but I just might do it now. They definitely made good use of rectangles!
Priyanka: Thanks a lot!

I've been playing around with the colours, trying to decide what to go for. Cool background light and a warm spotlight on Orpheus, or the other way around? Any feedback on this issue is welcome.
Originally I thought there would be a vast machine hall visible behind the throne, but I think I'll skip that, and keep the Underworld dark instead.

[Brownie3703]

Hey Mats, I really like the one on the right. I think you should def go with that one. :)

[wildcory1]

I like the light and a warm spotlight on Orpheus. The warmth comes across as being coper. Coper is a popular choice for metals that are associated with the steampunk style. The composition and scale looks Great keep up the good work!

[nwiz25]

me with wildcory1 :p the warm feel makes it pretty inviting .. try playing with the colors of metal to stir the scene a little more .. in terms of personality .. e.g. black metal for a dark character ..
waiting to see your next update ;)
good luck mate! :thumbsup:

[sgw]

This is looking great! Glad you decided to get in.

[authentic]

Nice style. That looks really promising with simlpicity. I prefer the left version

[Minnhagen]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229982118_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1229982118_large.jpg)

Aaron, Cory, Neville and Shawn: Thanks for the feedback!
I'm still playing around with the colours, trying to decide what to go for... Warm light does feel more steampunkish, but I also want to convey a cold, unforgiving mood. I really can't make up my mind. Always happy for some thoughts on the matter!

[Minnhagen]

Thanks Vincent!

[Lappisch]

I prefer the left, if only becausae I am completely biased for blue. You could always use something like orange or red for the light if you wanted warmth. Maybe the statue could be more-dunno, abstract? Like a less humanoid monster. I mean, if it shows death and all. Ah, beats me, can't wait to see more :)

[Brownie3703]

I am also a sucker for blue but I like the warm look on the steampunked guy. Maybe use a cold light on the fidler guy (orpheus I think)? Anyways, It looks really nice. You did a great job so far with the monochrome sketch.

[Jason Ogg]

I think the light on the steam guy is better on the right (the warm), BUT the light on guy with violin is much better on the left (the cold). I really like coldness and brightness of Orpheus white shirt against warm, rotten and slimy green and yellow of Hades armour.
It is like he (Orpheus) was bringing light to the Underworld. (or something like that) IMHO

anyway, keep up the good work!

[kdot]

Hey Mats, nice work so far. I agree with Jason on the switching. It'd enhance the depth of this piece quite a bit. Again, nice job so far!

[Minnhagen]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1231566538_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/22/17391/17391_1231566538_large.jpg)

Thanks for the comments!
I haven't had much time to work on this (and I'm not a fan of rushing things in at the last minute), but I did try to finish it. Here are a bunch of updates.
First: new sketch. At this point I thought I knew what the colours would look like...

[Brownie3703]

HEy man, I like that you went with the cool feeling. looking good. Keep it up

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