Beast of Burden - Character - Needle

#1

Many ideas come to mind regarding this challenge. I started doodling different creature types for a long time but I didn’t come up with anything that struck as being wildly different from things I’ve already seen. At first I was very discouraged, but I tried something a little different that really worked for me.

I started conceptually building my contraption first. The crux of the challenge, for me anyways, is developing a valid interaction between creature and contraption. Immediately as I started doodling devices and loops, the ideas started coming to me.

Anyways I looove conceptual art, so I’ll post some of the ideas I had in this thread in a few hours. I need to further develop some ideas and then fix (read as: kick) my scanner.

How exciting! :cool:

#2

Here’s my first developed sketch of a possible head design for my character.

I considered several possibilities to set the design apart from other peoples. The beast’s head resembles more of a dog, or a goat, or a llama or something, with big flappy ears and two forward-pointing horns. A long neck will probably lead to a bulky body that is rigged to all of my mechanical stuff.

Instead of using a normal harness that muzzles the beast, I decided to go a different path. Suppose instead there is this leather strap that hooks around the neck, then loops around the nose and blindfolds the creature. Have you ever seen bird handlers when they’re dealing with hawks and such? The bird is always blidfolded to keep it from panicking. I thought this might be a new, and different, angle to shoot for. The leather harness has two loopholes in the rear that connect to the back saddle, among other things.

More conceptual continuity soon :slight_smile:

#3

Just finishing up some ideas before I call it a night.

Building on the previous idea, coupled with some mechanisms I built, I came up with this basic body structure. Sometimes the best instincts we get are the opposite of what you expect to be… for instance, I kept having the urge to draw these tiny tyranosaurus forearms, so instead I forced myself into drawing larger, muscular arms, with high shoulders. Add in the pig-like toes and the beast quickly turns into some sort of wretched chimera.

The frontal area is covered by a metallic plate. Eventually this will integrate into the mechanisms by which the beast pulls along mechanisms behind him - kind of like a horse-drawn carriage, instead of piling stuff on its back like a mule.

I’m enjoying monitoring everyone’s threads, it’s quite inspirational. Lots of good ideas, I hope I can live up to the challenge :beer:

#4

I really like the strength shown in those legs. This looks different then any of the others I’ve seen. Good luck!

#5

true!!!

nice work man! too bad i can’t draw like this … :stuck_out_tongue:

looks really powerfull !! ehhe :slight_smile:

#6

I love the oriental look it has to it. Definetly different (in a good way) :wink:

#7

Thanks for the positive feedback! Today was a holiday (Happy 4th everyone!) so I had other engagements to attend to, but I managed to sit down for about 30 minutes and begin working out some structures.

Since this challenge has a limited time range and my modelling skills are sub-proffesional, I decided polygon modeling would be the way to go. I began this model by placing my original head sketch on an imageplane and patching the eye and mouth out roughly, then appending some polys between them… basic stuff really.

I know I’m swimming in triangles and n-side polys right now, I have a lot of restructuring to do… I’m hoping to have more time to throw at this project now that I’ve got the holiday out of the way.

#8

Had some setbacks on the head, was getting very discouraged. I suppose in the end I figured that I hadn’t conceptualized it enough yet, so I may wait a while before I go back to it, at which time I’ll probably start over.

Instead I’ve moved to the foot.

I prefer to move slowly. I have this irrational fear of modelling (part of the reason why I’m challenging myself now - to overcome my fears). Anyways, this foot is coming along pretty nicely. Lots of mistakes need some tweaking, and don’t even ask to see the wireframes - they’re hideous! - but it’s a small accomplishment that I can live with.

Eventually I’ll probably make the size of these front feet larger than their current proportion.

Could use some C&C - I’m relatively new to this whole deal so lay it on me! I can take the heat. :slight_smile:

#9

Slowly building up a structure for the leg. I may just move to the hind legs next, build that up, then work on a body. After I get those objects attached, I’ll go back to working on the head.

#10

The foot looks really really awesome. I agree about the head needing refinement. Try sketching out a number of versions of it first. Then leave them alone for about an hour then come back and make a decision on which design you like. That works for me when I can’t quite get a design figured out.

#11

amazing foot!:eek: :buttrock:

#12

I love those fingers or claws or whatever they are.:thumbsup:

#13

ZrO - I’m going to take your advice, later on I’m going to sit down and work it out. I think my major problem right now is that I’m having difficulty imagining it from the front, so that’s an issue I need to deal with.

OZ & dmonk - thanks : I spent a lot of time on the foot, there are still quite a few folds I’m not happy with, but I think tweaks like that I can save until the end. This is just one foot, I have the rest of the beast to model too! :smiley:

Last night I was too tired to begin modelling the other leg but I was too awake to go to bed, so I decided to throw a spiky bracelet on the wrist of my first foot. The spikes need to be straightened out, but for a first attempt at attaching an object to a model, I’m happy with myself.

#14

Stickin with the foot theme here…

Started building the hind leg… trying to utilize the same themes from the foreleg. After I build up the rest of the leg, I’ll actually begin building the torso, and we can see how this whole thing will turn out.

I’m even more curious than you are :smiley:

#15

Cool. I like the spikes on the leg. Good luck.:thumbsup:

#16

nice modelling so far!! really like it! :thumbsup:

#17

Thanks for the votes of confidence :smiley:

Even with just legs, you can sort of envision this whole thing coming together. Some oddities are more obvious from the side view but I’ll deal with that later, there are still 28 days left :smiley:

Going out to a movie tonight so I probably won’t work on this again until later this evening. I need to get a body and a head on this guy but I’m trying not to rush it - instead I must accept the fact that I’m incredibly slow :wink:

#18

Looking very cool…love the nails/claws/thingies. Can definitely see it forming up :slight_smile:

Slow is relative…there’s some insane and insanely good people in here, it kind of blows the grading curve :rolleyes: I think you’re ripping along pretty well… :thumbsup:

#19

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