Grand Space Opera 2D Entry: Ronald Wimberly

#1

Ronald Wimberly has entered the Grand Space Opera 2D.

Challenge Page

Latest Update: Concept Sketch: final design concept

Finally I resolved the conflicting problems I had with the piece.
i wanted to show dynamic action, space(not outer space per se), fantastic character and the narrative of Space opera.

I fliped the perspective from previous sketches.solved space with reflection. and added a load of action and character. I will use the frame to express the stage of space while also establishing the act and scene.

I have since modified the story to make it more yielding to feminine characters and less meat and potatoes old fashioned save the princess.

I am departing from the typical means of rendering the final piece at CG networks. I am choosing to focul on caligraphic line and space. I hope that the forum and judges will take note to my deversion and and understand that it is by purpose. I am invoking the works of Leutrec and Ukyo e artists.

from here I will proceed directly to the line.

also please take notice to the astrologic motifs in the character’s costume… eg. the baron and the prince’s sword sword

#2

I wouldn’t call this a concept sketch, a series of thumbnails maybe. Well, I guess it embodies the concept. Since part of the contest is an illumination of process I thought that I should start here.

I started by thinking about what the Idea “space opera” was to me.

All of the usual suspects popped into mind… but a few others did as well. A few that have allot to do with my personal view of “space opera” or high epic drama in general. So when I set out to start drawing. I thought of Tristan, Don Juan, Henry V… I thought of the westerns I grew up with and I thought of the tragedy of Hades and Persephone.

I had this idea of an Emperor, the White Emperor, who ruled a constelation. The Emperor had everything but was unhappy. He made war to turn the universe into a reflection of his soul, nothingness. This was easy because his son, the valiant White Prince, who had never been bested at arms, lead his armies.

However one day, the valiant White Prince, was shot down by the young Black Baron of a small moon, population 300. The White Prince crash landed on the nearby planet. The King of the planet to which the Baron’s moon belonged saw this as his chance to make peace. He used his hospitality and his beautiful daughter, the Lady Red, who had already fallen in love with the Black Baron to ensnare the affections of the White Prince. Lady Red was betrothed to the White Prince to spare their planet from the Emperor’s nihilism.
When the White Emperor heard of this he was infuriated but intrigued… When he sees the Lady Red he finds the first thing that ever made him feel. In turn he spurns his son and takes the Lady Red as his own.
And there is peace until the Lady Red uses wile and cunning to set son against father, hoping that they would slay each other. But the White Prince kidnaps the Lady Red, and father and son go to war against each other, destroying the constelation in the process.

But no man can stand against the White Prince. So the King enlists the service of the Black Baron, who in turn slays the White Prince. The Lady Red is momentarily reunited with the one man whom she ever loved, the Baron, however the Baron is honorable and returns the Lady Red to the Emperor. The Baron sets off to lose himself in space.

The Lady Red, seeing that the White Emperor stands between her and happiness, kills the Emperor on their honeymoon night rather than live without the Baron again… She sets off to find the Baron. The image will be the dramatic meeting of the White Prince and Black Baron. The stage is the White Prince’s War room in Golganis, his starship/throne.

#3

cool stuff mate … cant wait to see some more refined work on your ideas.

#4

yeah, I’ll have more up soon… I’m still figuring out the forum thing… I can submit more than one concept sketch… or is it one entry per level? I don’t want to screw up and get disqualified.

#5

i see many poeple submitting more then one. they want a “WIP” so if you decided to change or brain storm… that’s a part of the WIP i am submitting what i got. i think the only true way to get booted out is not submitting.

#6

a photoshop sketch solidyfying the rough, rough concept… now I will break down the elements of the picture.

for some reason the jpeg is way bigger in my browser than it should be.

#7

Very cool sketch.
Setting the action at the opera … am I right ?
Anyway it looks like an antique tragedy.

I’m coming back soon to see more.

#8

I rhought ai was sure about where I was going to go, until talked to a few colleges outside of the forum… it seems a different thumb was more attractive to them so I worked it out a lil’ more

#9

I can really see this growing, try to post some of the individual parts you work on, its always nice to see the different elements that make up a final piece by themselves in the way the artists put them together. :slight_smile: well done

#10

well things won’t let up until afte the 4th so I’m doodling when I have the opportunity. I’ve begun to break down the fringe elements. To get a rough idea of what things are gonna look like. I’m designing things as if I were going to create an entire story.

I’ve designed the stage of the iconic shot as well as a minor player and the exterior, to a lesser degree. Enough to act as a style sheet for me when I lay it down.

#11

just more of the same batch

#12

I’ve decided to place illustrated segments of the back story when I get a chance… the first offering is meager but I want to entice some feedback attention.

I feel that thinking about the entire story will help me build a “vibe” for the final image. And from the rules of the contest it seems appropriate.

#13

I’ve decided to place illustrated segments of the back story when I get a chance… the first offering is meager but I want to entice some feedback attention.

I feel that thinking about the entire story will help me build a “vibe” for the final image. And from the rules of the contest it seems appropriate.

next addition will include scene 2: the young baron and Lady Red meet

#14

VEry nice character design. He has a great appearance and I think this helps his character persona. :slight_smile: Damm, I need to start on some character concepts soon.

#15

here is a concept and some color notes on the lady red. Keeping in line with the motif I am using for the white prince, I have made her dress-provided by the prince- using flower forms. She represents persephone loosely. Persephone loved flowers. The lady red like persphone represents change and life in the bare vacuum of space… the myth is twisted because…

#16

both the white prince and the Black Baron exibit attributes of Hades. Whereas the white prince is a pluto, or dis Pater… a wealthy peacock, as the forms represent… exibiting the decadently wealthy side of the greek ruler of the underworld.

#17

the Baron represents the Hades/Aidonius atributes, He is a dark and lonely character seeking life but followed by death.

#18

Finally I resolved the conflicting problems I had with the piece.
i wanted to show dynamic action, space(not outer space per se), fantastic character and the narrative of Space opera.

I fliped the perspective from previous sketches.solved space with reflection. and added a load of action and character. I will use the frame to further express the stage of space opera while also establishing the act and scene.

I have since modified the story to make it more yielding to feminine characters and less “meat and potatoes”, old fashioned, “save the princess”.

I am departing from the typical means of rendering the final piece at CG networks. I am choosing to focul on caligraphic line and space. I hope that the forum and judges will take note to my deviation and and understand that it is by purpose. I am invoking the works of Leutrec and Ukyo e artists.

from here I will proceed directly to the line.

also please take notice to the astrologic motifs in the character’s costume… eg. the baron and the prince’s sword sword

#19

That I am planning to change the petals on the dress into pomegranete seeds; it better fits the concept

#20

I also imagine the lady floating around on some type of gravity nulifying shoes… she’s too fresh to touch the ground!