Wow!
Thanks, guys. Sorry for the late response; trying to sleep off this flu.
Lorenz: thank you very much. Expression and motion was my main focus.
Atilgan: thank you. For the buildings I blocked in the basic forms with the selection tools and painted the basic wall tone and windows, then ‘Overlaid’ a texture of an old brick wall transformed into place following my perspective grid, and then painted over the whole thing with a chalk brush tilted to the right angle, and painted some grunge with a lower opacity brush. I used just one texture, and one image of a victorian design for the angel that formed thr bases for painting the relief on the front of Goliath.
I will be making a full inventory of any images I used and reference too. Most of the reference for costumes came from ‘Oliver Twist’ by Polanski, but I also referred to ‘Bleack House’ produced by the BBC, as well as lots of genuine Victorian photos and engravings.
Theresa: We shall see about the prizes! Hope the Clooney thing doesn’t influence people.
Nick: that’s lovely to hear. I look around at all these amazing, dynamic sci-fi style (for want of a better phrase) works and often feel a touch of dred because I know I’ll never be able to do things like that. I’m from a traditional background - a portrait painter really - and I thought from that beginning that I have to try and focus on what my strengths might be and not what I can’t do. Hence why there might be a more ‘classic’ feel. I certainly wanted to try to focus on charcter and drawing the viewer in. Good to know that it might be useful as a concept, too. I’m really enjoying painting for it’s own sake, but one day it would be nice for it to be used and for me to make some money.
Andrew: thanks and the same thing, I suppose. I really wanted the dirty organic slum feel, and this contrast with Goliath, which needed to be heavy and brutal. I suppose I saw this all the time as a moment from a film. The tall format might be because the camera tilted up as Goliath lurches forward.
Sandra: that’s really kind, thanks. That’s made my day.