The Character-A-Fortnight Event : CAFÉ 005


#1

          [b]CAFÉ 005[/b]
        
          [b]Giants - "The Nephilim"[/b]
        
          
        
          [b][i]"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterwards - when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown." [/i]Genesis 6:4[/b]
        
          [b]The Nephilim or “The fallen ones” were a race of giants.  [/b][b]They were renowned for their strength, prowess, and great capacity for destruction.  Because of this, they were erased from the earth in biblical times - according to ancient Middle Eastern texts.  [/b]
        
          [b]This fortnight’s brief is to design your own giant - they could be an ancient race like the Nephilim, or totally from your own ideas - male or female, heroic or destructive.  Try and think of ways to portray these massive beings without just using a scale reference.  [/b]
        
          [i]Reference: [http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nephilim.html](http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nephilim.html)[/i]
        
          
          [b]CHARACTER-A-FORTNIGHT EVENT (CAFÉ)

[/b]
Manifesto: The anatomy forum CAFÉ - a place to meet, share your concepts, ideas and work for the set brief, and then discuss them with like minded individuals (Bring your own coffee though…)

         The purpose of this ongoing workshop series is to develop original character artwork in both 2D and 3D. A theme or brief will be given at the inception point of the workshop, and the project will be executed by the participants during a 2 week period. To have your own idea from the set brief, develop it in 2 dimensions and then execute it in 3 dimensions is very challenging, (especially within the time period,) and helps the artist to understand form “in the round.” 
         
         If you are thinking of taking your ideas into 3 dimensions, please decide on a suitable polygon budget (for games/TV/film or as much as your computer can handle!) If you are unsure, please enquire on the workshop and others will try and help. The workshop is application independent, and so anyone can try it. For those of you who would like to try 3d but do not have a package, blender ([http://www.blender3d.org/](http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Home.2.0.html) ) is a very high standard open source 3d application that is free to download and use. However, this will take time to learn.
         
         Duration of projects: 2 Weeks.
         
         Breakdown: (guidelines only – depends on the complexity of the idea and model.)
         
         Concept development and realization - 1 week.*
         
         Model development and texture art - 1 week.*
         
         * You can split up your time however you wish - to reflect the area that you want to work in the most, for example.
         
         The above guidelines are intensive and will require a lot of work. Please look at the amount of time you have available for each project before trying to take on too much. Quality artwork and developing your creative problem solving skills are key here, along with learning how others handled the same brief in conceptual and technical terms.
         
         DELIVERABLES:
         
         [i]These are guidelines only. You can do all the sections or just choose the areas you feel most comfortable with.[/i] If you wish to use another persons concept art for a model, then please seek permission to do so from the user. If you just want to create the concept art and don’t mind others using your art work for a fully realized character, please state so in your post. If you are having trouble with an area, please shout up and others will try to help out as best they can.
         
         [b]WIP is encouraged[/b], and please help others by providing your thoughts on their solutions in a positive manner. Discouragement of others will not help anyone as we are all here to get better, and people bring different skills to the table.
         
         1. Concept art >>>

[ul]
[li]Ideas[/li][li]Final presentation art (full body character pose, head and image plane orthographics.)[/li][/ul]2. Model >>> (high poly cinematic or lower poly real time games character)

[ul]
[li]Base model (untextured)[/li][li]Final model (with textures)[/li][/ul]Learning outcomes:

[ul]
[li]How to develop ideas and a final character from a written brief.[/li][li]Creative problem solving.[/li][li]How to demonstrate your ideas to others.[/li][li]Taking 2d artwork in to 3d artwork.[/li][li]Texture art.[/li][li]Visual communication skills.[/li][/ul]RULES FOR THE WORKSHOP:

         1. Work created here MUST be ORIGINAL TO THE CREATOR and for the purpose of serious study of character art and design. Those who post silly or off topic work will have their posts deleted immediately and will no longer be allowed to post on this thread. Rebecca Kimmel reserves the right to determine which pieces are considered to be in poor taste and / or disrespectful in the workshop.
         
         2. This Workshop will run in 2 WEEK slots.
         
         3. There is NO LIMIT to the NUMBER of posts an artist may make. However, we ask that you post only work which you feel best represents your ideas and important design points you feel others should know about during your character development, even if it is considered unfinished.
         
         4. Artists who post comments and critiques of other artists' work on this thread must be RESPECTFUL, POLITE, and offer CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Flaming will be NOT be tolerated, and constitutes dismissal from this and other threads.
         
         5. Mike/default.rol and Rebecca Kimmel will be offering the occasional comments / critique ~ however, the main focus of the Workshop should be on Group Critique and interaction.
         
         6. ANY MEDIUM or STYLE may be used: Traditional or Digital Drawing or Painting, Sculpture, or 3D Model / Render for the initial stages. Development beyond the initial character idea (stage 2) should be done in a 3D application of your choice.
         
         7. Please limit the SIZE of your POSTS to 800 pixels WIDTH x Appropriate pixel LENGTH. No huge posts, please! (you are welcome to offer remote links to high resolution versions of your art work along side images that are of an appropriate size, if you so wish.)
         
         8. Have fun, enjoy, and create great art!

#2

For those of you slightly confused by the terminology, a fortnight is 14 nights in duration. Here is a definition of it from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortnight

A fortnight is a unit of time equal to two weeks: that is 14 days, or literally 14 nights. The term is common in the British Isles and many Commonwealth countries, but rarely used in the United States. It derives from the Old English feowertiene niht, meaning “fourteen nights”.

[b]<<< RESERVED FOR USEFUL REFERENCE / LINKS >>>

[/b]This website is devoted to giants (photos and size references on there):
http://www.stevequayle.com/Giants/index2.html

Article on giants from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_(mythology)


#3

Im currently trying to sort out a LAN, then im going for a bike ride. I’m off to the country side, so i might bring a camera and get some shots of some trees and stuff. I’m tempted to make something ‘ent’ like, but then again if i incidently crash with a camera on a pocket… :argh:

We’ll see, but im really looking forward to this one! :smiley:


#4

This sounds very cool again! I’m still working on a fully painted version of my amazon from round 3 and want to finish that before I do something else. If I can finish it early on I’ll try to whip up some ideas for this. I already start to ‘see’ colossal shapes …


#5

Cool! This will be interesting. Looking forward to see everybodies work!

cheers


#6

Bugger, haha my bicycle has died… So I never reached the country side :cry: . Just finished playing my bass so im gonna scavenge for a pencil and hope im in a creative frame of mind :thumbsup:


#7

Hey all,

Quick update before I go to bed. I’m just working out proportions here - don’t be worried (yet) about me breaking that rule about “putting a scale reference” in my image. :smiley:

@ Infuscos >>> Glad you like the brief and I hope you manage to get get more into Zbrush this time round since you’ve been practicing so hard. :slight_smile: Looking forward to your designs.

@ RicoD >>> I wondered where you’d gone to. :smiley: Good luck with finishing up the amazon, and I hope you get chance to do this one.

@ michael-olszak >>> Loved how your Dino turned out in the last round, and I hope this brief inspires you to similar “heights.” :thumbsup: (no pun intended… sort of.)

Cheers all
MIKE :slight_smile:


#8

I changed my ent idea around, im thinking demonic/sci-fi/giant :slight_smile: , so the first thing that came into mind was Final Fantasies Bahamut. So I did something in photoshop…

I’m scared it looks too similar to Bahumut, but hey, im also scared i won’t be able to UV map it (as im useless at UV Mapping).

P.s I’m lacking a Wacom Tablet :cry:


#9

Ill post a work in progress… doesnt show much but thats the way I usually work… I just model till a shape comes out of it :slight_smile: and eventually… a theme

I know… it’s a terrible way to do things. But Im just having fun/learning anyway!

great results on the last challenge by the way… I think some1 did a great giant already? haha

good luck every1


#10

thought I’d submit a bit more work in progress.


#11

Morning all,

Sweet start guys…

@ Infuscos >>> He does look a bit too “Bahamut” doesn’t he? LOL. You can definately tell where your inspiration has come from on this one. I’d start by altering his colour scheme in photoshop using the hue slider to see if different colours inspire you. Then, I’d probably take the inspiration from Arabian design as Bahamut actually comes from Arabian mythology… nothing like the Japanese have him down… he’s so misunderstood… :scream: Here’s a link to wiki, to get you started >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahamut

Good drawing though, and I’m VERY IMPRESSED you did it without a wacom! :applause:

@ SpaceTik >>> Really nice start, and there is certainly no problem with just pulling and pushing shapes around until you get inspired. Anything to get the old cogs moving… Looking forward to updates on this one.

Cheers all
MIKE :slight_smile:


#12

Yeah, I’ve played with the hue and got quite a nice ‘colour scheme’. I know that Final Fantasies Bahamut isn’t related at all to tthe arabian one :slight_smile: I’ll come up with something haha.

:smiley: Yeah it took long enough!


#13

another update… looking a bit like a manga character - like that rock dude from ninja scroll! :slight_smile:

not too sure how tall he will be, about 1 half human height?

gonna dress him up with some cloths… and a club maybe


#14
  • A person or thing of great size.

  • A person or thing of extraordinary power, significance, or importance: a giant in the field of physics; automotive industry giants.

  • Greek Mythology One of a race of humanlike beings of enormous strength and stature who were destroyed in battle with the Olympians.

  • A being in folklore or myth similar to one of these beings.

  1. any creature of exceptional size

  2. a person of exceptional importance and reputation [syn: colossus]

  3. an unusually large enterprise; “Walton built a retail giant”

  4. a very large person; impressive in size or qualities

  5. someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful

  6. an imaginary figure of superhuman size and strength; appears in folklore and fairy tales

  7. a very bright star of large diameter and low density (relative to the Sun)

=========

My guess is we can interpret it in any way we want as long as it shows understanding of anatomy and it follows the quoted text below in a recognisable way:

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterwards - when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.”


#15

Morning all,

@ SpaceTik >>> LOL, now you mention it - he does look a little bit like that rock Demon from ninja scroll… LOL. I’m sure that you can do better than that though with your mad skills! :thumbsup:

@ Fl3wk >>> I’d stay safe and go with people of great physical size and/or strength (heroic or destructive,) and less of designing a corporate franchise or a massive star - ready to turn Super Nova… :wink: Like you say, if it’s big and got good anatomy - you’ve got it “bang on.” (No outer space pun intended there…LOL)

Cheers all

MIKE :slight_smile:


#16

What I fear is everyone designing the same bloke. I was looking into great reputation and physical strength ratehr than size. Giants are always assumed to be tall people, why not just physically imposing with muscles or influence? If I do join I will try to make the viewer ‘think’ this guy is a giant, but not directly throw in the appearance of a giant that is over 10ft tall.


#17

Sounds good - go for it I say… I look forward to seeing what you produce. :thumbsup:

MIKE


#18

Hello there!
I’ll try to enter this one. I’m currently attending Don Seegmiler’s workshop on monster design, so it might be helpful :stuck_out_tongue:
We’ll see if I can wrap up something.
I can’t wait to see what you all come up with.
Cheers
-IS-


#19

Hello there. This is my first post, so I hope it goes through alright… You all have some cool work and I hope I can finish an illustration in the fortnight… :slight_smile:

My idea is for a giant cyclops, who at first I wanted to be mean and pillaging, but as I drew him I soon found that he doesn’t mean any harm, but pillages only in search of chocolate… heheh. So here’re a couple heads.


#20

I like the idea :thumbsup: I look forward to seeing it in 3d!