March 2015 - Alberto Sabater

#1

Hello Everyone!

Back to the monthly Mini-Challenge, I think I am going to try and join every month. I think that working on a proper monthly piece for the Portfolio is a wonderful exercise for aspiring (available) artists! :slight_smile: My intent is being able to optimise the workflow and reduce the time I need to spend every month!

Its a tricky challenge this month, and after looking for quite some time to my photo folders… I decided to go up to Flickr´s Creative Commons for a quality backplate. So… I am attaching mine and the licensing credits I understand are owed to the generous autor of the picture. (Thanks See-ming Lee for uploading under Creative Commons licensing. Much appreciated and nice photography!).

So attached the plate and son I´ll be uploading work in progress versions.

Please if there´s any mistake in the crediting of the author, or you believe the licensing doesn´t allow for my utlisition of the image I would appreciate if you guys let me know. So… hopefully I may be ready to start.

(PD: Nice piece yet again Aaron!)

Original photo by: See-ming Lee (Image to be modified for digital Matte painting purposes)
Original ress: 7215x3218pxls

Link to Flickr (Creative Commons):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8558922303/in/photolist-fNV8WN-4XkuV7-jgrvrz-aN86fc-5Kvriw-h9vbyN-noZMnu-YPHKA-9o1Gv-bqJJdm-4K4Y5C-3ivjyu-4zm8qo-e3jHpV-nR15wt-hnhSRM-4Gf3Ti-osu4aY-hNPBxS-itMWSd-qtTJLd-oEKCcU-a6Ra4h-mWd7E8-bGVxaX-4aZo27-oEzJu3-6XEUDc-vGGD7-xEbm-iXERZx-nrh4Fr-jRu5yR-dNXv4j-6VMYyw-4aMYw6-b7PD6R-dLYRmQ-pEf78J-oCcUhz-e8ZWaL-2Bwy6a-iswusV-517ACN-5GG1KZ-eptsmz-oZ8iag-nnmPTt-cpT5ay-pc589v

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 link:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Quote from the link: “The Landmark (Chinese: 置地廣場) is an office and shopping development owned by Hongkong Land in Central, Hong Kong.”

#2

Hey! Nice someone else entering this month :smiley: I would totally recommend submitting every month its a great learning experience and when you get into the rhythm of developing your own workflow it will go very fast.

Your totally right about this month though its very very challenging, I’m thinking its close to the Arch-de-modern brief that was the bane of me. Getting out of the comfort zone can actually help improve on what you already know and build up upon what your not so familiar with. At least that’s what I’ve learn’t if that makes any sense lol

I like that you’ve found an alternative plate, the one provided was very difficult to work with but I think… the one you’ve found could be even more so. That being said though its a fantastic view and would be a great perspective to work from. I look forward to seeing more :slight_smile:

#3

Looking forward to seeing your imagery, Alberto… :slight_smile:

#4

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your comments Aaron and Thad. Its going to be challenging for me this months… I need to relight the whole scene… hmm… attached my WIP 01…

So at the moment I am working in the 3D background building and the landscape… To “see out” and take the opportunity to explain better whats happening in the foreground… or else I am not sure about how to describe a “vertical city concept”… I really like yours Aaron. At first it seemed too quiet, but then its really down to the spotless quality and the perfect re-lighting of the scene… lets see hoe I manage to do it.

A question to the experts: Should I clean up the plate? I mean… at the end of the day, for the shot you need to leave “untouched” the original set for the shooting, isn´t it? thus limiting what you can paint in that area. I guess you cleaned it just to show it neatter… which does make it nicer really.

Lets see. Regards guys!](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/WIP%2001_LEVEL%20UP_AS_zpsbfkztjjy.jpg.html)

#5

Hi all,

some more progress from today… fresh out of the oven. Feedback welcomed… I´d really REALLY appreciate… really…

Thanks in Advance. :smiley:

Alberto

](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/WIP%2002_LEVEL%20UP_AS_zpsx4xrnemr.jpg.html)

#6

Hello Alberto,

I like the right up and the building in backside you done :slight_smile:

But, in my opinion I’m not an expert, (even far away from an expert) but, people on the picture are catching all my attention. I think that you should clean up the plate (it’s only my point of view…)

Also, I find that your window opening is too big. So, the attention is catch by the outside of your building instead the Inside (again I’m not an expert :slight_smile: ) I tink that a reduce in y axis of this big window will give a deeper contrast between background and foreground.

I hope helping you !!

#7

Hey Alberto,
I hope to work on some concepts in this category…missed out this time unfortunately.
Your concept is pretty cool.
My eye was drawn to the building on the left. I don’t particularily like the thin pillar right in front of it…although maybe that’s why my eye was draw there?

With all the people walking around (although it’s a restaurant area) working it looks like a very work oriented drab colored office building interior.
What about contrasting the interior with a much stronger glow of sunshine from the outside casting across the scene to the right interior.

Random thought: the upper right tiered area could be a cool tiered waterfall…adding some nice blue to contrast with the orange sunshine outside…although the water would probably fall into the main area as is.

Maybe just adding some glowing windows in the upper right from the sunshine?

The only other thing I would do is maybe incorporating some curved elments or futuristic elements such as multiple planets in the sky/background or some curved/angled support structures.

I look forward to seeing how you finish off the piece!

#8

Hi Mikee and Jordy, thanks a lot for your feedback. I really appreciate your input and agree with most of it.

Regarding the plate, I think I will have to clean it, your both right… and yes, totally right, the opening will need some “reduction”, additional framing above and below and perhaps a vertical element creating some ever-blending-overlaps :smiley: . (perhaps a few new structures). I think I will sketch something on top of the falt image to see how to move it forward. Jordy, regarding the pillar, I´ll look at it… once I add some more framing to the “window” I´ll see how it Works moving it either side. Regarding the lighting… I am not sure… my take was to try and reach the effect of a real exposure for the interior áreas… this should over-expose the outer ones… thus I am turning it into a sunset… to approach both light leves. Soo, what I mean is… I thinK I need artificial light sources in the foreground. the sun is in the right end and hidden so no strong direct light should really reach this shopping area.

And yes! curvy, futuristic Ă­tems still pending! Lets see when do I find some time to work on it. Jordy you should give it a try!

Lots of useful input guys. THANKS! :beer:

#9

BFFF… ended up working on the image most of the day today… :rolleyes:

Lets see, I cleaned up all the people, worked on the overall edges of the (window), the building at the back, … and in general re-lighting the image. Still things to improve but I guess this is approaching a close to finish state.

All feedback welcome!

](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/WIP%2003_LEVEL%20UP_AS_zpsoqfba94n.jpg.html)

#10

I like how you’ve gone beyond the scope of the four walls and shown the outside world in this universe too, its nice to see the interior and exterior architecture. I’d possibly change the sky though as its over-exposed and your losing a lot of detail in the bright areas which is a shame because at the moment its taking attention away from your awesome architecture design.

#11

Looking good Alberto!
I was just noticing some details I like in your original image.
You have the angular balcony & I like the contrast from the balcony & the terrain outside.
I like the openness of that first concept too.
Not sure if it’s worth incorporating but I thought I’d mention it.
I was just watching the second Total Recall…lots of cool futuristic city details in that movie.

#12

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback! Aaron, I think you may be right about the sky… I think I am “over… baking(?)” the whole lighting… my concept is that the outdoor light would normally be much stronger than the artificial one so to capture a clean exposure of the “interior” spaces the outer ones would need to appear over-exposed… hmm… :hmm:

And Jordy, thank you also for the feedback. I have recovered the angular shape of the balcony… although the contrast with the landscape may be different now that I added some green and lamps and all… Regarding the openess… I had the feeling that the space needed some extra framing… (as per some response above)… so added extra volumes above and below the terraces…

Lets see, I´ll give it a last look on monday or tuesday. BTW… Question… Stepping to the left (like todays) or to the right?

Regards to everyone! And nice progress there!! lots of action these days :keenly:

](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/WIP%2004_LEVEL%20UP_AS_zpsh0qlyzik.jpg.html)

#13

Ok, here we go. This is the FINAL one; a bit cleaner and with a less over-exposed sky.
(Couldn´t wait for tomorrow to leave this finished).

Good luck to everyone and thanks to those providing feedback!
(to see the 1920x1080px from photobucket you may need to download it pressing the "Wheel/options icon on the top right corner)

](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/LEVEL%20UP_AS_v15_FINAL_zpsiehul9vi.jpg.html)

#14

Hi All,
I thought it would be useful to recapture the original photo (link and reference above) to overlay the matte areas back onto the original.
Regards to everyone.

](http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Alberto_Sabater_Alloza/media/Matte%20line_LEVEL%20UP_AS_zpspnryq1vr.jpg.html)

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