alena hovorkova is entered in the “Steampunk Myths and Legends” update: View Challenge Page
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Steampunk Myths and Legends Entry: alena hovorkova
alenah
#2
Hi,
I have never participated in any CG Challenge before -
nor have ever worked this way, sharing my wip-steps before the illustration is finished - so I do not know what to expect from this kind of process (and/nor from myself, working this way 
)
anyway - inspired by others, I decided to join, too.
I was considering a few different concepts, but finally I decided for one idea (still very vague, though), that I can possibly start with:
a mad scientist performing his nightmarish experiments with … Medusa´s head.
I know Mad Scientist (Inventor) character is a bit cliche - but - I like it, and I also like Greek mythology, so - could not resist and tried to combine those two characters together into one “story”;
I´ll see where this may go in the end …
alenah
#3
Somewhere in England, end of the 19th century - in the Mad Scientist´s (Inventor´s) laboratory:
The idea is to illustrate a situation/one moment in the scientist´s daily routine - so - no impressive epic story - just a look into his lab, depicting him while performing his crazy experiments with Medusa´s head.
What is his reason for such experiments ? (that is a question, I am still not sure) - perhaps he wants to figure out what it is that makes her eyes so deadly dangerous and powerful - or - he may be trying to invent the way how to use her energy - perhaps as a weapon? or as some kind of a “new laser” ?? or as an alternative source of energy (provided that her “eye” energy could be somehow transformed into heat energy, it could be then possibly used for heating the water in the steam machines boilers, instead of expensive coal, may be …) or - whatever else (have not decided yet).
Medusa´s evil-looking ugly head is firmly fastened into some kind of sophisticated apparatus, connected to various tricky devices or/and to the instrument panel - and - since her eyes are so deadly dangerous, she has to permanently wear some kind of eye-protective shield (to protect the scientist from their effect). During the everyday routine this protection is enough, but - from time to time - the scientist has to uncover her eyes (for experiment reasons), which is pretty dangerous even though she cannot move her head - so - at those moments while experiments are being performed - the scientist (to be safe, one never knows) is watching the experiment through the mirror, like Perseus did … and - this very moment is one of my possible concepts for the illustration: Mad Scientist watching the “Medusa” experiment through the mirror.
this is only very vague idea so far -
and - with the first rough concept many new questions arose -
here is what I still have not decided for:
scientist´s character: mad dangerous villain performing nightmarish experiments - or - just a bit crazy, but harmless, genial and dedicated inventor?
purpose of experiment (and - accordingly - the experiment device “type”): war/weapon reasons? some kind of laser-device? or some secret conspiracy plan? or - perhaps - only energy-transformation experiments/device, generating/supplying power for the steam machines in the background?
style of illustration: humor and/or simplified stylized illustration - or - a realistic, perhaps a bit “dark /horror” frightening/disturbing scene?
center of interest: what/who should I focus on in the illustration - the scientist? the experiment itself/crazy device? Medusa?
and - last but not least - what about the snakes? would not the snakes on Medusa´s head happen to obstruct the manipulation?? shouldn´t they be “isolated” somehow - to protect the scientist´s hands when manipulating with the devices/enabling safe access to them (some kind of cage? or protective glass “box” ?? have no idea so far);
many issues to be solved out before I can finish the illustration …
About the first concept sketch:
the first concept sketch is only a very rough, first idea captured,
just to test the composition, possible proportions, viewers angle etc. -
so - the scene does not look very consistent nor readable so far (hopefully adding more details later will help the viewer not to get lost),
nor the characters are defined yet …
I will do many changes both to the characters and the scene,
before I decide which way to go, for sure.
I hope my English makes sense,
and hope I´ll manage to finish this piece before deadline;
c & c are welcome,
thanks for watching,
a.
That’s a great idea. The thought of medusa’s head being experimented on by a crazy scientist is very interesting.
Intervain
#5
awesome to have you in Alenah Looking forward to more - the idea’s looking very promising
recce
#8
some top notch narrative ideas going on there an I am already beginning to really like the compositions and colour schemes. Definately keeping an eye on this as it is showing a lot of promise:thumbsup:
Good luck
alenah
#9
hi, another little step - some more perspective/composition tests, trying to find some decent views for the layout …
still pretty rough concept sketches -
I only refined a bit the scientist´s face (very roughly, I will change his character/look as I go, I am sure, depending on what style of illustration I will decide for in the end)
and - for the background I used the concept image I had already done;
just copied & pasted it behind the guy and deformed it a few times to immitate different “camera views” …
(while “squeezing/stretching” those images behind the scientist I realized again - sometimes I regret I am not a 3D artist - would love to get some more “camera views” a little bit easier
started learning ZBrush already, some time ago, - but - still very new to full 3D pipeline/workflow; so far - I use ZBrush mostly as an “extension” for my 2D workflow, for sculpting 3D/2.5D separate elements that are later incorporated back into the 2D images)
I did not pay attention to anything else but perspective/composition this time; tried out a few different views, but actually in the end I like No. 4 best (or - maybe - No. 1, in case it is not that much squeezed ??) …
(will post a “standalone” No 4 composition in the very next post)
colors, characters/their facial expressions, illustration style and/or all the missing details are still waiting to be solved out, in next steps …
c&c are welcome,
cheers, a.
alenah
#10
… here it is, No. 4 composition view ( decided for a distorted perspective here) which I like best, I think
alenah
#12
… did a few character concept studies/sketches for the scientist;
(will post a few of them in separate posts, next)
as for the style - I am still not sure which way to go - wheather to choose the realistic style or an stylized/cartoony-like illustration - but - as I was defining the scientist´s character/facial features, I could sense that my illustration would end up with something in between, in the end …
a.
alenah
#16
… a few apparatus/equipment studies;
those elements (or something like that) will become a part of a laboratory, placed somewhere in the background;
as for the foreground - I still have not defined/sketched/solved out the apparatus for Medusa, etc.,
this will be the next step, hopefully (one of many)…
a.
AUMAKUA
#18
wow Alena! I wonder how I missed your thread, amazing work on this beautiful concept
will be subscribed definitely here!
NR43
#19
Hi Alena!
I haven’t been too active at the forum lately, which is why I haven’t seen your thread earlier
It’s great to see your developing stages, actually!
alenah
#20
here is a few more studies,
I did another apparatus/equipment study sheet (before I start putting some of those elements/equipment together into one final sceene), and
- also - finally - tried to define the scientist/character a little bit more in detail (will post those pics in the next post/s, in a while) …