Steampunk Myths and Legends Entry: Chris Malidore

#1

Chris Malidore is entered in the “Steampunk Myths and Legends” update: View Challenge Page

Latest Update: Final Image: Headless Horseman

#2

So, I was originally going to do a Greek thing, but given the large amount of that in here and the assumption that greek -> steampunk may not be an easy process. I’m testing the waters with the Headless Horseman.

The joy of the Horseman is that there are actually many tales of it, so there’s some open-ness as to how it’s depicted, should give me plenty of room to play :slight_smile:

Sorry of the thumbnail doesn’t make a ton of sense, I drew it quickly while at work.

#3

Wicked, Chris! One of my favorite legends. :smiley: I have the Macfarlane toys movie replica of the horseman still in his box in my studio. I love that thing.

This has a LOT of room to play with it, legend wise. And it’s nice to see an American myth getting tossed into the mix. At this stage I don’t have too much to say, critique-wise, except I’d love to see the horseman really LOOMING in the background. Very big and intimidating.

Also, steam fog. Can there be steam fog?

#4

Yeah, like it…lets see some updates, I’m keen to see the feel that you give this legend!

#5

Thanks Melissa! I wouldn’t dream of NOT putting in steam fog! I’m considering having a bunch come from the horse’s neck, making up his mane with steam. But I’ve not toyed with it yet.

And I agree, the horseman needs to really loom for that powering feel. It’s not much of a legend if it doesn’t feel epic in some way… so that’ll be my big concern for awhile as I toy with lighting and tones in my first few passes of tone. I’ll probably enlarge him a bit as I play :slight_smile:

Balfs: This’ll be a slow progression for me for a week or so, but as soon as my priorities are out of the way we’re going full tilt on this thing! It’ll be quite fun.

#6

Working a line art stage of my main concept. I have a few more thumbnails that I’m tossing around in the sketchbook but nothing that I’m interested in following up on yet. If I find a good one, I’ll toss it up here as well. Until then, I’m working this into line art to see if I like it.

#7

Off we go, finally a weekend where I can work!

I had worked up one batch of lineart but rendered all of the enthusiasm out of the horseman, so I re-sketched it out, keeping the previous running guy (cause I love his expression and energy). Plopped it all together and now we’ll get moving into coloring.

#8

Beginning Color. Nice and atmospheric. Going for mood over “correct” at this moment.

Did a quick value scale on this, overlay colors and various low intensity washes… fairly happy with the scheme so far.

#9

Haha cool concept, creepy and funny at the same time, its gonna look great!

#10

Leveling out my tones and colors on the middle to background planes, haven’t touched the squealing victim yet, though he’s probably coming up next as I jump around this thing.

#11

Is your foreground character meant to be Ichabod? I’m not quite sold on him. He’s funny looking certainly, but … I don’t know. He seems a bit cartoony compared to the rest of your composition.

I also kind of wish the horsemen were bigger. A little bulkier maybe? More intimidating? Right now he’s very svelt. And the horse’s back end is looking odd.

Hmmm… I’m in a nitpicky mood tonight, aren’t I?

#12

There were a lot of incarnations to this story, and I’m not sticking to the Crane version as I was never a fan of that particular tale. However I did on the fly decide to throw in some homage as it’s generally the most popular. I may rewrite some of that out though as it seems to be a little confusing with those elements. What do you think?

I agree with you on the horseman and horse crits - at this point whenever I try enlarging the horseman it loses the energy though so I’m going to have to continue playing with that. I’ve yet to find a winner. And yeah, the horses ass (Hah, joke!) sucks. I’m still evening out my lighting there to figure out what I have to work with :). I imagine the next update I have here will have that particular issue ironed out. I like the fight this one is putting up, it’s like a puzzle. I don’t get that on most pieces anymore, feels good.

Nitpicky works for me, nitpicky means I get issues ironed out sooner than later! Thanks, Melissa, you’re a gem of forward momentum - it’s very appreciated.

#13

So my concern at this point is that now that I’m on a different monitor, my original might seem a bit too dark compared to what I’ve been under the impression was being created… so this is a lightly color corrected version of my up to date work.

Tonight when I get home I’ll be recalibrating my monitor to make sure everything is correct. So this version is up to date on painting and what not, but the tones and contrast might be off a bit… bear with me.

Anyway, on the pic itself, I’ve hit the background with a sledge hammer of brushes, done a few layers of color and rendering on the man, and restructured the horse. The horseman was resized a bit (finally getting him where I want him).

I want to expand my canvas up^ a bit so that I can get some more sky and sword room, and allow me to do some more visual movement with lightning and tree foliage. Too cramped as things are. Gotta tone down some lights on the man and his face is still too cartoony, as the sketch went - which won’t be a problem. I like starting them out like this, as I tighten them up without thinking usually, so that’ll tone back real fast.

It’s starting to take shape more in the direction I want it to go and the questions are ironing themselves out. Much further left to go, but at least I have a few directions to take this.

#14

More Painting - I’ve refined our victim’s upper torso and head a bit more, our Headless Horseman has gained some form and tone while the background developed some more height and definition.

That and massive amounts of ambient lighting play.

#15

I’m redoing the trees, they’re still a bit too linear, but that’s fixable fairly easily… this should ramp up the “spooky” haunted woods feel. I’ve also edited up the man’s face a little.

Generally desaturated the scene a bit, putting a bit more emphasis on the story itself - the blues were a bit too strong.

Finally making the sort of progress that I’m looking for. Still need to find some spots to sprinkle some flesh tone in - in that background however, as he’s feeling too separate. Gotta put in some like tones. Headless Horseman will likely have some more heads bound to the saddle, but something up a tree in one of the corners wouldn’t be a bad thing… we’ll see what happens I guess.

#16

I hope at least somebody out there is enjoying this, not getting much feedback - but I’m gonna go along with it.

I’ve gotten the far and mid planes about where I want them, now I need to finish off the ground and our mechanoid horseman and horse along with victim.

I have tossed down some textures from my vast library of neat things tossed in a folder over the years. Some good crumbly cracked earth and some tree bark textures, put to good use.

I have also inserted some fog. It needed fog. But then again I think every pic needs more fog… :wink:

#17

I could tell what this legend was right of the bat. The colors and lighting look great. You also have a strong composition and contrast with your lights and darks. Keep up the great work!

#18

Hey Chris,

Really cool concept and image , like a lot :smiley:

The enviroment and mood on the images is lookung good. Perhaps a bit more bright sky on the
[left]lightning zone, and maybe green light on the horse mouth too, only acomment. Cool work and waiting for more updates!. Cheers mate :beer:[/left]

#19

I’ve overhauled most of the parts of this image, throwing in fogs, steam, paint goodness on anything that majorly needed it and so on.

I see a few smaller things to do yet, horseman’s far foot wasn’t a priority like everything else so I’ll do that now, and some color correcting on the steamy fog behind our horse.

You guys and gals see anything really worth changing? I’m pushed for time this week so now’d be a good time to hear it before I get too deep into my work load.

#20

Double post