Othrandir's sketchbook

[Bookend]

Looking better. Great work, man. I'm intimidated by glass. I really should do it though. I know I can, I'm just like-- Uugghh. haha.

[Othrandir]

Bookend - Thanks! Hah, yeah I know exactly what you mean :D Glass is actually easier than you might think! Some subtle highlights and shadows around the shape to show form and some extreme highlights to show off the light source and the shinyness of the surface and you're pretty much done! Give it a go, it's actually pretty fun! :)


I was challenged by a friend to paint something using only the colors from this website - http://whatcolourisit.scn9a.org/
It's difficult because the values are so similar. Great exercise though!

Here's the result :



and a study

[BenFlores]

You can feel the sharpness of that blade still life, so good. Keep at it man and good luck with finding client work, So hard to get a constant client base going.

[Othrandir]

BenFlores - Thanks man! Yeah, the client work sure is a struggle to get a constant flow of. Well, nobody said it'll be easy! :)



Some sketchbook pages that I haven't put in any particular order. There are figure and hand studies from photos and life, face studies from paintings and imagination and random doodles.

[Othrandir]

Quick environment study

This one was about 35-40 mins. I really need to build up patience for these. I get bored very easily :/

[Othrandir]

Environment sketch...how I'm going to become good at environments in the matter of 3 weeks, I have no idea...

[Othrandir]

Sketches from imagination (except top left, which was from ref)



and some doodles



I am trying to understand how to create houses in the style of Fables from imagination (for a university project). I tried studying old english style houses and then applying what I’ve learned to sketches from imagination.

[BenFlores]

Environments are tough (especially the perspective heavy designs) but some studies will make it a bit easier, Keep going!

[Othrandir]

BenFlores - Yeah, you're right. I can feel it getting a bit easier, however I still have no idea what I'm doing. I think I'll do some master studies soon and analyze their approaches.


Today, I mostly did thumbnails. I think they are helping me a lot. My idea for this is to spend the first 2 weeks learning (doing thumbnails, studies, speedpaintings, research, master studies,watch tutorials etc) and then spend my last week properly working on the end three pieces. I feel like if I start working on a final piece right now it’s going to take a lot longer to finish and it won’t look as good. The good thing about the thumbnails and speedpaintings is that I am gradually finding little tricks and techniques to make the sense of depth more believable and the composition more pleasing visually. All of the thumbnails here are from imagination. I am still struggling a lot with the “what do I put on this one?” syndrome, but I guess that in some time it’ll get easier. It’s just been 3 days anyway.

[Othrandir]

I did some referenced thumbnails in my sketchbook and then added values on top in photoshop. In these I was referencing frames from the tv show “The Musketeers” and the film “The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug”.I also did some thumbnails from imagination (the one where you can see the sketches). I think that they’re getting easier and more interesting. I’m trying to keep in mind the biggest thing I’ve learned so far about environments and that is that I need three points for the viewers eyes - foreground, midground and background. This way the sense of depth is a lot stronger for the viewer and it also heightens the interest.

[Othrandir]

Another rough idea for a uni project

[Othrandir]

Concept for a house for a uni project

[Othrandir]

another concept for a house

[Othrandir]

Another concept of a house.

[Othrandir]

Another concept for a house



and just to put them next to each other

---

Some quick conceptual doodles and some random goblins form when I was bored enough

[Othrandir]

Quick sculpt inbetween things

[Othrandir]

One more concept for a possible composition. Used photobashing, painting and 3D renders for this.

[Othrandir]

I went into my head and I took a picture of one of the cities for my concept, but the photo aged while I was getting back to reality. This is all that's left.

(3D, photobashing and painting)

The model of the city is not mine. I just re positioned some of the houses.

[Othrandir]

One of three environment images for uni project.
3D, photobashing and painting.

[Othrandir]

Polishing my zombie painting skills :D