Showing posts with label steampunk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steampunk. Show all posts
12.07.2011
Art: PE Steampunk Exchange for Icarus
The final Private Exchange! For my long-time buddy, Sam. This is Papillion, which means butterfly in French. She is a magician, and all her spells are in Latin. I just fell in love with the idea of "linea tractare". I think it's actually a spell for turning things into puppets, but I turned it around and made her into a marionette, carrying her own strings. It fits well with the idea of humans using technology to create dolls in their own likeness, a theme that folds neatly into the steampunk genre.
10.19.2009
Art: Steampunk Concepts
I have kept this project under wraps for about a month and a half now, but it's the main reason I haven't been posting so much. This is my entry for GameXpo's Steampunk Art Contest - a conference which is occurring this weekend. For me, it's a more formal foray into game artwork.
The setting draws from and visually defines the previous alternate universe Steampunk headworld of Rivek. I truly enjoy translating my characters into different worlds because it's a mental challenge of maintaining their personalities in the different environment. Like, how would their occupations change? Their clothing? Their histories?
"The Bow and the Rose" is the love story of a vigilante and a duke's daughter. In this universe, steam power (much like nuclear power) was invented during war. As a result, there are two classes: the people who use steam power and the people who make it. With Steampunk being itself an idealism of Victorian ideals, this story involves what kind of history-inspired idealism would be present in a Steampunk world. It also requires some (a lot) of suspension of disbelief ...
Ari Kovalev is a direct analogy to Rivek. Rivek's initials are A. A. R. I. and the history behind the Alisian religion mirrors that of Judiasm. He is a middle-management coal-shoveler, a peacetime position inherited form his father. He idolized his father and picked up all his mechanical knowledge through oral tradition and experimentation. Thus, he only has colloquial literacy. However, while the two of them were serving in the military, an accident happened. Ari lost his arm, and his father lost his life. The coat he wears is his father's, but modified to suit his form.
Ari has a Robin Hood belief that there shouldn't be such a large division between classes. After all, a low-life like him could build a working mechanical arm. He holds onto this notion frm his grandfather - that times were much simpler and happier prior to the war which produced steam technology. Hence, his prefferred weapon is a bow. It's primitive in design, but it hints at the meritocracy Ari would prefer. Unlike uncontrollable steam power, a bow can only be lethal in the right hands.
A close-up of the portrait. The wires are actually stitched to his neck... and he's always covered in dirt.
Solaris Williamsburg is from the other side of the tracks, a rich girl who grew up knowing all the wonderous luxuries provided by steam power. Her counterpart, Willowren is a princess whose spoiled existence is finally interrupted when she makes contact with people of different background than hers. Her uncle is a rich and powerful duke who prefers to treat her like a caged bird. However, when people are affluent, they tend to invest money in culture and the arts. Thus, Solaris knows all about history, and she is smitten with fairy tales of dashing men rescuing the downtrodden. So, any instance she can, she leaves her quarters and drops roses in places Ari will find them. She is not in love with him - persay - just the ideals he stands for.
I put quite a bit of thought into the arm. It's meant to be a replacement, not something superpowered. Therefore, it's modeled after human anatomy. There is bone underneath, providing it with mechanical force. However, during the accident, most of Ari's flesh had been damaged so badly it had to be removed. The brass arm requires regular maintenance and cleaning to avoid infection. The point where it joins into Ari's shoulder is his main physical weakpoint, and it has actually disfigured the anatomy there.
Ari is left-handed, so he continues to do most things with his biological hand - especially those which require fine accuracy.
During their courtship, Ari gives Solaris a mechanical bird he built. It's a music box made of brass. It's a swallow, his symbol. She returns in kind with roses.
I've been taking a Game Design and Development course. I like it, but I am learning that game mechanics is not my strength. I can easily implement things and come up with good art/settings - but like it bores me to tears trying to come up with the optimal equipment for my lovingly back-storied, Dungeons and Dragons character. (By the by, his name is Robin Ian Batman, and he is a sixteen-year-old druid boy with a bear... who turns into a bear... and has a bag of tricks which can make more bears...) But hey, if anyone needs a look or setting for there game, I'm so there.
The setting draws from and visually defines the previous alternate universe Steampunk headworld of Rivek. I truly enjoy translating my characters into different worlds because it's a mental challenge of maintaining their personalities in the different environment. Like, how would their occupations change? Their clothing? Their histories?
"The Bow and the Rose" is the love story of a vigilante and a duke's daughter. In this universe, steam power (much like nuclear power) was invented during war. As a result, there are two classes: the people who use steam power and the people who make it. With Steampunk being itself an idealism of Victorian ideals, this story involves what kind of history-inspired idealism would be present in a Steampunk world. It also requires some (a lot) of suspension of disbelief ...
Ari Kovalev is a direct analogy to Rivek. Rivek's initials are A. A. R. I. and the history behind the Alisian religion mirrors that of Judiasm. He is a middle-management coal-shoveler, a peacetime position inherited form his father. He idolized his father and picked up all his mechanical knowledge through oral tradition and experimentation. Thus, he only has colloquial literacy. However, while the two of them were serving in the military, an accident happened. Ari lost his arm, and his father lost his life. The coat he wears is his father's, but modified to suit his form.
Ari has a Robin Hood belief that there shouldn't be such a large division between classes. After all, a low-life like him could build a working mechanical arm. He holds onto this notion frm his grandfather - that times were much simpler and happier prior to the war which produced steam technology. Hence, his prefferred weapon is a bow. It's primitive in design, but it hints at the meritocracy Ari would prefer. Unlike uncontrollable steam power, a bow can only be lethal in the right hands.
A close-up of the portrait. The wires are actually stitched to his neck... and he's always covered in dirt.
Solaris Williamsburg is from the other side of the tracks, a rich girl who grew up knowing all the wonderous luxuries provided by steam power. Her counterpart, Willowren is a princess whose spoiled existence is finally interrupted when she makes contact with people of different background than hers. Her uncle is a rich and powerful duke who prefers to treat her like a caged bird. However, when people are affluent, they tend to invest money in culture and the arts. Thus, Solaris knows all about history, and she is smitten with fairy tales of dashing men rescuing the downtrodden. So, any instance she can, she leaves her quarters and drops roses in places Ari will find them. She is not in love with him - persay - just the ideals he stands for.
I put quite a bit of thought into the arm. It's meant to be a replacement, not something superpowered. Therefore, it's modeled after human anatomy. There is bone underneath, providing it with mechanical force. However, during the accident, most of Ari's flesh had been damaged so badly it had to be removed. The brass arm requires regular maintenance and cleaning to avoid infection. The point where it joins into Ari's shoulder is his main physical weakpoint, and it has actually disfigured the anatomy there.
Ari is left-handed, so he continues to do most things with his biological hand - especially those which require fine accuracy.
During their courtship, Ari gives Solaris a mechanical bird he built. It's a music box made of brass. It's a swallow, his symbol. She returns in kind with roses.
I've been taking a Game Design and Development course. I like it, but I am learning that game mechanics is not my strength. I can easily implement things and come up with good art/settings - but like it bores me to tears trying to come up with the optimal equipment for my lovingly back-storied, Dungeons and Dragons character. (By the by, his name is Robin Ian Batman, and he is a sixteen-year-old druid boy with a bear... who turns into a bear... and has a bag of tricks which can make more bears...) But hey, if anyone needs a look or setting for there game, I'm so there.
7.08.2009
Art: Fanart Sketches
Long time, no post, huh? Well, I need to get back into the habit. The only thing I can say is that con season has started, so there will be fan art and badly photographed commissions ahead. Although, the latter will be in another post.
This is? was? for a collaboration with Kheleksul. I don't know where she is on it right now.
I did a Harry Potter picture, based on the final book. I'll post the finals in another entry. As you can see, when doing crest-style work, I draw each figure separately and piece them together on the computer. Harry is holding all three Deathly Hallows (and the Snitch from his first Quidditch game). Hermione has "Beedle the Bard" and that Bag of Holding. Ron has the sword of Godric, and the Deluminator. The bird-like thing is Fawkes which represents Dumbledore, and the four heads are the four ghosts Harry walked to his "death" with.
Oh, this was something I came up with back in January. It's a Steampunk Alternate Universe Romance for Mondigan, titled "The Bow and the Rose."
The world is made up of floating cities - divided into two classes, those that power the engines and those that live on the ships. Ari Kovalev (Rivek) is a the son of a mechanic who lost his eye, arm, and his father's life in the engines. A romantic in the chronological sense of the word, he takes his revenge by becoming a vigilante. But why use a bow in a world full of guns? For the message, that is hearkens back to a more peaceful time when everyone lived, equally on the ground. Wilhelmina Solaris (Willowren) is a rich girl, sporting no visible body modification as a symbol of her purity. But her desire for a more exciting life has drawn her inevitably towards a particular one-eyed bowman, and she leaves roses on her doorstep, hoping he will come. Baron English (Bohren) is her lifelong friend and guardian, head of the royal guard, who cannot help but worry about what her head full of fantasies has gotten her into this time.
Samuel Jenner (Sorian) is Wilhelmina's power-hungry uncle who has nearly replaced his entire form with mechanical parts. He murdered Kovalev's father and thus, is the prime target for revenge. Jerry the Hand (Kaiaden) is the leader of a street gang of teenaged boys who sell mechanical parts and body modifications in exchange for modifications on themselves. He works directly for Jenner since no one suspects the young. Jhiri (Mirab) is one of Jenner's experiments, a princess from another island whose 'ghost' has been imprinted on a mechanical body, so she will stay beautiful forever. It is unclear whose side she is on - or if she has the emotional capacity to even chose a side anymore.
Back to fan art, though. I friggin' love D. Grayman! The character designs appeal so much to me. Lavi is one of my favorite characters, but I admit I dig eyepatches in general. I did another bas-relief style picture with them. Here are the initial sketches:
I decided my style wasn't "animu" enough for the next fan art pieces I wanted to do (pieces I have wanted to do for a long time, characters which I will put to rest once this is accomplished). So, I looked at ProdigyBombay and Korilin's work for some visual reference. I don't think I got it, though. I need to keep trying.
I went on and did the sketches anyhow.
The only organ not removed from the body during mummification was the heart. Therefore, I thought it would be very appropriate to do a Bakura piece, since his trademark card is the "Change of Heart." I really loved YuGiOh when I was in high school. It was the only reason I would wake up so early on Saturday morning (and simultaneously do my chemistry homework while watching). I want to re-draw everyone except Bakura and the Millennium Items. Yugi looks like a plant.
Finally, this is a piece I've wanted to do for ever, but could never find a decent way to do it. EVA is one of my favorite series, and for his seventeen minutes of screentime, I absolutely adore Kaworu. I need to draw a lot more elements for this, though. The seated Rei and Asuka are the ones I am not using in the final. Upon further analysis, the piece should center on the (much more popular) girls, rather than Shinji.
Anyhow, I was happy with my art when I made the last post, but now I'm not. I feel obligated to move into digital color for the wrong reasons - to please other people, not to better my own skills.
This is? was? for a collaboration with Kheleksul. I don't know where she is on it right now.
I did a Harry Potter picture, based on the final book. I'll post the finals in another entry. As you can see, when doing crest-style work, I draw each figure separately and piece them together on the computer. Harry is holding all three Deathly Hallows (and the Snitch from his first Quidditch game). Hermione has "Beedle the Bard" and that Bag of Holding. Ron has the sword of Godric, and the Deluminator. The bird-like thing is Fawkes which represents Dumbledore, and the four heads are the four ghosts Harry walked to his "death" with.
Oh, this was something I came up with back in January. It's a Steampunk Alternate Universe Romance for Mondigan, titled "The Bow and the Rose."
The world is made up of floating cities - divided into two classes, those that power the engines and those that live on the ships. Ari Kovalev (Rivek) is a the son of a mechanic who lost his eye, arm, and his father's life in the engines. A romantic in the chronological sense of the word, he takes his revenge by becoming a vigilante. But why use a bow in a world full of guns? For the message, that is hearkens back to a more peaceful time when everyone lived, equally on the ground. Wilhelmina Solaris (Willowren) is a rich girl, sporting no visible body modification as a symbol of her purity. But her desire for a more exciting life has drawn her inevitably towards a particular one-eyed bowman, and she leaves roses on her doorstep, hoping he will come. Baron English (Bohren) is her lifelong friend and guardian, head of the royal guard, who cannot help but worry about what her head full of fantasies has gotten her into this time.
Samuel Jenner (Sorian) is Wilhelmina's power-hungry uncle who has nearly replaced his entire form with mechanical parts. He murdered Kovalev's father and thus, is the prime target for revenge. Jerry the Hand (Kaiaden) is the leader of a street gang of teenaged boys who sell mechanical parts and body modifications in exchange for modifications on themselves. He works directly for Jenner since no one suspects the young. Jhiri (Mirab) is one of Jenner's experiments, a princess from another island whose 'ghost' has been imprinted on a mechanical body, so she will stay beautiful forever. It is unclear whose side she is on - or if she has the emotional capacity to even chose a side anymore.
Back to fan art, though. I friggin' love D. Grayman! The character designs appeal so much to me. Lavi is one of my favorite characters, but I admit I dig eyepatches in general. I did another bas-relief style picture with them. Here are the initial sketches:
I decided my style wasn't "animu" enough for the next fan art pieces I wanted to do (pieces I have wanted to do for a long time, characters which I will put to rest once this is accomplished). So, I looked at ProdigyBombay and Korilin's work for some visual reference. I don't think I got it, though. I need to keep trying.
I went on and did the sketches anyhow.
The only organ not removed from the body during mummification was the heart. Therefore, I thought it would be very appropriate to do a Bakura piece, since his trademark card is the "Change of Heart." I really loved YuGiOh when I was in high school. It was the only reason I would wake up so early on Saturday morning (and simultaneously do my chemistry homework while watching). I want to re-draw everyone except Bakura and the Millennium Items. Yugi looks like a plant.
Finally, this is a piece I've wanted to do for ever, but could never find a decent way to do it. EVA is one of my favorite series, and for his seventeen minutes of screentime, I absolutely adore Kaworu. I need to draw a lot more elements for this, though. The seated Rei and Asuka are the ones I am not using in the final. Upon further analysis, the piece should center on the (much more popular) girls, rather than Shinji.
Anyhow, I was happy with my art when I made the last post, but now I'm not. I feel obligated to move into digital color for the wrong reasons - to please other people, not to better my own skills.
1.10.2009
Sketches: The Bow and the Rose
Woohoo. I've been debating for awhile if I should enter the Steampunk competition on CGTalk. Now, I finally have an idea - crafting a movie poster style piece using my old characters in a Steampunk setting.
Here are the head figures I draw which will adorn the frame-elements of the poster. The left picture is the test run, the right is the updated (after Ted's one sentence crit "needs moar gadgets"). Some still need work.
And here's the (horrible!) accompanying first-draft story I wrote.
Here are the head figures I draw which will adorn the frame-elements of the poster. The left picture is the test run, the right is the updated (after Ted's one sentence crit "needs moar gadgets"). Some still need work.
And here's the (horrible!) accompanying first-draft story I wrote.
12.09.2008
Site Critique: Brass Goggles
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/brassgoggles/Brass Goggles is a blog dedicated to the "lighter side of Steampunk." The entries can be about anything which pertains to this aesthetic - from modified umbrellas, to retro-futuristic space travel posters, to "Repo! The Genetic Opera." I wanted to see how one of the web's foremost Steampunk resources uses the aesthetic in its site.
The layout grid is visibly blog-like and stays the same on every page. Entries display on the left, most recent at the top. Links are on a column to the right. Since the site is a blog, the architecture is deep but narrow. Users go further and further back in time, away from the home page, but the pages must be accessed in a linear fashion. However, the sidebar makes browsing considerably more efficient because it organizes entries in alternative ways, ordered by likelihood of use. For example, viewers are more likely to browse entries by tag topic than by date posted. The search function is particularly useful because it compares the search string to entry content instead of just tags. Searching is essential to managing so much information. Also convenient, the site has anchored links for vertical navigation on a single page.
When you go to an individual entry, the right navigation disappears when on expanded entries. However, to compensate for this, chronological back and forth navigation appears. On the positive side, users can then comment on individual entries, allowing for networking, a crucial aspect when maintaining a subculture website. These comments only appear on the pages with individual entries in order to save screen real estate. On the negative side, sometimes comments cannot be posted although other people have posted before you.
True to its motto, Brass Goggles takes its color scheme from Steampunk without being dark. The background is warm sienna brown, highlighted by gold. The titular Brass is a key material in Steampunk technology. Thin lines and shades are used to distinguish content. Any image juts from the monochrome and becomes an immediate focal point of that entry. Disappointingly, the site has no logo which makes the header awkwardly bare. It would benefit from some stronger texture or imagery which does not compete with the entry images. The typography, although it smacks of "default font," is clear and easy to read due to its lighter color. Headers are larger but faded, and sidebar links are colored. However, within entries, links do not differ much from copy which can lead to their being ignored. When the user hovers over or clicks a link, it underlines. However, there is no visited state, which is useful when browsing entry-based collections of information.
Brass Goggles is a site which uses Steampunk colors effectively within traditional blog design, but it could further tailor its look via textures and detail treatments. It does not take me back to the Victorian era yet.
Site Critique: Skingraft Designs
http://www.skingraftdesigns.com/
A friend recommended Skingraft to me when I was researching Steampunk clothing for Anachrofactory. Skingraft Designs is a Los Angeles clothing company whose work borders on art. Only independent stores carry it, and many pieces are one-of-a-kind. Although one section denotes pieces for sale, the site is for showcasing, not shopping.
I have a love-hate relationship with Flash sites. Skingraft has a nice layout but does not need its current animation. The photographic content is undeniably incredible but hindered by the interface and pixilation. The site runs from one main menu embedded into a timepiece-like treatment where users click orbs to access sections. This is cleverly keeps with the site's decorative, Victorian style, but the circular frame and usurps valuable screen real estate. The site background is an eye-burning white. A dark, neutral color would bring out the subtle artistic details of the menu and pieces. The realistic photo menu is destroyed by its rollovers. While users appreciate selected states, they should not be heinous, computer-drawn circles laid over the photographs. Instead, the designer should manipulate the photograph and actually have the menu orbs change color.
As with many Flash sites, there is no definite home page, and the five sections must be navigated without a sitemap. Fortunately, the section names are self-explanatory. The “Purchase” link instructs users to go offsite to a distributor called Hunters & Gatherers. "Gallery" happens to have confusing subsection labels. Not all the "Gallery" links actually go to gallery pieces. Those that do provide limited image-viewing functionality. Few viewers will realize the circle between the pagination arrows allows them to view the image source. One cannot zoom in to analyze the lovely pinstripes on the vests or the ruffles on the hoop skirts.
Since the site is very image-oriented, most text is used for headers. However, the header font choice is atrocious, often unreadable. The copy font is simple, but also not well weighted. The logo looks less like a logo and more like a free font with a Photoshop filter. Victorian font should be elegant and historically inspired but not reminiscent of high school Goth. Differentiating link and text can be difficult, especially with Flash. Most things I clicked led me nowhere, and there were no search functions. Clicking “Updates” provides the user with inactive text URLs. Worse, with Flash, one cannot copy and paste. Few people will take the effort to type in a web address.
When taken at high resolution, photographs are great resources for web page layouts. However, that means the site has to match them and must do so with subtlety. If the site treatments were darker, textured, yet soft and text not overly decorated, the gorgeous photography of the designers’ wares would provide just enough balance with the site’s detailed menus. This could easily be done without losing the feel from Steampunk’s grey, brown, and brass theme. Ultimately, Skingraft’s poor use of Flash limits features which are found naturally on HTML pages, and this in turn limits their ability to function as an online gallery.
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