Pagan Village Scene

[Darkness_Falls 63]

 

EDIT 4/25/2006: FYI, I'm adding finer details here and there to this. For example, I've cleaned up some shadows and highlights. Will keep doing this, and other things, just for fun. Will let you know when I'm done.

[Fingernail 59]

Wicked. We'll have to include something like this in the Team 2 map.

[Dram 123]

VERY nice DF

 

That's the kinda stuff we need more of - very moody and fits excellent imo.

[Domarius 2]

Man I love the way you choose your colour pallette. So atmospheric.

 

Very "T3 concept art" too, but I suppose I did tell you to look at them for examples of the dodge tool etc. Heh.

[Darkness_Falls 63]

Yes, I give you full credit, Domarius, for teaching me the power of dodge. It really helps me visually communicate what I want. A few things to note:

 

* Each yellow lght is a pagan orb on a stick, rather than torches; in case you were wondering about their shape.

* Roots grow down from the eves of the huts. Maybe the pagans plant some sort of weird plant seeds under the eves which cause this, to decorate their huts. (This is what I was thinking). It was a way for me to add character to the huts.

* These people are going around etching weird symbols in the ground, for whatever reason. The symbols permanently glow red... well, at least for 12 hours or something (which we'd never see the end of in the game.)

* On the one hand, the symbols could be village members trying to protect from evil or something. On the other, maybe they are some faction/group that has killed off the pagans and this is how they mark their territory. Or, it could be some sort of pagan ritual. The magical fire in the middle re-loads their stick with writing magical goodness.

[Fingernail 59]

Dodge and burn was pretty much presented to me as the most basic and effective way to add shading to simple sketches.

[Springheel 4343]

Dodge and burn was pretty much presented to me as the most basic and effective way to add shading to simple sketches.

 

Most artists I've talked to seriously recommend not using dodge and burn. Real shadows and hilights aren't just darker or brighter versions of the same colour--they have colours of their own.

[Darkness_Falls 63]

If you have the time and energy to hand-draw perfectly colored shadows and highlights, feel free. But Fingernail's right that it is a basic and effective way of doing them. I spent like 3 minutes dodging/burning your tavern. Obviously this is a crude dodge/burn example, but you're only limited by how much time you want to (or don't want to) invest in the process. I feel it's an amazing tool, personally. The life and energy of my drawings don't come out until I dodge/burn...

 

[Fingernail 59]

Most artists I've talked to seriously recommend not using dodge and burn. Real shadows and hilights aren't just darker or brighter versions of the same colour--they have colours of their own.

 

True, like I said, it's simple and effective.

 

It does enhance the contrast which is sometimes also stylistically preferable, if you're going for a sort of hyper-realism where everything is very vivid.

[Springheel 4343]

I feel it's an amazing tool, personally. The life and energy of my drawings don't come out until I dodge/burn...

 

Well, as Fingernail says, it's useful for quick and dirty sketches. But I would recommend not getting reliant on it if you're interested in doing serious digital painting.

 

Nice concept though...a very spooky pagan area.

[Darkness_Falls 63]

I can almost guarantee Alexius uses dodge/burn, and I wouldn't consider his stuff quick and dirty. Pretty serious stuff... http://www.3dexcellence.com/articlevitaly.html

Every artist is different, so it just depends on what you're looking for, too.

[Springheel 4343]

I'd be very surprised if someone with classic oil painting experience relied on burning and dodging, but I'd love to find out. I had no idea from looking at the Hammerite Imperium concepts that he was such a talented artist.

[Dram 123]

dodge...burn...gah

[Darkness_Falls 63]

I had no idea from looking at the Hammerite Imperium concepts that he was such a talented artist.

Yeah, some pretty crazy cool stuff: http://alexiuss.deviantart.com/gallery/. I usually get anxious to finish my drawings, so never have the patience or tenacity to get that detailed with them.

 

dodge...burn...gah

You don't like dodge/burn?

[Dram 123]

You don't like dodge/burn?

 

Nonono, It's just funny names for tools

 

When Dom said use the dodge tool in reference to TDM I thought he was making a joke like dodge the T3 stuff type thing...then it turns out to be an actual tool LOL

[Domarius 2]

Alexis's stuff is dodge & burn done really well.

 

Dodge and burn CAN be quick and dirty, but like everything else, I guess it comes down to what you do with your choice of tools that matters.

 

His stuff is very obviously "dodgey-burney" but its awesome art in its own right.