alien concept

[Mad Mac]

I'm new here. I did this concept for work
http://www.reflexive.net/Jeff/images/2D/TypeC.jpg

[I.was.ink]

The legs look unfinished and so does the bg. But I like the rendering you've got goin on him. Where do you work?

Maybe you should post this in the work in progress section if you're going to continue it.

I vote yes for the continuation!:thumbsup:

[bwkeough]

I, too, would like to see this guy finished for the same reasons. Very nice rendering style with hard and soft edges.

[tyboogie]

very cool mac!

the rendering and color is nice


i agree with ink about the legs--it seems the further down we go from the head the less work you put in

the concept could be more original IMO

maybe some discoloration in the skin tones ( patterns?)
it could use something to hold our interest longer (design wise)

my 2 cents--hope to see more work from you in the future--ty

[McNallyism]

nice painting! The head is especially well-painted. the feet are looking a little diagramatic though with them being straight toward and exactly perpendicular to the camera. I'm thinking the alien's left foot should be angled in more toward the other foot so we can see the top of it, if it is to match the perspective set by the right foot. Also, it would be more interesting if his right hand were open so we could see those creepy alien fingers more (it would just look more visually appealing). Lastly, the level of detail and surface texture declines dramatically the closer to the pelvic region you get. Some of theose bright whites from the head and upper torso need to find their way to some of the other regions of the alien's body.

And if you really wanted to go all out, you could design some alien genetalia for this martian since it seems to be nekkid!

glad you decided to join us!

-Sean

[Chromo48]

I love it. Along with the others, I would also like to see it finished. As much as I like looking at the amazing aliens posted here, there just aren't enough "grays" running around anymore. This is cool.

[MindCandyMan]

awesome!

[egerie]

I like it, it's a nice concept piece.
After reading the previous posts, I'm wondering if it's not intentional to leave some parts "unfinished". I remember Jason (http://www.conceptart.org/artist/jason-manley/images/jason-manley-6b.jpg) mentionning putting some detail only in places where you want to attract the eye, in this case the alien's head and his left eye.
I don't think something not completely defined is necessarly a bad thing. As long as it adds some dynamism to the piece.
What would be a really nice touch tho, is that you could use some slightly more saturated colours on and around your focal point area.

Oh by the way, welcome :chug:

[Sammy]

I like it as is.. fading out to the sketch underlay that is.
great rendering

[Fozzybar]

there is so much depth in the head...wow! As if i could touch his bald head or stick my finger in his big eye...

[Mad Mac]

Thanks for the reply guys. All of the suggestions you guys gave are good ones, I do appreciate them.
As for the detail fading out the further you get from the head the biggest reason for that was because this is a concept and I had a limited amount of time to work on it. I need to make sure I have a concept waiting so when the artists are finished with their current assignment they can move right to the next one with no down time.
I found the head was more interesting so I spent more of my time on it. I guess I could've brought the entire concept up a little more instead of finishing the head, but that wouldn't have been as fun.
As for it being a typical alien instead of something more radical...well the game required a typical alien. I have to stay within the design of the game. Sometimes doing that really sucks but, they pay me to paint what they want not what I want.
-McNallyism
That thing you mentioned about the feet and hands...I probably won't fix this picture but I will definetly keep it in mind for the next one.
-I.was.ink
I work at Reflexive Entertainment

Thanks again guys!

[wronghand]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mad Mac

As for the detail fading out the further you get from the head the biggest reason for that was because this is a concept and I had a limited amount of time to work on it. I need to make sure I have a concept waiting so when the artists are finished with their current assignment they can move right to the next one with no down time.

Thanks, this answers a question I've had since lurking at this site.

I've been surprised a few times with crits on this site where there has been
suggestions for more detail and finish in concept pieces. It makes sense
for an illustration to have as much finish as possible but I would think with a
concept piece you would want to put only as much detail as needed to communicate the concept. Which I think this piece does well, it clearly suggested what the finished
character would be like.

Fabulous work, thanks for sharing. I also like the drawing underneath because
it suggests an effortless and natural(not forced) transformation from the basic
sketch areas to the finished rendering in the head and shoulders.

W. Hand

[strych9ine]

The head especially seems very tactile... I love your rendering.

[helix7]

Originally posted by wronghand
I've been surprised a few times with crits on this site where there has been
suggestions for more detail and finish in concept pieces. It makes sense
for an illustration to have as much finish as possible but I would think with a
concept piece you would want to put only as much detail as needed to communicate the concept. Which I think this piece does well, it clearly suggested what the finished
character would be like.

I agree. I see alot of great concept work that gets negative criticism for being "unfinished." But fi you take a look at some work by well-known and highly acclaimed concept artists, you're almost certain to find some work that is half colored, shows pencil lines, has a plain background (or no background), etc. If I recall correctly, Doug Chiang has some work on his site that is half colored or not colored at all. Feng has some characters that have no legs or just an outline of legs. Khang has work on his site that looks less finished than Mac's alien.

It's a strange misconception that concept art has to be polished and clean in order to be considered good. If it does the job of conveying an idea, no matter how finished it looks, it's effective concept art.

[AmadorL]

somebody call Area 51! Love'n what you did with the head!:beam:

Post more of your work.

Amador

[Loga4]

Very nice doing,Mad Mac
welcome on ConceptArt!



:chug:

[tyboogie]

"""It's a strange misconception that concept art has to be polished and clean in order to be considered good. If it does the job of conveying an idea, no matter how finished it looks, it's effective concept art."""



i disagree. a certain level of finish is important to clearly convey an idea. if the image is left ambiguos then the 3-d modeler, prosthetic costume maker, cgi guys are going to "interpret" the ambiguous areas for you.....


you dont want that. if your a designer make every part of your design clear so theres no miscommunication about taht design going to the next level


but at the same time i guess there are different levels of concept art--like when your first doing alot of art trying to define the visual language and look of something, and then the final designs that have to be really clear for the next team members down the line



i have little industry experience so feel free to correct me--ty

[chukw]

Nice job, Mad Mac- welcome, and well done. As far as I'm concerned, your rendering is above and beyond the level of detail needed for the average concept. You've take an assignment to depict a rather "overdone" theme and delivered. Wronghand, Helix, Egerie- well said. There's a lot of "wishing" that goes on within the hallowed halls of CA.O, with common prayers of "Now color it" and "Fix this tiny detail I see in my imagination".... Well, in the Working World, that just don't float. I can't tell my boss I spent 37 hours Making Something Perfect when there's only budget for 4 hours work. It's a matter of practicality. Period. And Period again. Take note, Tyboogie! Of course we all want to pursue this fabulous and rewarding field of ours to the utter max and become better with every drawing, and those of us who are dedicated DO. We strain, we race the clock, we steal time to check the forums for new and inspiring posts, helpful tips and needed criticisms of our efforts. But polish every piece? That's either a chump's game, a pursuit of the Artist Of Leisure, or the hobgblin of The Guy who Needs No Sleep. Me? I got A Life. I draw all the time, and I love it! But it ain't the only thing I've got going, and that's the way I want it. I'm lucky. I belong to a team of artists who work together toward a common goal. Like a soldier in a foxhole, I can trust the guy next to me to take the ball and carry it, and if he drops it, I can trust the supervsor in charge to correct the situation. If all that fails I have to trust myself to Get Over It and draw another concept. Mad Mac, I'm sorry to jack your post and turn it into a soapbox, but sometimes things just need to be said. Viewers! Use this post to talk about the art in it, and not my cranky-ass ramblings. If you've got to respond to me do it in the appropriate forum.... I'll apologize to everyone except McNallyism, who simply wants to see some weird alien pee-pee action... ;)

[Solidarnosi]

I like that he/she/it's not the cute cuddly Bambi looking egg-headed alien that has been done to death - this alien looks P.O.'d! "Where's my clothes, earthling!!!" :D

Please post more, your techniques with the brushes are inspiring