Creature : SHAPESHIFTER

[William b. Hand]

(Done in PS7)

Some of you have already seen this on the DSG (Daily Sketch Group) forum, but for those of you who haven't...

I cleaned it up a little from the earlier version -- changed the background colour from hospital green to a very light blue, crispened everything up with Sharpen filter, and tried to clean up a few edges (mostly by the hindquarters). [And then I changed that light blue to the current very light creme colour...]

Here's the DSG thread that shows the previous version (near the bottom): CLICK ME. (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13189&pagenumber=1)

http://homepage.mac.com/forumdump/.Pictures/Shapeshifter%20Final.jpg

A little bit of explanation for my creature:

I hypothesize that a shapeshifter might share amorphous aspects with the octopus, but would also need a frame to carry it around -- a skeleton that could also shift. My solution to this problem lies in an osteo-circulatory system that would transport small bony fragments around the body to where they were needed, and then these bony bits would temporarily fuse together to make coherent weight-bearing structures.

The ability to change form would have innumerable applications, including evasion of predators, trickery of prey, fording varied landscapes, and the creative expression of thoughts/feelings through visual and tactile morphing.

So... That was the basic thought behind this

[pstraub]

wow...that is TIGHT...good job

[davi]

one of the best creature designs i've seen, espically for a shape shifter.

[Main Loop]

i love that saran wrap skin look.. very convincing, you pulled it off.. great work

[Fisa]

nice technique on the transparency. i also like the thinking behind the design.

[Gunbu]

very gross and freaky! two of my favorite things...;)

[Bomba]

Dude,

This is incredible. I love shocking/weird creatures and this takes the cake. Reminds me of a creature that belongs in the movie 'The Thing'. Congrats, this is one solid piece!

-J-

[strych9ine]

From the concept to the execution this is an amazing piece of work man.

[ChaosEidolon]

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!

thats the kind of thing i would imagine crawling up through your drain pipes at night.

Excellent execution as usual ;)

now about that website....

[block]

lovely. I like the design, and the rendering is beautiful. I love the translucency. :)

[William b. Hand]

pstraub - Thanks, pstraub! Keep me in mind if EAGames tells you they're looking for a creature conceptualist, hee hee (congrats on the gig)!

davi - Hey! Thanks davi! I was hoping you would like it :)! Thanks for such high praise on this one!

Main Loop - Thank you! I was sorta thinking that it looks like Saran Wrap, heh heh. Glad you like it.

Fisa - Thanx! I'm glad you like the background info. -- I seem to remember somebody once saying that shapeshifter's are phsysiologically improbable (maybe "impossible")... and I always thought that there must be some way it could happen.

Gunbu - "very gross and freaky! two of my favorite things..." I'll drink to that!:beer:

Bomba - Thank you so much! I'm a huge fan of "The THING" (I highly recommend the DVD w/ commentary!), and Rob Bottin's "Anything Goes" work in that film has always been a source of inspiration.

strych9 - Thank you Thank you!

ChaosEidolon - Hee hee... Good reason to let those drainpipes clog up with leaves, I reckon! Thanks, dude. As to the website question, you'll be happy to know that I've begun the designing process and met with my webguy yesterday. So, things are beginning to move along.

block - Thank you very much!

I really appreciate all the feedback, guys. Thanks Again!:chug:

[ericpollen]

that thing is dirty!! http://www.dogsonacid.com/images/smilies/clown.gif

loving it!!!

[Luke Mrozek]

Shit man, its so alive.Looks great, this organic touch, great work on transparency, and overall concept rocks...its way cool!

Luke.

[Scott Robertson]

Nice sketch and a strong design, always go well together!

Keep it up!

[I.was.ink]

This is a great piece man. I love your style!

*download*

[yfront]

it looks.. it looks.. a.. aaaALIVE!!! Run Jacob!!! NOOOOOO!!!
ARRrrgGGHH...glllurgg...glurggg...
Jacob! Jacob..
O, there u are..

Awesome work man!

[egerie]

Very cool very disgusting. The translusence (sp?) of the skin makes it even better. :chug:

[Loga4]

Very nice work!

[N D Hill]

Very cool! I was thinking when I saw "shapeshifter" it's be some blob thing but this was a very pleasent supprise. It's a little like the John Carpenter's 'The Thing' but in a good way. I like how you incorporated muscular and skeletal aspects, adding to it's overall...unpleasentness. The transparancy is really great too. It really helps illustrate it's inner consistancies as mass may be building to create new appendages. Very good work.

[jchap03]

One time when I was younger, my brother got a ringworm... I bet something like that gave it to him. Absolutely incredable! Great job! You should be proud of yourself!

:D

[Android]

thats really freakin brilliant, i always look forward to your work, its very unique.:chug:

[cycrincy]

whoa:eek: ...that thing is ffx worthy... i love the way u gave such a reasonable explination for how its able to shape shift

[Irate Customer]

That is one of the stongest pieces of work I have ever seen for this type of a creature. It is so believable I can't begin to explain. The thought process on the design is very intellegent, and I am glad you shared since that is a rare thing seen on most art boards.

I think it just moved.

Irate

[Glenn K]

Excellent creature. The textures are awesome, and beautifully rendered.

[William b. Hand]

(Sorry it took me so long to respond here!...)

ericpollen - Thanks!

Luke Mrozek - Thank you!

Scott Robertson - Glad you like, Scott! High praise from someone as profoundly proficient in Photoshop as you!

I.was.ink - :) ! Thanks, dude!

yfront - Heh, heh... Wow, I inspired a scene! Right on. Thanx!

egerie - Cheers! Your disgust is my accomplishment!

Loga4 - Thank you!

Exo - Good good! Glad you took a look even though you were expecting "some blob thing"! :D As far as I'm concerned, any comparison to John Carpenter's "The THING" is a good one! Rob Bottin's designs will forever be enshrined within the throbbing folds of my brain. (NOTE: everybody should rent the DVD w/commentary -- it's crisp and beautiful and the commentary's great!)

jchap03 - Thank yew! Ringworm, eh? Ha ha... Well, I dunno.

Android - Cheers, mate! That's such a nice thing to say... Thanks!

cycrincy - Thanks! I sure would love to do some F/X design someday. Heh, heh... well, any paying job would be nice at this point :D!

Irate Customer - Wow, those're some very kind words! Glad you dig my little explanatory blurb too... Thanks for your reply!

Glenn K - Big thanks Glenn!


THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE! Your responses are just great... They keep me goin' :chug: !!

[Rusty Red Robot]

Woah, not what I was expecting at all. That's a great design!

[liquidwerx]

Fan-freakin-tastic!

Nice work. :)


~M~

[Franz Steiner]

great how you created the illusion of a wet surface. really interesting work. one of those I was hoping to create one day too.:p