my concept design for halo

[nzrkiwi]

This is one of my first works up here! however im having problems getting my gallery pictures seen? on my gallery page it says there 3 picutres there but there no icons or pictures or directional arrows?

Can anyone advise me there!

nzrkiwi

[Rascar Capac]

You need to work on your depth and atmostphere...and composition.
Squint and everything falls apart

-Your elements in the BG are so crisp at some points that they clash with the FG elements. I cant even tell whats going on between the guy on the left and buildings....there no separation...

-Your diagonals on the corner don't help - they create an artificial frame

-Your planes are almost the same size and clutter up the piece - and the 2 on the right on top of each other don't help the composition

-The saturation of the water doesn't seem to work with the rest of the piece

Do some thumbnails to nail the values and composition first

[nzrkiwi]

hmm took some of your advice dude took one of the fighters out
fixed the area concerning his helmet to bring him out more for seperation, As for the diagonal objects
i took the bottom one out as for the top diagonal object it meant to give the impression of the side door
giving the feeling he on the ledge of one the fighters ascending to the shadowy Halo structure casting
the shadow to the right. I used motion blur on the other fighter and blur around the building moving away
from the main character also the detail of the terrain was blured more directly below him.
to give more of field of depth. The shadow now changes the saturation level
a bit! As for any other changes um im total on this one!

NzRkiwi

[Rascar Capac]

I see some of the changes but I think you still have to deal with the larger problems

The main thing that confuses me here is the amount of detail right under his arm? (I cant even tell if that dark areas is supposed to be his arm or part of the building). There's so much goin on there that it literally looks like he's resting his elbow on a miniature building. You have to knock the detail down on the building- either through decreasing the contrast, softening your edges, adding some kind of haze/atmosphere. On top of that you have all these effects - the white behind the gun, the motion blur... the only thing missing is a lens flare and youll have a hat trick...

-Squint and notice how there's almost exactly the same detail on the figure that there is on the smaller building - they look like their next to each other.

-Your darks - they are holes - no color, just black holes

-The texture in the background is so detailed it comes forward - knock that back too.

-The spotlight effect on the right further complicates things.

If I can say one thing - Simplify. I think you went all out on the detail on this without taking the time to figure out the basics

Hope all that helps

[nzrkiwi]

Hi i've blur the building and texture to give distance definition between the main character and the BG objects. I"ve also brought out the thigh pad and the elbow shadow to give the look of the arm resting on the thigh pads!
and the thigh pads define more to the leg in that position and not mistaken
for a buidling structure thanks to the blur effect also!

As for the effect the spotlight it fits the fighters they have intense glow as seen in the halo 3 demo as they move into dark areas! thanks for the advice
as i've never done a large environment with a character before but learnt alot! there not much i can change as this is my style!

\Nzrkiwi

[jmascho]

I think you should give some more consideration to the things said above. I wouldn't stop here if you've put a lot of work into it. I think you might need to reassess what the ships are there for. Are they compositional elements, storytelling? Right now, they are just copy pasted and tweaked, which reads as flat. Each ship should have it's own perspective, it would definitely knock some depth into the piece. The lens flares don't really work either, so I would remove them. Definitely play around with some color washes or glazes with some layer modes to bring life to your darks. Since it is a chaotic scene, some unified color would bring it together. Its obvious you can paint and get in there for the details, it's just a matter of creating a better read and reinforcing the basics of what you're telling the viewer. Hope you keep working on it, good luck.

[Justin.]

You are missing some major points here.

Blur is not = to Atmosphere/fog. There is a big difference, and this is what Ras keeps talking about.

Here is the beginning of a paintover to try and help you out a little bit.

[nzrkiwi]

ok got rid of the lens flare, erased a fighter, added haze to Bg added
a blue tinge to the main character. I do 2 other fighters with there own perpspective sometime soon as i want to add my next piece of crap here
for anihilation lol

nzrkiwi:dur:

[Main Loop]

are they in the water? if so, its going to take a lot more than blur and a blue tinge to make it read so... there is lots of debris and vegetation floating around in ocean water...

[PianoForte]

Those are all the same image of the pellicans, which starts to make me wonder what else has just been dropped in...

[nzrkiwi]

ive cut down on the bluish wash and worked on a more white gases haze
should make it more atmospheric. um piano dude talk more da english or
more sense also are you blind? Next Im going to drop my next art piece.
nzrkiwi

[RoboBobo]

Blurring the building is good..but you should actually fade it a tad. If you walk down the streets in a city on a sunny day(assuming its hot) the buildings are haizy looking the farther away they are. Thats a sweet pic though;)

[nzrkiwi]

Hey thanks RoboBobo al last somthing positive I will try it and see what happen at the moment i'm just touching up my next pic to put on this thread!

[robinchyo]

I think the main problem is that their isn't a clear/accurate portrayal of atmospheric perspective. Also the title is a bit misleading, as it's not really Halo concept art, but it's actually more like fanart :-P

[nzrkiwi]

um its more like aerial perspective mate it should have ultraviolent colours on the upper portion of the picture to give the distance illusion towards the horizon but i'll do that later! Um fan art well yeah but it all my original concept art no wannabe copy works in this composition! um also i prefer to get advice from artist that have actual works on here of
a high standard thanks.

[robinchyo]

According to wikipedia, atmospheric/aerial perspective is "...the effect on the appearance of an object by the atmosphere between it and a viewer. As the distance between an object and a viewer increases, the contrast between the object and its background decreases".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_perspective

The levels of contrast of the objects/vehicles that you've placed in the distance aren't all that much different from your Master Chief. The contrast should be lower on the other vehicles in the air and the environment you have laid out. Also, the lighting doesn't seem to be working to well in general.

And no need for the attitude. I'm just trying to provide you some crits like everyone else. But sorry if my artwork doesn't meet your standards, but a crit is a crit. Take it or leave it. :-)

[Matsign]

This should of gone into the work in progress section before you posted it here, mate.

[nzrkiwi]

ok thanks for that robinchyo sorry about the remark your message sound like it had sarcisms in it, but you have a good link and i see what rascar was talking about with the contrast! I take above remark back about getting advice! and make the adjustment tonight! Matsign yeah true got the thread in the wrong forum section should have it on work in progress section

Cheers

[Idiot Apathy]

um also i prefer to get advice from artist that have actual works on here of a high standard thanks.

... I'm stunned. First of all that you would even think of something like that and secondly that you lack the tact and diplomacy - even the common sense to say something like that.

[monsi]

um also i prefer to get advice from artist that have actual works on here of
a high standard thanks.

lol lol!

[nzrkiwi]

I took all the inconserations based on Robinchyo link well done mate
again i apologise for the stupid arrogance reply i made but i said i've taken it all back what i said also im eating my own words for the stupid remarked as Robinchyo link was the best assistance i got other than rascar! Now this picture looks more complete than it was before once again i owe it to Robinchyo for furthering my skill!

[robinchyo]

Just to clear things up, nzrkiwi. I wasn't being sarcastic and I was trying to be helpful. Even if I was being sarcastic, it's definitely not going to be a good idea to say stuff like what you said earlier. This is a large art community and we do our best to help each other out. If you just want to get assistance from superstar artists and avoid all the "little people" then stay away from the boards and e-mail them.

As far as the updated image goes, I still think it has a ways to go. It doesn't look like it's changed all that much, and the ships still look like they're just copied and pasted on, as mentioned before. There's still some remnants of the lens flares stuck on the vehicles and it seems like you're relying a lot on filters in order to establish depth and motion. Filter use should be kept to a minimum. It's just sort of an unwritten law a lot of digital artists like to uphold.

Oh, and I'd like to think I'm a decent artist :-p

[nzrkiwi]

The contrast on the main character has been increased by quite a bit so is the closer fighter the other had there contrast lowered and blue added to them the building especially the last had its contrast minus and darken
i thought there improvement! But hold on im going to paint the whole frickin
scene and forgot about the photo type realism i tryed to get from it. and post it up here as the last version if that don't work i'll can this one!

[Fellah.]

Dude, robin has a sence of beauty in his works it will take you years to even get close to...if ever. I know you apologised, but that is one of the most stupid replies i have seen here!

[robinchyo]

lol. awwww. someone's getting a cupcake! ;)

[j a k e]

Can I have a special robin cupcake too?

I agree with the crits given. :)

[nzrkiwi]

Fellah who cares i already apologise but do you really think that i care about his beauty and style!

[j a k e]

I think you should, especially since he's one of the people from whom you're asking crits!

[Fellah.]

Fellah who cares i already apologise but do you really think that i care about his beauty and style!


Haha - amazing!

robs - hmmm, cupcake:perv: Cheers, mate.

[Hyptosis]

nzrkiwi... dude.. these guys are awesome. Just take what they say and think about it. No body is twisting your arm to do anything here, but they wouldn't bother saying anything at all if they weren't trying to help. You have gotten crits in this thread from so many great artists. Be glad they took the time. Try to be worthy of it.

[nzrkiwi]

Ive totally done with this asset anyway ive rendered up the fighter crafts, added my own rendered lighting effect on the search lights add ultraviolet to the background! adjusted contrast levels of the crafts um once again Rob links I repeat myself and say it "thanks mate!:^^:"

Picture story line:
This is my halo concept design. Its based on a pre invasion launching with the master chief looking down at the base from an opening door of a fighter as he anticipates the coming battle the shadow cast on the sea is from the Halo itself.

[Red Rabbit]

I'm just curious about something and would like to see any references you may have used for this painting. I would especially like to see any references you used for that base, like pictures. And I'm curious about those Pelicans as well.

I don't intend to be too much of rude jerkface, but it just keeps tinging a nerve when I look at this work of art.....art....and think that some things in there look pasted in...and possibly painted over. So if no references were used.....well, then I guess it was all just made up in your head.

I'm not really questioning your talent, but it seems, looking at each piece, that too me, a few different talents were used for the base (which looks like a mall and a hospital instead of a base) the pelican aircraft (which all seem copied and pasted) and the Spartan himself (which I'm double checking pictures of him for identical poses)

I'm mostly questioning because you claim this is all original, yet Halo existed before you painted this, so obviously you have to have references to get such accurate images in there.

[nzrkiwi]

what are you going on about mate all stuff here is my own except the main structures which had some element of structure i borrowed which i hit with hard perspective to develope type of feel i wanted for a halo structure base
i learnt this technique for free on the the gnomon matte painting demos of Dusso ans christian lorenze schuerer. And yes the pelican as we well now called it is based on one primary rendered i did and paste the other one in
using this FIRST rendered pelican alter then change there perspective and distortion using those function in photoshop then i render them in with the different position and lighting yes i did have some reference it called ryan church DVD rendering shiny vehicles tutorial dude seen it yourself? And the main character i did use references for him when i was studying and made quick reference sketches for his armour your not find any picture like that of him though coz he original OH YEAH CHECK OUT THE HALO 3 DEMOS OK!!! Oh yeah forgot to mention to you my favourite hobby is hunting rabbits blasting them with my WW2 303 with phosperus tipped bullets then skining them and making rabbit soup yummmmie aint i sick mutha and you know what, um jokes hahaha! Aww you going to report me now so I will be kicked out of this website quite frankly i dont give a
you know what dude!

[nzrkiwi]

hmm looking at ryan church demo although he cuts and paste his vehicle but i forgot to smudge the parts towards the edge of the vehicle and the edges for the motion blur and helping the vehicle look like they are fully in the picture, having each fighter or pelican on separate layers didnt help either!
Below that was my early progress with my piece i tryed to make the top of the main building structure real busy and show the opening more but at a lost of total perspective chaos. so i had redo the perspect lines again to fall in line.

[Professor Az]

Dude, you need to take a chill pill. If you are interested in just gushing praise about your work, maybe you should create a DeviantART account. Those folks are all about gushing praise.

Accepting crits from professionals such as the ones who have even bothered to help you make your art better is tough, especially if you have already convinced yourself that you don't need any help. However, you don't HAVE to use every bit of information these nice people are dishing out, just the parts that you think you can apply to your work. If all else fals, you can always file this piece under "lessons learned", and move on to the next project.

Aww you going to report me now so I will be kicked out of this website quite frankly i dont give a you know what dude!

Begging the Mods to kick you out just because people are finding faults with your work basically amounts to throwing a tantrum. Personally, I agree with most of the crits posted so far. You really should have drawn this whole thing out and planned the layout before jumping in with the colors. A little studying on how fighter aircraft fly in formation during an attack or a strafing run would have also been in order, in my opinion.

Have fun getting the boot! ;)

[nzrkiwi]

Yeah true but i like to say there not in a combat formation there launching off dude but thanks for the advice im quite happy with this result ive just have to do some smudging on the fighters edges like i said above! But in all consideration your right mate! I don't mind the contructive critics it when ppl say that my work is not really mines that ive copied it make me wheel spin! The best advice i got here was from Rascar and Robinchyo link which i have followed through with!

[Idiot Apathy]

Question: Why is his mask reflecting such a strong lightsource that isn't visible elsewhere? Particularly absent is an effect on his armor.

P.S. Please be nice and considerate with those who are helping you ok? You're giving altruism a bad taste.

[nzrkiwi]

The intense light on the visor was originally coming from the closet space ship in the fist pic which was very intense also reflecting the foreground buildings which at that time had high contrast so i'll have to adjust that now. Also the visor on the halo 3 demos shows tints of yellow not sure though but i put in there for show!
The armour has secondary light sources from bluish water and red light coming from with in the ship BEHIND HIM, on top of the helmet it lit up by the tractor beam firing into the sky! But thanks for that insight um just looking at it now maybe the blue secondary lighting is too strong.

[nzrkiwi]

Biggest Apology To Some That Sent Comments Im An Asshole And Will Be Humble From Now On!

[nzrkiwi]

These are my next 2 projects im going to add them in the work in progress section! Nebuchadnezzar Daniel visions and prophecies and one based on Armageddon Satan first conflict with the Arch Angel Gabriel script im working on, Im also doing a 30 page comic for it!

[nzrkiwi]

This is the final work completed: more atmoshperic haz added to the BG,
Fighters out line smudge with the BG to give them non paste look from there
layers this was done after the layers where merged!

[Rabid]

Not bad, all though I have to say I will probably be more pleased with the final results of your other two beginning pieces! They seem to have alot of potential, and just for the simple fact I recently have been up to my eyeballs in secondary halo art lol!:er: :er: :}

[nzrkiwi]

Hey thanks mate i myself preferr them too:)

[krazeyhorse]

Hey Kiwi, firstly great work. Awesome first effort there are allot more positives in this piece then negatives. Sometimes you have to move on from one piece and then much later come back, then you'll see the problems that might be there (tunnel vision ). I agree with every criq'made here and the evidence is in the improvement from your first work to your latest rendition. You must be able to take critiques it going to happen in the professional realm. These guys mean well, they just don't sugar coat it, their critisms are worth heaps and in the end you'll be a better artist. Don't take anything personally number one rule. Keep up the good work and remember learning is fun!

[nzrkiwi]

Hi Bro,

Yeap im chilling out now no more being an asshole "TAKE THE PAIN TAKE THE F PAIN" (Sargent Barnes aye bro hehe)
Bro seen your 2 character you built i mean modeled for the movie Happy Feet kewl character design bro proud of you especially the main character you did also your character models of the spartan warriors for the movie 300 look good
on the trailers!

Don't worry Bro im behaving myself and taking advice all the time now as it make me efficient!

nzrkiwi