Walker tanks (added one)

[Prometheus|ANJ]

I found some tank pics on the net and felt an urge to do something bug-tankish (I love legged mecha things). I actually colorpicked from the photos because I was lazy, but since they were for fun and not studies I felt that was ok.
My 'photoshop painting style' is not a selected style, it's just how it turns out when I paint fast in Photoshop 5.5, ie not very personal looking. I should get back to natural media.

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/junk/centurion-mkx.jpg

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/junk/103special.jpg

[Tayama]

OMG!

These are one of my favorites from you!!

They are awesome! Really cool :D

[metalwinds]

really awesome stuff. i love the way you paint in photoshop. the "tank" designs are awesome, and i like the fact that you made backrounds for them too.

[HruntheBarbarian]

Really nice Prometheus :)... Looks a little bit like that bug/tank in ghost in the shell but bulkier and with a bigass gun :) As with the rest of your pics, it roxx :)

[Halis_Aetrous]

You really have it down as far as geometrical figures and how they fit together (something I really need to work on). Your shading and coloring are both A+, and your light source is perfectly clear. All very awesome stuff, and a sweet/inspirational design.

[getata]

they look very good ~~
I like the way you do the color. Look like photos that are taken in a rush, giving me an impressionism feel.

[TheDirtSyndicate]

great stuff.......great stuff......

[Crunch]

wow..that first green tank is fierce...seriously i would crap my pants if i saw that thing in real life...it is very intimidating and looks like it could take on most armies all by itself...good job.

[Vaarok]

The slope of the legs plus size of feet give me a bad feeling about stability. The combination of small surface area and the lateral slant of the pressure exerted thereupon make it seem prone to traction problems on mud or snow.

Needless to say, that negates the advantage of being a walker.

But the turret looks very badass. Half BMP, half M1A2, all good.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Varook> Like Bambi on ice huh? Yeah I know. I didn't think much at all when I did it. I think the last joint of the leg should be vertical, so the leg goes:

Hull
\_
___|______ground

rather than:

Hull
\_
___\______ground

oh well, hooray for ascii drawing


I think it looks ok on the front legs but the rear ones are slipping...

Others> thanks, I'll see if I can do some more. I'll probably work some on the tdome tho... so much to do.

[sparth]

just awesome.

and you managed to have a very balanced design even though the cannons are pretty long.
i'm having that problem right now on a mecha design. i find that having elements like cannons or details significantly popping out of the armor can alter the main balance of the object. or it might be just me.
i guess that it's because you suddenly extend the "gravity center" of the model.

concerning your painting style: you just rock
(it's funny how i really see similarities between our styles. we should get married or something.... (!!!) ):eek:

[Atomick]

Prom and Sparth, your mechanical designs never cease to amaze...what strikes me is the volumes and overall sense of form. Much different from most line art renderings of mecha, one gets a great sense of mass and weight.

Have either of you ever shown any process pix of how you arrive at these forms? Prometheus, I am primarily curious as to how you arrived at the top walker's leg articulation (the turret evolution is very apparent).

Just curious...keep up the great work.

-Atomick

[krAtul]

mother of god your ascii art rocks !!!
marry me instead of sparth please !

#k

[Vaarok]

Prometheus: Yes, Bambi-on-ice. Hmm... Wonder if disney is actually planning that?

I was having a nigh-identical discussion with a guy by the handle of Omi-Kun over at Relic Forums to the same effect, and in hindsight I much more cleverly stated my case by citing theraspids (pre-dinosaur lizards, basically giant land crocodiles) and true dinosaurs for my leg structure example.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Thanks!

Sparth> Yeah, I try to gradually merge things like cannons and other 'addons' by using putting small details from the hull where the addon attach. If I do really large guns I try to put a counter weight on the opposite end (rear of the gun), and if the placement is asymetrical I add some sort of weight on the other 'shoulder' too. Of course a lower caliber gun (thin) will appear to weigh less and can thus be longer.
I want to be able to do textured stroke. I might have to resort to P7, P7 or natural media for that. I can't do it in PS5.5 and that's a pity cuz texture adds a lot.

Atomic> I always have a basic idea (mental image) how i want it too look, then I make blobs and try to see cool shapes in them. Mostly I end up a bit away from my initial mental image.

Vaarok> I'm very fond of deamon/goat/insect legs so I tend to do those. Pillar like brontosaurus legs tend too look a bit too static and undynamic I think. T-rex legs are better. Therapods were crocodile like things right? I remember reading about how the legs gradually moved from being bent to being straight. This because they moved up from the water and became heavier or something....

Kratul> Mmm no.


---

Played with the clone brush. This was initially an artillery piece. I don't like the design much tho.
Ooops, never mind the grey border, I enlarged the canvas and forgot to crop it....

http://www.itchstudios.com/psg/junk/mecha.jpg

[metalwinds]

cool picture (the desert one). in reference to not liking the design.. . i think the legs are what is wrong. the top half of him looks pretty bad ass and then you put some goofy looking legs on him (no offense, of course). for other robots the legs would work, but on this guy they just weaken him.. . .he doesnt look as powerful as he should. just a thought.. . but i do really like the picture.. as usual. .. .

[Severith]

I like legged mechas aswell really good pieces keep em postin

[Vaarok]

I agree about legs, the science-y terms are pinipeds (toe-walkers) and plantigrade (heel-walkers). The reason is the multiple articulations convey and increased sense of instability and both vertical and lateral motion as the eye follows their contours.

Don't ask where or why I learned that...

Anyway, is that a bit of Dream Pod Nine SMS treading, or just wierdness of texture to the legs?

Take this as you will, but that pic reminded me of The Big Guy and Rusty The Boy Robot...

[Nimrod]

dude i love that desert mech. It totally reminds me of a badass knockoff transformer i had once that turned into a huge tank. aaah memories...

[rubygenesis]

nice work prome the lighting is really coming along, i want more... >_< gimme!

[davi]

something about the overall color the first image bothers, the piece seems a bit washed out, but i guess you can expect that in a snow scene.


that last one is amazing, really dig the way you painted it, the design doesn't bother me much besides the legs. I can picture maybe big feet or even lets that could rotate easier.

keep up the good work.

[Kress]

The treads on the knees make me feel like I'm dreaming. Nice and crisp where it needs to be.
Stuff to think about: Lack of definition in the midsection? The feet might not hold him up, unless he's got some really hi-order sensitive balancing mechanisms going on.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Davi> yeah, I know! It looks like I could push something on the first one a bit further. Values or saturation? hues? I can't really put my finger on it! Ack!

Ruby> Whoo! Haven't seen you here in a while. You roxxor my boxxorxz! I'm glad you liked them.

Others>
Yeah, I know the designs are a bit weak. It's strange, I cant do lineart or design whith my wacom. I still need to do pencil thumbnails on paper. The last one turned out really bulky and boring, like a lego guy almost.

Like I said earlier, I used the clone brush to steal bits of an artillery piece, hence the tracks on the knees. I also colorpicked from the originals cuz I was lazy. It's a bad thing to do really, unless your just doing it for fun.
The tracks doesn't really have a funtion other than they are bendable and therefore suitable as joint protection. That and they look familiar. Familiar design elements are always good.

[Hardcore]

There awesome ... :chug:

[LEN]

what a high level of design and presentation. Where did you get your mechanical knowlege from?

[Prometheus|ANJ]

Thanks Hardcore!

LEN> Actually I can't point out a single inspirational source. I think most of it comes from me experimenting with random shapes on paper, or from pictures I've seen. I can't recall ever making any mechanical studies. Occasionaly a few marks on some post-it note perhaps but nothing more.

[scout v]

Man , I just registered in concetpart and your mecha
just caught me up instantly ...... love your work man :)

legged mecha is really one interesting subject to draw ,
kind of makes you start thinking all those stuffs (Like,
where is the cockpit , hows it gonna walk ......whats it
gonna look like if it got hit .........

just love those walking mechas :)