Zelda: TotK (Special) Week 4

 Pencil Finals.  So, this is the image I will watercolor paint; you will notice I took out the Ganondorf Horde of enemies at the bottom of the previous post, to enlarged and focus on the Triforce Trinity.  I think it makes for a better more focused image, I think...  this happens often where I alter an image at the last minute in what I think will make the best image.  Oh the process... Anyway, now to get it transferred to watercolor paper, boarded up and ready for paint.

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Zelda: TotK (Special) Week 4

 Original Final Color and Value Tight Pencils

Zelda: TotK (Special) Week 3

 Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Special Illustration Color Composition. 

So.. the Illustration is mostly worked out and since the final will be in watercolor, a loose color comp is very useful.  At the color stage, I'm trying to plus the concepts.  The primary color is red for corrupted ganondorf and the looming threat through the red moon/eye; while green highlights for Links spectral arm and the luminous stones of the underground. Also, our lead in Zelda and Link are separated in time and space; she is underground, while he is over world with sky lands in the background.  In the foreground is the hoard of Ganon, and the corrupted Mastersword.  

With the main element figured out, next is to make adjustment and tighten the main character lines to prepare for watercolor.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Special) Week 2

Hello Stellar People

 Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Illustration week 2. 

From the Concept (Bottom) we try to flesh out the ideas; this can sometimes be a long process, but since I'm the art director I wanted a few thing: Short hair Zelda, Long Hair Link with spectral arm, and withered Ganon right eye red moon and left eye malice.  So.. concept 3 had all of those elements.

Next we went to ink ruff sketch to work out composition (top)

Then took the ruff ink comp and fade that back to draw on top for pencil sketch( third image).  Since I'm drawing digitally I draw each character on a different layer so I can change size and positioning. Very useful.

Then I make a loose Black and White composition trying to get closer to final block-in (second image). All of the illustration main elements are present Ganon, Zelda, Link, Master Sword (corrupted) and Monster Hoard on bottom.  Still some refining to do but.. I love it!

Next up: to finalize the design with background, ruff colors to add and detailing.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Special Presentation)

 So for the next six weeks will be an illustration for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, from start to finish. The game releases on May 12 so that will be the deadline, and I would like to give the majority of time (4 to 3 weeks) to watercolor process.  But first we need an Idea... 

To start are some Illustration Concepts. What I'm thinking; I want Ganon's red eyes or one red moon and the other Ganon's eye above Zelda and Link.

Let's Go!

Lore of the Silver Hand

 Lore of the Silverhand mission complete. 

Top: Color Mock-up, Middle: Lore Design Sketch, Bottom: Digital Ink Study.  

More work to be done.. but we did good.  Core concepts are more solid than before, now it's time to practice a bunch, but I will do that in my own time.  For me, I learn best from doing and doing a lot. So I think I need to make a story and in the process of drawing him a lot for the story his look will shift and then solidify. Eventually...

Anyway, thanks for joining me on this winding road for the month.

Next month a special project...

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Lore of the Silver Hand Clothing and Equipment Ideas

 Lore clothing and equipment ideas.  Lore is a wanderer, so I had to think about the logistics of that life.  The bottom is an image board for travel, my first thought was you would need a great pair of travel boots and ways to stay warm and dry. Also because he is an imperial deserter he would probably stay away from major cities and roads.  I like the mental exercise of thinking about these things, it's fun.

 A major influence are gear sets from video games; most notable are DarkSouls and Witcher gear sets. I also like the Assassin's Creed Hooded look.  All this feed the look of Lore.

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Lore of the Silver Hand revisions and studies

 Revisions, and the design final.

Middle is some Andrew Loomis Head studies.

Now the fun starts.  Let's get this man some cloths, and put some inks down.

Until next week... Keep Shining

Lore of the SilverHand

Top: Using John Buscema sketch as a jump off for the build up of Lore design. So, right young to left old.

Middle: Inspiration Board of John Buscema and Frank Frazetta for Conan, Witcher character look by CD Project Red, and Yoshitaka Amano's Vampire Hunter D art my main inspirations.

Bottom: Sharpie sketches to get an idea of characterization and posing.

Overall Lore is the story of the Wandering Warrior. Stories that I love.

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Lore of the SilverHand

 Lore of the SilverHand is the feature for the month of march.  I've used Moon Princess to study watercolor; I'm using this character to practice inking. These images above are where I am in design currently, but he needs work to get to where I want.

The story so far: In the fantasy world of Yal Lenor, Lore is a Cursed Wanderer originally from the Land of Gryphons, started as a Mercenary, then an Imperial Legionnaire; but became disillusioned and deserted.  While roaming the wilds became cursed by a Unicorn.  Now, he wanders the wilds, trying to avoid various factions while being pulled into a myriad of adventures.

This character of Lore was inspired by the solo adventurers of the past; for example Conan, Witcher, and Vampire Hunter D.

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Moon Princess Enemy Illustration Mock-Up Version 2

 More refined mock-ups for the enemy illustrations.  More refinement to be done; but the concept idea is pretty solid for me. Next year I hope to show the watercolors of these illustration.  That is a long time. haha I look forward to them... This ends the month of moon princess work.  

For the month of March: Lore of the Silver Hand.

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Moon Princess Enemy Illustration Mock-up

 Start with the bottom two pages to get the initial idea down.  Then I work up the princess of different ages and make a composition standing in front of the enemies to see if it works at a larger scale.  Now I'm redesigning the princess and working on refinement.

Trey

Moon Princess 4 Seasons

 Illustration using the seasons as a start.  Some edits, revisions and basic tightening is needed but I like the images.

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Moon Princess Long Illustration MockUp

 So, for this week, I'm using the second row of the pen thumbs to make the blue pencil sketches.  The bottom is the images on one page to see how they work together with notes on how the larger images should be produced.  I think I will go thru perhaps two more round of revisions before I even think about the watercolor versions.  So we probably won't see the final image for about a year.  I know, I know the process is long, but progress is a process.

Next week will be four other images from the pen thumbnails (top) page.

See ya next week, Keep Shining

Trey

Moon Princess Illustration Thumbs

This month, the focus is Moon Princess.  

When I start making an image, I usually start with small thumbnails.  Working out an image in thumbnail form is one of the most fun part of the art process.  The top image is a quick digital mock-up.  So the plan is to do all of these in watercolor sometime in the future.

Worlds to Explore 2023

Hello Stellar People 

We have come a long way from 2006.. but we have so far to go.

I think, everything on this collage will show up on the blog this year. Let's make this a great year.

Come along... We have worlds to explore.

Shine On!

Trey

Happy New Year 2023!

 Out with the Year of the Tiger... In with the Year of the Rabbit!

Making Plans on what I want to get done this year! This is gonna be good.  Let's Go!!!

Trey