And the creature is finished! I am now one third of the way through the final concepts, and I'm very happy with the final outcome.
Fixing up a few problems I had with the silhouette (giving the back
even more slope in particular) and focusing the weight into the feet-knuckle-things on Phil's advice. Also finally got the hind legs sorted, which I had neglected in favour of the forelegs, and figured the creature's back view out as well. After getting several opinions in favour of the hairiness I decided to go with it, and I sorted the face's front view (which had also been neglected).
The final sketches for the turnaround, which, now I look back at them, could have had more weight going down the front, but it's a minor complaint.
More last-minute colour experimentation - I found some photographs of marshes and picked swatches from them to work with, though I eventually went back to the colour scheme of #3 from the previous batch. Light on land in marshes is often dappled as it passes through trees, so I bore this in mind as well as thinking that the dapples could double as faux-algae when submerged in water. #7 was the final design I chose, and #8-#12 were just playing with HSL and contrast sliders until I found something I liked. In the end I went with a combination of #9 and #11 - I liked the brown of #9 but toned it down with greens and greys from #11.
And the final turnaround! I am incredibly pleased with the final result, though if I ever have to draw dapples again I may just cry. The design has a very swampy feel, and looking back I'm glad I chose to give it fur. I was initially hesitant as it had always been hairless in my head, but the hair helps to break up the outline and make it look more real. In hindsight I feel I should have worked more on the face markings, so I'll remember that for the next time I do something like this. The fact that I focused on its shape from the side probably didn't help this, so I'll definitely have to get out of my everything-is-in-profile rut.
Also, after I finished I noticed just how much from the front its face looks like a Turian from Mass Effect. Oops.
Wow! I love you're final result and how you worked through the development to get there. Have to bow down to you for the patience you must of had to get that pattern looking the way it does! Looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting design, Meg. You're right, the hair is a good touch. Stops it looking too dinosaur-like.
ReplyDeleteI once airboated (and almost lost my hat!) across the Everglades, came across a whole assortment of weird and wonderful creatures. This wouldn't look too out of place there.
onwards, Meg, onwards! :D
ReplyDeleteHi Meg, I like it a lot, reminds me of a Sloth Bear. Its great to follow through your posts and see how you went from inspiration to completion. I am also looking forward to meeting you - only a couple of weeks now!
ReplyDeleteAll I gotta say is, this is an awsome design. Will be interesting to see you as a shark :)
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