Boss concepts

I've been watching a deep sea documentary for inspiration.
Still trying to develop a good shape, while fusing together different soft flesh sea creatures with exoskeleton type species.

Week 11 Illustration for Design task

Another illustration I'm happy enough to post here, along with the work in progress.
Might even be another project to do during the mid-semester break coming up soon.
This elective has taught me to become quicker in produce conceptual artwork, even though its not exactly related to making characters/environments for a game, the development process is relatively the same.
The brief required a maximum of 3 colours, and our name for recognition purposes.

Sketch, research, reference, reiterate, repeat, final submission, happy.

Final

Weapon and Boss: The beginning...

After the main character has been done in terms of creating the blueprint for the modeller, its time to start developing the main character's weapon, and the boss he'll hopefully be flailing his arms at.

Playing around with form and showing the team what I was thinking.

Working with our motion capture man, Paul, in choosing a setup that he can perform with, without making our character noticeably humanoid looking.

First round of weapon sketches, due to gameplay restrictions, we are not able to comply with the original brief of the weapon that consisted of fusing together sword, halberd, projectile, morning star and axe.

Round two of weapon designs. From left to right, no.5 blade was preferred, 2, 3 and 4 handles were preferred.

Final Design and Model Sheet

Hallelujah.

And now for the weapon, boss and environment. A little bit happier than usual today.

Update 15/05/2011

Feeling under the weather after having some fairly late nights, but I've managed to pull out a variety of concepts, and luckily the team are going with it, which means that everyone is happy and there shouldn't be too much delay for the rest of the concepts.

About the latest iteration:

So I'm trying to incorporate at least a couple of medieval legendary creatures, it won't be obvious, but cool if anyone is a keen on mythology i suppose.
Flattened the head to get it visually correct to an actual animal pelt, and changed it in another layer to what was known as a pantera, pantere....panther.
Made a different looking flagon, not accurate to a flagon back in the medieval era. Fattened the dagger to fit in with the art style, changed the belt buckle as well as trying a griffin beak (or phoenix, who's going to know?) to replace the buckle.
The boots have also been changed to have elements of a griffin, and even though it's not obvious, I'm thinking of colouring the fur off the leather gauntlets to resemble a crocotta.
Ooh! and to replace his arm straps, I've opted for the Ouroboros, known as being a wiggly thing from Resident Evil 5, this one goes off the description of the original legend.

Check out the links for the descriptions I've been following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocotta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatrice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panther_(legendary_creature)

And the rest of the past iterations:

Colour Concepts

Feedback = Reiterate

The team has been slowly but surely giving me some good feedback, so Herbragen (whom i'll call for now) is starting to take shape.

Since this morning:

Before Coffee and Breakfast

After going through another theory presentation yesterday, I took a nap and had another awesome drawing session, so here are a few more main character concepts for the end of year project. I'm currently waiting for feedback from the team members so I can give them some solid blueprints, cause after all, they can't exactly start modelling without them!

End of Year Project: Pre production

Starting to get into the swing of things with the project myself and the other honours students in games design collaboratively by the end of the year.
Will attempt to update with concept and development as soon as i can. I haven't been posting up much recently due to an influx of other assignments and a freak out or two that i blame academic writing for.
Goodnight, hoping for a better day for drawing.

Main Character face varieties

Sooooo....

I've admitted I've put too much work on my plate to fit into a sensible stomach which is my time frame.

As of today, I've had to end the completion of my Dominance War V entry, due to already having way too much other uni related work. So instead of considering quantity, I need to focus on quality. 

There is much research to be done, and writing to do for the people who are still alive (Portal reference >_>)

And most importantly I need to begin pre production planning for the end of year project, which at this time relies on me to produce some killer concept art. QUALITY be key....I get it now.

So my Dominance War experiment has turned sour, however I can still document this and show the processes and development. Should keep the bearded men and women at bay....for now.

Illustration for Design Semester Assignment 2: The Portrait

 I'm hoping it is fairly obvious who it is meant to be.
Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead

Not so smooth

So juggling my Dominance War entry, assignments for my elective as well as writing like a mental person is proving very difficult. Consider this a reflection more that a complaint.
My Dominance War submission (Goddess of Joy) was originally getting me hyped up, however I keep getting stuck with thinking outside the box, so she looks like a regular person. This doesn't help when there are other deadlines, and when I can't break out of the habit to work at a quick sketching pace....it takes me ages to get something done. So it looks like this experiment will be a failed one, considering that there needs to be far more time and less stress needed to be able to pull out artwork that is at least a little interesting.
Which brings me to my exegesis writing. I'm not going to lie, I'm bad with writing, and the more I want to get one of my essays done, the more I lose motivation even though it revolves around the subject I love, researching about it and talking about it like a stuck up fine artist drives me up the wall. It doesn't help that particular lecturers and fellow honours students from other unrelated degrees seem to look down upon a person studies games design. It's just like high school again some days, it's what probably pushes me into my downward spiral of hate towards the exegesis is the feeling of no one being interested or giving a shit. Rant of the day complete.

If anyone has any good words of advice, or even something to cheer a bud up. Feel free to do so.

Updates on DW entry