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Designing Droids Ebook PDF
Designing Droids Ebook PDF
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Designing Droids Chapter 01: Recon Droid
Chapter 01: Recon Droid
Software Used: Photoshop
Alexander Iglesias
Web: http://flyingdebris.deviantart.com/
Email: flyingdebrisguy@yahoo.com
Alexander Iglesias
Web: http://flyingdebris.deviantart.com/
Email: flyingdebrisguy@yahoo.com
Introduction
In my opinion, the most important things to learn
when working for a game developer are how
to follow a brief, and how to develop a style or
closely follow an existing one. A concept artist’s
job is not only to come up with something
visually appealing, but, more importantly, it’s to
create an asset that is functional, scientifically
viable or at least believable and which is based
on the parameters of the game’s plot. A process
needs to be followed that enables the art
director (AD) to give ample feedback throughout
the development and that also makes the 3D
modelers’ jobs as easy as possible. The more
information supplied to the modelers, the faster
the model moves through production. The Day One: 9:30am – Brief In terms of design, the droids should be
concept artist has a huge responsibility early on, The AD has requested a medical droid for the futuristic, but not too slick and curvy, and still
hence the importance of following a solid design front line level of our game. The setting is Earth, in-keeping with current military designs. Some
pipeline. approximately 2050, and a variety of droids organic shapes should be present for specialty
assist military efforts on the front line. The areas, but they need a mostly hard and solid
I’ve written a short brief similar to that which an medical droids are used to assist injured troops construction. Special metals and hard plastics
AD would supply. The following steps are based and they have GPS and communication abilities should be used.
on a pipeline that – in its most basic form – can to locate injured soldiers. Every soldier has an
be found in any game company. This method encrypted tracking device that links them with You can’t always hope for an in-depth brief, but
is one that has worked well for me. I’ve also the medical droid and this device is activated basically the more information you have up-front
added approximate times for a typical work day when needed. The primary function of the the better your design is going to suit the game,
as a rough guide to what is expected. Some medical droids is to locate and assist the injured therefore hugely cutting down on revisions and
artists are slower and some are faster, but this is soldiers and, if need be, operate on location and even do-over’s.
roughly the pace I work at. safely transport the injured back to base.
Day One: 10:00am – Research
Research is the part I really enjoy. I learn about
all sorts of subjects I would never usually read
about. It’s also the best place to start. To assist
you in your research, it’s a good idea to first
break down the brief into key words. That way
you will cover everything in your design.
• Year 2050
• Front-line military medical droid
• Some curves, but mostly rigid construction
• Main appendages protected with high
density composite cowling
you know it, two hours have passed. The panic down and the lead is happy for you to continue,
of a deadline sets in and productivity drops. When working in a games studio, it’s common you can add some detail and better define the
for leads and ADs to be watching your progress shapes and surfaces.
There are many methods of starting thumbnails, from their own desks over the network. It’s
from blocking-in silhouettes to using random handy to add little notes to reinforce what you A method I use a lot when I’m painting digitally is
to first break the object into readable chunks of
light and dark values; light being the main chunk
or section of an object, and dark being the
recessed area in between (Fig.03). I do this by
using the Polygonal Lasso tool (L) to mask an
area. Using a large flat brush I then lay in some
basic values, similar to that of a base 3D model
with global lighting. I then invert the selection
using Shift + Control + I and block in the darker
areas. At this stage I’m working at 33% zoom.
dark areas contrast with each other. Any closer To add highlights I like to start with a flattened To finish off it’s always good to add some notes
than this and the detail is largely pointless as layer. Select all (Ctrl +A), then Copy Merge if you haven’t done so already and label the
thumbnails are often only viewed all at once on (Shift + Ctrl + C), then Paste (Ctrl + V). I do this thumbnails with letters or numbers. This makes
a screen or printed onto an A4 page. No one is because I use the Dodge Tool for highlights and it easier for the AD to let you know which ones
going to be zooming in to look at detail at this I like it to affect all of the layers. are preferable (Fig.05).
point. Thumbnails are about the basic design.
Using an airbrush with the range set to Mid- End of Day One – Meeting with AD
Once the basic shapes are defined, I can then tones, I drop in some quick down light. I then
suggest detail with quick lines and break up change the range to Highlights and use a Day Two: 9:00am to 10:30am -
the panels with joins and creases. It’s good to smaller brush to pick out high contrast areas. Finalize Design Choice
use a few simple colors to hint at decals, glass I like to add extreme light right next to shadow By this point the AD will have looked over
and artificial light sources. I then lay in shadows areas, which emulates a trick that light plays on your roughs and hopefully made a selection;
with a large flat brush using complete black at the eye. If the objects are looking too washed either one particular design with possible
100% opacity. If you don’t press too hard, you out here, I create an adjustment layer set to amendments, or a combination of thumbnails.
will achieve a nice shadow effect with single Selective Color. I then set the colors to whites For example, he might like the top of A, with the
strokes. The standard Round Flat brush does a in the menu and slide up the black until the bottom of D and the arms of E. For the purpose
good job for this, but I find that textured brushes balance is right, maybe introducing a little bit of of this exercise, D was chosen as a suitable
Introduction
This image was a great challenge to think about.
When I got asked by the editor of 2DArtist
magazine to do it, my first thought was to draw
something simple, perhaps, with my focus being
the design. But finally, as I nearly always do, I
ended up making things much more complicated
so that my work has an added value. I believe
that in order to produce a more desirable idea, it
is necessary to be a perfectionist.
The Idea
I really like to wander here and there at night
with my friends, along the streets of Buenos
Aires, stopping for a while at any one of the
numerous bars or pubs that open throughout
the night. I like to enjoy a beer or a drink whilst
watching a football match on the TV, or just talk visitors from abroad can choose how and where or Irish pubs where foreigners usually meet,
a mixture of nonsense and seriousness while to have fun. together with artists and lovers of beer and good
getting acquainted with people who enjoy the football.
never-ending journey like I do. From Mondays So while looking for inspiration and references,
to Saturdays this cosmopolitan city offers a wide I visited several places that were decorated in a The first thing I did was to draw several
variety of places where Argentine people or modern or classical style, and also some British thumbnails and sketches so that I had options
available by the time I needed to start the final
design. I always say that the best thing to do
is draw anything that comes into your mind,
without any limitations. This is the way you have
to work in the film and video game industries;
thumbnails and sketches are what you have to
get done first (Fig.01).
The Design
The nightlife made me think that the best way
to show a robot bartender was in its work
environment. I chose a retro 80’s style, with a lot
of influence from Star Wars, which is one of my
favorite movies for its designs.
The Illustration
Previously I said that the first stage was
the concept, the second stage was the final
approved design and the last stage was
marketing materials or the finished artwork.
Almost all video game studios work this way.
The final illustration will show the method
of creating this style and how the design is
applicable for all other project designs. Once I knew which scene I was using, I began
to add detail to the sketch on a new layer;
To begin the illustration I made a couple of I enlarged the image and began to polish it
sketches. This was to see which the best option completely (Fig.09).
was to see how a bartender works. In Fig.08 are
some examples of this. The next step was to set the background color;
this is the base to add colors to each element
I found the first sketch very symmetrical and of the drawing. Red will lead all the other colors
front on, without much action. The second (Fig.10).
option seemed perhaps a bit more dynamic,
but I still did not like it. What I needed was a When the drawing is very complex I usually
scene where I could feel part of the situation, define volumes in black and white or in this
as if I were stuck in the scene. So I went with case, using the base color. I found that drawing
the last option. I really like pictures that have the robot was very difficult. That is why I detailed
photographic effects like films do, or make me volumes in a single color first, so that afterwards
feel as if I were interacting within the scene. I it would be easier for me to add the final details
think they are a lot funnier and impressive. (Fig.11).
To accurately define geometric objects, in this layer in Normal mode. From there I started As I always say in my tutorials: paint the light to
case the bar and walls, I used the Polygonal painting, using a brush at 70 to 100% opacity show the shape of the individual elements in the
Lasso tool towards the vanishing point. I painted (Fig.13a – b). scene (Fig.15).
with a mask to create a well-defined and neat
edge. Using the vanishing point as a guide For painting I am guided by the lights in my To help achieve a photographic effect while
helped give a perfect finish to all surfaces and picture. In this case, there was an orange light giving depth to the picture, we can place objects
flat edges (Fig.12). on the top right and a blue light coming from the that are further back and out of focus. This
bar at the bottom left. The blue light effected the creates an illusion of being inside the action; as
Color robot’s base, since it came from below and, at if we, the viewer, are the ones taking the photo
Once I had defined the basic plans of the the same time, touched the top of the face and (Fig.16).
drawing I started with color, creating a new hands of people leaning on the bar (Fig.14).
more action and depth, I would eventually want place out in some oil fields of a desert or plain. Here I continued to tighten up the piece, defining
some enemy fire crossing over and behind the The main body would be a brown/tan color, so my edges on the main droid and indicating the
main droid (Fig.04). that it blends in with this particular environment other robots and structures in the background.
(Fig.05). I wanted the ground to be on fire for a very
Here, I refined the design/color/lighting. I will warzone-like feel, which would allow me to add
usually do both drawing and blocking in shape I toned down the saturation of the entire painting some light from beneath, to make the droids
silhouettes at this point. I looked at many military a bit, because I felt that the color was getting too stand out from the background. I also fixed a
references for color, and decided this would take bright and vivid for a war scene (Fig.06). few perspective issues as I saw them (Fig.07).
A friend suggested that the droid needed some military, as well as caution symbols and danger overlays, dirt around the edges and some blast
small details that made it really stand out and signs around the engines. For some scale marks were also added to push the battle-worn
gave it character – warning signs, ID numbers, reference, I added in some handlebars on a few appearance (Fig.08).
logos, etc. I came up with a logo for a fictional of the panels. Extra scratches, grime, texture
Justin Albers
Web: http://www.justinalbers.com/
Email: albers.justin@gmail.com
Intro
We’ve reached a point where neon lights
and metallic/technological matter can quickly
becoming boring and predictable, which is why
I tried to do something totally different for this
droid.
Brushes
Brushes are a very frequent issue for an artist.
Which one do I use for this? Which one do I use
for that? Some people make it more complicated
than it should be. I personally opt to create my
own brushes and settings for each material
texture. I use the Calligraphy brushes, and
based on these brushes I create new ones, then
add texture and special dynamics for each one.
Blitz Painting
This was a very simple stage. I used a big brush
to paint very quickly all over the canvas without
worrying about the details. I also did a quick
approximation of what would be in the painting
later.
Adding Photos
Sometimes it’s important to look to other
resources to help you with difficult details. In
this case, to expand my range of possibilities,
I had to turn to my girlfriend’s camera. I took
lots of pictures to help me with the background,
or weird details like the windows, buildings,
textures, etc.
Adjustments
To finish I edited the illustration, correcting
colors, editing element proportions and
retouching areas, etc. To do this I used a
number of filters including Levels, Color Balance
and adjustment layers.
Conclusion
To sum up, here are some final thoughts and illustration is a good tool, but don’t abuse it. Christopher Peters
suggestions: • Examining your process is a good way to Web: http://trejoeeee.deviantart.com/
improve your way of working. Email: trejoeeee@googlemail.com
• When painting an image, make sure the • It is fascinating to see how the wit and
detail is sufficient in the areas that deserve intelligence of man is freely discarded in
it. To ensure this, use big brushes at first favor of our capacity for self-destruction
and then small brushes to add the detail. (Fig.19).
• Using reference photographs for your
Ideas
We start with a simple subject, in this case a
“pleasure robot”. First of all we have to sketch
some ideas on our canvas. As you can see in
Fig.01, I sketch some simple thoughts for the
robot. I choose a “massage robot”, so I decide
to add a vibrating massage device as the hands;
it is better than a couple of hands and keeps
the mood futuristic. In the back you can see a
big C battery type, to add humor to the design.
In the same line I decide that my robot needs a
face (as you can see it already has a camera),
so I choose a Japanese style for it and why not,
a weird, crazy painted face! In the sides of the
legs, I add a medic-kit and in the middle of the
chest, a kind of panel similar to the common
soda machines, so the person can insert a
coin and select the part of the body that needs
treatment.
Profiles
This step is very important in any production
illustration because the design can be used,
for example, by a 3D artist, or used to maintain
one style in a complex project. Usually I don’t
use this for a simple illustration, but in this case
I will show you the kind of style I use when a
client asks for it. If you can do a simple 3D base
in your favorite 3D program (for example, in
Google SketchUp – remember to catch my past
2DArtist tutorial with this great program!) it will
be a lot easier to work on the profiles.
views, but several video game companies told Now it is time to define much more of our and the city behind is a good source of light for
me that this is not necessary and they always illustration. In this step I add better lines and our scene. But I’m still looking for the correct
used a simple ink line. So forget anything about a quick pass of grays to add volume to the lighting and this is an early stage, so I’ll probably
light and shadow in this stage and call on your illustration. I’m not sure about the lighting, change the source later on.
interior inker. Check the final result of profiles in but it is a good start. You can see how all the
Fig.03 – 04. elements work well together in the composition You can see in Fig.08 how I’ve started to add
in Fig.06. That’s because I did the first step, the more color to our secondary robot and client.
Color Illustration rough sketch. I think an empty robot battery on But you don’t have to worry about detail in these
I start with a rough sketch, which I select from the floor will be great to show how cheap this early stages, so work loosely over the painting
my mind. You can see how fast and quick the Japanese massage house is, so I add this in. and don’t worry about the details at all.
strokes are in Fig.05. This is because I don’t
want to think too much about the illustration; I Now it is time to add a simple base color, as you I start to paint the foreground robot. I pick a
have the idea and now it is time to drop it onto can see in Fig.07. In this case I pick a brownish warm palette, but decide to add a little bit of cold
the canvas. So, work fluidly and fast, think of one for the entire painting to accentuate the color to the hands, so I pick a violet palette for
what you want to show and start to draw the poor hygiene of this establishment (don’t tell the them, but something is not working and I can
rough sketch as I have. inspector!). The blue letters add a cold contrast feel it. But as I said before, we can fix it later or
that works perfectly against the background try other colors; just let the art flow. Sometimes
the hands and the light in Fig.13 are now more Now I darken the entire image with one layer choose the correct opacity so as not to over-
turquoise to integrate better with the scene of overlay from the top of the canvas to cover saturate the image.
and I’ve added more detail in the face of the almost all the image. Remember to always use
client and a little puddle of drool on the table. a gradient to do this; don’t change the complete Well that’s the whole process! I hope you have
The panel’s lights are yellow now because I’ve painting. as much fun trying this one as I did. Remember
eliminated the green from the scene. you can always improve or add modifications to
So, with a military dark green on that overlay your pleasure robots; maybe even make small
In Fig.14 you will see the extra details I’ve layer, the painting changes to a night-time ones for foot massages or toe nail treatment –
added to the floor to accentuate the dirty place, image and now is just the time to add the extra that’s up to you! See you in the next one; I’m off
such as trash, papers and a cup. You can see details. This is the fun part because you have for a massage!
some reflections too from the lights I will add to the final palette and you just have to add all the
the ceiling. details you want. As you can see in Fig.16 the Carlos Cabrera
robot has some sparks on the neck because it’s Web: http://www.artbycarloscabrera.com/
Behind the background robot I put some offer a very cheap model and a foggy ambience will Email: carloscabrera@gmail.com
letters to show how commercial the massage give our scene the mood we need. The cigarette
house is and put some extra detail on the robot, smoke I’ve added is a simple picture of smoke
such as graffiti on its body (Fig.15). on a layer in Screen mode; make sure you
Original Author: 3DTotal.com Ltd | Platform: Photoshop | Format: DOWNLOAD ONLY PDF | Pages: 26
Original Author: 3DTotal.com Ltd | Platform: Photoshop | Format: DOWNLOAD ONLY PDF | Pages: 23