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concept sketch: Elite Guard

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  • It's not really directly game related but I thought I'd post it anyway (Let's pretend it's a character study). This is where my recent illustration energies had been going rather than into concept art related topics. Created for a charity Auction…

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Submitted by Johnn on

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last project. The 'Quad Mech' concept sketches have made a great page in my illustration folio.

Here is my next project:
A character sketch- what he is and what he does is probably self-explanatory. These initial sketches are examining the basic forms/shapes/textures/colours and how things go together visually and functionally.

Before someone comments that a 'woolly under-coat won't give much protection' - I was planning chainmail. I admit the hatching on the coat does look a bit ambiguous.

Once again comments & crits on all aspects of the sketch are appreciated.

[img]http://home.iprimus.com.au/johnnewall/sumea/elite_guard-1L.jpg[/img]

Submitted by MoonUnit on Sat, 17/01/04 - 5:41 AM Permalink

i cant really think of much crit to say for this one, and thats a good thing :P

offering something though, his upperarms seems reletively ungarded, i dont know if this is intentional for greater flexibility or something but its just an observation

oh and it appears that the spikes on the shin/leg guards are missing in the side view

nice work, very roman style, im guessing that was the inspiration

Submitted by JonathanKerr on Sat, 17/01/04 - 11:51 AM Permalink

It looks cool - but not very 'elite'. It could probably do with some sort of ornamentation. Think of the elite guards you've seen in movies like Star Wars or LOTRs elves.

I'm not sure what it needs - but maybe some sort of aspect that gives it a 'regal' quality. A cape? A gown? A robe, perhaps? He just looks a wee bit 'common.'

Submitted by matias on Sat, 17/01/04 - 8:46 PM Permalink

I like it, but I agree with JonathanKerr, and this is just a personal thing something is naggin me for a shield, I'm thinking a buckler or perhaps extend the left wrist guard even more. Ofcourse if you wanna go the full roman you could give him a big tower shield? Just little things, nothing big wrong with this concept in my opinon. Good job.

Submitted by J I Styles on Sat, 17/01/04 - 9:17 PM Permalink

in terms of ornamental regal qualities, it'd be a fair design for say a barbaric race - the armour is well forged, but still loose, the spines giving a certain air of barbaric menace. Functionally this is good for such a thing.

If you where going more for the imperial guard type of look, then more ceremonial type garb would be more fitting - they'd be functionally more for a show of power and position than just fighting and protection; things like etched metals, flowing banners from the halbred, head-dresses etc would go very far to showing this type of thing if that's where you're going with it.

Submitted by Johnn on Wed, 21/01/04 - 1:10 AM Permalink

Yup, roman and greek garb was in the back on my mind whilst doing it. The overall look of the guard was a bit plain wasn't it. I was a bit undecided as to what sort of spiffy bits to add for a while. The feedback seemed to suggest that the theme was 'fence sitting' between barbaric and refined... and in retrospect it was [:)] so I flipped a coin and have gone refined- no spikes,added coat of arms etc.

[img]http://www.sumea.com.au/simages2/258_elite_guard-2L.jpg[/img]

Submitted by Makk on Wed, 21/01/04 - 9:35 AM Permalink

That looks really good man.
Was this all traditional?
Good work :)

Submitted by Johnn on Wed, 21/01/04 - 1:21 PM Permalink

thanks [:)]
everything that I have posted to date has been graphite pencil sketches, scanned then coloured in Photoshop.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Wed, 21/01/04 - 6:48 PM Permalink

top stuff man, i still wouldnt mind a cape or robe or something really dressy for the whole "elite" thing

Submitted by Aven on Wed, 21/01/04 - 7:05 PM Permalink

The new one looks really cool. Definitely more elite than the original. I also like the move to him using a spear.

Posted by Johnn on

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last project. The 'Quad Mech' concept sketches have made a great page in my illustration folio.

Here is my next project:
A character sketch- what he is and what he does is probably self-explanatory. These initial sketches are examining the basic forms/shapes/textures/colours and how things go together visually and functionally.

Before someone comments that a 'woolly under-coat won't give much protection' - I was planning chainmail. I admit the hatching on the coat does look a bit ambiguous.

Once again comments & crits on all aspects of the sketch are appreciated.

[img]http://home.iprimus.com.au/johnnewall/sumea/elite_guard-1L.jpg[/img]


Submitted by MoonUnit on Sat, 17/01/04 - 5:41 AM Permalink

i cant really think of much crit to say for this one, and thats a good thing :P

offering something though, his upperarms seems reletively ungarded, i dont know if this is intentional for greater flexibility or something but its just an observation

oh and it appears that the spikes on the shin/leg guards are missing in the side view

nice work, very roman style, im guessing that was the inspiration

Submitted by JonathanKerr on Sat, 17/01/04 - 11:51 AM Permalink

It looks cool - but not very 'elite'. It could probably do with some sort of ornamentation. Think of the elite guards you've seen in movies like Star Wars or LOTRs elves.

I'm not sure what it needs - but maybe some sort of aspect that gives it a 'regal' quality. A cape? A gown? A robe, perhaps? He just looks a wee bit 'common.'

Submitted by matias on Sat, 17/01/04 - 8:46 PM Permalink

I like it, but I agree with JonathanKerr, and this is just a personal thing something is naggin me for a shield, I'm thinking a buckler or perhaps extend the left wrist guard even more. Ofcourse if you wanna go the full roman you could give him a big tower shield? Just little things, nothing big wrong with this concept in my opinon. Good job.

Submitted by J I Styles on Sat, 17/01/04 - 9:17 PM Permalink

in terms of ornamental regal qualities, it'd be a fair design for say a barbaric race - the armour is well forged, but still loose, the spines giving a certain air of barbaric menace. Functionally this is good for such a thing.

If you where going more for the imperial guard type of look, then more ceremonial type garb would be more fitting - they'd be functionally more for a show of power and position than just fighting and protection; things like etched metals, flowing banners from the halbred, head-dresses etc would go very far to showing this type of thing if that's where you're going with it.

Submitted by Johnn on Wed, 21/01/04 - 1:10 AM Permalink

Yup, roman and greek garb was in the back on my mind whilst doing it. The overall look of the guard was a bit plain wasn't it. I was a bit undecided as to what sort of spiffy bits to add for a while. The feedback seemed to suggest that the theme was 'fence sitting' between barbaric and refined... and in retrospect it was [:)] so I flipped a coin and have gone refined- no spikes,added coat of arms etc.

[img]http://www.sumea.com.au/simages2/258_elite_guard-2L.jpg[/img]

Submitted by Makk on Wed, 21/01/04 - 9:35 AM Permalink

That looks really good man.
Was this all traditional?
Good work :)

Submitted by Johnn on Wed, 21/01/04 - 1:21 PM Permalink

thanks [:)]
everything that I have posted to date has been graphite pencil sketches, scanned then coloured in Photoshop.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Wed, 21/01/04 - 6:48 PM Permalink

top stuff man, i still wouldnt mind a cape or robe or something really dressy for the whole "elite" thing

Submitted by Aven on Wed, 21/01/04 - 7:05 PM Permalink

The new one looks really cool. Definitely more elite than the original. I also like the move to him using a spear.