Light tabled the rough.
I'll show the 'painting' in this same thread tomorrow.
I listened, watched Big Eyes and Birdman while I did the color. So you're looking at about 4 hours of work.
I always disappoint myself with color.
I sent them a PSD with layers. If they edit it it wouldn't hurt my feelings.
Rick here: Ellis suggested that I do a paint over to show how I would handing adding some pink lighting. The pink layer is set for "Overlay". I put some pink lighting on her upper half + inside the pot and added some deeper shadows (multiply layer) in the surrounding areas. The pink might be a bit too hot now, I'm guessing.
I always disappoint myself with color.
I sent them a PSD with layers. If they edit it it wouldn't hurt my feelings.
20 comments:
Wow Ellis, that's a wonderful drawing. Please don't lose the magnificent line work when you apply the color. All that beautiful hatching deserves to be preserved as part of the art- kind of like Wrightson's Frankenstein drawings. Or, if you have to do an opaque painting, I'd like to see an alternate version using transparent watercolor-type coloring overlaid on the line.
Thanks Tom. The hope is to use all the line as a color hold. I want it to go quick but want the color version to be a success and something I can easily duplicate.
Is it odd the last three people I have transacted with over the internet have been named 'Ken.' Both the commissions and the Ken Horowitz interest in me and Jurassic Park.
Here is the interview answers that will appear in the Horowitz article...
Here are my answers. Feel free to proofread.
1. - How did you become involved in Jurassic Park?
I was actually more involved in JP2. I was around when JP1 was being done. Eating my heart out while Doug TenNapel went on field trips to Stan Winston's studio and saw first hand the hydro-driven, full size T-Rex..
I was close enough to the game that I did note a lot of the resources. One of the main gifts from heaven was the raptor model loaned to us by Phil Tippet. Probably a yard long from nose to tail tip.
TenNapel was in charge of the stop motion capture using that model. I remember his awe "It moves like butter and stays right where you stop moving it." This would of course be state of the art, best ball and socket models possible to be found any where. We treated it like the Hope diamond.
Later I got to work with the Tippet model that the sprite of DR Grant rides. The ostrich looking dinosaur. The one that swarms the kids and Dr Grant in the movie and they shelter under the big log. Those dinosaurs. Brachiosaurus ( I finally looked it up) And I was lucky enough during my stop motion capture session to luck into a great profile shot of an ostrich running in slow mo. It was easy to animate using that as reference. The model was the same as the raptor. A mechanical wonder with beautiful molded rubber detailed skin.
Of course Tippet stayed engaged with the Jurassic Park movie, they just didn't use any stop motion. So those great models were just laying around. A resource explored and abandoned.
Great background artists worked on the game. Mark Lorenzen and Tom Moon. Doing things with the limits of 16 bit color that can't be done unless you're a very patient genius. You have no idea the color palette and memory limitations that confronted artists doing those backgrounds.
I'm in touch with a lot of the people that worked on that game still today. It was a very big deal to everyone and we enjoyed that time.
2. - How much did you prepare to create art for the dinosaurs? Did you have to do any extra research?
Creating the art, the work horse program was Deluxe Animator. I modified a lot of the Dr Grant sprites, touched up most of the old animations from JP1. The only real original art I did for JP2 was with the aid of that great Phil Tippet model
3. - I've read that BlueSky strove to make the animation as lifelike as possible, and that paleontologist Dr. Robert Bakker dissected a chicken to discuss dinosaur anatomy. Is this true? Did it help you with your animation?
If this happened, it occurred without me knowing about it.
- Rick Schmitz told me that you created much of the concept art for Vectorman. How did you become involved?
I did a lot of miscellaneous sketching for the early stages of Vectorman. But other peoples designs were ultimately used. Schmitz probably had the most significant input on character design. Absorbing the limitations of what the Karl Robillard animation system would require. Of course Vectorman is mostly substituted sheres, dynamically replaced much like the old George Pal puppettoons.
I got involved because I was a Blue Sky artist. Just the job I was doing.
4. - What did you use as your inspiration for the characters and environments?
Inspiration came directly from those truly inspired. The people art directing the game tended to be the most talented artists.
5. - How much of your concept art made it into the final game?
One of the main things I animated in Vectorman2, a character with a Warhead head ( I think he was called Warhead) I think I might have had something to do with his look. If I didn't, I hope someone corrects my flawed memory.
6. - Were you involved in the sequel?
I was mainly involved in the sequel. Using The Robillard system. Funny because Karl insisted it be written for an Amiga. So you used the Amiga to animate and then that sequencing made it's way to the code. Deluxe Paint, which becomes Deluxe Animator, used to be Amiga specific. Everyone from that time remembers the fact that PCs were poor competition to Amigas when it came to pushing graphics.
7. - Why did you leave BlueSky?
Well, everyone eventually left Blue Sky. Doug TenNapel left first, due to some shortchanging. Promises vs contracts. Went to Shiny. Left there due to shortchanging, Promises vs contracts. And at that point learned his lesson and started his own company. Right as I was ready for my next job. I joined Doug at the Neverhood for Skullmonkeys and Boombots. And that was more fun than BlueSky.
Great looking piece, Ellis. As usual, I agree with Tom about the linework on this one.
Great answers Ellis, really brings me back. But the ostrich-like dinosaurs that Grant rides are probably Gallimimus ("chicken or rooster mimic"). The Brachiosaurus is the giant four-footed sauropod with front legs that are longer than back legs.
You're right Tom. And I realized I knew that off the top of my head, general dino knowledge. Oh well, now an outraged nerd can troll me. That will make him happy.
Thanks Rick. About to start coloring it. Maybe I should just one of your recent posts for my color script.
Feel free if you find it useful.
Just read Ken's article that he wrote by combining all the input he got from responders. He was giving me a HUGE role in Vectorman that I just did not have.
I let him know I wasn't that big a deal to it.
Told him Amber Long and Jeff Remmer did more in the game than I did.
I think you did a fine job on the coloring Ellis, and the line work shows through nicely. I think your client will be pleased.
Thanks Tom.
That article sure does bring things back. People have informed Ken of the synchronicity of Aladdin and Jurassic Park. He does a good job conveying that time.
This morning Ken sent me an e-mail saying, "On that note, I still need information on the history of BlueSky itself, but I haven't found anyone who was there at its founding or when it was closed. Do you know anyone specific that I should talk to?" I have sent Dana, Steve Hostetler, and Mike Hendricks Facebook messages and I'm trying to connect to George Kiss on LinkedIn. Anyone have a better way to contact these guys? And what was the other founders name, a programmer, Larry ...?
Yeah, the mysterious Larry that showed up and started playing Basketball with us right at the crucial sales time to Sega.
I guess there was some sort of cash advantage to being on the payroll as the buy was made.
He was good at paintball. Deadly.
I googled vectorman to see what all you were talking about. I was doing book layouts while you guys were making names for yourselves. I found something and then googled "vectorman concept art auctions" and saw stuff that looked like Schmidtz/Goodson style. Am I imagining things?
The use of light from the bottom of cauldron is really nice. Like the choice of green.
There is Schmitz and Goodson to be found. Most of mine are actually for a design document that Jason Weezner did as freelance. Having nothing to do with the Vectorman development at Blue Sky. I wish I could have sold all my art. It hurt to throw a lot of it away. All the hard board paintings. Practically filled the dumpster.
I like the colors a lot. My only suggestion is if the Pink was perhaps giving off a bit of light that would be effecting it's surroundings... perhaps lighting up her forearm a bit more, for example. Otherwise, it looks great!
Rick. Thanks for the notes. I do think the pink lighting could be a lot better.
Paint into it as an example if you like. Post it. I'd probably get a lot out of it.
Thanks Rick. It looks a lot better. Wish I could send the guy that one.
I get what you're saying as well. Once you get a light source, you would be wise to consider yourself FORCED to think globally about the light/color.
That's your deep Image colorist background as mentored by Joe Chiodo.
Of course you were good before that.
I'm going to force myself to do a matte painting that looks right for the photo I paint into. Think that through. That would have to improve a painter to get something that matches so well it llooks like it belongs in an existing photo.
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