[Visual] Digital Gladiator WIP

Some people have asked me to show them how I work, so this thread is for that purpose.  This is a piece that I did for a poster contest.  This is not really a tutorial.  It's just to give you an idea of how I work.


WIP 0 - Click To View

I start of with a very rough sketch.  At this point I have two layers: a bottom layer that is a solid colour fill and a layer for the sketch.  I like to figure out where everything is going to be and how the characters will be posed out.

WIP 1 - Click To View

I create a two new layers (one for the background and one for the characters) and slap on some colour using the sketch as the guide.  Since the digital gladiator is the main focus of this piece, I develop her first.  Notice how I use only a few colours at first.  That is because right now I'm just figuring out lights and darks as well as what colour things will be.  Don't start blending too early.  If you make a mistake and have to change something, you'll end up wasting lots of time.

WIP 2 - Click To View

At this point I've figured out a weapon design.  Also, I start defining the sky.  Notice that although my goal is to make a firey red sky, I still put in blue here and there.  It just balances things out a bit.

WIP 3 - Click To View

I finish rendering the sky at start working on the design of the battle arena.  I start experimenting with the text I will use for this poster.  In all of this I'm keeping the amount of layers I have to a minimum.  This builds confidence and eventually speed so it's good practice.

WIP 4 - Click To View

At this point I've decided upon the layout of the text.   Since the text is on a separate level I hide it so it doesn't get in the way of things.  I also further develop the arena and the people on the ground.

WIP 5 - Click To View

Now it's just render render render!  I'm going for a more realistic 3D look with this piece so I try to make the armour look shiney and structured.  Notice that there are two light sources: the white light from the sun and the red reflected light from the sky.

WIP 6 - Click To View

It's nearing completion now.  As if it wasn't complicated enough before, there is a third light source now: the green light from the energy scythe.  Not much to say here, it's just the long tedious rendering stage.


FINISHED! (without text) - Click To View


Comments and crits greatly appreciated.

Holy shit!
Thats a great character design...and I love the pose/action/scene/detail of everything around her. Plus, she almost reminds me of a Hellgate: London Templar.

;DAwesome Job!

Nice choice of colours, by the way.

Thanks guys.  I'm still working away at this.  I might be able to get another WIP depending on how far I get.

Also, I just noticed that the lighting on the other soldiers' armor is astounding- especially on the leftmost soldier's  shoulder and helmet.

Man Gary, awesome work!

your skills are amazing! 

Thanks a lot guys.  Another update.  So close yet so far.

Well it's done.  So now you know basically how I make my pictures. =)

let me to be the first to say

AMAZING

  *faints*

Thanks guys.

Like Magic!
Super-Awesome Job, garygill.
 

Awesome details, you rock man.
You rock.

No seriously, I fee bad for using the word amazing...it's a big smaller than the word you deserve. YOUR WORK IS _______ <- THAT DAMN GOOD!

I will sticky this ^^

Wow, that looks great.

To quote Mike:

"I really am running out of compliments"

Amazing.

Wow I'm really glad you like it.  I hope it helped a bit.

Definitely far better than what I can do currently, but without contrasting, that's a great piece of art!

Thank you very much!