This time, i tried little bit different approach when sketching the Lemminkäinen...
First i created the pose by using my own body as an example. I took the pose, that was then photographed and transfered into Photoshop
(For your viewing pleasure i wont post the originals here;) .
In photoshop i rendered the picture with Wacom tablet. This way i was able to get correct anatomy and pose very quickly and easily. Finally i drew the hole picture with Wacom and added little effects to create "sketch-like" look.
I wanted to create a pose that would express the tragedy that is present with this Character.
I imagined the Lemminkäinen calling the demons of the Tuonela standing on the riverbanks of the Death's river, baddly scarred,,, after he's magical resurrection from the dead.
I am quite happy with the result really. I think i managed to express the desperation and anger that Lemminkäinen is feeling. I left the sketch quite rough 'cause i didn't wanted to loose the feeling by polishing the image too far....after all it's just a sketch.
Based on the photoghraps that i took earlier, i was able to make this image that i could use, when sculpting the miniature later.
Very simple photoshop rendering here, nothing special.Finally i feel that i like to share some thoughts about this project and maybe about designing in general.
Even though i love sculpting, i also love the designing phase very much also.
I feel that this is the point where you create eternal champions of ruin the whole thing from the beginning.
I usually carry this phase quite far, for example i like to design all those little details (weaponry, eguimpment) differently.
but in the end i still like to leave things little bit open , so that i can make the final decisions in the sculpting phase.
With this particular character i want to go with quite minimalistic feeling..not too many details, i want to concentrate what is important. I want to focus on the pose and the facial expression should be very dramatic too.
As some of you already know, i have studied Design in Lahti Institute of Design
(i actually graduated from there too;). I never learned to use all those fancy 3D modelling programs too well (too busy drinking beer and converting miniatures;), but i learned something still...i learned how to skecth with pen and paper.
What i learned from there has helped me a great deal now, when i do miniature designing.
After all...pencil and a sketchbook are VERY effective tools in the hands of a good miniature designer...
Oh my! This is going to be awesome!! Nice stuff indeed.
ReplyDeleteCouple of thoughts... I'd use Bronze Age viking shoes instead of those curvy headed, would look nice and give more uniform feeling.
I'm still without the "real" Internet connection and I'm posting this from my phone (so sorru for typos).
By the way, I've seen that same look on your face couple of times when we've been in a pub pouring some serious amount of beer down to our throats :D
Nothing's more terrible than two finns, drinkin seriously!! No wonder if i have had that look on my face, when we have been out drinkin;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your opinion though, i would like to use those traditional finnish "lapikas" style boots but i will reconsider it now....
not the way we work as human proportions are a bit wimpy - more a comic book or highly stylised anatomy is used depending on race - i met a finn in sweden once and we drank a great deal - no pubs in sweden tho is there in finnberg ??????
ReplyDeleteJeah! Humans are a bit wimpy=)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you picked this up, 'cause i have thought about it lately. i'v been planning this to be 90mm's tall..or 72m,, havent decided it yet.
I was really looking for this "withered" look for this guy, since he has died once already and all;)
(J.B.)Since you have been providing sketches and concepts for dozens of miniatures (and in many different scales too) in the past, was there any difference in anatomy when you designed miniatures for The Inquisitor range, compared to Femme Militant range for example??
Steve(spyglass) i would reallyreally like to hear how do you do this? or think about this matter??
I understant that when sculpting in "warhammer-scale" this comicbook style will work perfectly, but how about in larger scale?
non at all for me - the adjustment was made bi the sculptor - theyre the experts - concepts should not be used as a prescriptive but more of a shorthand in imagery allowing the sculptor to grab a flow of thought immediately - brian nelsons 54mm inquisitor would be a good example of this where a number of sketches provided the base inspiration which then was refined and added to by brian - i never see this process as getting the sculptors to make what i say but rather me giving them a series of visual informations - you must not underestimate their own creative input - the art of sculpting is not something i could do - the femmes were a different matter - they were not a GW IP excercise but a case where sculptors i respected made sculpts of mi art - nor was it ever designed to make money but more an expression of enjoyment .....
ReplyDeleteI like the idea where the sculptor has an artistic freedom to shape and develop the designer's visions, as this way both are able to cherish their very best talents. Sculptor is an expert artist too, as you mentioned Mr. Blanche, and he should not be restricted by the artificial barriers such as the pose concept or the exact facial details in close-up concept, etc.
ReplyDeleteOf course there's always the risk of failure in this kind of scenario too. If the chemistry between the designer and the sculptor is not working, I believe the final product may become a mess of contradictories. But the professional grip and open debate between the designer and the sculptor usually solves this kind of problems so the risk is usually very low, I think… or is it???
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Yes, there are pubs in Finland too! Though original Finnish pubs differ a bit from English counterparts. Well, I've actually visited London and there for my point of view is a bit limited, but I'm sure the amout of drank beer is quite close the same ;)
i always regard the sculptor as the designer but different people need very different areas of help and its here that a relationship is essential - the creative process is organic and can flow on a wave of enthusiasm - i have had in the past other people giving out sketches and ordering sculptors to make exactly that which does not understand the creative relationship at all - also do not forget that the influence happens in reverse when a sculpt gives life to the art ......
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw a thumb of that picture in my blogroll, the first thing in my mind was "Hey it's the wizard from Hero Quest" and now that mental image keeps coming back. But at times when I can see clearly I do like that sketch...until the wizard returns
ReplyDeleteworked on that project with milton bradley i think but i cannot stretch mi memory so far back and cannot remember the wizard ......
ReplyDeleteYou are kibnda right Furinji!!
ReplyDeleteThey both have long hair and they are both chanting some spell,
('had to fetch my dusty copy of the original game from the closet to check it out)
Assuming that you ment that boxcover of the game.
Link:
http://stevebaker.altervista.org/immagini/heroquest.jpg
by Les Edwards(?)
This reminds me about the thing that infact (and i can say this for both of us) we are a bit of collectors of the early GW books.
that seems like a period when artists were creating they own vision and the wariation within common elements was huge! if you take, say a orc drawn by four different artist of that period, you get four completely different images=).
To me that is very inspiring! Nowadays i think the GW's visual languace has tightened a lot from those wild days almost insane standards!
Now when you view the new armybooks, you get quite unified look (which is NOT a bad thing at all).
But when we start some new project that is set on the warhammer universe, we always go back to those old books (Realms of Chaos, Rogue Trader, Warhammer Fantasy RPG) just to find that original inspiration;)
the GW model has changed dramatically - a unified vision for the warhammer universe has become a solid reality - a imagined real place with real races and of course the art reflects the tabletop games and miniatures line - and that original inspiration did not on the whole come from the imaginations of those artists but from the briefing process which is the same people now as it was then - the artists were trying to create the vision that was briefed to them but in those days of oldde we did not have so many miniatures or such a unified collective vision - we are also sensitive in not crossing the boundries of other visions but constantly forming a warhammer universe thats unique but as not to throw away anything that has gone before .....
ReplyDeleteYep okkiW that's the one. And even the plastic figurine had a cape flowing behind him like Lemminkäinen.
ReplyDelete