Cavemen (That means nude people)

[BizarroJoe]

I just thought it'd be nice to show you all the project I'm currently into.
I was contacted via my brother by a guy who was in need of an illustrator for an amateur (yet ambitious) board game.He needed an illustrator right now to make a presentable prototype of the game, 'cause the one he made was illustrated via google image search. I told him I'd might do it, if it was within my possibilities...
... And the next day I was appointed as the card illustrator with a crapload of work ahead of me and no polite way of rejection. I'll have to do whatever I can...
Thus, as a way of getting myself an extra stimulus, and show you all I'm not missing, I'll show you some of the work I've done 'till now.

NOTE: I hate opening threads just for myself, so you can use this thread as a "Draw a Caveman!" thread, if you like. Still, I'd really, really appreciate comments and tips on my work if you do so.

Well, I'll start with some sketches I did to get me used to the Homo Antecessor, the hominid species that plays the main role in the age of the game's setting. There's also an inked test at the bottom.

[BizarroJoe]

The inked hairless close-up is, in fact, the latest of this batch. I just placed it there for the sake of space/posts/bandwidth.
At the bottom, I tried some full bodies. The game is management-based, but I thought that a slightly aggressive approach would be more attractive. Or at least, it'd relieve me some tension. Gawdfukkit, I really need to blow some steam off.

[BizarroJoe]

This is the generic Homo Antecessor male. Originally this game was designed for and presented to certain city council to promote the local archaelogical sites, that's why the game is so solidly documented. But the city hall guys ended cutting off the project's fundings (the main responsible alledged "not seeing his child playing with boardgames." *Sigh*). That's why he decided not letting all his work gone to waste and try to publish it somehow.
I'm going to propose the game designer this style for the game cards, inked and grey. I'll tell you what he thinks of my choice as soon as I get the response.

[Mabelma]

Things are looking just amazing. Forget about making this a draw a caveman thread. I wantto see progress on it as much as possible. Anyways the mugshot of the bald cavemen looks rather agressive which makes it look nice but it's giving the vibe of 3/4 mugshot but the nose is drawn as it was a profile. I would suggest letting us see part of his other nostril, just like you did with his eyes and mouth. Hope that helps. Loving the full bodies, keep up the amazig work and do not get off this project. If the game is going to be as high quality as it art it's going to be amazing b

[BlackmarketKraig]

These look really great, BizarroJoe. The only problem I have with them is the inked, hairless drawing. It appears, to me, that he has his lower row of teeth coming from his lip and not out of his jaw...

[BizarroJoe]

At 5/11/10 05:23 PM, Mabelma wrote: Things are looking just amazing. Forget about making this a draw a caveman thread. I wantto see progress on it as much as possible.

I don't see this becoming a popular thread anyway... But now it's the people's choice if they want to post drawings here or not.

Anyways the mugshot of the bald cavemen looks rather agressive which makes it look nice but it's giving the vibe of 3/4 mugshot but the nose is drawn as it was a profile. I would suggest letting us see part of his other nostril, just like you did with his eyes and mouth. Hope that helps. Loving the full bodies, keep up the amazig work and do not get off this project. If the game is going to be as high quality as it art it's going to be amazing.

Dunno... They have curious noses: seen from the side, they look like Lois Griffin's.
From my POV, the game looks a bit convoluted, but the guy's making some gametesting and the testers say it's quite enjoyable as it is right now. Still, I know he's still tweaking it. I'll try to report you on that, too.
Thank you very much for your comments! I love to see people interested on this matter!

At 5/11/10 05:24 PM, BlackmarketKraig wrote: These look really great, BizarroJoe. The only problem I have with them is the inked, hairless drawing. It appears, to me, that he has his lower row of teeth coming from his lip and not out of his jaw...

Damn, you've got a point there... You know, they have those big simian teeth that stick out a lot (and make the lips stick out even more) and with the open mouth, I tried not to draw the jaw too advanced... And I botched it. Tsk, tsk, I'll have to be more careful with that from now on! Now I feel glad of showing these here. Thank you very much, Kraig!

The generic Homo Antecessor female. I'm worried about the nude stuff. Maybe the publishers could have some objection, but, gosh, what can I do about it?! In the last years there has been a rising of the "politically correct" values promoted by our current "liberal progressist" government... Better not talk about sad things...
I fancied to draw her with some sort of weapon. Maybe she had to go on a hunting, or she has to defend herself from an unwanted mating.
Still, I'd like to draw a female cavewoman holding her child... We'll see.

[BizarroJoe]

This is the idea for the "Tribe Elder" character card. It's somewhat of a challenge to distinguish roles when people weren't used to wear clothes. I also want to keep out of accesories until really necessary. If the designer did a heavy research, I won't be the one flunking it.
Well, this is all I've got for now. I'll try to upload as soon as I have more. 'Till then!

[bigjonny13]

This thread is full of testosterone =D

[Mabelma]

The full bodies are lookinG amazing my only problem would be that the women anteceasor's face looks to much like a man face you could try to make her jaw line less strong or maybe a little curvier but I doubt that'll convey the strongness of this game. About the nudeness, I think it's all well balanced it's to convey the fact that they are primitive and nothing else so I doubt that's be a problem. Acessories how about necklaces and earrings made out of dinasour teeth (big ones). Keep up the amazing work and looking forward to anything and everything else n

[bigjonny13]

At 5/11/10 09:42 PM, Mabelma wrote: The full bodies are lookinG amazing my only problem would be that the women anteceasor's face looks to much like a man face you could try to make her jaw line less strong or maybe a little curvier but I doubt that'll convey the strongness of this game.

You might think that, but the neanderthal women actually had strong jaw lines just as men did,

[Mabelma]

Yeah, just did a research and it looks like they did so forget about that. My bad.

[Luis]

the arms on most of em look a bit short. I remember reading somewhere that our arms have evolved and become a few inches shorter than back in the day. So maybe you could extend them so that the fingertips extend beyond the knee caps?

[BizarroJoe]

At 5/11/10 07:50 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote: This thread is full of testosterone =D

Well, yes! !-]

At 5/11/10 09:42 PM, Mabelma wrote: About the nudeness, I think it's all well balanced it's to convey the fact that they are primitive and nothing else so I doubt that's be a problem.

Yeah, thinking of it like that would be common sense...
... Sadly, that's known to be the most uncommon of senses...

Acessories how about necklaces and earrings made out of dinasour teeth (big ones).

Officially, dinosaurs got extinct before the dawn of man.
Changing subject, all the craft I've seen from these hominids are simple tools. Maybe they didn't care much about appearances...

At 5/12/10 07:04 AM, Luis wrote: the arms on most of em look a bit short. I remember reading somewhere that our arms have evolved and become a few inches shorter than back in the day. So maybe you could extend them so that the fingertips extend beyond the knee caps?

Yeah, that was my intention at first... I had thought about the gestures of the gorillas or chimpanzees and that sort of primates. Although, I somewhat changed my mind and preferred to draw the legs a tad shorter (the generic male shows that idea.) so they can resemble being still human. But the in the following two drawings, the proportions came off more similar to nowadays humans... They just came out like that...
... But I was browsing references just today... And it happens that, at this stage of human evoultion, the limbs were already really similar to ours. I'll throw in a bit of exaggeration, due to the comic-book appearance of my way of drawing, but it seems that, if we had to be really strict, the limbs would have a length similar to modern human.
I'm really starting to think that opening this thread has been a good idea. The feedback is being really useful so far, and it's really encouraging me to keep on working on this. Thank you, Lou!

Sadly, last night I got very distracted so I wasn't able to draw much more.
But here's a walking hominid I drew this morning. I'll try to get something else done & posted before the end of the day. So long!

[bigjonny13]

At 5/12/10 12:23 PM, BizarroJoe wrote: ... But I was browsing references just today... And it happens that, at this stage of human evoultion, the limbs were already really similar to ours. I'll throw in a bit of exaggeration, due to the comic-book appearance of my way of drawing, but it seems that, if we had to be really strict, the limbs would have a length similar to modern human.

Yeah, around this stage was a turning point in hominid evolution that caused our bodies to have less ape-like characteristics.

[Mabelma]

At 5/12/10 12:23 PM, BizarroJoe wrote:

At 5/11/10 09:42 PM, Mabelma wrote: About the nudeness, I think it's all well balanced it's to convey the fact that they are primitive and nothing else so I doubt that's be a problem.

Yeah, thinking of it like that would be common sense...
... Sadly, that's known to be the most uncommon of senses...

So true.

Acessories how about necklaces and earrings made out of dinasour teeth (big ones).

Officially, dinosaurs got extinct before the dawn of man.
Changing subject, all the craft I've seen from these hominids are simple tools. Maybe they didn't care much about appearances...

I guess you're right but if you want to add a little more personality to them teeth necklaces and rocks necklaces would help. Just an idea of course.

I'm really starting to think that opening this thread has been a good idea. The feedback is being really useful so far, and it's really encouraging me to keep on working on this. Thank you, Lou!

It was a great idea and I'll try to comment and critic as much as I can. The style, design and concept of each character is just amazing. Keep up the great work. I can't wait for more characters.

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 01:03 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

Yeah, around this stage was a turning point in hominid evolution that caused our bodies to have less ape-like characteristics.

but i like the shorter-leg-but--normal-sized-arms thing you got going here

and though i know and understand you choose to draw the unclothed cavemen, they do hunt (obviously >.< hunter-gatherers) so i think a loincloth wouldnt be unrealistic
as for the women, yeah loincloths too, but i dont think they had a handy coconut or anything so... yeah lol

[bigjonny13]

At 5/12/10 01:24 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote: they do hunt (obviously >.< hunter-gatherers) so i think a loincloth wouldnt be unrealistic

But loincloths make you less aerodynamic when you go hunting :P

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 01:59 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

At 5/12/10 01:24 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote: they do hunt (obviously >.< hunter-gatherers) so i think a loincloth wouldnt be unrealistic

But loincloths make you less aerodynamic when you go hunting :P

*rolls eyes* cmon jonny, you make no sense
the clubs dont have to wear loincloths

LOL <3 XD

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 02:25 PM, PrinceFlea wrote:

Does it have to make sense they're primitive human beings.

it was a joke. he was saying the cavemen have to be aerodynamic. i said, in a roundabout way, that they throw the clubs, they dont beat the animals with it. so they dont need to be. a joke. funny. ahaha!
jeez.

anyways, BizarroJoe, that is some really nice artwork you got there :) i wanna see more drawings

MOAR!!! :3

[BizarroJoe]

OK, OK, O-kayy... So... The funny part is that the clubs... wear loincloths...
I think it's that what you wanted to say...? I mean, it's rather difficult to picture that...

'K, first of all, I'm gonna post post some links to pictures I found interesting:
Right here, right now.
Although not really specified in the picture, the Homo Antecessor shared timeline with the Neanderthal and evoluted to Cro-Magnon.
Oh-ooh, there she goes. She's a man-eater.
-Here you can see a female dealing with the food shortage problem. This one's not gratuitious, there's an event card called "cannibalism".
Carry on, my wayward son.
At first, when the game designer suggested me the rasta hairs I was a little skeptic because none of the ton of images that he passed to me got any rasta on them. Anyway, I thoght it was very possible (and besides he, the designer, sports that 'do.) and I throw that to the design. Now I find this photo and look, here they are. And funny enough this is from the site that rejected the boardgame project.

BTW, can you hear that voice saying: "Cain... What hast thou done with thy brother...?"

And here's a design for another character card: the Shaman.
I think this one was included by gameplay reasons... Her function is to prevent illnesses from hurting player's tribes. I don't think it's really historical-wise... But, hey: if the game calls for it...
I wanted to make one of the characters a woman. So think of her as a witch-doctor.
'Till the next time!

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 06:30 PM, BizarroJoe wrote: OK, OK, O-kayy... So... The funny part is that the clubs... wear loincloths...
I think it's that what you wanted to say...? I mean, it's rather difficult to picture that...

well, he said its less aerodynamic, i said clubs dont wear loincloths. yeah... whatever
im not on NG cuz im a comedian. :P

And here's a design for another character card: the Shaman.
I think this one was included by gameplay reasons... Her function is to prevent illnesses from hurting player's tribes. I don't think it's really historical-wise... But, hey: if the game calls for it...
I wanted to make one of the characters a woman. So think of her as a witch-doctor.

maybe add some tiki/voodoo necklace? idk but some kind of neclace or staff with something pertaining to voodoo :) so she would be more easily recognized as the witch doctor

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 08:03 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote: maybe add some tiki/voodoo necklace? idk but some kind of neclace or staff with something pertaining to voodoo :) so she would be more easily recognized as the witch doctor

dont mean to post pictures in your thread, but this is kinda what i am thinking of
see? tiki/voodoo mask :P

double post ftw! lol

[bigjonny13]

At 5/12/10 06:30 PM, BizarroJoe wrote: I wanted to make one of the characters a woman. So think of her as a witch-doctor.

I don't want to burst your bubble, but a woman would never be allowed to be a shaman. Even though I doubt cavemen even had shamans, but the shaman was a position that was highly regarded, and it was a male position.

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 08:13 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

I don't want to burst your bubble, but a woman would never be allowed to be a shaman. Even though I doubt cavemen even had shamans, but the shaman was a position that was highly regarded, and it was a male position.

we arent commies jonny, they can be women

youve never heard of a woman witch doctor???

its probably just me, but when i think of a witch doctor, i end u thinking of a jamaican woman in a mask (similar to the pic i posted) saying "dont mess with my voodoo, mon"

like i said, probably just me.

[bigjonny13]

At 5/12/10 08:25 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote: we arent commies jonny, they can be women

It appears I stand corrected in one aspect.
"While male shamans are predominant in many cultures, native Korean and some African Nguni cultures have had a preference for females. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known shamans-dating to the Upper Paleolithic era in what is now the Czech Republic-were women."

[Luxembourg]

At 5/12/10 08:25 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote:

At 5/12/10 08:13 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

I don't want to burst your bubble, but a woman would never be allowed to be a shaman. Even though I doubt cavemen even had shamans, but the shaman was a position that was highly regarded, and it was a male position.

we arent commies jonny, they can be women

youve never heard of a woman witch doctor???

its probably just me, but when i think of a witch doctor, i end u thinking of a jamaican woman in a mask (similar to the pic i posted) saying "dont mess with my voodoo, mon"

like i said, probably just me.

It is just you. We're talking ancient human ancestors, equal rights weren't exactly an existent topic amongst them.
Shamans in history have usually been male, as Johnny stated.

[Kashi]

At 5/12/10 08:28 PM, Luxembourg wrote:

It is just you. We're talking ancient human ancestors, equal rights weren't exactly an existent topic amongst them.

yeah, but i dont think there was nearly, if any, sexism, in ancient history. huh, the irony, the "uncivilized" being civilized.... (kinda deep, if you want to go into that crap)

At 5/12/10 08:28 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known shamans-dating to the Upper Paleolithic era in what is now the Czech Republic-were women."

thanks for doing the research jonny, god know im far too lazy to. so i guess it could go either way, BizarroJoe. where would this caveman tribe be in today's world (geographically speaking)?