Starcraft Terran Medic, the sequel!

[Vonschlippe]

Hey everyone!

This is my first post to the Newgrounds forum, but I intend to hang around a lot! Some of you might have seen my starcraft terran medic fanart as it's been front-paged in the past days. If not, have a look at it here. Maybe you can help me: I am currently asking for some suggestions.

I have received several requests for another portrait of a starcraft unit, and I'm torn between many good ideas. Keep in mind I would like to maintain a similar format (wide poster, roughly 20 x 42) and the same photorealistic art style. I am not necessarily sticking to the "full screen portrait" perspective.

So, which unit would be a fitting next project? Here are the possibilities I'm currently considering:
-A protoss dark templar, cloaked in a flowing cape and with an ignited psi-blade. I imagine many particles (perhaps from a flame) flowing through the image...
-A ghost (male or female?), set against a possible "nuclear winter" background, nukes, battlecruisers, dead zerg.... something like that. Snow particles, cigarette smoke, dust and debris.
-Kerrigan (in infected form), similar composition as the terran medic. However, this has already been done by a friend on deviantart (Amazing stuff!).

Still, I'm open to any suggestions related to the starcraft universe! I might include quick sketches to further describe my ideas, but feel free to provide some to explain yours!! I WILL give credit if I get my "breakthrough" idea here!

Thanks in advance!
-Nicolas Kudeljan (Vonschlippe)

[Falonefal]

I am completely infatuated with you, I love the SC Universe, and your Medic blew my mind, you're an excellent motherfucker of an artist, props.

There are certainly some things I'd personally like to see.
Templars, yeah, they're cool but it's a little dull, everyone does templars :P

What I personally really really would like to see is a drawing of an immortal (as my favourite unit) but it's not really good for this purpose, only if you know how to make it interesting.

Here would by my 4 picks:

1: A motherfucking awesome drawing of a Dark Archon (Those dudes kick motherfucker ass)
2: Could you do Duran? He's the most badass character in the whole game, except for Void Ray Pilots and Immortals :P
3: Ultralisk COULD be fun if you would overdo it, put something artistic into it: A VERY large Ultralisk with a close up on the face area looking at the ground with a hungry look on his face, and on the ground there's a really small marine in comparison to the Ultralisk, could be fun.
4: Vulture drivers: you gotta know they're kickass.

[Vonschlippe]

At 12/19/10 08:45 PM, Falonefal wrote: I am completely infatuated with you, I love the SC Universe, and your Medic blew my mind, you're an excellent motherfucker of an artist, props.

There are certainly some things I'd personally like to see.
Templars, yeah, they're cool but it's a little dull, everyone does templars :P

What I personally really really would like to see is a drawing of an immortal (as my favourite unit) but it's not really good for this purpose, only if you know how to make it interesting.

Here would by my 4 picks:

1: A motherfucking awesome drawing of a Dark Archon (Those dudes kick motherfucker ass)
2: Could you do Duran? He's the most badass character in the whole game, except for Void Ray Pilots and Immortals :P
3: Ultralisk COULD be fun if you would overdo it, put something artistic into it: A VERY large Ultralisk with a close up on the face area looking at the ground with a hungry look on his face, and on the ground there's a really small marine in comparison to the Ultralisk, could be fun.
4: Vulture drivers: you gotta know they're kickass.

I DO like the idea of an archon, especially the dark archons (because they have some sort of armor) but I am unsure as to how to compose the poster with an archon in it. Just google them... I'm not quite sure how to do something that has not been done before!

As for Samir Duran, I agree he's a badass. I could picture him as the ghost unit I described in my previous post. However, I'm afraid he's not instantly recognizable... Perhaps something more striking. The ultralisk idea, for instance, would be cool because it's an occasion to fill the screen with gorey details, liquids, secretions... and give off the feeling of brute force.

As for the vulture idea, I would have to consider including the whole bike. Still, all your ideas sound very reasonable to me!
Thanks for the comments, by the way ^^
-Nicolas Kudeljan

[Daverom]

Of the one's you suggested I'd go for ghost, male or female would look interesting.

But I'd suggest doing Tosh, cause Tosh is the man.

[Fifty-50]

I'm happy a an awesome artist join the ranks of us art forum goers.

[Vonschlippe]

Thanks for the compliments! ^^

So yeah, it seems most people would like to see a ghost/specter as my next unit portrait. They indeed tend to be popular on fan-art galleries! I'm still wondering about the composition involving a ghost... Portrait or action pose?

I've included some very (very) basic possible layouts... Any preferences?

[Kashi]

At 12/19/10 11:11 PM, Vonschlippe wrote: Thanks for the compliments! ^^

So yeah, it seems most people would like to see a ghost/specter as my next unit portrait. They indeed tend to be popular on fan-art galleries! I'm still wondering about the composition involving a ghost... Portrait or action pose?

I've included some very (very) basic possible layouts... Any preferences?

I like the first one.
It would go hand in hand with your last one. The whole having the face take up a major part of the pic. Am I making sense?

[bigjonny13]

Pffff, ghosts. Back in my day, ghosts were a dime a dozen.
Now Dark Templars.... There's a pair of words that would make men shit their pants.

[argile]

Your digital Painting of the Terran Medic looks really amazing like you can almost feel the chrome. Have you been you using a tablet to do this?

[homojesus]

Exelent work! But I would stop making cartoon/anime expressional faces. It makes it blatently obvious that you use references, not that thats bad, it just suggests that you cant draw faces w/o reference.

[Vonschlippe]

At 12/20/10 07:05 AM, homojesus wrote: Exelent work! But I would stop making cartoon/anime expressional faces. It makes it blatently obvious that you use references, not that thats bad, it just suggests that you cant draw faces w/o reference.

I'm not exactly sure why you're saying that. If you're talking about my comics, that's because it's my own personnal comic style and I don't have 80 hours to spend on a single page with a wacky script. I can ASSURE you I draw most of my faces without references (see the terran medic's making-of, among others) and I find it strange you would suggest otherwise. I am always exploring styles and I do not see how photorealism and cartoons cannot coexist.

Anyhow, back to the main subject topic. I am more and more inclined towards doing a female ghost because they (not surprisingly) don't have that full-facial mask thing, and it gives me the occasion to draw some skin...

[Daverom]

Setting off an EMP might be a cool compostion

[Vonschlippe]

I hesitated a lot before posting this, as I would originally have wished to keep it a surprise until the end... But hell, I've been working on this one for a while and I'm kind of excited for feedback already! So... here's an exclusive work in progress on where the "sequel" is going :D

Hope you like it! Any ideas/things missing? Keep in mind it's a WIP and some parts are still very rough (shoulders, armor plates), or unfinished, and I have yet to add hundreds of little details such as scratches and specular lighting spots.

[Kashi]

At 2/10/11 08:38 PM, Vonschlippe wrote: I hesitated a lot before posting this, as I would originally have wished to keep it a surprise until the end... But hell, I've been working on this one for a while and I'm kind of excited for feedback already! So... here's an exclusive work in progress on where the "sequel" is going :D

Hope you like it! Any ideas/things missing? Keep in mind it's a WIP and some parts are still very rough (shoulders, armor plates), or unfinished, and I have yet to add hundreds of little details such as scratches and specular lighting spots.

Its looking fantastic so far. I was hoping this would be a step-by-step thread, but if not, just keep us updated. ;)
Also, ignore me if I'm wrong, but the breastplate seems a little bit low...

[Vonschlippe]

At 2/10/11 08:42 PM, Kakashi1930 wrote: Also, ignore me if I'm wrong, but the breastplate seems a little bit low...

Thank you very much for the input!! I'm enclined to agree with this one, and I'll probably address the issue before publishing it, probably by moving the breast slightly higher, but not by much... I will also remove/rotate that black line along the "boob armor", which should make it less downwards. I've taken the pose from a picture of some girl lying against a wall, and the proportions should be right otherwise.

Here's a closeup of her face! (armor is not yet finished-too bland) I drew it not long after seeing Tron... I think I'm still secretly in love with Olivia Wilde >_>

[Kashi]

At 2/10/11 08:56 PM, Vonschlippe wrote::

Here's a closeup of her face!

I<3SPARTANS117

Thats totally her username.

[Falonefal]

She got strong thighs, rawr...

[LegolaSS]

thats some serious amount of detail going on there... i wasnt sure about the black lines under her eyes untill i saw the close up... they looks alot better... i have the feeling that this is going to be alot of peoples new background :3

[Kadian]

Extremely impressive artwork, loved your medic one and the starters of this ghost one looks fantastic as well.

I'm really interested how you're going to put the nuke in, is it going to be overwhelmingly bright or subtle (a subtle nuke, haha) or something completely else?

[Vonschlippe]

I'm still planning on implementing a mushroom cloud in the background, although it would look faint and distant, perhaps seen through fog or snow. It has to look far enough as the ghost is not wearing a face mask. I'm glad you like it :)

[Fifty-50]

These are just lovely. No, lovely is an understatement, I'd say it's absolutely beautiful. Just looking at your progress leaves me awestruck. Consider me a fan.

[bigjonny13]

Maybe have like an Overlord getting obliterated in the blast?

[Vonschlippe]

Here's an update!

I am now 50 hours into the drawing and I have several hundred details and corrections left to do on the armor... And a background o_o

Hope you like it!

[Vonschlippe]

Here's a close up. Most of the leg is not finished, but I wanted to show some details :)

[DevourerJay]

I came to that Medic... :3

[Vonschlippe]

Just an update!

I'm currently adding a lot to the level of detail of the picture, which is my favorite part. I probably have several hours of touch ups to go until I feel ready to start on the background. I've changed my plans as to what it's going to be, but I'll keep that a surprise! It's unlikely I'll update again until the image is complete, but here's some eye candy!

Also, she has a neck now =P

[Spags]

At 2/20/11 12:08 AM, Vonschlippe wrote: Just an update!

I'm currently adding a lot to the level of detail of the picture, which is my favorite part. I probably have several hours of touch ups to go until I feel ready to start on the background. I've changed my plans as to what it's going to be, but I'll keep that a surprise! It's unlikely I'll update again until the image is complete, but here's some eye candy!

Also, she has a neck now =P

Are you a professional artist yet?!? You should/could be. I love all the little details about this. The hair is simply amazing. What sort of techniques do you use to create the hair? is it a brush, or is it stroke by stroke, or what?

[Vonschlippe]

Are you a professional artist yet?!?

Hehehe I'm currently studying in mechanical engineering and I don't plan on starting an artistic career. Most of the stuff I do is fan-art from games or movies, and I'm a really slow painter... I probably wouldnt cut it if I needed to paint as a job!

So, concerning this piece... the resolution is 5656 x 3600 px, it's got over 200 layers already because I'm lousy with minimizing my layer count. When I draw hair, I usually do a couple of strands of hair by hand, then duplicate and warp the layer over and over again until I'm actually manipulating entire clumps of hair on a single layer... then duplicate these clumps over and over again to cover the desired area. So you draw maybe 25 hairs in the whole exercise, and you duplicate them forever :D

I'm glad you all like it so far! I gotta take a break from it now because I've got an exam on wednesday >_< I expect to be done by the end with this painting of the next month, perhaps?

[Vonschlippe]

Could not resist posting one last update before releasing the final pic. I'm 85 hours into it, adding details and working on the background (not shown here).

Anything missing/looking wrong? I NEED TO KNOW @_@

[Toast-Tony]

Love the "Lost Count" touch up to the legs, this is awesome dude, cant wait for the finished piece.