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Published: 2012-01-23 18:50:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 283461; Favourites: 11850; Downloads: 16884
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I had such a fun experience with the Portal 2 fan piece, I decided to go further and paint a bigger one for the upcoming game BioShock Infinite. This game's set design and characters are amazingly well done, especially Elizabeth; she doesn't have that dead-eye lifeless look you seen in so many video game characters. To see what I'm talking about, do yourself a favor and check out the 15 minute gameplay trailer. The action is insane:[link]
Anyway, because I'm a big JC Leyendecker fan and the game takes place during his legendary Saturday Evening Post cover stint, I decided it would be cool to do a parody issue on the city of Columbia with the two main characters as the center. But after drawing my layout, I discovered that the smart folks at Irrational Games had ALREADY done this concept with a few Post parody Game Informer covers. But to me they didn't look particularly like Leyendecker's art, who had such a distinctive style, so I said screw it and just moved forward with my original design. Now, my version doesn't necessarily look like Leyendecker's stuff either (i.e. no where near as good), but I did try make it recognizable as such in the very least while still throwing in my personal stylistic touches.
A few notes: The was only one piece of online reference for the main protagonist, Booker, so this is more my personal interpretation of him. As for Elizabeth, I wanted the paranoia of Songbird's pursuit to resonate in her pose so that's why she's looking skyward. Columbia was done in all-gold because I wanted the city to look like an idealized El Dorado floating in the sky which also accomplished having the character colors pop.
As for how long this took? No idea. I nibbled away on it for like an hour a day in between work projects. Total blast to do. Thinking of my next piece now...
Related content
Comments: 609
kimsokol [2012-02-01 20:42:06 +0000 UTC]
Oh my god Leyendecker pastiche, and done so welllll; your ability to capture his smeary, choppy brushwork digitally is amazing. Their faces may not be his style, but they're still great in their own right. Love the composition, too.
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mjohare03 In reply to ??? [2012-01-31 06:25:39 +0000 UTC]
Absolutely awesome!!! I can't wait for this game to hit my PS3.
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Tkaa In reply to ??? [2012-01-30 17:51:25 +0000 UTC]
I love JC Leyendecker myself and I think this an excellent interpretation of his style. It's amazing!!
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DigitalPandora In reply to ??? [2012-01-29 17:14:20 +0000 UTC]
breathtaking work! i myself cant wait for the game to come out :3 its gonna be so good
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daran3red [2012-01-29 05:00:31 +0000 UTC]
I think you captured Leyendecker's style better than the Game Informer Pieces. Though this seems more like one of his Colliers covers. I can't say why, just the general feeling. Maybe because my strongest association with him and the Post is "Pie Making" which my grandmother had hung in her kitchen for many years.
All in all I loved this piece.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Mrmonkeyalsodraws In reply to ??? [2012-01-27 13:40:34 +0000 UTC]
Great piece. Ive never played a Bioshock game but looking at that trailer I feel drawn in. How confused will I be by the story if I just play this one?
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AlexGarner In reply to Mrmonkeyalsodraws [2012-01-27 18:05:08 +0000 UTC]
Thanks! It's an all new story from what I can tell.
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Mrmonkeyalsodraws In reply to AlexGarner [2012-01-28 01:21:32 +0000 UTC]
Cool, I just wondered cos there are references I didn't get in the trailer
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mackdanife In reply to ??? [2012-01-27 01:29:00 +0000 UTC]
Absolutely stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, wow!!!!!
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PaulMcInnes In reply to ??? [2012-01-26 22:41:45 +0000 UTC]
This came out amazingly Alex! Awesome job! Got the classic Leyendecker feel but still clearly yours.
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LoganLee In reply to ??? [2012-01-26 17:30:49 +0000 UTC]
Amazing as always Alex. Damn this is really awesome.
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PurplePlague In reply to ??? [2012-01-26 14:24:00 +0000 UTC]
simply breathtaking...what radioactive waste did you roll around in to get your brilliant art superpowers? cause...if you still know the location of the dump-site...or have a vial of it like TMNT ooze lyin around...I can has plz?!?
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Danny1210 In reply to ??? [2012-01-26 05:59:32 +0000 UTC]
BTW, I like the "SONGBIRD is watching" thing in the top left, nice touch!
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AlexGarner In reply to Danny1210 [2012-01-27 18:06:26 +0000 UTC]
You're the first to notice! It's closely based on an NRA bird symbol that were on the actual covers. Thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Danny1210 In reply to AlexGarner [2012-01-28 01:39:57 +0000 UTC]
The one thing that Bioshock taught me, pay attention to detail! lol, again, nice touch, very cool idea.
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galapogosian In reply to ??? [2012-01-26 00:41:24 +0000 UTC]
She looks a lot like Shannen Doherty. And that is not a bad thing at all.
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whiterabbit007 In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 23:15:16 +0000 UTC]
Beautiful piece of work. Love the style and the fonts.
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redwolf518 In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 23:02:58 +0000 UTC]
Saw this on Joystiq [link]
It's really wonderful! Congratulations.
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CrimsonSprai In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 21:42:01 +0000 UTC]
If you sold prints of this I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
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AlexGarner In reply to CrimsonSprai [2012-01-26 05:04:27 +0000 UTC]
Pssst. See me at a convention this year. I'll announce dates soon.
I have some online ideas too but I'm still working on it...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Mudora In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 20:58:11 +0000 UTC]
JC Leynedecker is one of my illustration heroes. I'm glad you could pay such a wonderful homage to him, as well as to video games. Really well done!
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CloudlinerCorona In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 20:27:08 +0000 UTC]
PLEASE make this a print! I'd love to have this on my studio wall!!!
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AlexGarner In reply to CloudlinerCorona [2012-01-26 05:05:11 +0000 UTC]
Pssst. See me at a convention this year. I'll announce dates soon.
I have some online ideas too but I'm still working on it...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Dragon164z [2012-01-25 16:55:33 +0000 UTC]
This is great, I wish I could put a big print of it up on my wall next to my Robb Waters Game Informer posters. I like them but I love this.
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Nicky-Fingaz In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 16:34:55 +0000 UTC]
Love this and I don't even know the game really. I'd love to see an entire Leyendeckerish comic book. Of course it would probably take 300 years to complete, but it would be pretty.
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Max-Dunbar In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 15:49:56 +0000 UTC]
This is way too cool. I absolutely love your style, really fantastic.
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maguinness In reply to ??? [2012-01-25 14:56:23 +0000 UTC]
Instantly recognizable nod to Leyendecker. Beautifully done.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
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