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SteveArgyle — Chandra Notablaze
Published: 2010-09-02 05:21:44 +0000 UTC; Views: 91348; Favourites: 2858; Downloads: 3591
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Description
Chandra, in a rare, quiet moment of not burninating everything in sight.I've always had a soft spot for firehairs. Both visually, and their mythical propensity for passion. I've always figured that the hair that grows inside my brain is red.
For Magic: the Gathering. Art direction by Karin Powell.
Goggles by Retain-a-Retina Eyewear and Internet Filtering.
Alternate sketches, prints, and whatnot at www.steveargyle.com
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Comments: 271
Is this for MTGO or wouldnt you know?
Either way it's stunning work as always. Really big fan of your work
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It's some sort of promotional image for a Japanese social networking site, called MIXI. Since I can't navigate their site, I'm not sure how exactly it was used.
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Ah, alright. I'm sure it was probably used as like a profile or something. As it does look like a portrait for someones avatar.
Thank you very much, sir.
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bwaa! 
you're a wicked arteest!
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wow, at first I thought this was a picture of my younger sister haha.
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Does she want to pose for the next one?
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How did you make the chainmail? brush or painting it one by one?
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I avoid tedious work at all costs. One at a time, I'd have little patience for. A custom brush, or a texture overlay, would look overly digital for this piece, not to mention it would be difficult to get that rounding of the collar, where the links look different as they turn away from the viewer.
So, in this case, I built a strip of chainmail in 3D (Maya.) Then I bound it to a mesh wrap deformer, shaped that, and rendered it. From there, it's just some touch ups to make it fit into the scene better, and match the rest of the image.
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I know it! Most 2D artists now must be able to operate 3D software too...
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It's certainly handy. But by no means necessary. Many of the best artists around only touch a computer to print out reference.
I worked as a modeler in video games and film for a while, so it's quicker and easier for me than drawing in some cases. Like chainmail.
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Yeah, but most clients don't give much care about whatever method we use. They only care about their budgets and acceptable result. With handy things like Maya, we can speed up the process and still get an awesome final art. Thus, we can offer a lower cost proposal and get more jobs in a month ... -___-
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Definitely. I can do two or three times as much digitally as I can with paint. And where appropriate, the 3D can shave off a significant amount of time, while adding to the realism of the piece.
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Have you used Maya for the body structure or a face base? Or do you use them just for cloth, armor and accessories??
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If I know I'm going to be using 3D, I'll often rough in the whole thing, just so the lighting and perspective is consistent. Sometimes it's just cubes and spheres, sometimes it's fully sculpted bodies. This one was a mix. (Maybe I should dig up the initial render and post it.)
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Actualy, what I meant was if you have ever used the 3D body & head for the base of your painting, which mean you will paint over it. Something like this: [link] Some people call it matte painting technique I suppose.
Anyway, if you could, I think a lot of your watchers will enjoy a little insight about the creative process of how you make your arts, not only the usual WIP of how to shade and color a sketch.
On another note, I'm also very interested in getting a little clue about the current professional rate for an illustration and a character design without background. I believe the number you mention later will motivate my lazy brain to study better way of painting. Hehehe
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Sometimes. But not all that often. I find that in my own process, I get more originality and personality if I draw more of it than model it. I'll use 3D to compose tricky poses or perspective, but even then I'll use that as the reference for a drawing, as opposed to just using it.
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I see. Thanks alot for your time answering all my questions. All the best to you, Steve!
Regards,
Emmilia.
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