Okay - your OGR is more descriptive of your intentions in terms of text than image - with your thumbnails not actually very successful at communicating your intentions; for example, the destruction of the house is described by you, and not by the thumbnail. In this sense, your thumbnails aren't hugely communicative of your intentions - neither can they begin to communicate your intended style. Thumbnails can indeed be this sketchy as you're working things through, but perhaps, in terms of readying yourself for an OGR, you might next time think about pushing this stage a bit further - and thinking about your 'key thumbnails' as being about the viewer's understanding too.
It's hard then to get to grips with your intentions; in terms of the Pit and the Pendulm, I'd suggest you combine the iconic pendulum with the decorated walls; concept artists combine things in this way all the time. There is a challenge in terms of depicting that space, and I think I'd like to see you deal with it. There are ways by which to make that scene very dynamic - simple by asking a few 'what ifs?' What if the floor of the chamber was strewn with skeletons and other examples of torture equipment, so we're looking past/through foreground elements (ribcages etc) up at the pendulum? What if there's a barred viewing window that enables people to look into the pendulum chamber from another room, so that the ghastly scene is framed in that way? My point is that imagining beyond the content described in the book and asking logical questions about the rest of the world can give you the legitimate use of objects/spaces not described in the original text. I'd suggest you need to think more dynamically about this particular space and how it can work for you.
Re. the destruction scene, for immediacy and drama, I'd suggest you keep the perspective at the human level, as opposed to the god view; the god view will struggle to give your viewer a true sense of the drama of this moment; the god view is used in films in terms of spectacle and epicness, but it will also shrink the importance of the house in your composition and our sense of 'being there.'
In terms of colour, you've got a largely monochromatic bias being expressed by your influence maps, but bold use of accent colour can make a scene pop: I'm going to be sharing these a lot, but watch these from Disney flicks and just relish how bold and exciting the use of colour is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08-uyfp2iPM
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiWocwb8bIQ
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMmfaaiWMEs
Notice monochromatic colour schemes (one dominant colour range), accent colours as rim-lighting, and a general arty disregard for 'real world' lighting. In terms of the House itself, just ensure you stick close to real world architectural reference, even as you consider exaggerating or distorting accordingly. Haunted houses can get very generic very quickly if people draw them directly from their imaginations (because we all carry the archetypal haunted house in our heads).
There's something about Poe's writing - over-wrought, feverish - that feels like it should soak up into your visuals; some neurotic, spiky quality. When I think about Poe, I always think of Harry Clarke's wonderful illustrations:
The one thing I might observe about the artists you're looking at on your influence maps is that, viewed together, they do seem a bit 'samey' . If I was being mischievous, I might also observe that in terms of a 'visual concept' you have more of a mood and a colour palette than a production design mantra. Perhaps there's still an opportunity then for you to think in yet more stylised terms re. your 'world of Poe' - remember, this is animation concept design - not film concept design; and if I was being very mischievous, I might also show you this:
Hey Phil, thanks for the feedback, you were right that I need to really experiment a lot more with the ideas and visual concept altogether and remember that this is for animation and not for films/game design. You really have made me re-think the way of approaching this project with its design language and colour palettes, thanks :)
10/10/2013
ReplyDeleteHey Ant,
Okay - your OGR is more descriptive of your intentions in terms of text than image - with your thumbnails not actually very successful at communicating your intentions; for example, the destruction of the house is described by you, and not by the thumbnail. In this sense, your thumbnails aren't hugely communicative of your intentions - neither can they begin to communicate your intended style. Thumbnails can indeed be this sketchy as you're working things through, but perhaps, in terms of readying yourself for an OGR, you might next time think about pushing this stage a bit further - and thinking about your 'key thumbnails' as being about the viewer's understanding too.
It's hard then to get to grips with your intentions; in terms of the Pit and the Pendulm, I'd suggest you combine the iconic pendulum with the decorated walls; concept artists combine things in this way all the time. There is a challenge in terms of depicting that space, and I think I'd like to see you deal with it. There are ways by which to make that scene very dynamic - simple by asking a few 'what ifs?' What if the floor of the chamber was strewn with skeletons and other examples of torture equipment, so we're looking past/through foreground elements (ribcages etc) up at the pendulum? What if there's a barred viewing window that enables people to look into the pendulum chamber from another room, so that the ghastly scene is framed in that way? My point is that imagining beyond the content described in the book and asking logical questions about the rest of the world can give you the legitimate use of objects/spaces not described in the original text. I'd suggest you need to think more dynamically about this particular space and how it can work for you.
Re. the destruction scene, for immediacy and drama, I'd suggest you keep the perspective at the human level, as opposed to the god view; the god view will struggle to give your viewer a true sense of the drama of this moment; the god view is used in films in terms of spectacle and epicness, but it will also shrink the importance of the house in your composition and our sense of 'being there.'
In terms of colour, you've got a largely monochromatic bias being expressed by your influence maps, but bold use of accent colour can make a scene pop: I'm going to be sharing these a lot, but watch these from Disney flicks and just relish how bold and exciting the use of colour is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08-uyfp2iPM
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiWocwb8bIQ
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMmfaaiWMEs
Notice monochromatic colour schemes (one dominant colour range), accent colours as rim-lighting, and a general arty disregard for 'real world' lighting. In terms of the House itself, just ensure you stick close to real world architectural reference, even as you consider exaggerating or distorting accordingly. Haunted houses can get very generic very quickly if people draw them directly from their imaginations (because we all carry the archetypal haunted house in our heads).
There's something about Poe's writing - over-wrought, feverish - that feels like it should soak up into your visuals; some neurotic, spiky quality. When I think about Poe, I always think of Harry Clarke's wonderful illustrations:
ReplyDeletehttp://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/supplement-harry-clarke.html
The one thing I might observe about the artists you're looking at on your influence maps is that, viewed together, they do seem a bit 'samey' . If I was being mischievous, I might also observe that in terms of a 'visual concept' you have more of a mood and a colour palette than a production design mantra. Perhaps there's still an opportunity then for you to think in yet more stylised terms re. your 'world of Poe' - remember, this is animation concept design - not film concept design; and if I was being very mischievous, I might also show you this:
http://vimeo.com/31299484
Hey Phil, thanks for the feedback, you were right that I need to really experiment a lot more with the ideas and visual concept altogether and remember that this is for animation and not for films/game design. You really have made me re-think the way of approaching this project with its design language and colour palettes, thanks :)
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