The explorations of an artloader.
Here’s a quick concept sketch of one of the Dark Acolytes from my digital comic.
Done in Gimp.
He’s shaven headed except for that pony tail.
He’s wearing a long leather coat.
He’s got a big ‘M’ tattooed onto his face.
[visualizer id=”587″]
[visualizer id=”537″]
After pondering my priorities for this project, I have moved the goal posts on myself and decided that no-longer will Timescales be the over-riding priority.
Instead Quality will be the over-riding priority.
The reason is that I am enjoying the journey as much as the thought of the end-goal so I want to continue to take the time to explore interesting avenues as I find them.
My Make A Steampunk eComic Dashboard page has been updated accordingly.
Tasks completed over the last 2 weeks:
Tasks planned for the next 2 weeks:
Here is a concept picture of The Dark Temple Of Mymosule from my upcoming digital comic.
In Manga Studio, I imported the planetary rings render I did from Blender and added a bunch of digitally painted layers:
I’m not sure the temple really looks like a temple so I will do a bit more research into dark temples and maybe do a 3D model to get my head around it all.
After studying some reference photos, I played about with the planetary ring texture a little more in Blender.
Also, the sun is now shining from the lower left and has a bit of a red tinge to suggest a sunset.
I then scaled the whole model up by roughly a factor of ten because I will then locate a camera on the planet surface and take a render with the rings coming down from the sky to the horizon.
Hopefully I can use the render as a background for a digital painting of the Dark Temple Of Mymosule.
OK so I decided to use the colour ramp method from Experiment 2 and put together a simple scene with a marble textured planet.
The rings are actually made from a single disc, it’s the colour ramp texture that makes it appear as multiple rings. Colour ramps allow you to specify transparent areas so I’ve just got a single ring with some transparent areas on it.
I then followed Reaping Fire’s YouTube tutorial on making a star field.
Here’s the result of my Making Planetary Rings In Blender Experiment 3:
Continuing from my Blender planetary ring experiments with the Wood texture type yesterday, I thought I’d try out the Blend texture type.
I created a ring mesh by extrude-scaling a circle.
It took me ages to understand the different Blend texture parameters but I’ve found the following settings yield good ring-like patterns:
I then had to play about with the Mapping – Size X and Y values.
After that I made a concerted effort to finally learn how to use the Blender Colour Ramps (they’re flippin difficult to understand to begin with but once you learn how to use them, they’ll help you to world domination!)
So here’s the result of tonight’s experiment:
I’m working on an environmental picture of the Dark Temple Of Mymosule. It will be dusk and the planetary rings of Undomea are to be visible in the sky.
I’ve decided that I cannot draw the perfect arcs of the planetary rings by hand so I’m breaking out the heavy machinery: 3D modelling in Blender.
Firstly I created a sphere with a ring around it:
Then I positioned the camera as if it were on the surface of the planet looking up at the rings.
After that came the time consuming bit: messing about with the Blender textures.
The following was achieved using a Wood procedural texture along with a lot of tinkering about in the Texure – Mapping section:
Lots more to do but time for bed now – I’m a bit tired after a friendly bout of food-poisoning the other night, but you probably don’t want to hear about that.
[visualizer id=”483″]
My digital comic project went off the rails a bit over the last 2 weeks when I decided to re-write the plot. It didn’t reveal enough about Benevolen’s stealth abilities.
Now it does.
I’m starting do reconsider my over-riding prioritisation of timescales. Quality is starting to matter more to me than getting this done quick.
Hmmm meditate upon this I will …
Work Completed During The Last 2 Weeks:
Work Planned For The Next 2 Weeks:
I’m satisfied enough with the high level plot now so I have translated it into a comic book script.
Hopefully this time around I’ve avoided putting in any “moving panels” (comic book panels should be static snapshots in time).
Page 1
Panel 1:
It is dusk. The planetary rings are visible in the purple cloud-streaked sky. Captain Sylen Benevolen is standing on a cliff edge with Iyeon, his winged black panther. Helmet in hand, he is gazing across a mist filled abyss at the Dark Temple of Mymosule.
Panel 2:
Inside, Lady Umia is being carried down a corridor in a cage by the black garbed acolytes of Mymosule. Lighting is provided by wooden torches. The acolytes are armed with daggers and rifles. On a wall, a green moth is watching.
Acolytes (chanting): Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule Mym-mo-sule
Panel 3:
Back outside on the cliff. Some of Benevolen’s green moths are returning from the Dark Temple after he sent them in to do recon. He has his arm extended towards them.
Page 2
Panel 1:
The moths have landed on Benevolen covering him everywhere except for his face. There are two hedgehogs (mother and baby) half way up a nearby ridge. The baby hedgehog has fallen onto it’s back and is struggling.
Panel 2:
The moths have taken off again and are swarming gently around Benevolen who is putting on his helmet.
Panel 3:
Benevolen has donned his helmet and is bending down to help the baby hedgehog.
Page 3
Panel 1:
Benevolen is flying on Iyeon out towards the tower with the swarm of moths flanking them like huge bat wings. The mist is swirling in their wake.
Panel 2:
Inside the Dark Temple, the acolytes carrying Lady Umia have entered a circular, black altar chamber with a stone table at it’s centre. The table has metal manacles bolted to it. At one end of the table is a stand holding a curved black dagger. There are around 100 acolytes surrounding the raised altar. There are no windows and the only light comes from wooden torches on the walls and on 2 torch stands at the altar.
Panel 3:
Elsewhere in the Dark Temple, two acolytes armed with rifles are patrolling a torch-lit corridor.
Page 4
Panel 1:
The patrol enters a high-ceilinged, corridor. There is a ledge above and behind them.
Panel 2:
The stone wall above and behind the patrol seems to be peeling away to reveal Benevolen and Iyeon as the chameleon-like moths that have been covering them disperse towards the flaming torches in the corridor. Benevolen’s head and shoulders are visible and Iyeon’s piercing green eyes are visible amidst the dark muscular mass that is his frame.
Panel 3:
The moths have smothered a couple of the torches, it is a little darker. Benevolen and Iyeon have launched themselves off the ledge and are about to come crashing down on the two unsuspecting acolytes.
Page 5
Panel 1:
Back in the altar chamber, Lady Umia’s cage has been set down next to the stone table. There are two large acolytes on either side of the cage. Kopath the High Priest of Mymosule is holding the dagger up above his head. A green moth is flying into the cage.
Kopath: Behold the dagger of Mymosule!
Panel 2:
Lady Umia is holding out the back of her hand and the green moth has landed upon it. A slight smile plays on her lips.
Panel 3:
The cage is open and the two large acolytes have grabbed Lady Umia by the wrists and are pulling her towards the stone table.
Kopath: You should feel honoured young woman. There is no greater reward than to be offered to Lord Mymosule!
Lady Umia: No!
Page 6
Panel 1:
At the entrance to the altar chamber swarms of moths are spewing forth from the darkened chamber beyond. The moths are heading towards the flaming torches in the altar chamber.
Panel 2:
A swarm of moths have smothered a torch, it now emits nothing more than a faint orange glow. There is still light from the other torches in the chamber.
Panel 3:
At the stone table, two swarms of moths have covered the torches on either side. The acolytes are looking bewildered. Lady Umia is smiling.
Kopath: What is this?
Page 7
Panel 1:
The whole altar chamber is now dark except for the faint orange glowing embers on some of the torches.
Panel 2:
It is pretty close to pitch black in the chamber now.
Iyeon: ROOAAAAARRR!
SFX: CRASH!
Random acolyte: Aaieeeeee!
Panel 3:
One of the acolytes starts shooting. The flash from his gun illuminates a small area and we can see that he has hit one of his own kind. In the near distance Iyeon carrying Benevolen appears as a large shadow above the acolytes, swooping towards the centre of the chamber.
SFX: BLAM
Wounded acolyte: Aaaargh!
Page 8
Panel 1:
At the altar more muzzle flashes faintly reveal Benevolen and Iyeon dropping onto the two acolytes holding Umia.
SFX: BLAM
Acolyte 1: Aaaargh!
Acolyte 2: Huuuuugh!
Panel 2:
A muzzle flash from another direction then reveals Benevolen sweeping Lady Umia off her feet.
SFX: BLAM BLAM
Benevolen: It’s Sylen here, you will be safe soon Umia.
Panel 3:
Benevolen is astride Iyeon with Umia in his arms. Iyeon is bounding down a corridor scattering the handful of acolytes in his way. Behind them, the green moths are swarming around a couple of acolytes who are trying to take aim at Iyeon with their rifles.
Iyeon: ROOOAAARRRR!
Scattering acolytes: Aaaaaaah!
Page 9
Panel 1:
Iyeon with Benevolen and Umia on board has hurtled out of an arched window over the misty abyss.
Panel 2:
As Iyeon soars away from the Dark Temple, behind them an acolyte has appeared at the window and is taking aim with a rifle.
Panel 3:
The acolyte is suddenly enveloped by a swarm of moths.
Acolyte: Ummfff!
Page 10
Panel 1:
Flying through the purple dusk sky over forest covered ruins, Benevolen has removed his helmet.
Benevolen: It’s OK now Lady Umia, you are safe.
Umia: They were going to … I’m so glad you found me Sylen.
Panel 2:
We see a close up of Benevolen’s face. He is looking straight ahead.
Benevolen: Your well being has always been my priority my Lady. More than you know.
Panel 3:
Umia is looking up at Benevolen who is looking back.
Page 11
Panel 1:
Umia is looking away, Benevolen is still looking at Umia.
Umia: I am very fond of you Sylen but … you know I love Atonis.
Panel 2:
Umia is looking up at Benevolen, who is now looking straight ahead.
Benevolen: I understand my lady. Captain Atonis is a good man. I am sorry if I have spoken inappropriately.
Panel 3:
Umia is looking away, Benevolen is looking straight ahead.
Umia: You don’t have to apologise Captain Benevolen.
Page 12
Panel 1:
Arriving at the tree top city of Suborea, Iyeon is swooping down towards a giant bough. Captain Atonis is running towards them.
Atonis: Umia!
Panel 2:
Benevolen stands beside Iyeon and watches Atonis carry Umia away in his arms.
Panel 3:
Atonis turns his head slightly and calls over his shoulder to Benevolen.
Atonis: Thank you Captain Benevolen.
Benevolen: Don’t mention it.
Page 13
Panel 1:
It is around noon in an open air chapel high in the Suborean tree tops. Umia and Atonis stand facing each other with a priest stood over them. Friends and family are stood watching the wedding ceremony. At the back Benevolen is watching.
Priest: Do you, Lady Umia Yulon, take Captain Atonis Trogade to be your husband?
Umia: I do.
Panel 2:
Later, in his quarters, Benevolen is packing his leather saddle bags.
Panel 3:
It is again dusk, the planetary rings are visible in the purple sky as Benevolen flies on Iyeon over the forest covered ruins flanked by his green moths.