School. Need I say more? I’m so busy working on projects that I can’t really work on projects.
We’re finally starting a project that I’ve been looking forward to all semester, though. The Elemental project in my Concept Design and Storyboarding class. The earth element crystal golem I’m designing is going to be one of many crystal golems that are being added to the Spider Project!
So, for the scope of this class, I’m creating a front and side orthographic (extra credit opportunity for doing a high definition rendering of the head in orthographic views), a narrative digital painting of the elemental in its environment, and then a gray scale storyboard of the elemental that includes the scene from the narrative drawing. The deadline for all of this is May 20th, but I’m going to try to kick out as many of these as I can as fast as I can and turn them in as I go. I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Major progress can be viewed here, on my ArtStation!
So far, I have a couple steps of the work up; the thumbnails with silhouettes I was deciding between and progress on the one that caught my attention.
As far as references for crystals and stones are concerned, @dusted77 and @kelleye_ on Instagram are two of my favorite accounts to follow. The way they display crystals in a specific lighting is very useful for understanding how both the surface and reflectivity look on a semitransparent object.
So, yes. That’s where I’ve been with projects right now. Hoping to do more regular updates to the blog, as well as the ArtStation project page!
Katie Pylman 
This was due graduation day? Odd.
Well, it’s not bad. But, I’m a lil swayed by the golems used in video games, already, like Pokemon. Have you seen the “Regis”? There’s a Regice that could be a crystal golem. I’ve been dabbling with elemental/golem designs since 1994. It wasn’t until recently that, I think, I decided to make crystal golems with floating, cylindrical arms so the crystal remains solid versus looking like gelatin. Or, consider the golems from Monster Rancher and how their assemblies of rocks can separate to kick up tornadoes.
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School is strange. At my junior college, graduation was on Thursday of finals week and finals didn’t end until Saturday.
I like the Regis and that was one of the references I used when deciding on a design.
For this guy, his limbs are attached magnetically, so the rocks do scrape a bit, but not detrimentally so. I like the floating crystals idea, but it’s been used a lot in many of the MMOs and RPGs I’ve played, so I wanted to try a different joint style.
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That makes no sense (about Jun. College). How can you pass a test after graduation?…the test must be pointless.
I thought your crystal limbs looked more fused than simply magnetized.
I like your hip/leg section with the gravelly bits for underwear. But, I think the floating arm idea would look cooler/more sensible and move easier. Otherwise, the crystal starts to look like gelatin.
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You don’t get your diploma if you don’t pass the tests that are scheduled or graded after the graduation. Same for four-year.
As for the limbs, it’ll make sense when you see them in motion. Nothing looks like gelatin unless it moves like gelatin. The rocks will be solid, not wiggly.
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That is so stupid. Just finish having tests before graduation where diplomas are distributed. It makes no sense to have a ceremony before the end of the trial. You don’t run two thirds of a marathon, hand out medals and then say, “Okay, finish, runners!”
If you say so (about the arm motion).
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I don’t make the rules, but grades aren’t due back for another two weeks after finals week. It would leave a lot of people who live in the dorms homeless for two weeks (they have to be moved out by mid-day Friday).
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Well, you nor I may make the rules, but I’d say it’s about time we got some people together and made the rules bend just a little to make sense. If it’s the stuff that doesn’t cost money that isn’t making sense, it’s the stuff that costs more than it should. Too many either rebel and get into trouble or say nothing and just feed the monsters.
Like I said. The school needs to adjust their schedule. There should be no concern for homeless students (just as there should not be concern for homeless soldiers returning from battle unable to work/move). There’s no reason to treat students like cattle when they are either slapped with debt or paying a big sum for something. I just don’t like the smell of any of it. It makes me nauseous.
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I’d have to agree with that. The rules don’t make sense and it’s not fair for people to be shut down when they speak out against bad ideas. It’s also important to understand the other end of the argument, though, if only to strengthen your own side.
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