Starting the Adventure with Zbrush

Here I am learning the anatomy of the body structure, using references of my poses but also poses from Online tutorials, where I see them looking at a reference photo and I Just copy, the outline of the body.
What  I have learned:
- I need to train my eye
-Look for the small details, such as the lines.. for example the lines of the rib cage
-Women atomy are different to the male figure. However, They do share similar references.

Here is me focusing on the Torso- side profile.
Also I originally gave her a tone butt- fitting into the typical standard of game industry of what a 'female' should look like. However, I changed it because my character is not going to fit any beauty standard of pretty, as she is supposed to appear 'unpleasant'. The whole point is for her to have a cold appearance- meaning unpleasant.. unfriendly, unwelcoming. But has a warm heart- Because her power- changes is turning her into ice, as well as turning things to ice- the uncontrolled power she has

I will like her to have these qualities to her in her anatomy and why:
- Slim built frame with a pleasant figure- To represent her once beauty that is now being taken over by an illness she has- her power of turning things into ice uncontrollably and now slowly taking her over.
- Ribs showing through- This is to show, that she has a thin skin and small frame.
-Her butt not as toned, but toned- because she has a slim  frame
- a bit of a tone belly, as she has a slim built
.

Here are photos of me changing how the figure should look like.

More of  a Toned Butt

Less of a Toned Butt. However adds to my character small built figure.

Sketch Workshop- Book Review

Book Review 

The sketchbook workshop, published by 3D Total Publishing 2013

Personal Ratings of  3.9/5

I am currently learning to draw the anatomy of a face shape, as I have never learned the structure of the human body. First, i am starting with this book- The sketchbook workshop, published by 3D Total Publishing.
It is very simple and I do like reading from it as it gives me different steps. It does teach you how to improve your drawings skills, as I have learned from it. However, I wouldn't say its for people who are beginners, as I feel like it jumps from line art till really detailed drawing. I have only survived, due to background drawing experience, from practice, at the end of the day it goes to observation and practice to get the proportions of the face right. However, it saves time! and more time figuring other things.  I really enjoy the demonstrations and I do believe I am improving! I am getting the hang of face drawing! Knowing the simple basic works, because you can create characters without referencing! Nevertheless, it doesn't mean you shouldn't use references because it gives depths to your artwork, which is needed in intricate artwork, but if you want to give a pretty decent looking drawing of a character to show a colleague then learn this method! :D
 After using this book, I just casually didn't think much of the drawing, all I know I wanted to draw something intimating and not pleasant for my concept art, so I drew this out. However, I then thought it didn't work with my final vision of my character, because i gave her too much wrinkles, as i wanted more of a younger looking face.

Drawing By (Me) Jamila James-Perry

Reference for the photo;

http://www.parkablogs.com/content/book-review-sketch-workshop-anatomy

Inspirations And moodboard

I am fixed on doing a snow queen as my Final piece!

So I  wanted to see different types of snow queens- hoping it will make a good impact on my final piece. I am looking at other artwork, trying to see what I can use in my artwork, as I want to communicate my theme of the cold well (powerful snow queen who wants love and is slowly being destroyed, by the cold and needs a true love kiss to help).

Snow queen of Games

 I am analyzing this because I am wondering what makes this work so successful.

(League of Legends)

BY PABRO

Here is a Snowstorm, named Sivir. I like the fact over here in this is not obvious that she is a snow queen, but has elements that she is part of the snow hero family. I like her weapon as it shows power and represents her well as a character. However, I don't think this is for me, as the colors are not what I am looking for and I want my theme to do tell the story. Nevertheless. I think it's a good character, the character is different, she looks powerful, the interesting angle and pose, makes you want to play the game. They have thought about the character well. This could make a good character, because she looks powerful and looks like she can fight a good fight, which makes people wanting to play this game.

Snow queen of films  (live action)

(David Wu, Snow queen 2002)
I liked the pale skin with the white outfit, very fabulous with lots of intricate details! I want to incorporate the lack of emotion that the snow queen has in this photo on to my own work.
The coat she is wearing is interesting as it spiky just like ice. I like how they are using the theme of cold in different ways and putting it in onto her body. 

After doing looking at things as a whole, i started to look into detail, such as hair style I would like my character to have, the body positions from other artists, the body type I would like her to have and the reasons why and how it will link with my theme of a snow queen with a good heart.

Crown 

I really like when the crown emerges with the skin. To me, it shows power, strengths and a sense of something different, unique. However, I will change it by using a different sort of pattern, such as snowflakes. 

Here I also like the trail of gems on the side of her neck. It represents the chills on your back and that is something i want in my Final piece, little gems that are tailing along.

Make-up

As we all know I am going for that pale look, I thought it would be nice to have a contrast of warm, from within. I came across this photo which represents my idea, really well, so I want to incorporate this into my own work. The vibrate red, displays a sense of gateway to the heart, as the heart is only keeping her mouth warm. Which also represents the fact that she is waiting for her true love's kiss, that is why she hasn't died from the cold, as her heart is keeping her lips warm for the kiss of her true love!

I like the harsh contour on the cheekbone, as it has demonstrated in the photo on the left. The contour brings up the cheekbones, it gives off  a harsh appearance and this is something I can add to my own work because my concept is someone who is strong, intimated and powerful in power, but has a sense of facileness to her

Here I like the untidy eyebrows, gives character to the person. A character of boldness, out there. something i will like to give to my character, but as well as it shows a sense of coldness and stiffness in the eyebrows, which will work well with my character

Clothes 

I was actually inspired by a lot of lace, as its very intricate and shows class and gentleness.

Here I like how the lace wedding dress falls onto her, However, I don't like the long sleeves that she is wearing, as i don't vision my character wearing it, in such a way. I see more of a short sleeve. However I will use this concept of lace, but shape the lace as snowflakes, as it would bring out my character. 

Originally I wanted to give her a veil, but I thought it might bring out a lot more of the wedding theme, as I didn't want that, so I remove it and thought I should give her a crown and a very big, overpowering crown that she will look good in.

References:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210294/
http://www.voneinem.dk/galleri/voneinem.asp?galleri=blomsterdesign&index=1&pic=10
http://womenfashion.club/2016/03/19/mc-magazine-shot-by-vitor-shalom-january-2012-the-house-of-beccaria/
http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/champions-skins/skin-preview/snowstorm-sivir-steels-herself-winter
http://bridalmusings.com/2014/01/30-lace-sleeve-wedding-dresses/


Complete mood board of how I am imaging everything

Here are images where I would like to add to my concept art. I like the poses of frozen with the ice power in both photos, showing strength.
In the far right photo, the women blowing the cold. I like how the cold is all around her.
This mood board is to show the feel of how I want to present my snow queen, picking out small elements of each one to create a whole concept art of my own.

References for mood board.
Photographer: Ana Stasia- Miro Foto. Fotograf I Tondheim, model Catharina Helberg, Available- http://darkbeautymag.tumblr.com/post/141605495170/photographer-ana-stasia-mir-foto-fotograf-i

https://lightworkers.org/page/92686/which-elemental-are-you

https://www.westmidlandsdance.com/news/birmingham-royal-ballet-searches-for-the-choir-factor/

Birmingham Royal Ballet Thorp- The nutcracker-https://www.westmidlandsdance.com/news/birmingham-royal-ballet-searches-for-the-choir-factor/

[photographer-張 勃雲-  https://www.flickr.com/photos/tewpoyin/8160219306/in/photostream/


Mirella Bruno Visual  2013- http://mirellabruno.tumblr.com/post/111941631216/hoaxvault-valentin-yudashkin-aw-2013

Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Frozen 2013 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/
https://31.media.tumblr.com/fac7ce9fe4b73d2f4f69922591641768/tumblr_myzw6b9ymN1toje8io1_500.jpg


Freya: Ice Queen (The huntsman: winter's war)https://myfavaesthetic.tumblr.com/post/142837600450/freya-ice-queen-the-huntsman-winters-war


Brom Art- http://www.bromart.stfi.re/gallery.html#aa

http://imgfave.com/view/2250841?r=pin

The Important of Poses (Positions)

Figure 3

My artwork are base of different poses

Poses are important when it comes to character designs, as T poses is unacceptable! (Unless you are modeling a character). Through a pose it can demonstrate the personality of the character we are designing, for the audience to know there personality, such as the way the character carries itself, such as how does it walk. As the personality is shown by the way the position of the character . If the character has a high status, powerful. It will stand tall, with its chest pushed in front, arms on their hips, chin facing up, a proud look- with profoundness in its eyes.- This indicates this person is full of confident, a sense of hopeful, passionate. As you can tell from the positions of the character is important, as it wouldn't have the time to speak or move, so i need to figure out a position that can tell the views that is how i am portraying my character to you.

Figure 2

The Line of Action
The line of action is also important, as it gives weight to the character, as we are working in a 3D atmosphere, as poppet masters we need to take this into caution, as the character needs to be believable and not making a connection with the audience, loosing the audience on very little details that can be fixed on. I am going to be aware of this so i can apply these techniques to my final piece.

For my second concept art. The main focus would be her heart, as it reveals the true of the piece, so  i need to keep that in mind -what I want the views to see, and highlight it, but I need pose that will give me this option!

I have used this pose, but did some alteration, by making her more (bigger) as I wanted it for my 1st concept. Shows strength power and healthy person.

I looked at poses from (Figure 2) for my First/Second Concept Art work, as I was wanted a good pose that brings her personality, as i believe with my character, she needs something that represents her  from the inside, rather than her outer appearance, as that already speaks a lot. The pose will be good, as people will second think is she really a villain, she doesn't seem to appear, as one.. but looks like one.


‘ with the age of the anti-hero, baddies and goodies became less distinguishable from one another’ (Oxford living dictionary)

Feedback
- No-one liked the pose. Its very stiff no character traits involved that stands for my character

So i wanted to changed it, so i went on hunting to find a decent pose that will look more representative of my character!



I saw these poses (figure 3)and created a few from them, being inspired by these.I will try giving these poses personalities, by seeing what these poses mean and practice if i can see if i can bring out a certain look with these poses!

Figure 3

Drawing My me

Electric Women 

Here i thought of a powerful, electric superhero, which was influenced by (Figure 3)
These character is the same, but shown in different ways. I thought of  this anti-hero to be female, show powerful females! the woman will have a cooper outfit with electricity being her power, with electricity as her veins, seeing through her skin- soft like how veins are naturally are.



Why a female character?

I wanted to do a women, due to the fact I wanted to represent a woman with real-life problems, of society saying you are beautiful if you look a  certain way! This gave me an idea of finding displaying a women who is judge by appearance, but has a beautiful heart! <3

I have tried to look at different poses and even done in different poses to support my character, as i really wanted to show a powerful poses that shows my character personality.

Here we see a closed up, sad women who is a lone and thought this will go along with  Concept 1. However, i wont be doing that anymore. As i realized feedback and i changed it.

A drawing by Jamila James-Perry (me)

References: Images

• http://cursodesenhodinamico.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_7348.html?m=1
• 
  
• http://www.weibo.com/login.php?url=http%253A%252F%252Fweibo.com%252F107071978%252Fhome%253Fwvr%253D5%2526sudaref%253Dsmartpc.com.au
• 
  
• https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/535295105695142238/
• https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/anti-hero (quote)

Concept art 2 before it became a digital Painting.

Here is a draft drawing of  my concept, on pen and paper. to communicate my vision  that is hard to explain, so I  had to play with materials to demonstrate what i had on my mind.

I have chosen this idea, because it more influenced by the them of cold, ice queen, compared to concept art 1.

Choosing The Colours For My Wings

For my Hybrid. I was inspired by this photoshop tutorial. 

I was highly influenced by this tutorial, I like the colors that Rose used and I really wanted to incorporate this into my own work because it was 'pretty' and it showed off colours of a butterfly. However, this is where I went wrong! I didn't think much about the color scheme, which threw me off, as I was too busy focusing on making it pretty, that I even forgot my theme of a snow princess' butterfly, that it became apparent when demonstrating to my classmates. That is why my second concept art flows more of the ice theme a little bit better, Nevertheless, I have learned from it and hope to produced something also visually appealing.

Reference Links;
-Available on Youtube- Katherine Rose; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xQgDGKieE

Wings- Drawings

Wings I wanted to see if I wanted to add wings to my second concept art- The snow queen.
Because my first concept art was a snow princes' butterfly. I contemplating if i wanted my snow queen to be a snow angle.

Here are my thought process. (Top drawing by me)

I have look at different wings such as butterflies and angel wings and sometimes match them around to create something with a twist.

I chose wings of Butterflies because they have a sense of gentleness and delicacy to them, with different form of shapes, with every brush stroke being different from the other. I thought it would match the inside of my characters personality. Giving her wings demonstrate a sense of power, a higher authority to my character 

Here I love the wing. However, it doesn't matter with my character personality, as it is gentle. I took the idea of the shape of the wing, but gave it more rounded lines, to give a softer look. Nevertheless the art work from aeronumi- steampunk wing. it's very creative, With the theme of stream punk being visually demonstrated here.

Here i like how the wing is laid- the relaxation of the wing is claimed and laid down, showing no intimidation, but relaxation, i took this idea and added on to my drawing, thought. 

 Monika Zagrobelna

I have also looked at butterfly wings, as they are different and have strong bold colors.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Wings

by Enchantedgal-Stock

Facts about butterflies- hoping to add this details in my details- things I have learn about butterflies.

References;

-http://aeronumi.deviantart.com/art/Steampunk-Wing-140554593

-https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/taking-flight-a-beginners-guide-into-drawing-wings--vector-15996

-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Blue-Morpho-Butterfly-Wings-50406350

Fraser Maclean

14th Feb 2017 Fraser Maclean came into our university and spoke about concept designs and how to make a good concept art and what he did/ does for a living.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet and to speak to Fraser, where his joy for life, makes you smile. He inspired us all in different ways, as well as informed us about making good concept arts. Things I have not considered before, but I believe it will be with me for a long time.

He started talking about his time working in Disney and what involvement he took part in the process of making, who framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Space Jam (1996) and Disney Trazan (1999) Icon films that defiantly was involved in my childhood. He mentions the fact we are animators, but we shouldn't forget to draw, draw, draw, because drawing teaches you many things - such as reflections, shapes, size, things that we need to bring into the virtual world. Now I am going to draw things, particularly looking at reflections, shapes, positions, training my eyes to understand these things and have a better understanding.
He spoke about character -concept arts and the common mistakes. He sees all the time when people design for characters, especially in DeviantArt. He suggested we need to think of the backstory of our concept art, making it visually appealing shouldn't matter. What matters is... does it communicate the theme?, does it have a personality from just looking at it? Things that made me question my concept art and got me re-thinking on it. He also mentions can the character actually function with these material things on their bodies- such as the props does it look off balance, How does your character interact with other characters? - Things I have I am training myself to look at for.

 He told us to look at different places, we are in London, take advantage of the things we have around. Go to Galleries, theaters, ballet, libraries. Things that will open our minds to new creative things. Don't just look at artist's work but also from the real world, where we live in.

LET'S GET CREATIVE!

Once again. it was a pleaser to spend time with, teaching  us the treats of the trade.


Reference; (image)
http://www.richardkeithwolff.co.uk/_photo_14454978.html

Inspiration

Where did i get inspiration for my Crowns?


I have beginning to look at different real-life references, to make my concept art more visually realistic and more believable to the viewers. I have been looking at the texture of things, so when it comes to modeling the product, I would find it easier to display the texture on to z  brush, giving more of a realistic approach to the model. As I want to give a realistic look to my ZBrush, but have a bit of stylized look, making it a little bit of a personal style.

I took Inspiration for things, such as this. This helps when you are stuck and not really knowing what to. It has open my mind to another thing that how ice or crowns can look like, rather than the typical look of ice as a crown.

I have added a twist when looking at things is in real life.  when bringing it to the virtual world.

References
Crowns avaliable from :
- https://musemasks.com/crowns/
-http://grimildemalatesta.deviantart.com/art/A-crown-for-an-ice-queen-414172143
-http://www.elementalchild.com/store/stone-of-ice-crown

Completed Concept Art and Backstory!

 Completed  Vision Concept Art of The Snow Queen.

This is Alaska's Backstory
Alaska has always been different. Her appearance was nothing like her friends, the older she gets the more she turns into a soldered piece of ice. For the ice to stop, she has to find true love for her heart to melt all the strong ice, building around her heart. A wise man told her to go far and to find true love. To find love her heart can radiant louder and melt the ice, away. Her heart is still always warm. However, she is not strong enough to override the cold, by herself. She needs something to live for. Or does she?
However, with the intimidating appearance, It is hard for people to accept her the ways she is. She is always  being judged by her appearance. Little did they know, if people took time to get to know her From within. they will  find out. she actually has a warm, gentle personality, kind, soft and gentle.
Her strong present, with a calm soothing voice. She sometimes calls for help. However, no one dear goes inside her crave. The rumors they hear is shocking. The humans are in the village away stay from her. However, she has been searching for love about  for 2 years. She has has not found such a thing, she has given up, and have decided to be in peace, before she dies. She dances around in her cave, singing calming songs, till one day a male was intrigued by her beautiful voice. He followed the song into the dark cold crave. He saw her figure skating across the floor, effortlessly, falling in love with the voice. She performances, making snowflakes appear, making ice balls for fun.




Poem

When you look into this photo, what do you see?
You get a sense of coldness, you feel unwelcomed?
you think she doesn't want you to hear. Why is that?
The atmosphere of the surrounding makes your hair at the back stand up
you feel uncomfortable, so you leave, but if you look a little bit closer. you will see a heart. A warm pumping heart. A person. A soul.
There she stands with cold eyes. With the smallest tear, crying out for companionship, but you wouldn't have seen that, as her tears are aligned with her skin.


The aim of this is to show the quick judgment that people have. I want to make an awareness, that sometimes appearance shouldn't be everything that we are, but a part of who we are.

Concept Art (1)

Concept Art Number 1- Stages. – Photoshop

The idea is a concept art work of a butterfly incorporated with a snow princess. I want these too species to come together to become a hybrid, because Butterflies can’t work with the snow, so the character in itself has problems, that can be worked on!

In the painting, I wanted to show a powerful woman exhibit in a fierce position with scary eyes, looking towards the audience. I wanted her hair to be long and lushes, flowing, showing movement, while her body standing tall.

Colour of choices- I wanted to separate the choice of colour with the outfit to the wings, as I wanted to show a clear demonstration of the different species coming together. During the end, I did think it was a bit usual and though I should have had the same colour scheme through the character.

In this concept art, it showed me the ways on working on Photoshop, through this I have experiment through tones, colours. Maybe I became a little carried away on the colour choices and focused less on the character’s representation and more on looking pretty. That I forgot important in character design- forgot making things look pretty, focus on the personality the traits- to make the appearance. The character maybe actually appears to have a soul. With my next design, it is very important for me to get the personality, showed right and to see my theme. As I would say it’s more of a  plain design compared to Concept 1 . In concept 2, it is important to show the traits of my characters it may not appear obvious at first. 

Feedback From Class 

Here we have the completed piece of my concept art.:

-          They didn’t like the idea of the butterfly with the snow queen.  Some say it doesn’t work together.

-          It is too ‘pretty’, they cannot see all the themes I wanted the character to have

-          Body suits that matches with the wings will be better

-          Needs more broken things on her to display more an antihero, as she looks more as a hero.

I have taken this into consideration! I have showed them another idea. It was in fact my original idea and I would say most hanging it to the original idea