1/21
Marko Djurdevic
Marko is an illustrator primarily known for his “no-reference” style painting and his incredible ability to render light, volume and color with photographic accuracy without using reference. He is Marvel’s flagship illustrator and a founding member of Massive Black.
Dynamic (not overworked) composition
Much of Djurdevic’s most famous work is for Marvel comic covers, which obviously have a very standard size format to work inside. In the case of many illustrators, this leads to are fairly basic composition of the available area (as the header space must be reserved for the comic title). This is most certainly not the case for Marko. In addition to his artwork, his compositions are dynamic and balanced, without being overworked. His techniques could easily be applied to not only illustration but also portfolio graphic layouts.
“No-reference” Rendering
Through years of practice, Djurdjevic has the human form and all types of applied lighting purely learned in his visual memory. This is the type of skill that I am working towards by practicing with human and form reference, but additionally working from none in order to someday never need lighting or photographic reference.
Ctrl-Z is the Enemy
Marko has stated as a part of his process in many tutorial DVDs and PDFs that when he makes mistakes and moves to correct them, he paints overtop of forms rather than utilizing the “undo” features that digital programs allow. He treats his digital canvas much like he would a traditional one also: utilizing only a few layers at a time and flattening very often. I think my work would also benefit from not utilizing undo and “safety” style functions whenever possible. In this fashion I would learn to better correct my mistakes rather than constantly be worried being able to back up in order to preserve my work.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Assignment 4
1/14
Research the key elements to good storytelling and discuss how it can be applied to portfolio design.
Problem and Solution:
There has to be a definite question and answer to each of a portfolio’s projects, and it has to be able to be viewed and understood at high speed. It seems like a simple element of storytelling, but it has to come across throughout projects.
Imagery:
Since portfolios do get browsed through at high speed, the level of explanation that has to be able to be expressed through the images is key. Product breakdowns, functional descriptions and in-use shots are part of the problem solution, but really can only be expressed in pictures.
Presentation:
The flow of the entire story (something that I struggle with) is also vital in explaining to someone quickly what you mean and where you’re coming from. Tying the problem, process, and solution together is just as important as any of the pieces.
Personality:
The problem, product, and solution all have to be conveyed in portfolio pieces, but additionally the personality of the designer has to come through also. The vibe of who is behind the work is important in separating someone’s work from all the rest.
Cited product portfolios:
I think these guys have some of the best examples of not only presenting stories with their projects, but also presenting their own personality.
http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_details.asp?individual_id=190005
http://xchosun1x.cgsociety.org/gallery/681092/
http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_details.asp?individual_id=161155
Research the key elements to good storytelling and discuss how it can be applied to portfolio design.
Problem and Solution:
There has to be a definite question and answer to each of a portfolio’s projects, and it has to be able to be viewed and understood at high speed. It seems like a simple element of storytelling, but it has to come across throughout projects.
Imagery:
Since portfolios do get browsed through at high speed, the level of explanation that has to be able to be expressed through the images is key. Product breakdowns, functional descriptions and in-use shots are part of the problem solution, but really can only be expressed in pictures.
Presentation:
The flow of the entire story (something that I struggle with) is also vital in explaining to someone quickly what you mean and where you’re coming from. Tying the problem, process, and solution together is just as important as any of the pieces.
Personality:
The problem, product, and solution all have to be conveyed in portfolio pieces, but additionally the personality of the designer has to come through also. The vibe of who is behind the work is important in separating someone’s work from all the rest.
Cited product portfolios:
I think these guys have some of the best examples of not only presenting stories with their projects, but also presenting their own personality.
http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_details.asp?individual_id=190005
http://xchosun1x.cgsociety.org/gallery/681092/
http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_details.asp?individual_id=161155
Assignment 3
1/12
Write about a person who has a strong and clear “brand.” List three best practices that they consistently do. How can you apply their best practices to your own work?
Daryl Mandryk is a concept artist and illustrator working for Massive Black. His artistic style and form usage is instantly recognizable, and it is because of the types of form, attitude and energy his concepts have that his work is sought after.
Mandryk doesn’t use 3d art in any of his initial form, environment or character sketches. He uses silhouettes even in perspective to mass in his work before refinement. Because I aspire to do concept art professionally, being able to completely understand dimensional form and dynamic lighting without the aid of a 3D program would greatly help my work.
Mandryk’s sketches are also some of the loosest I have ever seen in their initial phases. He describes them as almost abstract pieces of art that are refined into solid forms. I would definitely benefit from having the kind of looseness he has with his early process.
Also, a prominent thing to mention about Mandryk’s work is his storytelling ability. In his environmental or “action” images, you get an excellent sense of characters’ attitudes, action and complete mood of the scene all from a single image. This is something that as a concept artist I have to aspire to be able to do – telling a story instantaneously through a single image.
I recommend anybody interested in concept art or rapid digital form sketching check out his work!
www.mandrykart.com/
http://mandrykart.wordpress.com/
Write about a person who has a strong and clear “brand.” List three best practices that they consistently do. How can you apply their best practices to your own work?
Daryl Mandryk is a concept artist and illustrator working for Massive Black. His artistic style and form usage is instantly recognizable, and it is because of the types of form, attitude and energy his concepts have that his work is sought after.
Mandryk doesn’t use 3d art in any of his initial form, environment or character sketches. He uses silhouettes even in perspective to mass in his work before refinement. Because I aspire to do concept art professionally, being able to completely understand dimensional form and dynamic lighting without the aid of a 3D program would greatly help my work.
Mandryk’s sketches are also some of the loosest I have ever seen in their initial phases. He describes them as almost abstract pieces of art that are refined into solid forms. I would definitely benefit from having the kind of looseness he has with his early process.
Also, a prominent thing to mention about Mandryk’s work is his storytelling ability. In his environmental or “action” images, you get an excellent sense of characters’ attitudes, action and complete mood of the scene all from a single image. This is something that as a concept artist I have to aspire to be able to do – telling a story instantaneously through a single image.
I recommend anybody interested in concept art or rapid digital form sketching check out his work!
www.mandrykart.com/
http://mandrykart.wordpress.com/
Assignment 2
1/7
Link to three interesting blog posts on portfolio design. Give your point of view based on your research.
http://www.scribble.ws/
This guy (Jonboy Meyers) has fantastic energy in his work, and I really think it comes through on his website. Since his work is primarily comic cover illustrations, he has very extensive and intense colors to balance in an online-portfolio style presentation.
Although I’ve never met the man, the way he communicates his work gives me a definite feel for his personality and style without even having to read any of the work descriptions. That type of communication is exactly what I want to come across in my portfolio.
http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/rating?time=30
Speaking of color, this site can definitely help on establishing a moody palette for portfolios. I don’t have a lot of trouble placing color in compositions in digital paintings or in my concepts, but laying out colors in a portfolio setting that don’t overpower and actually match my work has given me trouble in the past.
http://www.mattiassnygg.com/illustration.htm
This guy has an extremely extensive portfolio in regards to subject matter and medium, and the way he has it organized on his site lends to showing the wide arrange of skills that he has. He categorizes his work inside groups of its medium and purpose (personal, black & white, etc.) instead of organizing into a resume-style of jobs he’s worked on. Although it’s concept art related, it still could definitely provide some inspiration to people looking to display the wide range of skills they have.
Link to three interesting blog posts on portfolio design. Give your point of view based on your research.
http://www.scribble.ws/
This guy (Jonboy Meyers) has fantastic energy in his work, and I really think it comes through on his website. Since his work is primarily comic cover illustrations, he has very extensive and intense colors to balance in an online-portfolio style presentation.
Although I’ve never met the man, the way he communicates his work gives me a definite feel for his personality and style without even having to read any of the work descriptions. That type of communication is exactly what I want to come across in my portfolio.
http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/rating?time=30
Speaking of color, this site can definitely help on establishing a moody palette for portfolios. I don’t have a lot of trouble placing color in compositions in digital paintings or in my concepts, but laying out colors in a portfolio setting that don’t overpower and actually match my work has given me trouble in the past.
http://www.mattiassnygg.com/illustration.htm
This guy has an extremely extensive portfolio in regards to subject matter and medium, and the way he has it organized on his site lends to showing the wide arrange of skills that he has. He categorizes his work inside groups of its medium and purpose (personal, black & white, etc.) instead of organizing into a resume-style of jobs he’s worked on. Although it’s concept art related, it still could definitely provide some inspiration to people looking to display the wide range of skills they have.
Assignment 1
1/5
Write your personal goals for the quarter, and an action plan for how to achieve them.
This quarter, I would really like to waste as little time as possible sketching products, and devote as much of my energy as I can into sketching and rendering concept art. In previous quarters, I have had to spend a colossal amount of time doing projects that (as far as subject matter) do not apply towards any field of design I want to be in. I would very much like to do character and weapon design, and I have chosen an Independent Study this quarter that requires me to design exclusively that. I have also chosen an arcade game as my workstation concept (because of its application to my field) that will most certainly be placed in my graduation portfolio.
Write your personal goals for the quarter, and an action plan for how to achieve them.
This quarter, I would really like to waste as little time as possible sketching products, and devote as much of my energy as I can into sketching and rendering concept art. In previous quarters, I have had to spend a colossal amount of time doing projects that (as far as subject matter) do not apply towards any field of design I want to be in. I would very much like to do character and weapon design, and I have chosen an Independent Study this quarter that requires me to design exclusively that. I have also chosen an arcade game as my workstation concept (because of its application to my field) that will most certainly be placed in my graduation portfolio.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
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